Voices of Ticino’s Musical Heritage

The two musical ensembles Vox Blenii and Vent Negru keep Ticino’s musical heritage alive. Both groups place special emphasis on rediscovering forgotten folk songs, documenting them and preserving vocal traditions in local dialects.

Vox Blenii hails from the Blenio Valley. Founded in 1984, the group considers fieldwork its lifeblood. During their research, the five members Aurelio Beretta, Remo Gandolfi, Gianni Guidicelli, Luisa Poggi and Francesco Toschini—typically seek out elderly residents of the region, listening to their stories and songs and thereby collect music that originated in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Vox Blenii performs these songs acoustically, preserving the original local musical traditions that would otherwise have been lost.

The trio Vent Negru has its roots in the Onsernone Valley. Since 1991, its members—Mauro Garbani, Esther Rietschin and Mattia Mirenda—have interpreted folk songs from the southern Alpine region, drawing on oral traditions of lullabies and dance songs, which they perform in a variety of settings. The trio also enriches these folk songs with original compositions.
Through their dedication, Vox Blenii and Vent Negru bring the rich heritage of their valleys into the present—making it accessible to a broad audience through their powerful interpretations.