Here is a complete listing from the Somerset and Dorset Folk Diary. To receive regular updates to this listing, along with other news items, please subscribe.
Regular events, such as music sessions and dance clubs are listed separately here.
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Cobra Café (Eszter Locas on flute) - Cobra Café is a guitar and flute duo that composes music and performs a combination of original and world music.
Nicky Hann - singer and guitarist using interesting tuning on her guitar
Ted Rawles & Bethany Hope - lovely vocals with harmony and guitar
Doors open 7:30pm, music starts at 8pm and finishes about 10pm. All welcome. No charge but we do hold a raffle.
8.00 - 10.00 pm
Contact Pip Evans: 07598 328479
pip_evans AT btinternet.com
www.bereregisfolk.com
Linde Nijland has been called ‘the best folk singer in The Netherlands’ (Heaven magazine). In the UK she’s best known for her sincere renditions of Sandy Denny material. She has sung with Fairport Convention multiple times, including an All-Star reunion concert at the Barbican in 2009. Renowned producer Joe Boyd said, “Linde has given Sandy Denny’s music the respect it deserves and made a lovely record that shows off her beautiful voice as well as her good taste.”
With multi-instrumentalist Bert Ridderbos.
Starts 7pm
Doors open 6.30pm
TICKETS £16 adv / door (includes 125ml glass of wine, or half pint of beer, lager or cider or a soft drink)
https://www.electricpalace.org.uk/events/event/foyer-sessions-linde-nijland
“An audience with Polly and Paul”, will be an evening of two halves, featuring the talents of Polly Morris and Paul Openshaw.
Polly has been described as “A whirlwind of song and theatre all combined in a package, which leaves audiences gasping. Whilst best known for the excellent comedy songs, you shouldn’t overlook the quality of the ballads”. Tony Birch (Fatea)
Having met with Grandad Paul Openshaw “You will want to spend 45 minutes in his company, for it’s like having an everyday conversation with an acquaintance, in whose presence you feel comfortable, exchanging common views and sharing genial confidences”. David Hartman (Fatea).
There will be a bar, and since this is a fundraiser for the Wessex Folk Festival, there will also be a raffle.
Tickets are available at www.wessexfolkfestival.com.
£10
Doors open 6pm
Contact Paul: 07802 597319
pauljopenshaw AT btinternet.com
www.weymouthdramaclub.com
www.wessexfolkfestival.com
£4.00 per person and that gets you live music, a different caller per event and a cuppa with cake at half time!
It's a very social evening and you can dance whenever you want to or sit down and have a chat with members.
7.30 - 9.30 pm
Contact Neil Arnold: 01460 234693
neil.j.arnold AT gmail.com
Laura Wilkie is a Fiddle player from Tain in the Highlands of Scotland. She has a unique style which has roots in the Highland fiddle traditions but is influenced by an eclectic range of music from all genres.
Her latest project ‘Vent’ is centred around ancient women’s work songs – Waulking songs. She studied these to adapt them for the fiddle, immersing herself in the Scottish archives as well as having them passed on from friend, tradition bearer and one-woman-ceilidh, Rona Lightfoot.
Laura has toured across the world in various different groups and artists within the contemporary folk music scene, including Kinnaris Quintet, guitar-virtuoso Ian Carr, Ross Ainslie, Salsa Celtica, NITEWORKS and with Scots Singers, Claire Hastings, Beth Malcolm & Siobhan Miller.
As a founding member of Glasgow-based Jazz/Funk/R&B/Synth/Folk Juggernaut, Fat-Suit, Laura has been inspired to play with elements of improvisation in different styles, making her a versatile influence on each project. Collaborations include performing, writing and arranging with top bands and artists including Shooglenifty, Man of the Minch, Rachel Sermanni, The Elephant Sessions, Paul Towndrow’s Keywork Orchestra, Fatherson, GRIT Orchestra and many more.
Now is the time for Laura to shine in her own right and demonstrate what a versatile, creative and adept artist she is.
£16.00
7.45 pm
Contact Taunton Brewhouse: 01823 283244
boxoffice AT tauntonbrewhouse.co.uk
https://www.tauntonbrewhouse.co.uk/events/the-folk-series-laura-jane-wilkie/
Do you enjoy playing for dancing, but need some inspiration to transform your playing from toe-tapping to foot-stomping? This is the course for you! While emphasising confident, passionate playing to serve and uplift the dancers, the team, led by pianist Jacqueline Schwab, will help you to explore various contemporary English dance styles with tunes old and new (some driving and percussive; others more songlike and flowing). You’ll create simple, vigorous basslines, improvise alternate melodic paths, and attempt to drive the rhythm while also lilting the melodies. You’ll be encouraged to experiment — at your own playing level — to discover and then confidently play your new ideas.
The team will be encouraging you to practise your existing skills and techniques for playing for dancing, while building on these skills as you build on your repertoire and ideas. You’ll be working as a whole group, as well as dividing into smaller groups to create some improvisatory arrangements together, in both guided and self-led sessions.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/playing-for-dancing-2026
The Fringe - A celebration of creativity and community at Wessex Folk Festival.
Friday 29th May Workshop & BAL – Dance with Confluence £5.00 ticket.
Workshop 6.45 – 7.30pm (beginners welcome) followed by Dance 7.45 – 9.30pm (put your new skills into practice).
Wessex Folk Festival has always been about bringing people together, music and dance echoing across Weymouth’s harbourside, stories shared, friendships made and traditions kept alive. As one of the few free folk festivals in the country, it depends entirely on the generosity and spirit of its community. To help keep it that way, we’re launching something entirely new: The Fringe.
The Fringe will be a vibrant series of smaller, intimate ticketed events, designed to capture the heart of folk culture while raising vital funds to support the main free festival. Think of quieter, more personal events in a tucked-away venue and just steps away from the vibrancy of the main stages. Here you’ll experience creative encounters that remind us why folk music belongs to everyone.
By joining us at The Fringe, you’ll not only enjoy something special and close-up, but you’ll also help ensure that the main festival returns next year. Every ticket sold helps ensure that Wessex Folk Festival remains free and open to all – a celebration of music for everyone regardless of means. Join us – celebrate, contribute and keep the music playing. Limited tickets available for each event.
Come be part of the story – celebrate, contribute and keep the festival alive.
£5
Advance tickets via QR code at:
https://www.wessexfolkfestival.com/the-fringe/
6.45 - 9.30 pm
Contact Teresa
worktjrabbetts AT gmail.com
https://www.wessexfolkfestival.com/ppec-products/friday-29th-may-workshop-bal-with-confluence/
Concert - Purbeck Art Weeks Festival
Purbeck Art Weeks Festival in collaboration with Sandy Hill Arts present this concert CHALK: a programme of songs relating to the South West, combining traditional material with medieval instrumental textures and new arrangements, performed in a special Purbeck setting.
Blending folk roots with the craft of medieval classical music, CHALK promises plenty of nostalgia – with no love songs whatsoever – offering a fond yet honest spotlight on the South-Western countryside.
Grace Newcombe - voice, English concertina
Liane Sadler - flutes, voice
Colin Heller - fiddle, mandolins
£18 (£14.40 concessions, £2 students)
7.00 - 8.30 pm
Contact Hannah Ely: +447794 374939
hannah AT purbeckartweeks.co.uk
https://purbeckartweeks.org.uk/events/
Telling tales of the Dorset men and women who were not afear’d. They were mariners, fishermen, lifeboat crews or passengers to far continents and ports. They were commanders of men and ships, ordinary seamen or travellers on the sea who showed a spirit of adventure.
They didn’t hesitate when their country, their county or their fellows called for their assistance. Stories of the 18th and 19th centuries are threaded among, and enhanced by, songs and tunes collected in Dorset.
Time & Tide is an umbrella name for the folk-dramas created by Sophie Wright. Purbeck Time & Tide is a branch of Time & Tide comprising Richard Wirdnam, Martin Stephen and
Sophie Wright.
Purbeck Time & Tide – Richard, Martin and Sophie – have all (separately and together) been good friends with Geoff Payne having worked and caroused with him many times in the past.
We miss his humour and his love of good ale & song. Who’s Afear’d? is dedicated to Geoff.
Wessex Folk Festival has always been about bringing people together, music and dance echoing across Weymouth’s harbourside, stories shared, friendships made and traditions kept alive. As one of the few free folk festivals in the country, it depends entirely on the generosity and spirit of its community. To help keep it that way, we’re launching something entirely new: The Fringe.
The Fringe will be a vibrant series of smaller, intimate ticketed events, designed to capture the heart of folk culture while raising vital funds to support the main free festival. Think of quieter, more personal events in a tucked-away venue and just steps away from the vibrancy of the main stages. Here you’ll experience creative encounters that remind us why folk music belongs to everyone.
By joining us at The Fringe, you’ll not only enjoy something special and close-up, but you’ll also help ensure that the main festival returns next year. Every ticket sold helps ensure that Wessex Folk Festival remains free and open to all – a celebration of music for everyone regardless of means. Join us – celebrate, contribute and keep the music playing. Limited tickets available for each event.
Come be part of the story – celebrate, contribute and keep the festival alive.
£10.
Doors open 6.30pm - Performance begins 7.00pm
Contact Teresa
worktjrabbetts AT gmail.com
https://www.wessexfolkfestival.com/ppec-products/saturday-30th-may-purbeck-time-tide-present-whos-afeard/
Join musicians, and callers Thomas and Rachel Bending, for an evening of traditional English Country Dancing.
This dance is part of our ‘Playing for English Country Dancing’ Weekend and if you’d like to make a night of it, we’re offering a ‘gig, dinner and evening dance’ ticket - this entitles you to a seat at Jacqueline’s afternoon Be The Light gig, a two-course dinner at the manor, followed by dancing.
Dance only £15
Gig, dinner, and evening dance £40
8.00 pm
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/dance-english-country-dance
Medieval Vocal Workshop
Hosted by Purbeck Art Weeks Festival, and following Friday's fusion of folk and medieval sound worlds, ahead of her recital of medieval song, Grace Newcombe invites singers to step inside the soundscape themselves. This immersive workshop explores the luminous textures of 15th-century polyphony alongside 13th-century Middle English song. Open to confident singers and the curious alike, it’s a rare chance to experience medieval repertoire with one of today's leading specialists.
