The Fylde Youth Scene

1999 brings with it the evening of the new millennium and the promise of new talent on the folk scene. Where does it come from? It comes from hard work, practice and enthusiasm from the up and coming generation, and from support and interest from those already in the music world.

Rusty and I have taught music for a long time now at the Lancashire Regional Music Centres; we are aware of the effort of our pupils, and the cost in both money and time to their parents. The effort is rewarded - we believe this, and the results bear us out. Although the support from central and local government is limited the concerts and other performances show that you can't keep talent down.

The folk world is under-represented in schools however, and we believe that the future of young folk musicians with traditional music and instruments is in all our hands. Here at Fylde we have had a young performers' concert and also a competition for some fifteen years now. Many other festivals have followed our lead, and we hope many more will follow. We have been privileged to share in the artistic development of many talented young people, and to have provided them with performance spots in a major concert (Fylde uniquely reserves a spot in its flagship final concert for the winner of the Young performers' Competition). We have seen Kate Rusby, Kathryn Roberts, Joe and Ben Broughton, Liza Carthy and her then band, Robert Harbron, Tim van Eyken, Kathryn Tickell, Simon Howarth, Rebecca Green, Jenny Shottlif appear in the New Generation Concert, and others too numerous to mention.

In a recent copy of Folk Roots there is an article on Tim van Eyken -we quote: "....the organiser of the Fylde festival ...suggested I enter their youth competition (the Tallyman Trophy). I did and won which made me think about getting serious about it.`' Glad you did Tim!

We believe that there are many more talented young performers out there looking for a chance to perform - if you know of any let us know through any of the following:-

Alan Bell
Rusty and Stu
Fylde Folk Web Site