Eli Alfred is an LSU student that you’ve probably seen, or at least heard, while strolling through the Quad or walking by the Union. If you don’t recognize the name that’s most likely because students have been referring to him as “the guy that plays the ocarina.” 
Eli started playing the ocarina when he first heard it in Zelda and wanted to see if he could pick it up and learn a few songs. He had previously played piano and has gone on to learn even more instruments, such as the guitar and bass. Though, the ocarina is what has made him stand out the most.
He first came to campus three years ago and that’s when he started to play in public. It seemed like a good way to make friends and to see if anyone could recognize the songs he knew. Since then, he has made many friends and has gotten an array of positive feedback and interaction from the student population.
“After I found out the impact it had on a lot of the people here, I was motivated to stay,” Eli said. Many people will come up to him smiling, saying he made their day, to learn more about the instrument, or make a song request.
On the ocarina, he has about 30-40 songs in his rotation. “I get requests from people, and I’ll try to play it on the spot and add it to the library,” he said. If it’s a straightforward and simple enough song he can learn it in just a few seconds. Currently, his favorite songs to play from his library are the ‘Shop Theme’ from Ocarina of Time and ‘Queens Theme’ from Detlarune.
While knowing how to play that many songs, on multiple instruments no less, makes you a pretty creative person, Eli has gone further than that. He is a screen arts major hoping to turn the three science fictions novels that are a part of a series he wrote into an animation series. “That’s what keeps me going,” he said, “anything creative.” He has also made short films in the past and has hopes to make more after college. 
If you would like to hear this amazing talent in person Eli is usually in the Quad playing around 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. You might even hear him around other parts of the campus too. If you do be sure to stop and listen for a bit, you won’t regret it.