"Tremendously exhilarating and joyously life-affirming…"

"You MUST, MUST see this to understand just how fantastic it is."

Joe has been the director of the Conservatoire Folk Ensemble since 1998 and has built the band in to a 50-piece touring entity in it's own right. The power of this ensemble that can have up to 100 members depending on the venue has to be seen to be believed. They released a DVD in 2007 and the Album "Sardines" in 2009. The Annual UK tour takes place at the end of May each year. Apart from being an incredible show for the audience, the ensemble has become something of a training ground for the young folk generation, many of the stars of the folk scene today having been members.

“tremendously exhilarating and joyously life-affirming… Here you'll find the whole gamut of folk culture and its aural tradition, and much more – Irish session staples played as though life itself depended on it, Fairport tunes played as if by a Chinese orchestra, breezy Latino brass meanderings, skirling percussion, swooning string syncopations, moments of tense repose where (say) a lone whistle takes centre stage, sparkily extravagant jazzy gestures, and so forth.” – Netrhythms

“The atmosphere was so strong that after a very short journey home I already miss it like I can not describe. I am a very lucky man to have witnessed what I just have. To manoeuvre the audience and encapsulate each and every one of us the way the CFE did leaves me gob smacked and short of words…You MUST, MUST see this to understand just how fantastic it is.” – The Sentinel

The below photos were taken by Simon Goff.

the 2010 tour...