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We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England. Can you support the folk arts with a donation today?

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Support our work

We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England. Can you support the folk arts with a donation today?

Give now

Support our work

We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England. Can you support the folk arts with a donation today?

Give now
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National Youth Folk Ensemble

Ensemble of young people holding instruments and looking at camera

Our vision is young people throughout England discovering, playing and loving folk music.

We wish to encourage progression from earliest grassroots activity in schools and community settings on to lifelong engagement with folk music – as participants and professionals.

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.

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 a team of leading folk artist-educators, working with the Ensemble’s Artistic Director (2023–2026), Jo Freya. 


Join the Ensemble

Open Days 
 
The National Youth Folk Ensemble has free Open Days in May 2025 - these will be open for booking late January. If you want to find out more please follow the links below. 
 
To register for an Open Day you will need to: 
  • be aged 12-18.
  • live in England.
  • be able to play confidently on your chosen instrument.
 
Open Days are open to players of any instruments but not suitable for vocalists. No prior experience of folk music necessary. All playing and learning will be done by ear - no need to read notation! 
 
They are free to attend, but you need to book in advance. If the cost of travelling would be a barrier to you attending, please contact us as we have travel bursaries available.
 
 
London Open Day - 27 May 2025 - Cecil Sharp House 
 
Exeter Open Day - 28 May 2025 - Exeter Pheonix 
 
Leeds Open Day - 31 May 2025 - Leeds Conservatoire
 

Application process: detailed info


Upcoming Gigs

Find out more about the National Youth Folk Ensemble's summer gigs below, and stay tuned for more information!

Sunday 17 August: King's Cross Summer Sounds

Sunday 23 August: Shrewsbury Folk Festival (ceilidh)


The wider National Youth Folk Ensemble programme aims to raise the profile of folk music and develop practice in folk education in England through high quality learning and performance experiences.

The National Youth Folk Ensemble is an English Folk Dance and Song Society programme, funded by Arts Council England and the Department for Education as a National Youth Music Organisation. 


Creating cohesive music that goes far beyond the notes played, encouraging inclusivity, collaboration and, naturally, the next generation of folk musicians

– Songlines, June 2024
 

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 traditional folk music from England, reflecting its regional variety, complemented by folk music from from the rest of the UK 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 beyond
  • provides extension opportunities for 19–25 year olds who are alumni of the programme
  • runs an Engagement Programme that helps foster the growth of local and regional youth folk music provision, particularly where there is currently little provision

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

Songlines

Live at Shrewsbury Folk Festival
Live at Shrewsbury Folk Festival
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Donate to support the National Youth Folk Ensemble
Support the National Youth Folk Ensemble


  



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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
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