Visit the Siskin Folk Club for singarounds and sessions.
The Siskin Folk Club is our dedicated venue for singarounds, sessions and a lot more! It’s also home to our festival choir and the place for our Sunday morning multi faith gathering. All events take place at the Siskin Folk Club unless otherwise stated.
* may be subject to change – check the printed souvenir programme available via pre-order or at the festival for final timings
Friday
Folk Choir
11:00-12:30
Last year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival Choir led by Sue Harris was such a huge success that we’re going to do it all again! Sue plays hammered dulcimer and is a choir leader and folk artist. She has played with numerous folk acts, worked extensively in theatre and written music for a number of radio plays. She writes and arranges music for her community band and leads several community choirs. If you’re interested in having a great communal sing at Shrewsbury, this is the place to be!
Absolute Beginners Melodeon Workshop with Squeezebox from Scratch
12:45-14:00
Accessible sessions to get new box players off to a flying start, leading you step-by-step from first principles to playing your first tunes. Workshops are taught using an intuitive tab system so there’s no music reading required. 20+ hiqh-quality loan instruments available for participants.
Tunes Session
14:15-15:45
Ceilidh and session tunes, not necessarily English! Led by musicians from the South Lincolnshire Sessions, Pete Redman with Steve Youngman, Mark Johnson, Lucy Creasey and Tim Clayton.
Tunes Session
16:00-17:00
Led by Moira Bracknell & Friends. Expect a variety of English, Welsh, American and European tunes.
Singaround
18:00-19:15
With Paul Frowen and Paul Hayes. Two excellent musicians who are active in the South and West Wales festival and folk club circuit.
Tunes Session
19:30-21:00
Led by Eclecticos. Fiddlers Lisa Sture and Paul Burgess come with a wealth of experience in top ceilidh bands and running sessions. They have recently formed the ceilidh band ‘Eclecticos’, ably supported by John Hextall and Jane Burgess (baritone sax and melodeon). In their sessions they offer a space to play the best of English, whilst dipping in to an eclectic range of tunes from ‘beyond’.
Saturday
Folk Choir
10:30-12:00
Last year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival Choir led by Sue Harris was such a huge success that we’re going to do it all again! Sue plays hammered dulcimer and is a choir leader and folk artist. She has played with numerous folk acts, worked extensively in theatre and written music for a number of radio plays. She writes and arranges music for her community band and leads several community choirs. If you’re interested in having a great communal sing at Shrewsbury, this is the place to be!
Tunes Session
12:30-13:45
Led by Eclecticos. Fiddlers Lisa Sture and Paul Burgess come with a wealth of experience in top ceilidh bands and running sessions. They have recently formed the ceilidh band ‘Eclecticos’, ably supported by John Hextall and Jane Burgess (baritone sax and melodeon). In their sessions they offer a space to play the best of English, whilst dipping in to an eclectic range of tunes from ‘beyond’.
Tunes Session
14:00-15:45
Led by Five Speed Box. Five Speed Box are one of Shropshire’s longest established and most highly regarded ceilidh dance bands. With many decades of experience, mainly in the English country dance genre, their lively sessions have become a fixture in the Siskin Folk Club.
Rapsquillion Harmony Workshop
16:00-17:30
Rapsquillion are one of Shropshire’s leading folk bands, performing regularly at festivals and folk clubs the length and breadth of the country. They reckon that they can have groups singing in harmony, making a fairly acceptable noise and having a load of fun, within about 20 minutes. So if you’ve ever fancied singing along with a few other people, a Rapsquillion workshop is for you.
Tunes Session
17:45-19:15
Ceilidh and session tunes, not necessarily English! Led by musicians from the South Lincolnshire Sessions, Pete Redman with Steve Youngman, Mark Johnson, Lucy Creasey and Tim Clayton.
Singaround
19:30-21:00
Led by Liz Padgett & Martin Browne. Liz and Martin are stalwarts of the Spalding Folk Club and have been leading singarounds at Shrewsbury and other festivals for many years.
Sunday
Multi-faith gathering
09:00-10:00
Gather for a time of song, story and symbol for spiritual nourishment and reflection, hosted by Churches Together in Shrewsbury. All are welcome including Christians, agnostics, seekers, those who are “spiritual but not religious” and those of other faiths. Bring your own chair.
Folk Choir
10:15-11:30
Last year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival Choir led by Sue Harris was such a huge success that we’re going to do it all again! Sue plays hammered dulcimer and is a choir leader and folk artist. She has played with numerous folk acts, worked extensively in theatre and written music for a number of radio plays. She writes and arranges music for her community band and leads several community choirs. If you’re interested in having a great communal sing at Shrewsbury, this is the place to be!
Absolute Beginners Melodeon Workshop with Squeezebox from Scratch
11:45-13:00
Accessible sessions to get new box players off to a flying start, leading you step-by-step from first principles to playing your first tunes. Workshops are taught using an intuitive tab system so there’s no music reading required. 20+ hiqh-quality loan instruments available for participants.
Singaround
13:10-14:10
Led by Stitherum. Stitherum are Mike and Sue Dewsbury, originally from Nottingham but now proud to be Lincolnshire Yellowbellies. Regular session leaders at Shrewsbury they will be glad to host a singaround with something silly, something sublime, something soppy and probably something slightly saucy!
Tunes Session
14:15-15:30
Led by Moira Bracknell & Friends. Expect a variety of English, Welsh, American and European tunes.
Singaround
16:00-17:30
With Paul Frowen and Paul Hayes. Two excellent musicians who are active in the South and West Wales festival and folk club circuit.
English Session
17:45-19:15
Led by Chris Bartram, Simon Woods, Tony Weatherall and Neil Brookes.
Singaround
19:30-21:00
Led by Pat Smith & Ned Clamp. Pat and Ned are veterans of the South Wales music scene, playing and singing an energetic mix of mostly Welsh tunes and songs – in English and Welsh, sometimes both at the same time! Their singaround sessions are as hilarious as they are skilfully run.
Monday
Folk Choir Showcase
*Halsway Dance Spot*
10:00-10:45
The ACTUAL performance of the Shrewsbury Folk Festival Folk Choir!
English Session
11:00-12:30
Led by Chris Bartram, Simon Woods, Tony Weatherall and Neil Brookes
Tunes Session
12:45-14:15
Led by Five Speed Box. Five Speed Box are one of Shropshire’s longest established and most highly regarded ceilidh dance bands. With many decades of experience, mainly in the English country dance genre, their lively sessions have become a fixture in the Siskin Folk Club.
Mixed Session
14:30-16:00
Survivors mixed session and close of the Siskin Folk Club led by Liz Padgett & Martin Brown, Stitherum, Pat Smith & Ned Clamp
Photos: John Hooper & Steve Oliver.