cultureAUGUST09
43
Folk focusGather around folks... three days of music, song and dance are
about to be unleashed in Durham. Barbara Hodgson hears about
some festival highlights.
T
raditional music with a fresh
vibe will re-set the rhythm of
life in Durham over three
action-packed days this
August.
Between August 13 and 15, Folk-
works' Durham Gathering will show-
case up-and-coming musicians
alongside world-class artistes in a
series of concerts and outdoor per-
formances.
Its mix of traditional folk and young
talent from the Folkworks Summer
Schools has long proved a winning
formulaandthisyearthere'stheadded
promise of special surprises.
Also, for the first time, a big band
has been booked from `outside' the
region to help raise the festival's
profile, says Folkworks programme
manager Chris Pentney.
"We added a special concert by The
Boys of the Lough, one of the first folk
bands on the road. For about 40 years
they have been playing amazing Irish
and Scottish music right from the
roots," she explains.
Thefive-strongband,whowerealso
happy to spend an afternoon helping
out at the Summer Schools, will share
an evening billing on August 13 with
three young Scottish women � harpist
and singer Rachel Newton and fid-
dlers Sarah Jane Summers and
Lauren MacColl.
"Theyallknoweachotherandit'llbe
a very nice night," reckons Chris, who
has seen Durham Gathering grow
enormously since its early days as a
platform for the Summer School tutors
who were a "ready-made festival"
themselves.
She adds: "It started 12 or 13 years
ago, and the huge concentration of
amazing folk musicians developed
into a three-day festival to showcase
those musicians from the Summer
School."
There are three Summer Schools �
one for 10 to13-year-olds, another for
14 to 25-year-olds, and an `adult' one
which overlaps for over 20s. They are
all held at The Sage Gateshead.
As well as getting a chance to
perform what they've
learned at an event for
theirfamiliesatDurham's
Gala Theatre, which also
hosts the indoor
concert pro-
gramme, they'll
be showing off
their talents to
the public.
Music-
lovers will
have the
chance to enjoy performances in the
foyer, outside in Millennium Place and
at the DLI Museum. There will also be
outdoor busking.
Another highlight, says Chris, will be
the concert on August 14.
"There's a really nice event at tea-
time, which showcases the Seriously
Advanced Band. They're made up of
Summer Schools members who have
been working with Newcastle-based
young musician � and ex-Folkworks
degree student � Ian Stephenson.
"The thing about the Folkworks
SummerSchoolsisthattheyappealto
some really hot youngsters who have
embraced traditional music and pro-
duce startlingly fabulous music."
The application deadline for the
annual Folkworks Summer Schools
has passed, but Chris says they will
do their best to squeeze in anyone
interested in the chance to learn
and make music with tutor experts.
Those interested should still email
folkworks@thesagegateshead.org
or call (0191) 443-4627.
What's on
August 13, 7.30pm: The Boys of the Lough
take a break from a busy schedule, which
includes regular performances in the US, to
play the Gala Theatre. The evening will
open with short performances by Sarah-
Jane Summers, Lauren MacColl and
Rachel Newton.
August 14, 5pm: Youth Summer School's
Seriously Advanced Band play Gala
Theatre, accompanied by surprise guests.
August 15, 11am-1pm: Music, song and
dance in Millennium Place (outside Gala
Theatre) by Summer Schools ensembles.
2pm-4.30pm: Free Folk Picnic in the
grounds of DLI Museum and Durham Art
Gallery. Audiences are invited to take along
picnics to this relaxed afternoon of music
by Summer Schools students and tutors
including Karine Polwart and Kevin
Dempsey.
5.30pm: The Irish Tradition: Musicians Brian
Finnegan, Karen Tweed, Luke Daniels and
Martin Meehan perform at Gala Theatre.
7.30pm: Twixt The Humber And The Tweed
at Gala Theatre. Showcasing the musical
traditions of the North of England and the
Scottish Borders, this is a concert of fast,
sparkling jigs, reels and vivid ballads
performed by great musicians such as
Northumbrian piper Pauline Cato, singer
Carolyn Robson, fiddle players Carly
Blain and Peter Tickell, and
members of 422, with Alistair
Anderson.
For event information and tickets
visit www.galadurham.co.uk or call
(0191) 332-4041.
The Boys
of the
Lough are
on the
festival
playlist.
music

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