£10 (£8 concessions)
11.00 am - 1.00 pm
Contact Hannah Ely: +447794 374939
hannah AT purbeckartweeks.co.uk
https://purbeckartweeks.org.uk/events/
Come and listen to Ken Burns’ pianist Jacqueline Schwab in concert at Halsway.
American pianist Jacqueline Schwab, heard on many of Ken Burns’ American history documentaries (Grammy award-winning Civil War and others), is visiting us all the way from the USA to perform her newest programme ‘Be The Light’.
"There is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it, if only we're brave enough to be it”
Inspired by the quintessential words of American poet Amanda Gorman, as spoken at the Inauguration of President Biden, ‘Be the Light’ features traditional Celtic airs and dance tunes, vintage American parlour music, Tin Pan Alley pieces, African American spirituals, Ukrainian, Cuban, Venezuelan and Brazilian music and more. It celebrates hope and inner strength, an oasis of quiet reflection, peace and joy in challenging times. Jacqueline will share stories about how historical tunes can speak to us today and create a ripple effect in the world.
This gig is part of our ‘Playing for English Country Dancing’ Weekend so if you’d like to make a night of it, we’re offering a ‘gig, dinner and evening dance’ ticket - this entitles you to a seat at Jacqueline’s gig, a two-course dinner at the manor, and access to the evening dance with the course participants.
Jacqueline spins emotive musical stories out of the many strands in the American quilt, with traditional community music making at their heart. Her signature playing features in over a dozen of Ken Burns’ PBS documentary series, including his new The American Revolution, his Civil War, Baseball and many others, as well as in other PBS documentaries, such as The Irish in America—The Long Journey Home. She has performed at the White House for President Clinton and on American national PBS with the American Pops Orchestra, and she has accompanied Scottish singer Jean Redpath on public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion and on CBS’s Late Show with David Letterman. She has long been known in the traditional dance world for her playing with the Bare Necessities dance ensemble. Her most recent solo album ‘I Lift My Lamp — Illuminations from Immigrant America’ celebrates vintage music from American immigrants. In the past, she has spent time in the UK researching 18th-century English dance tunes. She currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, in the US.
https://www.jacquelineschwab.com
4.30 pm
Gig only £12
Gig, dinner, and evening dance £40
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/gig-be-the-light-jacqueline-schwab
Cara Dillon, an extraordinary, multiple award-winning Irish folk singer, and acclaimed musician and producer Sam Lakeman, will captivate listeners once again with their exquisite and enthralling live performance. Every note and word sung with a passion and confidence earned through a life of experience
singing traditional songs. Throughout an enviable career which has seen them explore opportunities to tread many different paths, Cara has continuously chosen to firmly plant herself within the landscape of her Irish cultural heritage and that’s something to celebrate.
www.caradillon.co.uk
8.00 pm
Tickets: £29. No concessions
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thepethertonartstrust/1899205
Concert - Purbeck Art Weeks Festival
Purbeck Art Weeks Festival presents Alysoun: Songs from the people of thirteenth-century Britain
In high-medieval Britain, one of the more pleasant means of saving souls was through the favourite music and poetry of the People. Clerics and travelling friars were tasked with engaging the French-speaking rich, the English-speaking poor, and their own Latin-speaking peers; not easy when each layer of society had its own wonderful, distinct song culture. Popular songs from different walks of life were imitated, translated, or repurposed to fit a new religious narrative or to conceal a secular one, wilfully blurring the borders between earthly and devotional love. The clerics were human too, after all. Join us to leaf through their surviving collections and hear songs about nature, death, the courting of Mary, and Christ the Lover-Knight.
Grace Newcombe - voice
Elizabeth Sommers - fiddle, voice
£20 (£2 students, £16 concessions)
3.00 - 4.00 pm
Contact Hannah Ely: +447794 374939
hannah AT purbeckartweeks.co.uk
https://purbeckartweeks.org.uk/events/
The ultimate traditional folk performer with many years of top class performing under his belt, Pete Coe is making a return to Wessex Acoustic in Blandford.
We are thrilled to have him back.
He is supported by the giant of the folk world, Simon Loake, with a mixed bag of songs and tunes with his trusty guitars.
£15, (ONLY pre purchased or reserved)
8.00 pm (doors open 7.45) Legion open from 7pm
Contact Kathy Dunn: 07590 411515
kd.79 AT live.com
www.wessex-acoustic.co.uk
A huge privilege to be hosting this concert. A thrilling combination of instrumental brilliance, heartfelt songs and unforgettable live energy. Early Bird tickets available!
8.00 pm
Tickets available from: http://ticketsource.co.uk/nailsea-folk-club
Halsway's hugely popular weekend dedicated to the DG melodeon in all its diatonic glory returns in 2026!
Melodeon players can spend time with their instrument in a supportive programme packed with workshops to take your playing to the next level. This weekend is not aimed at total beginners. You’ll need to have a basic grasp of your instrument – as a guide you should at least be able to play simple tunes with both hands together – with plenty to inspire and challenge more experienced and accomplished musicians. The programme includes workshops designed to take your playing to the next level. Each group will spend time with each tutor. In addition to the workshop programme there will be some additional time to socialise and take part in informal sessions.
The tutors will give an informal concert on the Saturday evening.
Players of the D/G melodeon (diatonic button accordion) of all levels except complete beginners. You’ll need a DG melodeon (2 row, 8 bass as a minimum). The course is taught predominantly by ear at all levels.
After you book you'll be asked to select the group which best suits your current ability level so that we can keep group sizes manageable. During the weekend, if you feel you’re playing at a different level would suit you better, there will be the possibility to move group at the tutors’ discretion. The three tutors will work with all three groups. So every group will have experience of learning from each of the tutors.
Please make sure you read our Halsway Workshop Levels guide, to help you choose the most appropriate group.
The groups are:
Foundation
Aimed at level 2 players, we’ll be learning simple tunes that will help you with technique as well as adding to your repertoire. You should be used to playing tunes with both hands together, albeit slowly, and you’ll need to be prepared to learn tunes by ear.
Intermediate
For our level 3+ players, this is an intermediate level class which will move at a faster pace, looking at more complex tunes and incorporating a greater level of challenge. You should be able to pick up tunes by ear at a reasonable speed, know your way round the right and especially the left hand of your box, and be used to crossing the rows.
Advanced
This group is for those who want a real challenge. You’ll be at least a level 4 on our playing guidelines, and able to pick up tunes by ear at a fair pace. You’ll be wanting explore the possibilities of your instrument and develop your musical style as well as technical ability.
Music is not usually sent out in advance for this course. Teaching is generally by ear with scores available for you to take away. All tutors are happy for you to make video or sound recordings for your own use, so bring a recording device as well as a notepad and pen!
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/dg-melodeon-weekend-2026
John McCusker, one of Folk music's most celebrated musicians and producers, marks over 30 years at the heart of the tradition. From his award-winning solo records to worldwide tours with Mark Knopfler and the legendary Transatlantic Sessions, his influence is woven through the scene. In this new trio, he's joined by two of the most exciting voices of the next generation: BBC Folk Award winner Sam Kelly and acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Toby Shaer. Together they balance experience and fresh energy, creating a live show rich in masterful playing, powerful songs, and the thrill of established tradition meeting new possibilities.
8.00 pm
Tickets: £23.50 Full. £22.50 Concessions
www.johnmccusker.co.uk
https://www.thedavidhall.com
Eddi Reader, with her singer/songwriter husband, John Douglas embark on a new musical journey as a duo. It’s been a long-discussed idea by the couple… At home it was natural to play and sing together so why not take it to the stage? A relaxed, living- room style sound, two voices blending and soaring, spell binding stories setting the mood of each tune…Mostly new material, specially chosen to suit the new duo approach, will be the heart of the show though there may be some rare gems from both Eddi and Johns rich and varied repertoire. Come along for an intimate evening of the finest singing, story and song.
Bar open 6.30
Show 7.30
£22
https://bridgwatertheatres.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173668710
The Violin making workshops are extremely popular at Halsway Manor, with many of the participants coming back year after year. The workshop gives maximum continuous time at the workbench supported by Neville Gardner, who has been teaching violin making for the last twenty years. He is joined by Corrie Schrijver to ensure that there is a ratio of 1 tutor to no more than 5 participants giving plenty of patient and knowledgeable support.
This course starts at 2pm on Monday and finishes at 1pm on Friday. Lunch is not provided on either day but a packed lunch to take with you can be requested for Friday.
This course is for all levels of ability and beginners are very welcome. As well as the violin family, support can also be given for making a Rebec (an ancient ancestor of the violin). The class size is limited so that participants have plenty of support from the two tutors. Before enrolling please contact Neville Gardner – Neville AT nevillejgardner.co.uk – to discuss the suitability of the course for your needs.
Neville Gardner was a University Lecturer and has been teaching violin making for twenty years.
Corrie Schrijver graduated from the Welsh School of Violin Making, with Merit in 1980. Since then she has worked at various workshops, making and restoring for professional players.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/violin-making-summer-2026
Join callers Madeleine Smith and Adam Hughes, and musicians Paul Hutchinson, Karen Wimhurst and Dries de Maeyer and enjoy a glorious week dancing all things ‘Pat Shaw’: his own dances, dances which inspired them, dances he inspired, dances with links to him and old dances he researched. Plus opportunities to play some of the tunes.
Patrick Shuldham-Shaw (1917-1977) was a key figure in the evolution of country dancing following the second world war. He was steeped in the folk tradition from birth, becoming a brilliant dancer, musician, caller and singer. His wonderfully inventive compositions have their roots in his extensive knowledge and deep love of the dances and tunes across all genres from simple village dances to complex Playford. He was also open to new trends, for example eagerly embracing the square dance boom of the 1950s, and learning the dances and calls.
