Hurdy-Gurdy Weekend @ The Greenland Fishery, King's Lynn, 7th-9th November 2025
- nwellis87
- Sep 2
- 3 min read
Woodwose are delighted to announce that we will be performing and teaching at the first ever Hurdy-Gurdy Weekend @ The Greenland Fishery, King's Lynn from 7th-9th November 2025!
Tickets (limited availability) can be found here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/greenland-fishery
A weekend of high quality workshops in hurdy gurdy and melodeon plus a dance workshop, a bal and a concert
Workshops - single ticket covering workshops Friday to Sunday
There will be a range of workshops which you can choose from over the weekend under a single ticket.
NB There will be limited onsite accommodation, on a first-come first-served basis for workshop participants. Once you have booked your workshop tickets, we will send you a form to complete with questions about experience and what you want to learn. We will send a list of accommodation options once you have booked.
Please book separately for the bal and bal workshop and the concert
Friday 7-8.30pm Beginner Session with hurdy gurdy tutor Steve Tyler and is intended to get complete beginners started. You will not become and expert in 90 minutes but it will enable you to take part in other workshop sessions over the weekend.
Saturday (full programme timings below)
Hurdy Gurdy workshops with Stevie Wishart and Steve Tyler
Melodeon workshops with Nick Wiseman-Ellis
Dance workshop with Nick Wiseman-Ellis; followed by Bal by Woodwose
Concert by Stevie Wishart & Woodwose
Sunday
Hurdy Gurdy workshops with Stevie Wishart and Steve Tyler
Melodeon workshops with Nick Wiseman-Ellis
Concert by Stevie Wishart & Woodwose at 3pm (open to the public)
Timings (these may alter)
Friday 7th November
5pm Arrive/meet/session
Beginners Hurdy Gurdy Session 7-8.30pm
(Please let us know if you would need to borrow an instrument)
Saturday 8th November
9.30am - 11am Workshops
11am - 11.30am Break/coffee
11.30am - 12.30pm Workshops
12.30-2pm Lunch break
2pm-3.30pm Workshops
3.30pm-4pm Tea break
4pm-5pm Workshops
7pm Dance workshop
8pm Bal - open to workshop participants and members of the public
Sunday 9th November 2025
9.30am - 11am Workshops
11am - 11.30am Break/coffee
11.30am - 1pm Workshops
3pm Concert - open to workshop participants and members of the public
Evening: informal music/food or those staying overnight or local. but the weekend officially ends with the concert.
Prices
Workshops - choose as you go, subject to availability - £80
Bal & dance workshop - £10 for workshop attendees, otherwise £15
Concert - £10 for workshop attendees, otherwise £18
The Tutors
Steve plays with the band Woodwose, in the folk tradition whilst Stevie's background is in early and classical music and contemporary improvisation. She is also a composer and incorporates this versatile medieval instrument into her work.
Steve Tyler: We will look at some tunes from different sources (medieval, modern balfolk etc.) in different rhythms and modes, practicing some trompette patterns for each, playing the tune and then exploring some variations and accompaniments. Some pieces or exercises will involve different parts with perhaps a simple harmony line to go with the tune.
Stevie Wishart: Taking the medieval/early music tradition as a starting point, Stevie will work with the versatility of the hurdy gurdy and its potential for improvisation, composition and new techniques, using the Greenland Fishery House and surroundings as inspiration.
Nick Wiseman-Ellis: During this workshop we’ll be looking at mainly trad and newly composed balfolk music. We’ll explore different ways of accompanying melodies, making the most of the bass end. In addition we will talk about groove and how to put some swing in the tune, which is especially good for dancing. This workshop is for D/G melodeon.
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