Music

The Esk Valley has plenty on offer for those with a musical interest, from live music played in many of the local pubs to a Music Festival and a Folk Week.

The Dalesmen Singers

The Dalesmen Singers are a Male Voice Choir that have been singing together for 37years. Their home base is in Danby. Practice night is Tuesday night in the Methodist Chapel from 7-30pm to 9-30pm.
They give concerts throughout the North Yorkshire and Cleveland areas. Over the years the choir have travelled widely visiting Canada,Sweden,Holland,France and Norway as well as other parts of the UK. The social side of the choir is very important for choir members and their partners, trips and events are arranged each year.
New members are welcome to join us. Come down to Danby Methodist Chapel any Tuesday night at 7-30pm where a warm welcome awaits you.
Visit their website at http://www.dalesmensingers.net/

Festival on the Moor

A summer-long festival of Folk and Roots Music, traditional dance, arts & crafts, local producers and young people's events.

Festival on the Moor is a community arts organisation based in the Esk Valley. Set up in 2003 to celebrate and promote folk and roots music from our area and beyond, the Festival has grown to incorporate other forms of art and culture including the visual arts, dance, drama, local producers and education. The Festival holds a series of events throughout the year, across the North York Moors, with a special programme of concerts from April to September featuring the best in contemporary and traditional folk and roots music. Volunteers are always welcome. If you would like to give some of your time or expertise to help the Festival - we would love to hear from you…

Young Folk
'Shoots & Roots' - the Festival on the Moor has been awarded a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to work with young people across the Moorland area to explore their local heritage and culture and learn new skills including singing, music, drama and dance. The project starts in November 2007 in the Esk Valley and anyone who would like to get involved can contact Jeanette at the Festival Office (as long as you're aged between 11 and 20 !!)

Contact details - Tel: 01287 660200; email: jeanette-grainger@tiscali.co.uk
Websites - www.festivalonthemoor.org.uk and www.myspace.com/festivalonthemoor

The Widdershins

One local band which has a strong following are the Widdershins. A five piece Barn Dance and Ceilidh Band, formed some 15 years ago and first called The Broadgate Band, taking their name from a local farm in Westerdale in whose barn they first performed.

The literal meaning of "widdershins" is "anti-clockwise or AGAINST THE SUN", this has a special significance in North Yorkshire, but to find out what it is, you will have to go to one of their gigs or visit their Web Site www.widdershins.org.uk

The Widdershins have released a CD and you can also hear samples of this on their Web Site.