Why go
The bands give Corfu's streets a character you can hear as well as see. Three city societies have different histories and uniforms, while the older tradition of cantádes links group singing to the island's Italian influence. Their role in processions explains why music is central to public life here.
The full story
Corfu's cantádes were informal songs in several voices, often accompanied by a guitar. Their name comes from the Italian word for singing, one trace of the island's long cultural exchange across the Ionian Sea. They survive as performed music rather than an everyday street custom. The island's philharmonic societies also teach music, so a band represents an institution as well as a parade ensemble. Corfu city's oldest society dates from 1840; the Mantzaros society followed in 1890, and the Capodistria society in 1980. Their dark blue, blue and white, and red and black uniforms help distinguish them. At the Spianada's music pavilion, concerts connect the open square with this tradition. During Holy Week, bands accompany religious processions and play different funeral marches. If you hear several ensembles in succession, listen for the change in repertoire as well as the change in uniform.
Useful to know
- For a public performance, check the societies' current event calendars before planning a visit around one.