Carrot, capsicum, zucchini, pumpkin… No, we’re not listing stir-fry ingredients, but rather instruments! Yes, there’s an actual orchestra whose members sell out shows performing music with humble veg.
Das erste Wiener Gemüseorchester, or The First Vienna Vegetable Orchestra to us non-German speakers, is an Austrian group of musicians, artists, writers and sound poets founded in 1998.
They use everything from artichoke to zucchini to create some of the most unique instruments you’ll ever hear – and you might be surprised to find out just how good they sound.
“A pumpkin works very well on its own as a bass drum, and you can make all sorts of instruments – like flutes, recorders and xylophones – from carrots,” orchestra member Jörg Piringer told CityLab. “Rub two leeks together like they were a violin and a bow, and you get a sort of squeak that can be really very loud. Onion skins rubbed together also make a nice maraca-like rustle.”
See how they find the right veggies and have a listen to the final product below!
This article was written in partnership with Over60.