Without his imaginative choreography and music, and his wide-ranging research, today’s repertoire would be much poorer. As a highly regarded authority in the folk world, he singlehandedly enabled today’s view that writing new dances and being adventurous are part of a vibrant and creative folk scene – this had been rather frowned upon earlier. His teaching and research also kept alive the repertoire of old dances established by Cecil Sharp and Douglas Kennedy, while taking a fresh look at it and encouraging others to do the same.
He also collected in Shetland, and did a huge amount of research in Wales, helping to re-establish the folk dance tradition there. It is owing to Pat that Shetland fiddle music was passed on to a new generation by Shetland fiddle player, Tom Anderson.
For more information about Pat Shaw himself, see http://www.patshaw.info, but for all information about the course, please contact Halsway Manor.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/pat-shaw-dance-week-2026
a powerful Folk Drama by Time & Tide about the lives of the wives & families of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
This event will help raise funds for the Sherborne Museum , Tickets £10 to include a glass of wine
7.00pm , Doors Open 6.30pm
£4.00 per person and that gets you live music, a different caller per event and a cuppa with cake at half time!
It's a very social evening and you can dance whenever you want to or sit down and have a chat with members.
7.30 - 9.30 pm
Contact Neil Arnold: 01460 234693
neil.j.arnold AT gmail.com
This is a course to explore all things queer and folk, in collaboration with Queer Folk! Through workshops and discussions you’ll be making new music, learning old songs and having the opportunity to share music and stories that are important to you.
There’ll be chances to meet new musicians, create new ensembles, take part in sessions, delve into archives and perform. You’ll gain research skills and get tips about finding interesting resources online and in print. The course will be a mixture of guided and self-led learning, as a whole group and in small ensembles.
There will be sessions and an informal sharing for members of the group.
The team will also be guiding you through the process of queering folk song, discussing what it means to be LGBTQIA+ in the folk scene, and establishing ways in which queer history can be discovered. They’ll also be introducing you to (potentially) new repertoire. Come and join the LGBTQIA+ folk community!
All instrumentalists and singers are welcome, though this is not a course for complete beginners. You don’t need to be able to read music but some playing by ear will be required.
The tutors plan to supply a list of songs and tunes that you can explore in advance, and audio recordings for those who need a little longer to learn by ear. Sheet music will be available on arrival.
We are pleased to offer a special rate for those aged 35 and under for the Queer Folk Weekend. Let us know at the time of booking if you fall into this category.
Anyone with an open mind and an interest in LGBTQIA+ history in traditional culture is welcome.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/queer-folk-2026
Raised in the East Yorkshire flatlands on the fringes of Hull (UK), Katie Spencer’s landscape has always been that of open skies and widening rivers. It is this sense of space and movement that flows through her assured guitar style and songwriting.
Her writing, and most notably her guitar playing stems from a time when the steel-stringed instrument was truly finding its voice. Artists like Joni Mitchell, Judee Sill, Julie Byrne and perhaps most evidently Michael Chapman, weave into her sound. Katie absorbs these influences into her song-writing and with her distinctive deep vibrato and crystal-clear guitar style, she makes the music inimitably her own.
8.00 pm
Tickets: £18.50 Full. £17.50 Concessions
www.katiespencer.net
https://www.thedavidhall.com
Stepping in at short notice, Will Southcote and Chris Jewell return to Fivehead Folk Nights on June 13th with piano accordion and violin respectively. Expect a lively night of music and humour. Here's how Will describes their act:
"An eclectic mixture of songs,instrumentals and stories. We promise not to play anything we played last time, apart from what we did last time! An honest mixture of well-rehearsed numbers and some perhaps more spontaneously sourced. Choruses aplenty"
The Coffee Bar opens from 7.00pm beforehand and during the interval, offering fresh filter coffee or tea. We will also have a range of soft drinks and snacks for sale (NB for cash only). You are welcome to bring your own refreshments, but please note that there is a no-alcohol policy in the church building.
Music starts at 7.30pm with the first hour open to anyone who wants to sing or play. Floorsingers are invited to arrive early to sign up in the book on the evening, but as space is often limited you are welcome to email beforehand to book a slot. We try to ensure that everyone gets at least one song, but we operate a first come/first served policy.
Our guest artists perform from about 9.00pm and we finish music at 10.00pm. Our Folk Nights are free to enter, but please remember to come prepared with cash to make a generous donation to our guest performers.
laurieguitars AT gmail.com
On each of the last 2 years the wonderful little church was flooded in December meaning the annual Stanchester Quire Christmas Carol concerts were cancelled.
Hence, the somewhat outrageous idea was taken to have "CHRISTMAS IN JUNE" with Carols and readings.
From 3pm.there will be a FLOWER FESTIVAL and CREAM TEAS followed by the concert.
Please note that seating is very limited so reservations are strongly recommended.
Admission by donations
6.00 pm (ends 8.00 pm approx.)
Contact Graham: 07974 329508
stanchesterquire.org
Dance workshop from 6 - 7pm
Main dance from 7 - 9.30pm
All welcome, no experience needed
Tea and coffee available
Free town centre parking
£4
Contact Chris Edmunds 07530 103228
chrismartinedmunds AT gmail.com)
https://balcrew.wixsite.com/balcrewkerne
The Irish House Party is the ultimate feel-good Irish music and dance show. There are no twee costumes or backing tracks here. Instead you get incredibly talented musicians and dancers who simply want to bring you the sound and fun of Ireland in an intimate and homely setting. Combining lively traditional Irish music, song and dance with infectious comedy, it is a theatre going experience not to be missed! Look forward to seeing you at The Irish House Party!
Tickets: £25.00
Concessions: £23.50
Footlights/Groups 10+: Discount applies
A £1.50 ticket levy is included in all stated ticket prices.
All bookings are subject to a £2 transaction Fee.
https://www.westlandsyeovil.co.uk/whats-on/music/the-irish-house-party/
The Sam Sweeney Trio brings together three of the UK’s most compelling folk musicians to play music from across Sam’s discography: Sam Sweeney (violin), Ben Nicholls (double bass), and Louis Campbell (guitar).
Known for his expressive playing and bold musical vision, Sweeney leads the trio through richly textured arrangements of traditional and original material. With Nicholls’ deep, resonant bass and Campbell’s innovative guitar work, the trio crafts a sound that is both grounded in English folk tradition and alive with contemporary energy.
Ticket price: From: £20
8:00
https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/sam-sweeney/
Aidan Moodie (Guitar/Vocals) Graham Rorie (Fiddle/Mandolin/Electric Tenor Guitar) Connor Sinclair (Flute/Whistles/Vocals) Craig Baxter (Bodhran/Percussion)
Gnoss’ signature sound is a rich tapestry of acoustic layers; outstanding musicianship, deep traditional roots and contemporary compositional flair combine to create songs and tunes brimming with character. Triple Scots Trad Music Awards nominees, the band have built an invested following through their forward-thinking take on Traditional music and the unique warmth of their live shows.
8.00 pm
Tickets: £20.50 Full. £19.50 Concessions
www.gnossmusic.com
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thepethertonartstrust/1900025
Folk/ Renaissance Charity Concert
An evening of folk fun in aid of the benifice and UNICEF. Donations gratefully accepted for music and refreshments.
Donations please
7.00 pm
Contact Molly Holt: 00 33 645 546994
landfall.molly AT gmail.com
Join us for an uplifting evening with the Dorset Fiddlers — a dynamic folk fiddle orchestra showcasing the county’s rich musical legacy.
Featuring some of Dorset’s most accomplished folk musicians, the ensemble blends archival manuscript sources (Hardy and Ben Rose collections) with fresh compositions to create a captivating programme.
Now is the chance to hear the exhilarating sound of a folk fiddle orchestra in their debut concert at the Marine Theatre. Expect an exhilarating journey through elegant minuets, lilting waltzes, and the irresistible energy of jigs and reels — all reimagined in bold, contemporary arrangements.
We can’t wait to welcome you!
https://www.marinetheatre.com/the-dorset-fiddlers/
In advance via Ticketsource: £18 (plus booking fee), or on the door £22
7.30 pm (bar opens at 6.30)
https://dorsetfiddlers.com
We’re excited to be hosting the brilliant Melrose Quartet for a midweek delve into music and song, with a gig and ceilidh thrown in for good measure! Melrose Quartet are Nancy Kerr, James Fagan, Jess Arrowsmith and Richard Arrowsmith.
This will be a bumper course, taking advantage of our extra summer venue - the Marquee Stage in the gardens (accessed by steps) - with opportunities for singers and instrumentalists to learn some new repertoire, while building on and developing their skills and techniques.
Workshops will include some ‘Challenge Yourself’ sessions to pull you out of your comfort zones, as well as progressive workshops looking at harmony, fiddle-singing, DG melodeon, and chords and rhythm on plucked instruments.
There’ll be the chance to work as a whole group on arrangements for performance at the Thursday Night Ceilidh floor spot!
If that all wasn’t enticing enough, Nancy will be talking about the ‘Music, Heritage, Place’ research project, highlighting hidden musical gems in the English County Records Archives, James will be leading a forum allowing participants to share their experiences and ask questions about live performance, Jess will be teaching rounds, then exploring the hows and whys of how these cyclical songs work (you can even have a go at writing your own), and Richard will be exploring approaches to playing for dancing.
You’ll be invited to watch the band do their thing both as a quartet at their gig, and in their extended quintet line-up with one of their amazing ceilidhs.
This midweek course is suitable for singers and instrumentalists who consider themselves to be working at an Intermediate level. It’s not suitable for beginners, and if you consider yourself to be working at an Advanced level, you’ll have to be happy to go at a slower pace.
You don’t need to be able to read music, or play by ear. Although some sheet music will be available during the course, it won’t be sent out in advance. We’ll send you a timetable in advance, but you won’t be asked to prepare anything before you arrive. The band just ask that you come with open hearts and minds (and perhaps a large hat to shelter from the midsummer sun).
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/midsummer-melrose-2026
£4.00 per person and that gets you live music, a different caller per event and a cuppa with cake at half time!
It's a very social evening and you can dance whenever you want to or sit down and have a chat with members.
