Meet the Ensemble

Amélie, fiddle

Gloucestershire

Joined in 2025

“I love that there is a connection between each member of NYFE, connected by the love of folk music, playing, and collaborating together. We all bring our unique talents and knowledge and each member of the troupe is respected for that. We listen, acknowledge, and understand each other. Our whole is far greater than the sum of our parts. It is exhilarating and exciting to be a part of this creative process. Each shared experience can never be repeated, but will live on in our memories, and the music that we create.”

Favourite track at the moment: Alive, Skipinnish

Arlo, flute

London

Joined in 2024

“I really enjoy being able to connect with other people who also love folk music, and being able to play music with different people, because everyone brings something unique.”

Favourite track at the moment: The Gentle Giant, Flook

Ben, guitar

London

Joined in 2025

“I love the creative freedom in folk music, collaborating and experimenting with such talented people always leads to the coolest sounding arrangements.”

Favourite track at the moment: Song of the Fishgutters, Janice Burns & John Doran

Donald, fiddle

Herefordshire

Joined in 2025

“It gives you the freedom to not only write your own tunes - but to combine them in sets with other peoples' to build a kind of story. I find that really cool alongside the passion and individuality that everyone's playing brings to each tune, especially when it's learnt by ear.”

Favourite track at the moment: Larry, Blazin' Fiddles

Ella, cello

Hertfordshire

Joined in 2024

“I love how NYFE connects you to other young musicians that love the genre of music just as much as you do. I think it’s really special how we are all part of the evolution of folk music and how individual our sound is.”

Favourite track at the moment: Strange meadow lark, Norma Winstone + John Taylor

Ellie, clarsach harp

Northumberland

Joined in 2025

“It's a good creative outlet and I like hearing how other people's styles differentiate when arranging a tune. I’ve really enjoyed getting to meet like-minded people and expanding my repertoire of good tunes in a group.”

Favourite track at the moment: Sweet Tooth, Cavetown

Emily, bassoon

Dorset

Joined in 2023

“I love getting the opportunity in folk music to improvise and create lines on the spot. I feel this is a valuable skill as well as half the fun about playing folk music. I love how each time you play a tune with the same or different people the outcome is very different. This is what makes folk music so special, and you can develop a deep connection with people you’re playing with.”

Favourite track at the moment: Bear Creek, Lankum

Eva, fiddle

Cornwall

Joined in 2025

“Folk music is so freeing - I love how creative you can be and the sense of community that you get from playing and arranging tunes with likeminded people.”

Favourite track at the moment: Skylark. Helian

Finn, flute

London

Joined in 2025

“The people, everyone is so lovely. I love playing music in NYFE and hearing all these cool suggestions to elevate the arrangement of our tune. I love being able to talk and spend time with people who share similar interests, it’s just such a positive space.”

Favourite track at the moment: I wish you love, Laufey

Florence, fiddle

South Yorkshire

Joined in 2025

“I really enjoy playing with others and getting to be really creative and I really enjoy getting to be with and play music with people who enjoy the same things as me.”

Favourite track at the moment: Dunstan Lullaby, Janice Burns and Jon Doran

Freya, piano

Dorset

Joined in 2024

“I love NYFE as a creative space - there's always room for experimentation and it's magical when everyone's ideas weave together into a truly unique and collaborative piece of music.”

Favourite track at the moment: Not A Cloud, TRIP

Harry, nyckelharpa

Devon

Joined in 2025

“There are millions of tunes out there that all express some unique emotion of their own, and despite this folk music always maintains a sense of unseriousness at the same time, which is important to me.”

Favourite track at the moment: Kitchens of Distinction, Blue Pedal

Isabelle, fiddle

Leicestershire

Joined in 2024

"I love folk music for many reasons, it’s brilliant to dance to but also magical to play. More than any other folk music grounds me but also is exciting. NYFE is such a breathtaking experience, being able to play with others my age with music I love has been the best experience. I have made irreplaceable friendships through NYFE."

Favourite track at the moment: Kanadensarn, Goodland Trio

Kitty, fiddle

Oxfordshire

Joined in 2023

“Folk reliably brings together lovely people in unexpected places, and the sound is completely different every time. I love how each combination of musicians creates such a unique and beautiful sound which can never quite be replicated afterwards.”

Favourite track at the moment: Magic Spell, This is the kit

Leo, accordion

Cumbria

Joined in 2023

 "One of the best parts of NYFE is meeting so many talented young people from around the country who have similar interests to me."

Favourite track at the moment: Till Abdul / Tiden, Emma Reid and Ellika Frisell

Lucy, concertina

South Yorkshire

Joined in 2025

“What I enjoy most about playing folk music is the way that so much of what is played isn’t written down, so no two people will ever play it exactly the same way.”

Favourite track at the moment: Sjalaschottish, Floating Sofa Quartet

Matthew, guitar

North Yorkshire

Joined in 2023

“I love being able to play tunes spontaneously, even sometimes with complete strangers - due to the shared repertoire within the folk tradition. The best part of NYFE is arranging music and playing gigs with such a large group of musicians. Making music with all of my friends in NYFE is one of the most fun experiences I have had as a musician.”

Favourite track at the moment: Chelsea Smiles, Flyte

Saul, recorders

London

Joined in 2023

“The connections you can make with people just through playing tunes makes folk music an absolute joy to be involved in. Experiencing the musical and social development of the group as the year goes on is really lovely to see and realise how far we go over a year.”

Favourite track at the moment: Vastlalaul, Duo Ruut

Shayla, fiddle

Lancashire

Joined in 2024

“When I play folk music with others, I really enjoy feeling the heartbeat of the music that connects us and brings the tunes to life. This makes playing with the ensemble so fun as our arrangements have energy and has a different sound every time we play.”

Favourite track at the moment: Skyklokke, Henriette Flach

Silas, cello

Oxfordshire

Joined in 2023

“I love having the freedom to experiment with different musical ideas and I most enjoy being around other people who share similar musical ideas and tastes as me.”

Favourite track at the moment: For those who come after, Lorien Testard

Stan, anglo concertina

Devon

Joined in 2024

“There’s no barrier to entry; folk music is the music of the people and can be anything you want it to be.”

Favourite track at the moment: Yowjef, Naragonia 

Photography by Roswitha Chesher