Meet the Ensemble

In the lockdown of spring 2020 we shared Instagram profiles of our Ensemble members.

You can meet them all here now...

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Hi, I’m Ruby! I’m from Cornwall and I play the fiddle. Here I’m playing one of my own tunes that I wrote last year called ‘Kan An Werin’ - which is Cornish for song of the people. 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!” 🎧 Currently listening to Kaleidophonica by Spiro 📸 @camillagreenwellphotography #YouthFolk #FolkMusic #FolkMusician #CanCompose #Composition #Creativity #Cornwall #CornishMusic #MusicEd #NewMusic

A post shared by National Youth Folk Ensemble (@nationalyouthfolk) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Hi, my name is Nina, I’m from Hampshire and I play the fiddle. Here is me playing a tune I wrote at our residential in February, which my group and I turned into an arrangement that we played in the gig at Liverpool Philharmonic. Folk music is one of those things that can make me happy in practically any situation, especially when I am playing with friends and people I love - we are so lucky to have it! I can’t wait to be back with the Ensemble as soon as we can to make more music and memories.” 🎧 Currently listening to Murmurs by Simpson Cutting Kerr 📸 @camillagreenwellphotography #YouthFolk #Composition #FolkMusic #FiddlePlayer @liverpool_philharmonic #YouthMusic #Creativity

A post shared by National Youth Folk Ensemble (@nationalyouthfolk) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Next up is our longest-serving member, Phoebe “Hello! My name is Phoebe, I am from Lancashire and I play the cello. Here I am playing a tune called ‘The Bonney Grey Ey’d Morn’ which I found in the Malchair manuscript on the VWML website and altered in a few ways. 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.” 🎧 Currently listening to Vasen 📸 @camillagreenwellphotography #YouthFolk #FolkMusic #TraditionalMusic #TradMusic #EnglishFolk #FolkDance #DanceMusic #Tradition #Musicians #FolkMusicians #CelloPlayer #Cello

A post shared by National Youth Folk Ensemble (@nationalyouthfolk) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Hello! My name is Rowan and I play the 5-string fiddle. This is a video of me in my garden playing a tune called Chain Cotillion, which I found in the book Hardcore English back in 2016. 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. I’ve really enjoyed this virtual residential and how we’ve managed to work together as an ensemble in small groups and with workshops and 1:1s with our incredible tutors.” 🎧 Currently listening to Drawn from Deep Water by Gnoss 📸 @camillagreenwellphotography #YouthFolk #EnglishFolk #FolkMusic #TradMusic #MusicEd #FiddlePlayer

A post shared by National Youth Folk Ensemble (@nationalyouthfolk) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Hello! I’m Maeve and this is me playing a gorgeous tune called The Waiting Waltz written and taught to me by the wonderful Laura-Beth Salter in our virtual one-to-one lesson! This week seems to have a theme of overcoming challenges, and my main challenge with this tune was that is was written for tenor instruments in a tuning that I have never used before, but challenge accepted! And I think one of the main reasons I enjoy folk music is because of how willing and appreciative all the tutors and members of the Ensemble have greeted all these challenges as a collective and therefore still been able to create amazing things.” 🎧 Currently listening to The Breath 📸 @camillagreenwellphotography #YouthFolk #Banjo #FolkMusic #TradMusic #MusicCourse #MusicEd #MusicEdGoodNews

A post shared by National Youth Folk Ensemble (@nationalyouthfolk) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Hi! I’m Rosa and I play the fiddle. This is me playing a tune I found yesterday on the VWML website in the Button and Whitaker’s 1809 tune book. The website is such an amazing place to look through the archives at so many old tune books. That’s one thing I love about folk music and NYFE, the combination of old and new. We’re making tunes that have been around for centuries live in a new way.” 🎧 Currently listening to The Danish String Quartet 📸 @camillagreenwellphotography #Fiddle #YouthFolk #Violin #FolkMusic #Manuscript #TradMusic #TraditionalMusic #EnglishFolk #MusicEd #Archives #Tunebook #Library #YoungMusicians #MusicEducation

A post shared by National Youth Folk Ensemble (@nationalyouthfolk) on