7.30 - 9.30 pm
Contact Neil Arnold: 01460 234693
neil.j.arnold AT gmail.com
Sheelanagig have been whipping up a storm of foot-stomping, roof-raising, high-energy live Folk for nigh on twenty years. With an arsenal of strings, soaring flute, pounding drums and a sprinkle of fairy dust they spin melodies that have set feet flying all across the globe. Their shows are a heady mix of raucous dance medleys and thoughtfully crafted original pieces feverishly brimming with fire, flair and finesse. Floors tremble and windows rattle in their presence; these rapturous minstrels are not to be missed under any circumstance.
Tickets: £20.50 Full. £19.50 Concessions
www.sheelanagig.co.uk
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thepethertonartstrust/1900034
Back by popular demand, join Simon Mayor, one of the country’s finest mandolin players for this mid-week masterclass.
Simon’s January ‘Mandolin Workshop Weekends’ have been hugely successful and consistently prompt requests for more. This time it’s a smaller group, but a longer, mid-week gathering, suitable for intermediate and advanced players. There’ll still be some ensemble playing, but this will be a chance for students to share their performances and for Simon to offer personal critiques - as always, in an atmosphere of mutual support.
The music of the Irish harper and composer Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738) has featured from time to time in Simon's mandolin workshops over the years. This is a chance for mandolinists – or players of other mandolin family instruments – to get more intimately acquainted with his music in a mandolin ensemble setting.
Carolan’s tunes for the most part follow the format of a typical traditional jig, reel or march: two sections, each usually repeated. Stylistically, they differ a little from a typical trad tune because he was also influenced by the classical music of his day, in particular the Italian composers Corelli and Geminiani.
For Intermediate and Advanced level players - primarily mandolinists, but also mandola players, mandocellists and mandobassists (are there any out there?).
Music will be sent out in advance in both standard notation and tablature. There’ll be duets, trios and quartets along with the odd solo for the brave to have a go at. For the most part, the harmony lines will be simpler than the melody, so less experienced players should still be able to make a welcome contribution to the sound.
Simon Mayor is one of the world’s leading mandolin virtuosos and composers for the instruments. His many faceted career includes his own series on BBC Radio 2, an album in the Classic FM Top Ten chart and causing mayhem at a Canadian humour festival, but maintains his most thrilling moment was a journey through the square window on BBC’s Playschool!
Simon's playing moves effortlessly between classical, traditional folk, jazz & blues. With dazzling technical skills grace all the music he plays. Also a fine guitarist & fiddle player, Simon has a delicious sense of humour & great teaching ability.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/mandolins-with-simon-mayor-2026
Enjoy the pleasure of group singing as you discover the potential of your own voice. Singers of all abilities are invited to join Hilary James to explore the wealth of songs within the British folk tradition and take a peek beyond into blues, swing and comic song. You’ll be working largely ‘by ear’ with simple improvised vocal harmony but, for the more experienced, written parts for some songs will be available.
This week runs alongside the Simon Mayor Mandolin Week and Ben Walker’s Guitar Study Week.
Ben, Simon and Hilary will perform an informal concert on the Thursday evening.
Anyone with a desire to sing! You don’t have to have any previous experience for this course.
Hilary James’ first became entranced by folk music in primary school. The school, in the middle of a large council estate, was incredibly fortunate to have a music teacher who introduced the children to The Oxford Book of English Folk Song as well as the songs of Vaughan Williams and Thomas Arne. Discovering folk clubs in her early teens, Hilary went on to run the Reading University Folk Club alongside singing with the University Big Band and taking lessons with the late Margaret Field-Hyde, one of the greatest singers of Purcell and Vaughan Williams of her generation.
Hilary has recorded six critically acclaimed solo song albums including English Sketches, which appeared in the Sunday Times Ten Best World Music Albums of the Year. Her voice is quintessentially English but easily crosses the great musical divides from British folk song to blues and Berlioz. A multi-instrumentalist she is renowned for an unlikely taste in bass instruments (including her amazing giant mandobass). A fine guitarist, she accompanies Simon Mayor on everything from a Brazilian Tango to a Vivaldi concerto. She tours and records regularly with Simon, their mandolin quartet The Mandolinquents, Slim Panatella and the Mellow Virginians, (western swing and American traditional music) and with her sister, Janet Giraudo who has lived in France for forty years but travels over specially for concerts and workshops with Hilary, including an annual visit to Halsway.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/summer-song-week-2026
Ben Walker returns to Halsway Manor to lead a mid-week guitar masterclass for intermediate and advanced level guitarists.
Together we will explore ways of arranging traditional folk tunes on the guitar, look at ways to arrange melodies and chords, and then put it all together to form a complete performance.
We’ll cover advanced guitar techniques, alternative tunings, whilst allowing for plenty of time to work at your own pace. There will also be the opportunity for 1-2-1 sessions with Ben who is one of the UK’s foremost acoustic guitarists.
Intermediate to advanced acoustic guitarists. It’s not suitable for beginners. Students should be familiar with fingerpicking: using the thumb and fingers to play the strings, rather than a plectrum. They should also be comfortable tuning the guitar, reading tablature and have an interest in learning instrumental arrangements.
BBC Folk Award winner Ben Walker was recently hailed as one of ‘the best acoustic guitarists in the world right now’ by Total Guitar magazine. A versatile composer and producer, as well as a celebrated instrumentalist, his passion is putting old jewels in new settings. Ben’s signature style has been sought out from punk to Proms, from Rough Trade to the Royal Shakespeare Company. His solo album, Echo, was released in July 2019 to critical acclaim and his characteristically warm, whimsical and virtuosic solo set regularly delights folk audiences in the UK and further afield.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/ben-walkers-guitar-masterclass-2026-1
Simon Mayor is one of the world’s leading mandolin virtuosos and composers for the instruments. His many faceted career includes his own series on BBC Radio 2, an album in the Classic FM Top Ten chart and causing mayhem at a Canadian humour festival, but maintains his most thrilling moment was a journey through the square window on BBC’s Playschool!
Simon's playing moves effortlessly between classical, traditional folk, jazz & blues. With dazzling technical skills grace all the music he plays. Also a fine guitarist & fiddle player, Simon has a delicious sense of humour & great teaching ability.
Hilary James’ first became entranced by folk music in primary school. The school, in the middle of a large council estate, was incredibly fortunate to have a music teacher who introduced the children to The Oxford Book of English Folk Song as well as the songs of Vaughan Williams and Thomas Arne. Discovering folk clubs in her early teens, Hilary went on to run the Reading University Folk Club alongside singing with the University Big Band and taking lessons with the late Margaret Field-Hyde, one of the greatest singers of Purcell and Vaughan Williams of her generation.
Hilary has recorded six critically acclaimed solo song albums including English Sketches, which appeared in the Sunday Times Ten Best World Music Albums of the Year. Her voice is quintessentially English but easily crosses the great musical divides from British folk song to blues and Berlioz. A multi-instrumentalist she is renowned for an unlikely taste in bass instruments (including her amazing giant mandobass). A fine guitarist, she accompanies Simon Mayor on everything from a Brazilian Tango to a Vivaldi concerto. She tours and records regularly with Simon, their mandolin quartet The Mandolinquents, and Slim Panatella and the Mellow Virginians, (western swing and American traditional music).
BBC Folk Award winner Ben Walker was recently hailed as one of ‘the best acoustic guitarists in the world right now’ by Total Guitar magazine. A versatile composer and producer, as well as a celebrated instrumentalist, his passion is putting old jewels in new settings. Ben’s signature style has been sought out from punk to Proms, from Rough Trade to the Royal Shakespeare Company. His solo album, Echo, was released in July 2019 to critical acclaim and his characteristically warm, whimsical and virtuosic solo set regularly delights folk audiences in the UK and further afield.
Full Price £12
Concession (full-time students) £6
8.00 pm
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/gig-simon-hilary-ben-2026
One of the UK's high rising songwriters Sarah Yeo, performs material in her own "beautiful voice" (BBC) from Joan's early career from the first recording, 'Harvard Square' and onward through her lengthy journey to date, telling pivotal stories and singing key songs from the Newport Festival days, her Years in Nashville, activism around the world, her relationship both on and off the stage with Bob Dylan, and her love of recording just great songs.
The set list takes note of the political climate in 2025 and includes self penned songs 'Diamonds and Rust', 'The Winds of the Old Days', Dylan greats such as 'Love Is Just A Four Letter Word', 'There But For Fortune', 'Farewell Angelina' and the wonderful catalogue from songwriters Stevie Wonder, Phil Ochs, Janis Ian and not forgetting the early Folk covers, 'The Banks of the Ohio', 'House of the Rising Sun' and many more hits. Sarah also delves into the Spanish language repertoire Joan loved so much.
Sarah's 'warm rich voice' with sweet higher notes, lends itself perfectly for this special evening of songs and stories, on this the hometown date of the tour.
As Sarah learns more about Miss Baez's life and career, she feels she really can relate to her in many ways, making the project a very personal and inspiring experience.
8.00 pm
Tickets: £16.50 Full. £15.50 Concessions
https://www.sarahyeomusic.co.uk
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thepethertonartstrust/1919245
Join well-known local folk musician and storyteller Tim Laycock and violinist Colin Thompson for folk songs, traditional dance music, poetry and folktales from Wessex.
Tim and Colin have worked and performed together for many years. Their rich knowledge of Dorset heritage, folklore and landscape is second to none. Prepare to be immersed in a very special hour with our national treasures of the folk world.
Part of Tree of Strings Festival
£10
2:30 - 3.30 pm
Contact Tree of Strings: 07492 817682
info AT treeofstrings.org
https://treeofstrings.org/event/tim-laycock-a-dorset-garland/
An event within the 2026 Frome Festival. Join us for an exciting workshop for concert pitch instruments.It will cover traditional Scottish tunes including jigs, reels, strathspeys , marches, Shetland/Orkney waltzes, airs. Tuition will be at a pace to include everyone. Sheet music will be provided and can be taken away. Led by workshop leaders on accordion, violin & piano. Under 16s require to be accompanied by an adult.Tickets will be on sale from 17th May 2026, obtainable from the Frome Festival website at £10 or alternatively from the Frome Cheese and Grain Box Office at £10 plus £2 booking fee.
