Alex Walters – piano accordion, North East
“I love folk music because the community within it is amazing and it’s fantastic to play with people your own age who have the same passion!”
Alice Robinson – fiddle, South West
“To me, folk music is so special because I can be a part of such a brilliant community through the music that I enjoy playing. I love how everyone can add something individual to a piece and when playing together you really feel like a group.”
Amelie Donovan – flute, South West
“I love the freedom of folk music as you can make a tune completely your own with even the most subtle changes of groove. The folk community is also full of incredible creative people!”
Amina Eldin – fiddle, East
“I love folk because of how freeing it is, you can really express your personality through your playing and it can involve everyone so that beginners and professionals can play together.”
Carl Schenker – guitar, North East
“I love folk music because of all the cool and interesting instruments not standard to other genres of music!”
Danny Marshall – flute, London
“I love folk music because it not only is very creative and expressive but is influenced by the people you play it with a unique way.”
Elye Cuthbertson – melodeon, London
“There's nothing better than playing with a group of people your age who share your love of folk music, which is why I'm so happy to be part of the National Youth Folk Ensemble. The whole folk community is so friendly, it's lovely to be a part of!”
Eve Parker – fiddle, South West
“The reason I love folk music is because the tunes are beautiful and you can be creative in making them your own and playing them in your own style.”
Finn Harty – trombone, North West
“I absolutely love folk music because of how flexible it is and that every time you play a tune, it seems to change and grow each time you play it. Also, I feel like folk music is the best way to become more in touch with your instrument and expand your musical knowledge. It's also a great way to meet other folk musicians and I find is just a really fun genre of music to play!”
Gaia Rogers – flute, East
“I love playing and dancing to folk music because of the freedom of expression; any tune can become your own and everyone's unique styles are fascinating to listen to. It's also the most amazing feeling in the world when you find the groove in a tune.”
Gráinne Lacy-Roberts – flute, Yorkshire
“I love folk music because it’s such an expressive way of communicating music, there are so many different ways of playing a single melody.”
John Hinton – octave mandola, East
“I love folk for how social and in the moment it is. Also, you can’t really get bored as there are so many different styles and an endless amount of tunes. The community of folk is so welcoming, it’s hard not to want to get involved!”
Kirsty McLachlan – bass guitar, North East
“Part of why I love folk music is because of how it pulls the community together in more rural areas, as well as how laid back folk is compared to other genres!”
Lucy Marsh – flute, North East
“I love playing folk music because it is so connected and gives me the opportunity to work with and learn from amazing musicians.”
Mary Lomas – clarinet, West Midlands
“Folk is such an enjoyable genre to be involved in, whether it be dance, or playing tunes, or singing. What makes it so enjoyable is the focus on people and community, not just the music being played.”
Mía Iles Pérez – mandolin, London
“I love traditional music as you are able to transform a tune, arranging until it is entirely unique and your own.”
Naomi Sayal – fiddle, North East
“I absolutely adore folk because of how free and personal you can make it, and how wonderful it feels to create something that yourself and others have contributed to that is entirely your own as a group to be proud of.”
Phoebe Harty – cello, North West
“I really love how open to everyone folk music is - any person can play a tune, from those written in the 17th century to those written today, and we can play it in the way that makes us the happiest, with whoever we like. I also love how rooted in dance traditional music is and how alive and full of groove this makes it.”
Róisín Howitt – fiddle, Yorkshire
“I love folk music because it is so versatile and allows me to meet so many amazing people!”
Rowan Collinson – 5-string fiddle, East
“I love that folk music is constantly evolving and being reimagined - it gives you the opportunity to be free and creative both individually and with others.”
Ruby Polley-Livingstone – fiddle, South West
“I love playing folk music because it gives you the freedom to interpret the music in your own unique way and brings together musicians of all ages and abilities. Without folk, I wouldn’t be able to meet so many new people, like all of the other lovely Ensemble members!”
Ruby Smith – fiddle, North East
“I absolutely love folk music because it’s the music I grew up with, seeing as the tradition in the North East is so rich. It’s also so versatile, no two people play a tune the same way and everyone can make it truly their own, which I just think is so cool and interesting.”
Theo Dormer – melodeon, Yorkshire
“I love folk music because there are so many different interpretations of it and it can be seen throughout so many other genres of music.”
