Crank ‘N Drone
Hurdy Gurdy · Occitan & Piedmontese Tradition
I have been playing the hurdy gurdy since 2001 — an instrument that belongs, above all, to the Occitan valleys and the Piedmontese hills where my family is from.
The Player
My name is Alexander Parise. I'm an Italian-Australian musician based in Melbourne, and the hurdy gurdy — the vielle à roue, the ghironda, the wheel fiddle — has been the centre of my musical life for more than two decades.
I learned to play in Northern Italy, studying under Sergio Berardo and attending workshops with Patrick Bouffard and Maxou. My repertoire is rooted in the traditional music of Occitania and the Piedmontese valleys: bourrées, polkas, waltzes, and courentas that carry the sound of that landscape.
I play a Boudet hurdy gurdy in D, made in 2001 — the instrument I learned on and have never put down. A new contemporary alto hurdy gurdy is currently being built for me by Vielles Kerboeuf in Brittany, to be collected in person in 2027.
Crank 'N Drone is where I share this music: performances, repertoire explainers, and the slow work of keeping a regional tradition alive in a city a long way from its home.
Lessons
Are you interested in learning how to play the hurdy gurdy either in person in the Melbourne area or online?