Artistic Team
Hannah James, Artistic Director (2026 onwards)
Renowned as one of the best accordionists on the British folk scene, her musicianship extends far beyond the tradition and incorporates beautiful vocal stylings with both classic and contemporary applications of English clog dance. Her one-woman show, JigDoll, showcased all of these, which was followed by The JigDoll Ensemble – heralded as “the highlight of the festival” at the Folk Expo Manchester when it debuted.
Hannah currently performs with French post-classical cellist Toby Kuhn, focussing on storytelling and weaving intricate rhythmic and harmonic textures with cello and percussive dance. She is also part of Awake Arise / Wakefire – a five-piece collaboration with Lady Maisery and duo Sid Goldsmith and Jimmy Aldridge. This project combines music and spoken word with an emphasis on seasonal traditions from around England and offers the audience a chance to find their own version of seasonal traditions.
Her music is rooted in the English Tradition but is also influenced by her travels and collaborations with many international artists and her time studying at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.
Music Leaders
Since 2016 we have worked with leading folk artists and educated from across the sector to deliver National Youth Folk Ensemble residential courses. These include Kuljit Bhamra, Archie Churchill Moss, Dave Gray, Grace Smith, Nancy Kerr, Miranda Rutter, Rob Harbron, Bevan Morris, Germa Adan, Sam Partridge (Artistic Director 2019-23), Sarah Matthews, Kathryn Locke, Adriano Adewale, Sam Sweeney (Inaugural Artistic Director, 2016-19), Hannah James, Camillo Menjura and many more.
We have welcomed guest artists to deliver one-off workshops: musician and theatre-maker Tim Dalling, storyteller Hugh Lupton, morris dancer Alex Merry, and contemporary composer Peter Wiegold.
Pastoral Team
Alasdair Paul - Pastoral Lead
Lucy Rushton
English Folk Dance and Song Society Staff
Rachel Elliott, Education Director
Overview of the programme as part of the Education programme and national strategy of the English Folk Dance and Song Society.
Hannah Mears-Young, Programme Manager (National Youth Folk Ensemble)
Responsible for the development and delivery of the programme.
Artistic Directors
Hannah James (from October 2026)
Jo Freya (October 2023 to August 2026)
Sam Partridge (October 2019 to August 2023)
Sam Sweeney (October 2016 to August 2019)
If you have any questions about the Ensemble, please contact [email protected]
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