Basket Search
English Folk Dance & Song Society
Cecil Sharp House
Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
National Youth Folk Ensemble
  • Cecil Sharp House
  • Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
  • National Youth Folk Ensemble
  • What’s on
    • How to book
      • Covid secure
      • Travel to Cecil Sharp House
      • Access at Cecil Sharp House
    • Gigs
    • Exhibitions
    • Classes & Courses
    • Talks & Film
    • Dances
  • Learning
    • Young People
      • National Youth Folk Ensemble
      • Dance
      • London Youth Folk Ensemble
      • Holiday courses
      • Disabled Young People
    • Adults
      • Cecil Sharp House Choir
      • Saturday Folk Music Workshops
      • Dance Classes
      • Lectures and Talks
      • Monday Folk Choir Workshops
      • FAQs
    • Families
      • Family Barn Dances
      • May in a Day
      • Family Friendly
    • Practitioners
      • Professional Development
      • Dance Development
      • Folk Educators Group
    • Resources
      • Beginners’ GuidesBeginners’ Guides
      • Learning ResourcesLearning Resources
      • GlossaryGlossary
      • A-ZA-Z
      • Resource Search
    • Schools & Colleges
      • Artsmark
  • Artist Development
    • Seperator Test
    • Projects
      • Showcases
      • Commissions
      • Bursaries
      • Micro Grants
      • Musicians in Museums
    • Partners
      • English Folk Expo
      • Other Opportunities
      • Associate Company
  • Support us
    • Seperator Test (2)
    • Donate now
      • General donation
      • Regular donations
      • Leave a Legacy
    • Support a project
      • Library
      • Dance Development
      • National Youth Folk Ensemble
      • Children and Young People
      • Artist Development
    • Membership
      • Individuals
      • Groups
      • Libraries and Institutions
      • Insurance
      • Affiliated Dance Clubs
    • Folk Shop Closed
  • About us
    • What we do
      • News
      • Advocacy
      • Equality and Diversity
      • Press and Media
      • Library
    • Who we are
      • Staff
      • President
      • Vice-President
      • Board
      • Annual reviews
    • Our history
      • Past projects
      • Gold Badge Awards
    • Publications
      • Folk Music Journal
      • English Dance and Song
    • Folk Player
      • In the Archive With...
      • Listen: Classic Folk
      • Folk Folk
    • Work for us
      • Vacancies
      • Work Experience
      • Volunteer
  • Venue Hire
    • Seperator Test (3)
    • Seperator Test (4)
    • Seperator Test (5)
    • Covid secure
    • Hire our Venue

National Youth Folk Ensemble

Ensemble of nearly 20 young people holding instruments and looking at camera

The National Youth Folk Ensemble celebrates excellence in youth folk music, bringing together talented young folk musicians from across England to create and perform inspiring new arrangements of folk music and work with leading folk artists.

With young musicians at the heart of the programme, the National Youth Folk Ensemble aims to nurture their talents, aspirations and creativity, enabling them to develop into the folk performers, educators and leaders of the future.

These talented musicians receive expert tuition and guidance from SamPartridge, Artistic Director from October 2019, and a team of leading folk artist-educators.

The Ensemble continues to meet virtually until residential sessions become possible again. 

The Ensemble in Covid-19

Instagram NationalYouthFolk

  

The National Youth Folk Ensemble:

  • takes talented young folk musicians from across England
  • has up to 25 players
  • is open to young people aged 14–18
  • is open to any instrument
  • focuses mainly on instrumental music, with song and dance included as elements of the programme
  • has a significant focus on English traditional folk music, reflecting its regional variety, complemented by folk music from wider Britain and beyond
  • includes newly devised and composed music drawing from the tradition
  • offers membership on an annual basis via audition · meets for residential courses, rehearsals and performances at various locations across England
  • aims to complement, build on and help link existing youth folk music provision
  • seeks positive relationships with similar youth folk music ensembles in the other nations of the UK and, in time, beyond.

The standard was excellent – their musicianship, stage presence, performance skills and enthusiasm made it an evening to remember for a long time

Songlines, June 2018

Longer-term development plans (requiring additional funding) include:

  • extension opportunities for 19–25 year olds who have 'graduated' from the ensemble
  • an engagement programme that will help foster the growth of local and regional youth folk music ensembles, courses etc., particularly where there is currently little provision.
Live at Shrewsbury Folk Festival
Live at Shrewsbury Folk Festival
Support us
Support the National Youth Folk Ensemble
  • Meet the Ensemble
  • Sampler Days
  • Join
  • People
  • Members’ Interview
  • Youth Folk Opportunities
  • History
  • Partners and Background
  • Engagement Programme
CRISIS APPEAL
Folk Shop
Contact us
Travel
Access
Policies
Safeguarding
Code of Conduct
Booking T&Cs
Terms of Use & Cookies
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn
Subscribe to our newsletter

English Folk Dance and Song Society, Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Road, London NW1 7AY, UK.
Tel: 020 7485 2206 | Email: [email protected] | Registered charity number 305999
Cookies: The English Folk Dance and Song Society’s websites use cookies: please read our cookie policy for more information.

© 2021 EFDSS.
Supported by Arts Council England