£10
10.00 am - 12.30 pm
Contact Norman Yeaman: 07803 054886
normanyeaman AT yahoo.com
Join us to celebrate the end of this Ceilidh Season! Returning to our Ocean Theatre, Bow and Box and caller Andy Helson will lead you through an evening of fun Ceilidh dances and jigs to live music.
About Bow and Box
Bow and Box is a captivating folk duo hailing from the scenic South Coast, renowned for delivering exhilarating ceilidh experiences, engaging concerts, and a subtly beautiful background ambience.
Drawing inspiration from the innovative spirit of esteemed folk ensembles like Leveret, Bow and Box place their deep, unspoken connection and intuitive musicianship at the heart of their craft. Together, they weave sensational music characterised by intoxicating melodies that linger in the air and powerful rhythms that irresistibly compel your feet to move. Despite their duo format, Chris and Matt conjure a sound that is remarkably complex and intricately layered, possessing a vibrant presence that often belies their numbers. Prepare to be swept away by their infectious energy and musical artistry.
From £14
7.00 - 10.00 pm
Contact Pavilion Dance South West Box Office: 01202 203630
info AT pdsw.org.uk
https://www.pdsw.org.uk/events/ceilidh-2/
Join us for a midweek country dancing break, in the height of the Somerset summer.
This will be a week of lively dance encompassing all forms of social folk dancing. We will have an opportunity to enjoy American and British contra as well as traditional English, Playford, American squares and some of Mark’s own composition.
There will be dances each evening, workshops in the mornings, while the afternoons will be left free to enable dancers to enjoy the Somerset countryside in all its summer glory. Afternoon trips out will be arranged on an ad hoc basis depending on the weather and demand.
Musicians are encouraged to bring instruments for jam sessions and cloggers experienced or beginners to bring footwear. Callers aspiring or experienced may like to bring their notes or queries for an open mic session.
This week is for anyone who would like to enjoy a country dance, learn a few new moves, dance with others and enjoy the manor and its local landscape.
Whatever your level of experience in dancing, playing or singing, come and enjoy a convivial few days with like-minded people! There is plenty of opportunity for you to come and soak in the atmosphere
Mark Elvins is one of the very best contra dance callers in England. He is joined by musicians Ali, Jane and Meg – a group born out of a previous mini-fest organised by Meg.
Ali, Jane and Meg are a trio of highly experienced dance musicians. Meg Griffin from Meg ‘n’ Mor, Momentum and host of Alcester Contra Dances is on guitar, Ali Messer on accordion and Jane Harrison, who formerly played in Alterations, rounds off the trio on fiddle. Their repertoire, enriched by all three being expert dancers immersed in folk music from an early age, ranges from 1650s English tunes to modern tunes for Contra dancing.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/social-country-dancing-2026
Our great friend, Laurel Swift, is popping over from the states and we’ve nabbed her to host a small, friendly and intensive week open to all musicians wanting to explore creativity in folk music and improve their skills in coming up with ideas, harmony, countermelody and more. You’ll do lots of enjoyable musical tasks to get you listening, relaxed and tuned into your instrument, your sound and your creative response to other’s playing.
This is an intimate course, and there will be opportunities to work in 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s away from the larger group of about 10 players. Laurel will teach new tunes that illustrate particular learning points and there will also be time to work on your own tunes and ideas, with a ‘friendly circle’ - a great way to share and develop new musical ideas. Bring something to work on: a tune you would like to play better, a concept or technique that is both daunting and you want to be able to master!
You’ll leave with a greater understanding of rhythm, emphasis, and style, and with more confidence in creating harmonies, variations and accompaniments.
This retreat is perfect for players who consider themselves to be working at a lower intermediate level on their instrument. You don’t need to be able to read music, and although being able to play by ear would be an advantage, skilled players with no ‘by ear’ experience are welcome if you’re willing to have a go. All instruments are welcome.
Laurel Swift is an inspiring instigator of creative projects and performances rooted in folk arts. A musician, singer and dancer, Laurel plays with Gadarene, The Gloworms and founded Morris Offspring. She co-created Under Her Skin with Debs Newbold, teaches folk widely and is writing a folk musical!
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/folk-music-retreat-2026
This Is The Kit's charming alt-folk music received an Ivor Novello nomination. Kate Stables and her band have been turning heads in all the right places since 2003: a long time favourite among BBC Radio 6 Music DJs. A compelling first album Krülle Bol was produced by John Parish, PJ Harvey's longtime collaborator.
Now they are on Rough Trade Records, perhaps the trendiest label, well I think so anyway.
£25.00
https://www.ticketsource.com/booking/select/pkzrmybnvawo
£4.00 per person and that gets you live music, a different caller per event and a cuppa with cake at half time!
It's a very social evening and you can dance whenever you want to or sit down and have a chat with members.
7.30 - 9.30 pm
Contact Neil Arnold: 01460 234693
neil.j.arnold AT gmail.com
Kate Griffin (UK) and Matchume Zango (Mozambique) fuse banjo and timbila in a bold, contemporary celebration of global tradition
An acclaimed timbila player from Zavala, the heartland of Mozambique’s timbila tradition, Zango works internationally across performance, theatre and film. Griffin, an internationally touring clawhammer banjo player with Indo-folk collective Mishra, has been described by Dan Walsh as “one of the top banjo players in the country.”
They met during the 2020 Making Tracks residency, later recording together in Maputo and debuting their live show on a UK tour in July 2024, blending timbila, mbira and percussion with banjo, guitar and low whistle.
This show features Ford Collier (Mishra, The Drystones) on low whistle and guitar.
£18/£17
7:30pm
https://www.bridport-arts.com/event/kate-griffin-matchume-zango
Banding Together summer weekends provide advanced and fluent English system concertina players with the opportunity to join with others of similar proficiency to play as a big concertina band. The music is varied and challenging but help with preparation is provided. The result is an electrifying big band sound!
The weekend is for advanced and fluent English system concertina players to play as a big concertina band under expert direction. The music is varied and challenging but help with preparation is provided. The result is an electrifying big band sound!
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/j25-banding-together-1
Join Granny's Attic (Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, George Sansome, Lewis Wood) for an intensive week of playing and arranging.
This course is a chance for instrumentalists to get to grips with some new tunes and think about how you can start to make them your own, in small groups and a supportive environment. Cohen, George and Lewis will help you to think about your role in an ensemble, how to make the most of what a tune has to offer, and why listening is as important as playing... You'll be aiming, with their guidance, for an arrangement that can be showcased before their Thursday night gig (though only if you feel comfortable to do so). There'll also be plenty of time for discussion, whole group improvisation (using the tunes and skills you've developed over the week), and informal sessions in the bar, as well as time to pick the band's brains about their inspirations, approach and processes.
Instrumentalists of intermediate level, and above. This course is not suitable for beginners. If you came to last year’s course, this will be the same format, but with different tunes (there will naturally be some crossover of subject matter).
With exceptional musicianship and boundless energy, Granny’s Attic are going from strength to strength. Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (melodeon, anglo concertina, vocals), George Sansome (guitar, vocals) and Lewis Wood (violin, vocals) have honed their skills touring the UK and Europe since 2009. They are much loved by audiences up and down the country, with bookings everywhere from Cambridge Folk Festival to Cecil Sharp House.
The trio have been heralded for their lively performances and skilled delivery of traditional material, playing with verve, energy and their own inimitable style. Though grounded in tradition, they are keen to push new boundaries by exploring fresh approaches and writing their own compositions. In May 2025, they released their latest album, Cold Blows The Wind, a new collection of songs and instrumentals that sees them reach new heights both as performers, interpreters, and composers.
Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (he/him), George Sansome (he/him), Lewis Wood (he/him)
www.grannysattic.org.uk
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/arranging-with-grannys-attic-2026
With exceptional musicianship and boundless energy, Granny’s Attic are going from strength to strength. Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (melodeon, anglo concertina, vocals), George Sansome (guitar, vocals) and Lewis Wood (violin, vocals) have honed their skills touring the UK and Europe since 2009. They are much loved by audiences up and down the country, with bookings everywhere from Cambridge Folk Festival to Cecil Sharp House.
They’ll be supported in their gig at Halsway by course participants - the first set showcasing what everyone has been working on during their course, followed by music from the band in the second half. If we know the Granny’s though, they might add a certain something to the first half too…
The trio have been heralded for their lively performances and skilled delivery of traditional material, playing with verve, energy and their own inimitable style. Though grounded in tradition, they are keen to push new boundaries by exploring fresh approaches and writing their own compositions. In October 2021, they released their latest album, The Brickfields, an instrumental collection that sees them reach new heights both as performers and composers.
8.00 pm
Full Price £12
Concession (full-time students) £6
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/gig-grannys-attic
with Su Hart, Helen Curtis, Sandro Shar
Pitchfolk is an intimate and friendly weekend of singing, centred on workshops featuring different singing traditions from around the world, taught be experienced experts specialising in those traditions. This year we have Baka polyphony, Swiss folk singing, and songs from the West of Georgia.
This will be the fifth Pitchfolk weekend, and we have a fascinating line up of teachers this year, with three very disparate musical traditions, linked by a common theme: 2026 is the year of the yodel! If you want to better understand the difference between your 'head' and 'chest' voices, and how to switch between them and make use of both, yodelling is the perfect way to play with that.
Weekend and individual workshop tickets available
Contact Neil McKay: 07703272510
pitchblend.gigs AT gmail.com
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/pitchblend/2055113
A renowned folk singer, cellist, fiddle and viola player from the North East of England, Rachael McShane gained fame as an original member of the award-winning folk band Bellowhead. A much sought-after performer and recording artist, her 2009 debut solo album, No Man’s Fool, established impressive credentials that led her to signing with the prestigious Topic Records, the oldest independent record label in the world.
Rachael is also the leader of The Cartographers, a band that brings together the exceptional talents of guitarist Ian Stephenson (Kan, Baltic Crossing), and melodeon player Julian Sutton (Kathryn Tickell, Sting). Playing with expertise and sparkle, their music is a powerful blend of traditional folk and contemporary sounds.
The Cartographers have built a loyal following thanks to their lively performances and critically acclaimed albums, combining stunning vocals and impressive instrumentals with innovative arrangements in a refreshing take on traditional folk.
