Show Notes
The Hexham and District Music Society has been arranging concerts of classical music for 75 years. Like Music in Allendale and the Corbridge Chamber Music Festival, the Society works hard to bring a high standard of classical music to the area through live performances by accomplished musicians of both familiar and less familiar pieces. I’ve made no secret in this podcast of my recent discovery of the joys of hearing classical music played live – it’s an experience I would encourage everyone to try even if, like me, you don’t know much about it. Just go and find out. You won’t be disappointed. In this episode, I talk to Treasurer Cathy Duncan and Secretary Di Dickinson about the Society’s history, its aims and the challenges of promoting live music concerts at a time when people’s leisure habits are changing and the family budget is spread ever more thinly. The music in this episode was played by the Isla String Quartet, a very accomplished group of young musicians, and was recorded at one of the Society’s concerts in Hexham. I’m grateful to the Quartet for their kind permission to include it here. Do check out their website at https://www.islastringquartet.com, where you can find information about their performances and several videos showcasing their excellent work. You can find out more about the Hexham and District Music Society, and details of how to subscribe, at https://www.hexhammusic.net.
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Dean Parker is a musician, songwriter and producer. He first appeared on the podcast in June 2024, when he talked about his career as a guitarist and session player and the development of his inventive musical style. Since then, he has been working mainly as a producer and in this episode he talks about how he helps musicians realise and even surpass their ambitions for their work. His down-to-earth attitude, supportive approach and enthusiasm for all genres means that musicians at every level can realise the full potential of their music and enjoy their time in the studio. You can contact Dean and find out more about his work via his website deanparkermusic.com and on Instagram.
Frankie Archer is an interpreter of traditional folk songs whose debut album The Dance of Death has won high praise from music critics. As I write this, it is in the top ten of the UK folk album charts. After some festival performances over the summer, Frankie is touring the album, beginning with a gig at the Glasshouse Gateshead on September 27th. The exceptional success of the album is down to the originality of Frankie’s approach to a genre which could be said to be straitjacketed by tradition. She arranges and plays the songs with modern electronic instrumentation and she is not afraid to challenge the open misogyny of old folk songs by rewriting the lyrics to strengthen the role of women and offer justice to the victims of these often gruesome tales. You can find Frankie’s music on her website frankiearchermusic.com, where you will also find videos, information about gigs, merch, and a safe space called the Cherub Realm where Frankie posts exclusive information about her music and performances. Her music is also available on Bandcamp and the usual streaming platforms. This episode includes three songs from the Dance of Death album. They are, in order: Death and the Maiden, The Unquiet Grave and The Lover’s Ghost.
Today, my guest is Yaryna Kvitka, a singer, artist and performer whose upbringing in western Ukraine has created a love of tradition in both folk music and her country. She has been a prominent musician in Ukraine as part of the band Folknery, and she spent several years cycling through different countries, collecting and performing local traditional music. Four years ago, she came to Hexham for a two-week residency at the Queen’s Hall and, with the help of Chief Executive and Artistic Director Katy Taylor, she began collaborating with local musicians and actors and settled to begin a new life. Yaryna talks about life in Ukraine, how its music has been formed by its history and climate, and about her career as a musician advocating for Ukrainian culture. There are two of Yaryna’s songs in this episode – they are: Oy Letila Strila (Oh, the Arrow Flew) and Oy Khodyt Son Kolo Vikon (The Dream Passes by the Windows). You can find the music of Folknery on the usual streaming platforms and the videos from the cycling years are on YouTube. You can follow Yaryna on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Thanks to Sarah Kemp for helping with this episode.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 3tynespodcast.substack.com
Hels Pattison is a singer and songwriter who has recently made a big impact on the local music scene with her sweetly sad songs and personal lyrics, delivered in a distinctively melodic voice. In 2026, Hels toured the UK and she has played at the Vault and the Bandstand Sessions in Hexham and at Alston Live Festival, in addition to many gigs elsewhere in the region Hels’ songs have been compared with the work of Mary Chapin Carpenter and Phoebe Bridgers. She has always been fond of country music and, now that she has a full band, she is leaning more strongly into an Americana style of performance. Hels is now recording an EP of new songs that will reflect this trend. We recorded this episode at In Heart Studios in Blaydon. It was engineered and produced by Dean Parker. Hels and the band’s guitarist Zac Savage recorded three songs for the podcast, two of which were unreleased at the time. They are, in order: Skinny Dipping in November, Love is a Fire and Ruby. You can find information about Hels’ gigs on her website https://www.helspattison.co.uk/ where you can also sign up to a monthly newsletter to stay up to date with releases and announcements. You can listen to and buy her music on Bandcamp at https://helspattison.bandcamp.com/ and you can stream it on the usual platforms.