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
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 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.