Running time: 90mins + interval
Touring Dorset with Artsreach, the county’s rural arts charity
£14, £6 u18s
7.30pm
Contact Tel.: 01929 450587
info AT artsreach.co.uk
https://artsreach.co.uk/event/the-cartographers
This entertaining duo bring a carefully curated repertoire plus self-penned songs drawing on early bluegrass, old-time mountain music, country blues and their own Scots-Irish Roots. Influences range from The Stanley Brothers, The Carter Family, Doc Watson and Hazel Dickens through to Patsy Cline. They present an authentic sound driven by guitars, clawhammer banjo and percussive Appalachian step dancing. Tickets available from www.caryfordhall.co.uk
£10 advance / £12 on door
7.30 pm
Contact Helen
helen AT caryfordhall.co.uk
www.caryfordhall.co.uk
A renowned folk singer, cellist, fiddle and viola player from the North East of England, Rachael McShane gained fame as an original member of the award-winning folk band Bellowhead. A much sought-after performer and recording artist, her 2009 debut solo album, No Man’s Fool, established impressive credentials that led her to signing with the prestigious Topic Records, the oldest independent record label in the world.
Rachael is also the leader of The Cartographers, a band that brings together the exceptional talents of guitarist Ian Stephenson (Kan, Baltic Crossing), and melodeon player Julian Sutton (Kathryn Tickell, Sting). Playing with expertise and sparkle, their music is a powerful blend of traditional folk and contemporary sounds.
The Cartographers have built a loyal following thanks to their lively performances and critically acclaimed albums, combining stunning vocals and impressive instrumentals with innovative arrangements in a refreshing take on traditional folk.
Running time: 90mins + interval
Touring Dorset with Artsreach, the county’s rural arts charity
£14, £6 u18s
7.30pm
Contact Tel.: 01258 820458
info AT artsreach.co.uk
https://artsreach.co.uk/event/the-cartographers
Step into the world of 18th-century elegance and energy with “Post-Playford Dances”, an immersive week-long workshop exploring the social country dances that followed the era of 'The Dancing Master' published by John and Henry Playford. This unique workshop offers a deep dive into the lively and elegant dances of the Georgian period with expert guidance and glorious live music.
Expect joyful days of dancing, beautiful live music, engaging historical context, and sociable evenings of practice and performance. Learn dances once enjoyed in drawing rooms and assembly halls, explore technique and style, and share in the delight of historical dance reimagined for today. Join us and bring the 18th century back to life—one step at a time!
This workshop is open to dancers with some experience of Playford, Regency or country dancing, rather than complete beginners. The atmosphere is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive, allowing everyone to dance at their own pace while developing confidence, skill, and musicality. Each session is thoughtfully structured to help participants grow in knowledge and enjoyment.
Georgia Delve is a professionally trained dancer, ballet teacher, and historical dance caller, specialising in the social country dances of the Regency and wider Georgian periods. She has performed in historical projects for TV and film, and choreographed for stage productions both in the UK and internationally. Georgia is passionate about keeping historical dance alive and accessible for all. Her teaching style is warm, informative, and inclusive, ensuring each participant feels supported and inspired throughout the week.
Dance workshops and evening balls will be brought to life by the acclaimed Warleggan Village Band. Comprising Richard Heacock, Matthew Coatsworth, and Chris Green, the band was originally formed in 2014 for BBC TV’s Poldark and has become a favourite at dance events across the UK and beyond. With appearances in both Poldark and Netflix’s Bridgerton, they bring an infectious energy and inventive flair to English country dance music. Their repertoire spans dances from Playford collections through to Regency favourites, providing a vibrant and authentic soundtrack to your dancing journey.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/post-playford-dances-2026
£4.00 per person and that gets you live music, a different caller per event and a cuppa with cake at half time!
It's a very social evening and you can dance whenever you want to or sit down and have a chat with members.
7.30 - 9.30 pm
Contact Neil Arnold: 01460 234693
neil.j.arnold AT gmail.com
Our accordion workshop weekend is a chance for Level 1 to Level 3 accordionists to grab a whole bag of pick’n’mix techniques and tips from three brilliant players and tutors.
Course leader Paul Hutchinson leading UK folk accordionist and composer Amy Thatcher and musician and historian Danny Pedler.
The weekend offers workshops honing technique, repertoire and interpretation of folk tunes and accompaniment, as well as a chance to look at creating your own tunes and playing together. There will also be time for informal evening sessions and tune sharings.
This course is for Beginner to Intermediate players. We recommend having a look at our accordion course levels to find out if this course would be suitable for you.
You’ll need to be able to read music, and in the higher levels, know your way around your instrument with some degree of confidence. If you consider yourself to be Level 1, a willingness to learn is key! You’ll also need to have your own instrument.
Paul Hutchinson studied piano and church organ before being persuaded at the age of 17 to take up the accordion and form a ceilidh band. Since then he’s become one of the best-known and in-demand players on the folk scene. In the UK and beyond, he was one half of duo Belshazzar’s Feast, and a member of Hoover the Dog, Pagoda Project (with Karen Wimhurst), and PLF. Paul is a regular tutor and musician at Halsway Manor, and has been the accordion tutor for EFDSS at Cecil Sharp House.
Amy Thatcher a North East England-based accordionist, is one of the UK’s leading folk musicians, known for collaborations with Kathryn Tickell, Sting, The Shee, and Monster Ceilidh Band. A Newcastle University Folk Music graduate, her career includes international performances, solo albums, and cross-genre projects, earning acclaim for her innovation in global folk music.
Danny Pedler (Tarren, Pedler//Russell) is a musician and historian rooted in the English Folk tradition. Performing with Accordion, Hurdy-Gurdy and voice Danny works with traditional tunes, songs and tales to make new music that moves people. Danny believes that Folk music is a unique vehicle for raising modern issues; a musical culture deeply rooted in humanity that unites us and allows us to talk. Stylistically, Danny's music is inspired from rhythms found in southern England, especially his native East Anglia. He grew up learning morris tunes and his distinctive accordion style prioritises the lift and bounce of this music while incorporating versatility and finesse.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/accordion-weekend-level-1-3-2026
Kimmeridge Keilidh - All Welcome! No bar, so bring your own drinks & nibbles
Adults £7.50 under 16s £2.50
7:30 - 10:00
Contact Steve & Helen Earwicker: 01929 480737
arish.mel AT btinternet.com
www.earwicker.org/arish_mel.htm
An opportunity for young musicians from the South West and beyond to work with leading folk artists, to develop skills, confidence and creativity, and create a new performance piece.
We’ll be providing an immersive week of music, creativity and fun, in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings of Halsway Manor. It will be intensive and challenging, but also supportive and fun! Young musicians will spend the week working together to learn, arrange and rehearse new repertoire, developing musical skills and performance technique, and creating their own interpretations of traditional material. The group will live, work and play together, with opportunities for informal rehearsals and social gatherings to enrich their experience and understanding of the folk arts.
As always we’ll have a fantastic team of tutors, lead by Becki Driscoll, and joining her will be Archie Churchill-Moss, Matt Norman, and Rosie Butler-Hall, with Kerrie Seymour also returning as Pastoral Lead.
The week will end with performances at Sidmouth Folk Festival!
Participants will need to make their own arrangements to get to Sidmouth.
This is an intensive but fun course for young people aged 12-18.
You’ll need to have prior experience as a musician, and some prior experience of folk, perhaps in a school folk band or previous courses at Halsway, and you should be working at a playing level of at least grade 4 and upwards.
Any acoustic instrument is welcome. If your main instrument is piano, you’ll need to bring a digital keyboard and stand with you, and be prepared to take it to Sidmouth as well.
We’ll be teaching predominantly by ear, so if you’re used to reading music you’ll need to be happy to give that a go! It’s important that you want to be creative, work collaboratively with others, and have fun creating a performance that everybody can be proud of.
Please see the Halsway Manor website to Apply
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/hyf-intermediate-july-2026
Practice can be a joyous moment to connect with yourself, your instrument and other musicians around you.
Amateur musicians, especially adults, often have difficulty practising and improving. It’s not just lack of time and the pressures of daily life. Many of us don’t have a set of skills for practising. We’re often self-taught, and just don’t know how to achieve our musical goals effectively or efficiently. In addition, the sheer number of ideas, tunes and styles that are available to us can be overwhelming.
Discover how it feels to connect to yourself and your instrument in ways you haven’t thought of before. Prepare your mind and your body to play with exciting new ideas that you wouldn’t even think of as practice. You’ll learn specific techniques to help you improve faster and feel more positive about your own musicianship.
If you’re someone who would like to work on this sometimes-overlooked skill, spending time with Mel and Judy might be the perfect opportunity for you. This is a chance for self-reflection, guided in big and small groups, and with chances to share experiences with fellow musicians. Any instrument is welcome, and you can be working at any level on your instrument to take part. You don’t need to be able to learn by ear, or read music.
The Team
Mel Biggs is a Morris dancer, tune writer, performer and melodeon teacher based in South Derbyshire, England. Renowned the world over for her perceptive, patient and mindful manner in teaching groups and individuals, Mel is a leading light in the world of online folk music education with her online courses and popular Patreon club ‘Mel’s Angels’. Having been teaching since 2009, Mel has an ever expanding toolkit of techniques at her disposal which she adapts to every new teaching scenario. You can expect a bespoke blend of learning-by-ear, call and response playing, analogies, visualisations and pattern recognition, tune deconstruction, and notation in moderation.
In her performance career, Mel played in trio Moirai with Jo Freya and Sarah Matthews for almost a decade. Together they created 3 albums, and toured the UK and Europe, culminating in their self-penned show ‘Framed: The Alice Wheeldon Story’. Mel trod the boards as an actor-musician in the 2022-2023 UK & Canada tour of ‘Fisherman's Friend's: The Musical’. She has also been part of Jo Freya’s Komposit Young Composers ensemble (with Annie Whitehead, Judith Weir CBE and Chris Woods), and cross-cultural theatre shows Priya Sundar’s Anglo-Southern Indian ‘Morris:Natyam’, and Kate Flatt’s and Adriano Adewale’s Anglo-Brazillian ‘The Oss & The Ox’.
