Corpo Bandistico Pontolliese

Italy - Ponte dell'Olio

Corpo Bandistico Pontolliese was founded 1752 in the little village Ponte-Albarola, today called Ponte dell’Olio, in old texts is written about a music group called “Pifferai di Ponte-Albarola”. At beginning of the 19th century the group became a real power of the town council directed by the major and public administrators. The first uniform is dated 1920, with black coat and trousers and and a hat called “feluca piumata”. There were about 25-30 musicians. After the 2nd World War the Band were rebuilt and restarts the activity without uniform, in civil and religious ceremonies in the village and its sorroundings. From the ’60 to nowadays the group as Fanfara, represented the Alpini section of Piacenza province in all the National meetings, with the paramilitary livery. In 1965, with economical efforts and thanks to the all Ponte dell’Olio inhabitants, were tailored a new blue uniform. In 1969 the band with new enthusiasm and energies was enriched by some Majorettes and a red and typical folkloristic uniform was tailored. In the next years had great success and the Majorettes groups increased, the band had many exhibitions out of the territory; the color and shape of the uniform made the name “Giubbe Rosse – Red Coat “, now second name of the band. In 1979 many Majorettes were added, and many young girls of 6-7 years, the minimajorettes who because of the young age had a big success. The Music School of the Band is very useful to add experienced musicians to the orchestra that from 1995 includes also women, and is made by about 40 musicians. Now is directed by M. Edo Mazzoni. The Corpo Bandistico Pontolliese participate in many national contests as Fidenza in 2008 where won the award Marching Band, and at Giulianova (TE) in 2013 where won the category Band with Majorettes. Nowadays the group has about 30 members in the music school and plays in about 35/40 occasions a year as patriotic, religious and folkloristic events. It has also a concert repertory with film soundtrack pieces.