Constantly on a quest to seek out ‘exclusives’, Suffolk’s FolkEast will play host to a very special ‘trio’ premiere this August at its new Sotterley Estate home.
Harmonica and melodeon genius Will Pound and classical percussion magician Delia Stevens will join forces with celebrated nature writer Robert Macfarlane (The Old Ways, Landmarks, The Lost Words, Underland.) The surprise performance – still in the melting pot – is entitled Earth: The Silent Planet and promises a wonderful fusion of music and language on the opening day of the festival.
It will be a prelude to the threesome’s tour with orchestra in 2026 so the FolkEast show will offer a sneak preview.
Nominated three times for the coveted Musician of the Year title at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Will Pound is seen as one of the finest harmonica players of his generation and with BBC Radio 3 award-winner Delia Stevens he has produced an extraordinary genre-hopping sonic landscape borne from an enviable musical empathy – last year reimagining Holst’s The Planets suite for the 21st century.
Award-winning author Robert Macfarlane, internationally recognised for his writing on nature, climate, people, place and language will also be giving a talk about his latest book ‘Is a River Alive?’ at FolkEast.
Already familiar with musical collaborations, as a lyricist he has written songs and albums with folk artists Karine Polwart and Cosmo Sheldrake and released two albums and an EP with singer-songwriter and actor Johnny Flynn.
Robert Macfarlane
Will Pound & Delia Stevens
Four emerging young acts showcase in Suffolk
Another of FolkEast’s fortes is its celebration and support of young musicians and this summer it will partner with the Sound Roots Artist Mentoring Pathway 2025-2026 (previously known as the English Folk Expo Artist Mentoring Programme). This is an intensive, year-long programme with mentoring, industry guidance and performance slots and FolkEast is delighted to announce it will showcase the four young people selected for this year’s scheme (also on the opening day).They are Norfolk-based Americana and British folk singer songwriter Lucy Grubb, inventive duo Filkin’s Drift (Gloucestershire’s Seth Bye and Cardiff’s Chris Roberts), Edinburgh–born nu-folk singer and clarsach player Anna McLuckie and London-based singer-songwriter Ed Blunt.
From left to right: Lucy Grubb, Filkin’s Drift, Anna McLuckie and Ed Blunt
Says FolkEast co-director Becky Marshall-Potter:
“I had the opportunity to meet and see these amazing artists at the Manchester Folk Festival at the beginning of their journey with Folk Expo. We are delighted to welcome them to FolkEast, so if you don’t know them yet, there’s no better time to check them out.”
England’s most easterly Folk Festival will take shape at its new home from 15th to 17th August.
For further information please visit: https://folkeast.co.uk/
