By JULIA FRANKEL
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Spectators trekking by heavy snow to the Cortina Olympic curling stadium have been delighted to be greeted by a standard Scottish bagpipe efficiency from a gaggle of excessive sock-wearing, kilt-sporting, snare drum-carrying, glengarry-topped … Italians.
The Milan Cortina Winter Games have put their very own spin on the custom of getting a pipe band play at Olympic curling medal ceremonies, an homage that’s meant to honor the game’s Scottish heritage.
For this Video games, the bagpipers are from northeastern Italy, greater than 2,000 miles (about 3,200 kilometers) from Scotland. The Cateaters Pipe Band say they’re one in every of two pipe bands within the Veneto area.
Till just lately, the Cateaters’ performances have been restricted to native concert events, ballet performances and ceremonies round Veneto. Performing on the Olympic medal ceremony is their largest gig but.
“It’s so emotional for us to play right here for the world,” stated Marianna Spadarotto, the lone girl within the band, who’s on the bass drum. “For me, sure, it’s thrilling, but additionally I’m shy, so it makes me nervous.”
Requested in the event that they add Italian aptitude to the Scottish tunes, they emphatically shake their heads. They don’t mess with custom — although it isn’t unknown in Italy.
Luca Eze, who performs the bagpipes, says he began his profession on the zampogna, a sort of instrument frequent in central and southern Italy. Within the Veneto area, it’s generally referred to as a “piva,” and is performed on Christmas and through different festivities.
“I performed the electrical guitar after which a good friend handed alongside this instrument to me,” says Mauro Fortuna, a Venetian who started enjoying Scottish music in 2008.
Curling is believed to have originated in Scotland, with the primary written proof of the game’s existence documented, in Latin, by a notary residing in Paisley, Scotland, within the sixteenth century, in keeping with World Curling.
The notary instructed of a stiff contest between a monk, John Sclater, and a consultant of the Abbot, Gavin Hamilton, involving sliding stones throughout ice. It was in Scotland the place organized curling golf equipment originated, with gamers sliding stones throughout frozen lochs.
On a snowy day in entrance of the Cortina curling middle, Olympic followers paused to soak up the scene, some questioning how the musicians’ ungloved palms weren’t too chilly to play.
The tufts of Eze’s hair, jutting out from beneath his glengarry cap, have been coated in snowflakes that fell down his face with each puff of the bagpipe. He’s brilliant pink and smiling.
Some followers proudly wave Scottish flags. They’re right here to look at the 4 gamers representing Britain on the ice, all of whom are from Scotland.
Italian vacationers look animated within the breaks between tunes, realizing they perceive the chatter between the bandmates. Cristian Negro, on snare drum, says that as an Italian, selecting to pursue Scottish music has given him frequent alternatives for gigs.
“I focus extra on excessive stress snare drums as a result of there are so few individuals who play it right here,” he says. “I get to play extra music — and it’s needed for somebody to do.”
It’s additionally fairly cool, he admits, as a result of it has introduced him to the Olympics.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
