National Youth Folk Ensemble: Melodious Beginnings

The leafy backdrop of Box Hill, Surrey feels like the right place for the EFDSS’ National Youth Folk Ensemble to have their third residential of the year. The 2023/24 ensemble, now in its eighth cohort since it was set up in 2016, is comprised of 22 young people between 14-18 years old. It’s the only national folk youth group in England and despite being smaller than other ensembles out there, holds a clear vision to encourage young people to discover, play and love folk music.

“Remember, everyone around you is giving you a big supportive hug,” says tutor and folk musician Miranda Rutter. After being briefed to compose their own tune that morning in small groups, we’d reached the part of the day when the young musicians showcased their ‘work in progress’ to the wider class.

Earlier, Jo Freya, the ensemble’s artistic director, had explained that some of the young people hadn’t had the opportunity to compose music before joining the ensemble last year. “The beauty of folk is the question-and-answer flow of the music,” she explained. “It makes learning how to compose a tune much easier.”

Embedded within the wider English Folk Dance and Song Society, the National Youth Folk Ensemble enlists many of its members through free open days, offering young people their first taste of English folk and an immersion into its traditions. EFDSS’ education director, Rachel Elliott, notes that many young musicians enjoy the playing-by-ear-creative environment that the open days offer, and so go on to audition for the ensemble.

To encourage that spark of inspiration from the open days into a fire, musicians from the English folk soundscape are invited to the termly residencies to tutor the ensemble on how to improve their craft. The likes of Nancy Kerr, Sam Sweeney and Sam Partridge, the last two both previous artistic directors of the ensemble, are just some of the tutors that have graced the folk classroom. Rachel Elliott says they choose musicians that are not just great at their medium, but also capable of educating young people. Which takes us back to Miranda Rutter’s assurances of a big supportive hug. A talented musician no doubt, but also an incredibly supportive tutor to her students.

It’s clear that the team behind the ensemble views pastoral care as just as important as the music itself, with two staff members dedicated to providing support to the group. They even organise fun socials to break up the day, which on this particular Wednesday was an easter egg hunt. “It's a well-known fact that there's been a lot of issues with young people's mental health in recent years, which was very much exacerbated by COVID,” says Rachel. “So, we're aware of that and want to make this the most positive environment possible. They're more likely to make great music if they feel happy.”

Yet, amidst the melodies and harmonies, there lies a challenge: the perception of English folk music as a predominantly white genre. Those behind the youth ensemble, as well as the young people in it, are playing their part in changing that perception. “We need to situate ourselves as part of an alliance of people involved in folk roots across the world,” Rachel tells me. In recent years, the ensemble has been tutored by musicians from beyond the English folk sphere, including Brazilian percussionist Adriano Adewale, tabla performer and composer Kuljit Bhamra and Haitian artist Germa Adan.

The call for more variety of folk came from within the ensemble itself, Jo Freya remembering that one current member had played a Latin American harp piece in her audition tape. “Some have a genuine worry that English traditional music as we stereotypically think of it, might somehow disappear,” she said. “But I don't hold to that. I came into folk music via Steeleye Span: electric folk. When you get to hear different stuff, it takes you in different directions. Who knows where any of [the ensemble] will end up.”

Jo also explains that there had been multiple conversations over the residencies about cultural appropriation when it came to playing music from cultures, namely one conversation with Kuljit Bhamra. “If somebody offers you their music and they are happy for you to then interpret it with respect, [Kuljit Bhamra] certainly doesn't view it as cultural misappropriation. And I don't either.”

As we listened to the fruits of the morning’s musical endeavours, I thought about something Miranda Rutter had said earlier that day. How the ensemble is a living, breathing entity, comprised not only of its members but also of the collective efforts of its tutors, directors and support staff. Creating cohesive music that goes far beyond the notes played, encouraging inclusivity, collaboration and, naturally, the next generation of folk musicians.

Find out more about the National Youth Folk Ensemble at the EFDSS website

This article originally appeared in the June 2024 issue of Songlines. Never miss an issue – subscribe today