Mel is currently working on the second iteration of her folk music camp for women and marginalised genders ‘FolkUnbound: The Gathering’ with co-founder Lucy Huzzard, coordinating several local community arts projects in her hometown of Swadlincote, and squiring her heritage-obsessed Border Morris side Wilkes’ Gob.
Judy Minot is a music educator and musician, and the author of the award-winning book Best Practice, Inspiration and Ideas for Traditional Musicians. She plays piano, accordions, and fiddle in a range of styles including Celtic, Québécois, Playford, jazz, and contra.
Judy believes in the power of trad/folk music to bring richness to our adult lives. “Amateur” musicians often compare ourselves, in a negative way, to professionals. But being a dedicated musician does not mean you have to make a living by it, or even perform. If you love making music, you deserve to take yourself seriously and love your own playing, no matter your age, your profession, or your level of playing.
Judy herself has never been a professional musician. Instead, she enjoyed a long and successful career in broadcast television and in digital marketing, while playing Celtic/Irish music with Patrick Clifford and Fiona Tyndall, and playing English Country/Playford and contra dances all over the East Coast US. She was on the staff of Folk College, an annual music camp in Pennsylvania, USA. She has recorded with Patrick Clifford, Anna Bosnick, and the band Na’bodach, and her solo CD, Give Us a Tune, is available via streaming on Soundcloud.
Judy holds a 4th degree black belt in the martial art of Kokikai Aikido, which she taught at Rutgers University for 12 years. She is also a certified yoga teacher. She has written regularly for Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and publishes a regular blog on the concepts of Best Practice. She has taught Best Practice workshops online and in person at many camps and festivals including Ashokan Northern Week, Northeast Heritage Music Camp, and the Northeast Squeeze-In. Judy currently resides in Ireland.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/practise-smarter-2026
Welcome to Ensemble 19/25 - Halsway’s new skills development opportunity for musicians aged 19 - 25!
The focus for the week will be the development of ensemble skills, composition, arranging (both instrumental and vocal), in preparation for a performance at the end of the week. You’ll work intensively, covering topics at a pace before trying them out, honing them and using them to create new work with other like-minded musicians.
This new course aims to bridge the gap between the Halsway Young Folk courses and our general course programme - you’ll recognise the team from previous HYF Advanced courses, but participants will be treated as adults while they’re here. The timetable will be structured around the workshops and won’t include pastoral-focused activities.
Draft timetable
Monday - Material collection and composition
Tuesday - Musicianship (harmony, rhythm, articulation, ensemble etiquette)
Wednesday - Arrangement
Thursday - Arrangement and honing
Friday - Performance (venue TBC)
All musicians aged between 19 and 25, who can play their chosen instrument(s) confidently, and enjoy playing and collaborating with others. You’ll have some experience of playing with others, and you might have taken part in a youth folk opportunity previously (i.e HYF, NYFE, NYFTE etc.). If you have aspirations of being a professional musician or educator, this is a great place to hone those skills.
Archie Churchill-Moss’s journey through the musical landscape is one of rich collaboration and unwavering commitment to the diatonic button accordion—a craft that has earned him widespread acclaim and reverence.
A pioneer in combining folk music with live electronics and a celebrated composer, Archie’s innovative approach seamlessly blends traditional idioms with contemporary composition. His keen attention to modern influences has enabled him to create soundscapes that expand the horizons of folk music. His music has resonated widely, receiving multiple plays on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 3.
Archie's career as a session musician is a testament to his versatility and skill. He has collaborated with esteemed folk and traditional artists such as Seth Lakeman, Sam Sweeney, Cara Dillon, Jim Moray, Eliza Carthy, Sam Kelly, and Sam Carter.
Beyond the stage, Archie’s role as an educator amplifies his impact on the musical landscape. As a Principal Lecturer at Leeds Conservatoire, he has developed a teaching style characterised by warmth and insight, guiding musicians to discover their own voices within the rich tradition of folk music. His expertise also extends to the master’s program at the University of Limerick, where he works closely with postgraduate students to develop their instrumental performance skills.
Matt Norman is a performer, teacher, composer, arranger, workshop leader and conductor.
He predominantly works with traditional English music, steeped in the traditions of Devon and Dartmoor. He is also blues and classical musician, and a Dartmoor Step Dance Champion!
As a multi-instrumentalist, Matt plays mandolin, fiddle, mandola, banjos, piano and also sings. He performs solo and in bands including Gadarene and A New Vintage ceilidh band, and regularly deps in other line-ups. He’s also a singer and choir-leader.
Matt’s extensive teaching experience includes working in community and festival settings with all ages and abilities. He has a relaxed, fun and accessible approach to learning, tailored very much to the group. He has a broad expertise embracing mixed-instrument ensembles, choral and voice work, instrument specific tuition (mandolin, fiddle, banjo), and also step dancing.
Miranda Rutter is a fiddle and viola player, composer, and educator. She is a founder member of the folk string quartet Methera and a much sought-after tutor, having being involved with many National Youth Folk Ensemble courses and as part of the English Acoustic Collective Summer School team.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/ensemble-1925-august-2026
Dance workshop from 6 - 7pm
Main dance from 7 - 9.30pm
All welcome, no experience needed
Tea and coffee available
Free town centre parking
£4
Contact Chris Edmunds 07530 103228
chrismartinedmunds AT gmail.com)
https://balcrew.wixsite.com/balcrewkerne
Come and enjoy an enjoyable holiday that has dancing at its heart, alongside optional folk-related activities for all to enjoy.
Hosted by Jane Thomas, the Halsway Folk Dance team brings together caller Ivan Aitken, musicians Richard Jones and Chris Jewell, plus their partners, for an enjoyable summer holiday in the beautiful setting of Halsway Manor.
Each morning will include two workshops, one for dance, one for another folk activity, which might be dance, song-based, or musical, depending on audience preference. There will be an early evening sing before dinner, and dances every evening/night. The team have organised a programme of fun things to do which make use of the Manor and its lovely gardens for both indoor and outdoor activities. All of these are optional and there is free time each day after lunch (packed lunches available if preferred) plus one day completely free, giving you time to explore the area, or to relax at the Manor.
Both the dance workshops and the evening dances will include dances from across the UK. Novice dancers are very welcome, and there will be sufficient quality and variety to entertain more experienced dancers too.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/folk-dance-holiday-august-2026
A renowned folk singer, cellist, fiddle and viola player from the North East of England, Rachael McShane gained fame as an original member of the award-winning folk band Bellowhead. A much sought-after performer and recording artist, her 2009 debut solo album, No Man’s Fool, established impressive credentials that led her to signing with the prestigious Topic Records, the oldest independent record label in the world.
Rachael is also the leader of The Cartographers, a band that brings together the exceptional talents of guitarist Ian Stephenson (Kan, Baltic Crossing), and melodeon player Julian Sutton (Kathryn Tickell, Sting). Playing with expertise and sparkle, their music is a powerful blend of traditional folk and contemporary sounds.
The Cartographers have built a loyal following thanks to their lively performances and critically acclaimed albums, combining stunning vocals and impressive instrumentals with innovative arrangements in a refreshing take on traditional folk.
Running time: 90mins + interval
Touring Dorset with Artsreach, the county’s rural arts charity
£14, £6 u18s
7.30pm
Contact Tel.: 01300 345455
info AT artsreach.co.uk
https://artsreach.co.uk/event/the-cartographers
Do you struggle to pick up tunes by ear? Would you like to be freed from behind your music stand? Experienced musicians and tutors Rob Harbron and Miranda Rutter are back at Halsway Manor with an extended edition of this popular course - in a midweek slot for 2026 - designed to help you get to grips with the essential 'folk' skill of learning by ear.
You'll learn different techniques and strategies to improve your confidence to play by ear in solo and ensemble contexts, using some accessible folk tunes as a starting point. Once you've got the hang of those, you'll have chance to play them with other people, and even go on to think about how you might turn the tables and teach them to someone else!
Learning will mostly take place in a big group, guided by the tutors, and there may be some time in small groups, both guided and self-led. You won't need to prepare anything in advance. There’ll be plenty of time for consolidation during the week.
The course is suitable for melody players with an interest in folk tunes. All standard melody instruments are welcome, as long as you’re happy in the common folk keys (G, D, Em, Am). However it’s not really suitable for transposing instruments. You don't need to be able to read music, but unsurprisingly, you do need to be open to the possibility of learning by ear!
This course is not suitable for players who are complete beginners but if you can play at least a few tunes and want to establish or improve your ability to play by ear, then this could be the perfect chance to give it a go. You're advised to bring a recording device with you (most phones have this capability now).
Rob Harbron is a uniquely skilled player of the English concertina, described by The Guardian as a ‘concertina wizard’ and renowned for his highly individual and harmonic style of playing. He is a member of Leveret (alongside Sam Sweeney and Andy Cutting), with whom he has toured extensively and released four landmark albums.
Known for his work with a wide range of artists including Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings, Emma Reid, and The Full English, he has also worked extensively with the National Youth Folk Ensemble and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Now he is exploring solo playing with a repertoire which includes settings of rediscovered traditional tunes as well as his many fine compositions. His debut solo album Meanders was released in 2019 and he has recently published a tunebook containing 54 original and adapted tunes.
Miranda Rutter is a fiddle and viola player, composer, and educator. She is a founder member of the folk string quartet Methera and a much sought-after tutor, having being involved with many National Youth Folk Ensemble courses and as part of the English Acoustic Collective Summer School team.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/learning-by-ear-august-2026
The Songs of Martin Carthy
The Sandy Denny Project
Ninebarrow and friends
Ophelia
https://www.lymefolk.com
Our beloved Folk Summer School is back for 2026. There’ll be music, dance and song – for adults of all abilities – led by a crack team of tutors who have detailed knowledge and extensive experience of a wide spectrum of folk music. Throughout the week, you will develop your skills and put them into practice, working towards a full-group ensemble piece which includes the whole summer school cohort – the ‘Big Ensemble’; it’s a powerful way of bringing everything and everyone together in one shared experience, allowing you to learn about how to structure a performance, work together, use all levels of skills (in small and large groups), and create something that’s amazing and all-inclusive.
