Defining Ethnomusicological Action Research through the regeneration of folk singing in England

The English folk club scene, established in the 1960s, is under significant threat of extinction. The participant demographic age has risen with the passing years as in many cases, the people who started the movement remain its core participants. There is, however, a growing interest within younger demographics in exploring their cultural heritage and non-Nationalist forms of Englishness. Coupled with a growth in community choir membership and a broad audience who listen to professional folk music this suggests that there may be culturally-aware non-attenders who would benefit from participating in folk clubs, but are put off by the complex social and musical conventions that have been shown to intimidate newcomers. A dedicated strand of this project will take an unflinching look at the white-centricity of folk music repertory, performers and audience by conducting fieldwork to shed light on long-standing vernacular singing practices of ethnic minority cultures in England. These two initiatives will increase accessibility to the folk club scene, and take the first step in a process of decolonisation within the folk music canon. Interventions will be documented and analysed through rigorous new approaches to holistic Action Research, drawing on a wealth of experience in ethnomusicology and music management, as well as a professional performance career, this project embarks on an ambitious programmes of activity to transform the field of ethnomusicology and ensure the folk club scene stays relevant in the 21st Century.