Immigrant musicians from Viggiano/Marsicovetere

[113yearslater]

I found this really cool article about immigrants to Australia from these towns and others in the area, and how they brought their music with them, especially the violin and folk instruments like the harp. It also talks about how they transitioned from street musicians playing popular and folk tunes to showing up in orchestras and opera pits. I thought it was really neat because, in Philadelphia, my own ancestors from that area were musicians as well (at least one harpist, probably two, and another unspecified).

http://www.youblisher.com/p/813853-Ital ... l-migrants

If you are also from one of those nearby town, and you have musician grand and great-grandparents, you may find this interesting. It's specific to Australia, but a lot of what it says goes for the emigrants who ended up in the US, too.

[Jcox129]

My GG Grandfather Bernardino Vita was a harpist from Marsicovetere , born there in 1852 to Antonio Vita and Anna Masino. He moved to Chicago, where he continued his music until retirement. In 1880 he was living in a boarding house in Chicago run by a Russo family who were also musicians, who I believe were from either Marsicovetere or Marsico Nuovo.

Thanks for sharing this history!

[Caesar74]

Thanks for the share, my wife's dad was from Viggiano and played the piano accordion.

[elatas]

Hi,
I've been doing research for the last 3 years on Domenico Melfi, a street musician from Viggiano who played the harp and the violin. He lived in Australia from 1880s to approx. 1905. He married a woman, also from Viggiano, in 1896 in Sydney. They lived in Sydney (in and close to Surry Hills) and Perth, maybe Kalgoorlie also. The witness on their marriage certificate was another musician with the last name Labattaglia. He travelled with other street musicians from Melbourne or Sydney, to London, New Zealand, Naples and Marseilles. Their last names were Pisani, Lamacchia, and Nigro. Anyone with street musicians relatives from Viggiano who lived in Australia ? I'd love to hear from you.