London Youth Folk Ensemble

colourful drawings of instruments - trumptet, saxophone, banjo, drums, fiddle

Each time LYFE perform a wonderful, inspiring set brimming with quality music and enthusiasm in equal measure – this is what music is all about and their performance never fails to delight! - Folk by the Oak

For young people aged 11 to 19 years old (up to 24 years old for D/deaf and disabled young people)

The Ensemble meets regularly from September to July and performs at exciting events across London and beyond. In the past year, LYFE has performed at Cecil Sharp House, Folk By The Oak festival, Trafalgar Square, and Greenwich Park.

LYFE is open to confident musicians of any instrument. This means that you should be able to play your instrument independently and confidently, but do not need to have passed any particular grade. All music is taught by ear and no previous experience of folk music is needed.

London Youth Folk Ensemble is an annual commitment and places are offered after you attend our taster session at the start of the Autumn term.

Taking part can contribute to an Arts Award Bronze or Silver Award.

How do I join?

To join the London Youth Folk Ensemble you need to:

Be 11 to 19 years old (up to up to 24 year olds for D/deaf and disabled young people)
Have a good grasp of technique on your instrument and be able to play tunes confidently
Have some experience of learning and playing tunes by ear
Have some experience of playing your instrument in a group (eg band, ensemble, orchestra)
Demonstrate passion for folk music and commitment to the Ensemble
Attend a free trial to meet the tutors, to gain a taste of playing with the ensemble and for us to see if you are ready to join the ensemble

Once you have completed the below form, you can attend our Taster Session on Sunday 20 September 2026. This is free to attend and offers young people the opportunity to experience the ensemble before committing to the year. In the taster session, you will gain a taste of playing with the ensemble and for us to see if you are ready to join the ensemble. We will then be in touch to offer you a place and discuss payment options.

London Youth Folk Ensemble is an annual commitment.

See the Ensemble Perform

Upcoming perfomances include:

Saturday 27 June: Cecil Sharp House

Wednesday 1 July: The Great Hall at Kensington Town Hall

Saturday 11 July: Music for Youth National Festival, Birmingham

Sunday 19 July: Folk by the Oak

LYFE performing at Folk by the Oak, 2024

2025-26 dates

Various Sundays, 2 - 5pm

Autumn Term 2025: 21 Sept | 5, 19 Oct | 2, 16, 30 Nov

Spring Term 2026: 18, 25 Jan | 8, 22 Feb | 8, 22 Mar

Summer term 2026: 19, 26 Apr | 17, 31 May | 7, 21 June

LYFE and Friends concert 2026: Saturday 27 June

2026-27 dates

Various Sundays, 2 - 5pm

Autumn Term 2026: 20 Sept | 4, 18 Oct | 8, 15, 29 Nov

Spring Term 2027: 17, 24 Jan | 7, 21 Feb | 7, 21 Mar

Summer Term 2027: 11, 25 Apr | 16, 23 May | 6, 20 June

LYFE and Friends concert 2027: Saturday 26 June

Various performance dates will be added.

Learning by ear means I have gained a more intuitive and collaborative approach to music which is really fun and enables me to be creative

Fees

Fees will be payable after your taster session if you decide you would like to join the Ensemble for the full academic year.

2026-27 LYFE fee: £360 | £285 concessions

You are eligible for the concessionary rate if:

You are in receipt of free school meals
You are a looked-after or displaced young person
Your parent/guardian is in receipt of an Income-Based Benefit (such as Universal Credit)

To enquire about the concessionary rate, please contact [email protected]

Bursary Places

We want more young people from a wider range of backgrounds and economic circumstances to benefit from joining London Youth Folk Ensemble.

To support this, we have set aside a limited number of bursary places (partial or full bursaries) to enable keen young musicians who would not otherwise be able to afford the concessionary fees for the Ensemble.

To find out more about bursaries, please contact [email protected]

Listen to LYFE performing at Folk by the Oak 2025:

Listen to LYFE performing at Folk by the Oak 2024:

Meet the team

Aaron Horlock (Music Leader)

Aaron Horlock is a multi-instrumentalist and educator with backgrounds in both traditional and classical music. During his studies at Trinity Laban, Aaron found a love for traditional music from the British isles and beyond and has been an active member of the scene since. Aaron has toured and played festivals around the UK with various bands and artists and is currently playing as a member of Man The Lifeboats as well as with duo partner Nick Goode.

Maya McCourt (Music Leader)

Maya is a cellist, singer and teacher. She is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, and has a Master’s degree in Music in Development from SOAS in London. She has taken part in lots of community music projects across the world, and plays with her band Salt Moon. She works with the refugee charity Play for Progress, and is a project coordinator for JMI’s Ethno England, as well as running Flotsam Sessions.

Mía Iles Pérez (Pastoral Staff)

Mía Iles Pérez is a banjo and mandolin player based in London, working in education as a science teacher and music tutor alongside her studies for her master's degree in Astrophysics. She is a member of East Corner Trio, a band creating a unique sound through their eclectic musical influences and unusual combination of melodeon, banjolin, and flute and pipes. Mía is an alumni of both the London Youth Folk Ensemble and National Youth Folk Ensemble where she performed at many gigs and festivals over the years, and met her bandmates Elye Cuthbertson and Danny Marshall.

Megan Deakin (Trainee Music Leader)

Megan is a fiddle player from Yorkshire who is currently based in London, studying Law at SOAS University. Megan is an alumna of the National Youth Folk Ensemble where she performed in multiple gigs and festivals. Alongside her current studies and the ensembles she regularly performs with, Meg organises and works on stage management for Becs Leighton Music and International Musicians Seminars Prussia Cove, and plays with quartet Hollinwood Strings for a wide variety of functions.

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