2015 FolkTas Grant Awarded

FolkTas Grants Announced, August 2015

Well, the Folk Federation of Tasmania committee has made a song and dance about the FolkTas Grant and is pleased to announce that the Folk Tas Grant has been awarded to two quality applicants! Both projects will support and enhance our folk community, but in different ways.

The Folk Federation is proud to give support to the Ethereal Ensemble’s book of Tasmanian original music, poetry and images inspired by Tasmania’s natural world. This unique and affordable book will have a wide appeal for Tasmanians and has the potential to reach beyond, with its easy to read music scores, elegant colour images and beautiful poetry.

The committee was privy to seeing some examples of the work to be included and believe that the book will be a long lasting resource which will bring people together to play the music and still hold appeal to others with its poetry and images. The committee is very much looking forward to seeing the final product early next year. The book will be launched at a special Ethereal Ensemble concert and details will be posted as they come to hand or see www.etherealensemble.com

The other successful applicant is the Harp Society of Tasmania with an equally inspiring, but different project of folk fusion into the wider community. The Harp Society will run a free weekend of all things harp; open to the general public and held in Spring 2015. Westbury has been chosen as it is central, particularly to those in the north of the state, and is home to one of the Harp groups. Proposed are free teaching sessions, introductions to regional harp groups, a harp healing workshop, showcases of local harp makers and performers and possibly some catering.

On the Saturday evening, there will be a fundraising concert featuring the Tasmanian Harp Ensemble who will present a repertoire of Tasmanian traditional tunes at the Westbury Hall. The fundraising goes towards their trip to France in May next year to present these Tasmanian tunes at a harp festival. Further details will be posted on the FolkTas email list or contact Jenny Smith…