Mixed activities
+100 ptsGet Out This Weekend London Youth Folk Ensemble
Sun 18 Oct | 2:00pm-5:00pm
Cecil Sharp House
GBP 360.00 full-year programme fee (GBP 285.00 concession)English Folk Dance and Song Society - London Youth Folk Ensemble Your account Log in Basket Search Search Search Cecil Sharp House Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Support our work US tax-efficient giving now available Give now Support our work US taxpayers, make a tax-efficient donation and help us to maintain and expand our resources for folk arts practitioners and researchers 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 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? 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Advice for Dance Clubs Members’ area London Youth Folk Ensemble London Youth Folk Ensemble National Youth Folk Ensemble Meet the Ensemble Open Days Join People Youth Folk Opportunities Watch and Listen Background Engagement Programme Introductory Resources Dance London Youth Folk Ensemble Disabled Young People Folk Unlimited Each time LYFE perform a wonderful, inspiring set brimming with quality music and enthusiasm in equal measure – this is what music is all about and their performance never fails to delight! - Folk by the Oak For young people aged 11 to 19 years old at the start of the academic year (up to 24 years old at the start of the academic year for D/deaf and disabled young people) The Ensemble meets regularly from September to July and performs at exciting events across London and beyond. In the past year, LYFE has performed at Cecil Sharp House, Folk By The Oak festival, Trafalgar Square, and Greenwich Park. LYFE is open to confident musicians of any instrument. This means that you should be able to play your instrument independently and confidently, but do not need to have passed any particular grade. All music is taught by ear and no previous experience of folk music is needed. You don't have to live in London to join LYFE - as long as you can travel to our rehearsals at Cecil Sharp House, you are welcome to join. London Youth Folk Ensemble is an annual commitment and places are offered after you attend our taster session at the start of the Autumn term. Taking part can contribute to an Arts Award Bronze or Silver Award. How do I join? To join the London Youth Folk Ensemble you need to: Be 11 to 19 years old (up to up to 24 year olds for D/deaf and disabled young people) Have a good grasp of technique on your instrument and be able to play tunes confidently Have some experience of learning and playing tunes by ear Have some experience of playing your instrument in a group (eg band, ensemble, orchestra) Demonstrate passion for folk music and commitment to the Ensemble Attend a free trial to meet the tutors, to gain a taste of playing with the ensemble and for us to see if you are ready to join the ensemble The Autumn term is underway, but if you are interested in joining the ensemble this year you are welcome to join us for a (free) session before committing. Just get in touch with [email protected] to find out more.. London Youth Folk Ensemble is an annual commitment. LYFE performing at Folk by the Oak, 2024 2026-27 dates Various Sundays, 2 - 5pm Autumn Term 2026: 20 Sept | 4, 18 Oct | 8, 15, 29 Nov Spring Term 2027: 17, 24 Jan | 7, 21 Feb | 7, 21 Mar Summer Term 2027: 11, 25 Apr | 16, 23 May | 6, 20 June LYFE and Friends concert 2027: Saturday 26 June Various performance dates will be added. Learning by ear means I have gained a more intuitive and collaborative approach to music which is really fun and enables me to be creative Fees Fees will be payable after your taster session if you decide you would like to join the Ensemble for the full academic year. 2026-27 LYFE fee: £360 | £285 concessions You are eligible for the concessionary rate if: You are in receipt of free school meals You are a looked-after or displaced young person Your parent/guardian is in receipt of an Income-Based Benefit (such as Universal Credit) To enquire about the concessionary rate, please contact [email protected] Bursary Places We want more young people from a wider range of backgrounds and economic circumstances to benefit from joining London Youth Folk Ensemble. To support this, we have set aside a limited number of bursary places (partial or full bursaries) to enable keen young musicians who would not otherwise be able to afford the concessionary fees for the Ensemble. To find out more about bursaries, please contact [email protected] Listen to LYFE performing at Folk by the Oak 2025: Listen to LYFE performing at Folk by the Oak 2024: Meet the team Aaron Horlock (Music Leader) Aaron Horlock is a multi-instrumentalist and educator with backgrounds in both traditional and classical music. During his studies at Trinity Laban, Aaron found a love for traditional music from the British isles and beyond and has been an active member of the scene since. Aaron has toured and played festivals around the UK with various bands and artists and is currently playing as a member of Man The Lifeboats as well as with duo partner Nick Goode. Maya McCourt (Music Leader) Maya is a cellist, singer and teacher. She is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, and has a Master’s degree in Music in Development from SOAS in London. She has taken part in lots of community music projects across the world, and plays with her band Salt Moon. She works with the refugee charity Play for Progress, and is a project coordinator for JMI’s Ethno England, as well as running Flotsam Sessions. Cori Smith (Pastoral Support Staff) Cori Smith (BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Musician of the Year finalist 2019) is a violist and composer from the North of England. Her playing has been described by Soweto Kinch (BBC Radio 3) as bringing “character, sincerity and both fragility and strength.” She performs with Seth Bye as ‘Tightrope Moon’ - a celestial folk duo - with Mercury Prize nominee Laura Jurd, and her trio ‘Once a Fig’ is inspired by her time studying Scandinavian folk music at the Royal College of Music in Sweden. After graduating from Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance, she ran away with the circus to perform with the Peregrine Circus Band. Terms and conditions and Policies Henry’s folk journey From the August 2023 edition of English Dance and Song magazine: meet Henry Walker, who is profoundly autistic and has been a member of the London Youth Folk Ensemble for almost five years. Mia's folk journey From the April 2025 edition of English Dance and Song magazine: Mía Iles Pérez shares her folk music journey from London Youth Folk Ensemble newcomer to trainee tutor. Future Makers From the April 2023 edition of English Dance and Song magazine: Elye Cuthbertson, a recent member of the National Youth Folk Ensemble, tells us how he took folk music to the heart of the Royal Albert Hall’s competition. LYFE graphic created by Aidan Saunders. Find Us Access Terms and Conditions and Policies × Support us, and support the folk arts We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England. Donations provide immediate support. But even more than that, they prove that so many people value what we do – helping us to secure funding from partner organisations. Can you donate today? Donate now Join us for only £2 a month Contact us Travel Access Folk Shop The Folk Dance Calendar Policies and Guidelines Safeguarding Code of Conduct Booking T&Cs Terms of Use & Cookies Manage Cookies Facebook Instagram Bluesky YouTube LinkedIn TikTok Subscribe to our newsletter 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 Cookies: The English Folk Dance and Song Society’s websites use cookies: please read our cookie policy for more information. © 2026 EFDSS.
