Formed of 30 members of the Italian national gendarmerie, the Fanfara Carabinieri has a long and honorable history, initially founded as the royal household's military band in 1820. Over the next 100 years it developed into a large scale military orchestra, and now it stands alongside its French and UK counterparts as one of Europe's greatest military ensembles.

In celebration of Italian National Day on 2nd June, dressed in black and red uniforms and wearing red and white striped feathered hats, the Fanfara Carabinieri will bring the sound of 180 years of military musical history to China for the first time. For this appearance at the World Expo they will demonstrate a major aspect of the Italian military tradition, performing their age old repertoire to the Expo's international visitors.