Tag Archives: folk music

Waltzes, reels and polkas: Folkshop performs at Tenterden Folk Festival

Not content with her relentlessly busy summer (see previous post here), second-year Music Performance Scholar reading Sports and Physical Sciences, Heather Moss, took her folk ensemble to perform as part of the Tenterden Folk Festival last week. Here’s her story…


The day started bright an early when we all clambered onto the coach on our way to Tenterden. When we arrived we went and collected our Artist Wristbands from the artist reception which was a surreal moment! We then made our way to the venue, where we were greeted by Gavin and his amazing team of musicians who were here to lead the music session. More and more people started to arrive and the session was in full leaps and bounds.

We went around the room and every person started a new tune and everyone else played along having either known the tune before or picked it up by ear. It was an amazing environment to be in and be surrounded by some amazing folk musicians.

It then came to our turn to perform so we formed our semi- circle and performed our 15 minute set. Our set included a wide range of tunes from waltzes to reels to polkas, which followed with lots of clapping and applause.

After this the session continued and everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves! Once the session was over we decided to go and have a look around some of the festival stalls where I believe a couple of new instruments where purchased… Then we quickly ran over to the road where a procession of Morris dancers was taking place, which was the first time that many of our group had ever watched Morris dancing and they were totally amazed. We then purchased some food and sat down to listen to a couple of gigs until we travelled home and chatted about lots of new folk music which we want to learn,

Heather Moss

My crazy, folk-infused summer: Music Performance Scholar Heather Moss reflects

Second-year Music Performance Scholar reading Sport and Exercise Sciences, flautist Heather Moss, runs the new FolkShop group, an extra-curricular ensemble exploring folk music, her area of speciality. Here, Heather reflects on what sounds like an exhaustively busy summer…!


Heather Moss (second from right) leading FolkShop in a lunchtime concert in Colyer-Fergusson Hall back in June as part of Summer Music Week.

My crazy, folk-infused summer began with attending a tutor training weekend for Sidmouth Folk Festival which involved learning lots of new tunes and learning the best ways to teach tunes/ folk music to children.

I then stewarded, working at the box office at Ely Folk festival. Sidmouth Folk Festival then followed this, at this festival I was a core Tutor running a daily music workshop for 1.5 hours with the help from some other tutors. At the end of the week-long festival we concluded with the participants performing the tunes that we had taught them on-stage at the Manor Pavilion in Sidmouth.

This was then followed by another festival, called Folk East, where I stewarded at the Youth Tent. This involved my running a mixture of activities throughout the days and attending all the music sessions for youth people as a helper.

I then attended the Halsway Manor Advanced Youth Summer School, with many other likeminded individuals for a week. Where we were taught tunes and techniques, including how to set up our own PA system, how to teach children folk music and how to write our own folk tunes. This was run by Archie-Churchill Moss, Kate Griffin and Ford Collinson, all amazing musicians in the folk industry.

I then attended Towersey Folk Festival, where I ran my own youth workshop every day. This involved me teaching tunes and arrangements to a mixed-ability youth participant’s. This also concluded with a performance to the public.

I then ran a folk summer school for two days with Finn Collinson, for Bungay Folk Festival. This included running two full days of activities from 9am-5pm with 10 youth attendees who had never played folk music before. This was an amazing opportunity that I thoroughly enjoyed and would love to do again!

Heather Moss

Folk wisdom: learning with Fara

Last week, the award-winning folk group, Fara, came to perform in Colyer-Fergusson Hall; before the gig, they held a workshop which several string-playing students attended, including third-year Law student and Music Scholarship violinist, Lydia Cheng. Here, Lydia reflects on the day…


When we were first invited to participate in an Orkney folk music workshop, I think it’s safe to say we were all more than a little bit skeptical. It certainly didn’t help that when we showed up, being a group of classically-trained violinists, we were told that we wouldn’t be getting any sort of sheet music and that we would be learning it all by ear.

Once the workshop began though, I began to fully appreciate the art that is folk music. The members of Fara took us through four eight-counts of a jig and while it was no easy feat to remember it all, I’d like to think we did it at least some justice. I loved that we were able to move past the routine of reading sheet music and playing whatever was put in front of you and become more creative with our music-making, from just swinging rhythms to adding ornamentation. Never in a million years did I think something I learned in a folk workshop could be applied to classical playing. But yet I found myself making notes of how to improve my playing using folk techniques.

All too soon, the workshop was over and while we still couldn’t play with Fara up to speed, I think we all enjoyed the process immensely. Many Sinfonia members and I talked about the possibility of learning the jig and getting it concert-ready (stay tuned for that!).

We then got to enjoy (after our typical string-players evening meal, of course!)  a full two-hour set from Fara. We got the full experience as they played, sang, and talked us through their own compositions as well as tunes they’d picked up over the years. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I have a newfound appreciation for Orkney folk and more than a couple of us have had Fara’s album looping on Spotify in the days since.

Sign of the times…

To be able to learn from and then enjoy a delightful concert from Fara was truly inspiring and something I would jump at the chance to do again.

Lydia Cheng

Thanks to Fara for leading the workshop with the students, and for a terrific gig afterwards! Our best wishes as you continue on your 2018 tour…

Back by popular demand: Fara

Our new concert series launches in exactly two weeks, and we’re delighted to be welcoming back Fara, who bring part of their 2018 tour to Colyer-Fergusson Hall on Friday 9 February at 7.30pm.

Bringing together four young musicans at the leading-edge of the Scottish folk music scene, the ensemble has been a previous winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, and will bring its mixture of original songs and traditional Orkney tunes to the concert-hall.

 

Tickets and details here: prepare to be transported to the Isle of Orkney…