How the days are structured:
Mornings
are mostly Main Instrument classes – you will choose one ‘main instrument’ in advance but will have the opportunity to move between groups and learn from different tutors during the afternoons, should you wish.
Afternoons
are mostly Bringing it Together – a big ensemble piece which is worked on during sessions throughout the week, giving musicians and dancers the opportunity to explore collaborations and arrangements.
Options – a chance to try out workshops with other tutors.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/folk-summer-school-2026
Holly Clarke, a singer who draws from the old ballads and stories, conjures a performance that immediately captivates any listener. As a performer, Holly transports the listener into the heart of ballads, immersing them in the narratives that have shaped humanities experience through time. From songs of the supernatural and folklore, to the tales of love and loss, Holly Clarke sings with an infectious energy and passion for traditional song. Rising in popularity among folk audiences and performing with the likes of Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, Daoiri Farrell and Queer Folk, Holly Clarke has made a name for herself as a powerful singer and accomplished guitar player. Performing at festivals and venues such as The Glasshouse International Centre For Music, Sidmouth Folk Festival, Bromyard Folk Festival, Tiree Music Festival, The Fire Station Sunderland and many, many more.
Alongside Holly’s affinity for traditional ballads, she is a strong composer in her own right, with her tune compositions being performed by Norwegian Hardanger Fiddle legend Annbjørg Lien and Shetland’s very own Catriona Macdonald. Outside of performing, between 2019 to 2020 Holly was The Glasshouse International Centre for music’s Artist in Residence specialising in Traditional Folk Song and Ballads. As well as performing solo, Holly has a duo with George Sansome (Granny’s Attic), The powerhouse band RE:VULVA (Amy Thatcher, Janice Burns, Cathy Geldard) and also gigs with the trio ‘Holly and the Reivers’, featuring Newcastle based musicians Bertie Armstrong (Banjo and Voice) and Merle Harbron (Fiddle and Voice), with whom she supported the legendary Billy Bragg at Folk on the Tyne Fest.
£16.00
7.45 pm
Contact Taunton Brewhouse: 01823 283244
boxoffice AT tauntonbrewhouse.co.uk
https://www.tauntonbrewhouse.co.uk/events/the-folk-series-holly-clarke/
The Halsway Nyckelharpa Festival is a weekend of harpa workshops, ensemble playing, sessions, a concert and more! Hosted by Vicki Swan, along with Magnus Holmström and one other guest tutor who will be announced soon, this is a weekend you won’t want to miss!
Come and explore a diverse range of repertoire, and meet, play and socialise with other players and enthusiasts of this fascinating Scandinavian instrument.
The weekend is for players of all abilities except complete beginners to explore a range of repertoire, and to meet, play and socialise with other players!
Vicki Swan studied at the Royal College of Music on the double bass. She also plays the various types of bagpipes, flute, recorder, piano and nyckelharpa. On leaving music college Vicki started down the long path of folk music and was only seen on rare glimpses back in classical orchestras. You’ll find Vicki now inhabiting the troll-ridden forests on the hunt for new and exciting tunes from the näcken. Vicki plays not only the standard 3-row modern chromatic, but also the 1408 sienaharpa, the 1526 moraharpa, the 1700s kontrabasharpa and the 1800s silverbasharpa. Over the pandemic Vicki worked tirelessly on a Virtual Music Room to try to help isolated nyckelharpa players remain motivated and focused on playing and learning. She is the host of the yearly Halsway Nyckelharpa Festival.
Magnus Holmström three time world champion nyckelharpa player. Rikspelman and the boss at the Eric Sahlström Institute. The loudest player in the known universe. Imagine the loudest nyckelharpa in the world and double it. Rumour has it that Magnus eats surströmming for breakfast. All round amazing guy, brilliant teacher and we can’t wait to have him back at Halsway! (When Magnus sends a better biog it’ll be added in here!)
Video Link: https://youtu.be/D93OD5IYDx4
One more tutor to be announced soon.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/harpas-at-halsway-2026
Multi-award winning Merry Hell offer joyful, uplifting Folk-Rock, with a message for troubled times. Native to the North-West of England, the 8-piece musical charabanc was built from the embers of the much loved folk-punk band The Tansads, developing a life and feel all of its own. Their energy and passion is are complemented by their love of what they do and desire to share hope and togetherness with as many people as are willing to listen. With chart hit album releases, positive press and radio reviews and plays, major festival appearances and a host of sell out gigs, everything points to a band not to be missed!
Tickets: £19 Full. £18 Concessions
www.merryhell.co.uk
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thepethertonartstrust/1936515
An un-tutored course for experienced singers and players of early instruments.
Non-fixed ensembles of recorders and viols form the main part of the week with a variety of small singing groups depending on participants. Evening sessions for all are conducted and include music for instruments and voices. All of these sessions are at 440 pitch. We usually have harpsichords available and arrange chamber groups at 440 and 415 and are also able to welcome baroque oboe, flute, and violin as second instruments. Cornett, cornamuse, sackbut, curtal and crumhorn are also welcome as second instruments and we can usually arrange sessions for these. The repertoire is primarily renaissance and baroque.
The association organises two meeting a year (end May and mid-September). Those who wish to join us must be experienced on viol and/or recorder, able to play one to a part, and be good sight readers. We welcome additional harpsichords (the owner will not be expected to play continuo exclusively all week).
This course is a partnership event, organised by The Voices, Viols and Recorders Association who can be contacted via Halsway Manor or directly through our email vvr-association AT hotmail.com
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/voices-viols-recorders-association-1-1
Halsway Harvest Weekend, hosted by Rob Dawson, is a long-running dance event for experienced dancers doing mainly Playford-style dances, but with a few contras and squares.
Live music is supplied by the band Dampier’s Round (Peter and Moira Gutteridge).
This year’s guest caller will be Jane Thomas who will call the Friday and Saturday evening dances together with workshops of more challenging dances on Saturday morning and a “challenge” workshop on Saturday afternoon.
Additional workshops on Saturday and Sunday mornings will be taken by Rob Dawson, Frances Oates and Brian Stanton.
The weekend finishes with a “Repeats” dance on Sunday afternoon which includes the most popular dances chosen from those done over the weekend. The weekend finishes with a cream tea.
For those staying on Sunday evening there is a Ceilidh where anybody can call a dance (to recorded music), tell a story, play an instrument, sing a song or do a recitation. Contact Rob Dawson (halswayharvest AT gmail.com) for an application form.
Sunday night B&B is also available.
https://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/event/halsway-harvest-weekend-2026
Recognised with a double page feature in global Guitarist magazine, Jon is a guitarist of exceptional calibre. His stand-out talent has received regular acclaim from publications such as Uncut Magazine and The Guardian.
With his latest album, Needless Alley, has come a further raft of appreciation – ‘Wilks is a genuine gem in British folk and beyond.’ (Songlines ****). ‘Wilks fully deserves his place alongside names such as Jansch, Carthy and Simpson.’ (KlofMag) His penultimate album was chosen as The Guardian Folk Album of the Month. His recent music career includes five solo albums and one EP.
Released on 19th September 2025, Jon’s 5th solo album is a patchwork of memories, “what you’d find if you rummaged around in my head for an afternoon.” Both lyrically and sonically, Needless Alley looks back at the sounds Jon connected with in his teens, shaped by early songwriting instincts and formative band experiences. With influences including Nick Drake, The Pentangle, Paul Simon and other folk luminaries the album never strays too far from the folk music he’s become known for. The title and title track relate to a street in Birmingham, Jon’s home city, on which he used to busk as a teenager.
With this album Jon makes a shift from his previous, more traditional repertoire to a collection of nearly all original songs. It’s a recording that is set to unite Jon’s heartfelt songwriting with his wide-ranging influences and experience in traditional music and far beyond.
£16.00
7.45 pm
Contact Taunton Brewhouse: 01823 283244
boxoffie AT tauntonbrewhosue.co.uk
https://www.tauntonbrewhouse.co.uk/events/the-folk-series-jon-wilks-in-concert/
Dance workshop from 6 - 7pm
Main dance from 7 - 9.30pm
All welcome, no experience needed
Tea and coffee available
Free town centre parking
£4
Contact Chris Edmunds 07530 103228
chrismartinedmunds AT gmail.com)
https://balcrew.wixsite.com/balcrewkerne
Hailing from the Isle of Skye, the legendary Scottish trailblazers have created a glorious mixture of traditional sounds and dance-floor grooves that have been embraced worldwide. Drawing upon a dazzling myriad of influences from jigs and reels through Dance Music, Jazz, African, and more, they bring the sound of Scotland fresh-faced and breathless to the new audiences around the world.
Starts 8pm
Doors/bars open 7pm
£26 adv / door
(14+ / U18 must be accompanied by an adult)
https://www.electricpalace.org.uk/events/event/peatbog-faeries/
Bellowhead celebrate the 20th anniversary of their full-length debut album. The 11-piece folk outfit made a watertight case for ‘big being beautiful’ with the release of which features songs including London Town, Frog’s Legs and Dragon’s Teeth and Rigs of The Time.
Showcasing their unique blend of traditional English folk music with a modern big- band sound, Bellowhead went on to record another 4 studio albums (selling over a quarter of a million copies), were the proud recipients of 2 x silver discs and won a staggering 8 x BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards before calling it a day in 2016. After a hiatus and prompted by a record-breaking online stream during the pandemic, the band reunited for a joyous sold-out tour in 2022 and repeated the success in 2024 as they celebrated their own 20th anniversary. Both tours reaffirmed their status as one of the biggest and most in demand UK folk acts.
Doors & bars 7:00 PM
Show start 8:00 PM
£39.60 (inc. fees)
https://bathforum.co.uk/whats-on/bellowhead-tour-83ms
Dance workshop from 6 - 7pm
Main dance from 7 - 9.30pm
All welcome, no experience needed
Tea and coffee available
Free town centre parking
Free as it's Christmas (usually £4)
Contact Chris Edmunds 07530 103228
chrismartinedmunds AT gmail.com)
https://balcrew.wixsite.com/balcrewkerne