Finding Your Voice in Folk: Songwriting and Ensemble at the Summer School
Finding Your Voice in Folk: Songwriting and Ensemble at the Summer School
At this year’s The Music Summer School and Festival, two complementary courses invite participants to dive deep into the living traditions of folk music: Folk Songwriting and Folk Music Ensemble. Led by acclaimed musicians Adam Clark and Nic Zuppardi, these courses offer an inspiring opportunity to explore the craft, history, and communal spirit at the heart of traditional music.
Together, they form a vibrant creative hub where singers and instrumentalists can develop their musical voice while engaging with the rich heritage of folk traditions from the British Isles and beyond.
The Art of Folk Songwriting
The Songwriting course focuses on the age-old tradition of storytelling through song. Rooted in folk idioms but open to contemporary expression, the course encourages participants to explore melody, lyric writing, and performance in a supportive and collaborative environment.
Drawing on centuries of traditional song, the workshops invite students to consider what makes folk music resonate across generations. Participants will experiment with writing lyrics that reflect personal experience while connecting with the wider themes often found in traditional music: landscape, community, work, love, and the natural world.
Daily sessions include guided writing exercises, collaborative exploration of melody, and opportunities to share work-in-progress with fellow musicians. Whether you are a seasoned songwriter or just beginning to shape your first song, the course provides the tools and encouragement to develop an authentic creative voice.
Folk Music in the Ensemble
Running alongside the songwriting course, the Folk Music Ensemble celebrates the joy of playing and singing together. Open to musicians of all backgrounds, the course focuses on rhythmic vitality, listening skills, and the shared musical language that defines folk traditions.
Participants will learn largely by ear, developing a deeper connection to the repertoire while strengthening ensemble awareness. Sessions explore how traditional tunes and songs come alive through arrangement, interplay, and collective energy.
Group playing, creative arranging, and informal sharing sessions create an environment where musicians can experiment freely while building confidence in ensemble performance. The emphasis is not only on technique, but on the spirit of collaboration that lies at the heart of folk music.
Tutors Rooted in Tradition
Both courses are guided by the extensive experience of Adam Clark and Nic Zuppardi, musicians whose work spans traditional performance, composition, and teaching.
Adam Clark is known for his wide-ranging engagement with folk traditions, performing on guitar, banjo, anglo-concertina, and voice. His work has explored American folk and bluegrass, West African music, and increasingly the traditional songs of his native Norfolk. His approach to songwriting is deeply informed by the connection between music, place, and community.
Nic Zuppardi, widely praised for his expressive mandolin playing, has performed across the UK and Europe and is best known as a member of the acclaimed Shackleton Trio. As both a performer and teacher, he brings a deep understanding of traditional repertoire and ensemble playing, helping musicians develop both technical skill and creative confidence.
Together, they create an environment that is both grounded in tradition and open to fresh musical ideas.
A Living Tradition
Folk music has always evolved through participation: songs shared across generations, tunes shaped by the musicians who play them, and stories carried forward in new voices.
At the Summer School, the songwriting and ensemble courses embody this living tradition. Participants are invited not just to learn about folk music, but to become part of it — listening, collaborating, creating, and contributing to a musical heritage that continues to grow.
For anyone drawn to the power of storytelling, the thrill of shared music-making, and the deep roots of folk culture, these courses promise a week of creativity, discovery, and inspiration.
Book now mssf.org.uk