Tearing Up the Folk Workshop Playbook with Dipper, Malkin, Churchill-Moss and Moore
- joahughejh
- Nov 2
- 4 min read
Folk Ensemble Workshop Weekend with Dipper, Malkin, Churchill-Moss & Moore
24-26 October 2025 at Prior's Field School, Godalming
As amateur musicians, one of the commonest settings we encounter for playing folk music together is in small, multi-instrument groups, such as in pub sessions, or as a local ceilidh or morris band. So why do most workshops for folk musicians separate us into single instrument groups? Luckily for us, the Big Workshop Weekend tutors, John Dipper, Dave Malkin, Archie Churchill-Moss and Tom Moore thought this question was well worth pondering……
What will make playing music in a group more interesting for listeners, and more fun for players? What skills are needed to make us the kind of musician others would like to play with? With many ideas being batted around, Dave took the initiative to pull together a draft programme, with a ‘Big Tune’ that everyone can learn and use for trying out their arrangement skills.
By September, we had enough musicians signed up to make up four multi-instrument ensembles of 7 or 8. Each of the tutors would act as a mentor for an ensemble, and bring a tune for them to work on together. The goal? To perform in their ensembles on Sunday afternoon as part of the tutors’ concert in front of an invited audience of Folk Inspiration supporters.
Having only just met and played together for the first time on Friday evening in our opening ‘Big Tune’ workshop and a lively session in the Common Room afterwards, will the four ensembles gel and complete their task? The mood on Saturday was a little tense, not helped by a few of us suffering from sleep deprivation and mild hypothermia because the school decided to turn the heating off in parts of Huxley House, our accommodation block for the weekend. “We thought you would be too warm,” the school told us.
With the expert tuition and guidance of John, Dave, Archie and Tom, and a lot of hard work and application by our ensembles, the mood started to lift. Having a few delicious hot dinners in the Prior’s Field Dining Room and the heating restored in Huxley House also contributed to raising our spirits.
On Sunday morning, if there were any schemes to forge a sick note to get out of performing in the afternoon, they were quickly shelved. Lovely music was emerging from all the rehearsal rooms and the sun was shining.
The Sunday concert was the most satisfying and inspiring way to wrap up the weekend. Each ensemble delivered performances that moved our audience, with musical light and shade, some heart-melting harmonies, and a few exciting climaxes. Our tutors followed, playing in almost every permutation of duos (John & Dave, John & Tom, Dave & Tom, Dave & Archie, Archie & Tom) , and also as a full-force quartet. Their virtuosity was so obvious that we pinched ourselves. Have we just spent the weekend with these amazing musicians, who shared their skills and knowledge with us so generously and warmly, and played with us in the evening sessions until the curfew? Yes, it really happened. It wasn’t a dream.
“It was a joy, a challenge, and an inspiration.”
“The way the leaders, Tom, John, Archie and Dave led together and separately was so engaging and informative. I came away inspired to explore more.”
Photo gallery from the Folk Ensemble Workshop Weekend (image credits: Iryna Baybara & Jo Hughes)
Upcoming Gig!
Dave and Archie will be returning to play in a double-headliner gig in St Mary's Church Guildford! Two exciting new duos - Archie with Irish musician Moya Sweeney, and Dave with Folk Inspiration's inspiration, Louis Campbell. Come for gorgeous tunes, candle-lit vibes and Mum's legendary brownies!
Thank Yous
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to:
Our tutors John, Dave, Archie and Tom for their thoughtful, sympathetic and inspiring teaching, and for sharing their joy of playing together..
All our talented participants for their creativity, courage and positive attitude, which resulted in the most wonderful music-making! A special shout-out to young Luca on alto saxophone who not only enjoyed spending a whole weekend with a load of adults, but who played and communicated with maturity and intelligence beyond his years - a real future star!
The Prior’s Field catering team for feeding us so well.
Special thanks to Iryna (Luca’s mum) for her invaluable help and support throughout the weekend.
My husband, Richard, who agreed to help with the heavy lifting at the last minute and provided a taxi shuttle service from Godalming station to Prior’s Field School.
As always, my Mum for her amazing brownies and unconditional love.