Workshops 2025 Gweithdai
Saturday ~ Dydd Sadwrn
Beyond Strumming
A workshop for guitarists who have reached a bit of a plateau with strumming and want to take the next step into fingerpicking. Peter plays various fretted instruments with Broadoak but is a fingerstyle acoustic guitarist at heart. His role models are Richard Thompson, Ralph McTell, John Renbourn and Steve Tilston. His style, such as it is, steals shamelessly from the easier bits of their playing.
She Shanties and Femme Folkery
If you love the melodies of sea shanties and folk songs, but can't quite bring yourself to sing the misogynistic, heteronormative lyrics with the requisite gay abandon, then come to this workshop and write new words!! We will change the themes and re-write the lyrics to the wonderful cadence of classic shanties and then sing them with vim and vigour! No experience or talent required. This is just for funsies! Join us, all welcome.
Welsh Tunes w/ Ceri Rhys Matthews
In this workshop a selection of Welsh tunes will be learnt by ear. All melody instruments, all levels and all welcome Ceri Rhys Matthews is a renowned Welsh flautist and was a member of the Welsh folk group, Fernhill. He plays traditional music from South and West Wales. Also in the Performers Guide with Julie Murphy.
Folk Singing w/ Julie Murphy
Learning folk songs by ear, including something from the local area. No experience necessary, all welcome. Max 15 participants. Julie Murphy is a singer and songwriter, member of Welsh folk innovators Fernhill and a powerful solo performer. Hugely respected for her exquisite interpretations of Welsh and English language folk songs. Described by The Guardian as “a towering talent” and “one of the finest singers to emerge from Wales”. She has collaborated with John Cale and Robert Plant. Also in the Performers Guide with Ceri Rhys Matthews.
Beginners Bodhran w/ Fergal O'Brien
Fergal O’Brien will be introducing players to the bodhrán, including how to hold the stick and keep time to polka, jigs and reels. Max 12 people bring a bodhran.
Improvers Bodhran w/ Fergal O'Brien
Fergal will introduce players to more advanced tune types such as slides and slip jigs along with triplets, rim shots and tone variation.
Tiny Twmp w/ Stirling Steward
Creative dance for families with young children, introducing traditional Welsh Twmpath dance in a fun, inclusive workshop. 12 spaces for I booking per family/parent and child. Stirling Steward is a dancer and creative movement practitoner. She facilitates workshops for all ages & abilities. She will be joined by members of TânAnnwn, a creative Twmpath dance band adapting tunes from Welsh and Breton traditions.
Irish Tunes w/ Terry Conlon
Terry will teach a set of Irish tunes he would normally play as part of his own set list and he will also give an insight into how to accompany folk and traditional singers.
Irish Tunes w/ Kenny Qua
Kenny Qua- will be teaching a selection of tunes of varying rhythms commonplace in the Irish tradition. He will focus on ornamentation and stylistic features.
Crankie Making
Peter will show you how to make mini crankies using a matchbox in this fun and creative workshop. All ages welcome.
Playing By Ear
3-4pm
24.05.25
A chance to step away from the safety of notated music in a relaxed and friendly setting. This is aimed at anyone who wants to improve their playing by ear skills or feel more comfortable playing in sessions when they don't know the tunes. Led by fiddle player Holly Robinson. Pembrokeshire fiddle player Holly Robinson has 35 years’ experience playing with ceilidh and dance bands across England and Wales. Exposed to folk from a young age (her stepfather was a singer and multi instrumentalist who also ran a folk club), she spent her teen years around the thriving folk and festival scene in Chippenham where she was also a member of the local clog Morris side. She went on to dance with two other morris sides, including Pembrokeshire border morris side Heb Enw, and has played with many varieties of orchestras, bands and folk groups in the intervening years. Alongside her performance work, Holly retrained as a music therapist in 2021 and now specialises in working with adults and children with neurologic conditions, neurodivergence, anxiety, trauma and depression.
Sunday ~ Dydd Sul
Beginners Tin Whistle w/ Kenny Qua
Kenny Qua Beginner whistle class will cover everything you need to know about getting started or even improving your whistle skills. No prior knowledge of whistle playing or reading music is required. The tunes will be carefully selected and accessible to all.
Beginners fiddle w/ Teresa O'Donohue
A fun and friendly workshop for beginners to come and join in and learn a tune or two. Teresa started learning fiddle 12 years ago, playing in sessions and friend's kitchens in the west of Ireland. She loves the oral tradition of learning and now teaches folk fiddle for beginners in Pembrokeshire.
A Special Thank You to the Sponsors of our Workshops
