Folk, Baroque, and Beyond
Since launching Sounds St Leonards in 2024, Holly Harman has brought a fascinating variety of eclectic, folk-influenced, but unique music to the town; the duo Fran and Flora (see page 11) is just one example.
Holly is herself a distinguished violinist, with a deep connection to the music of the Baroque period. Her fascination with historical performance practices led her to specialise at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with Andrea Jones and Rachel Podger. She has toured and recorded with some of Europe’s premier orchestras and ensembles.
Equally passionate about exploring the intersection of Baroque and folk traditions, Holly often incorporates folk elements into her performances. After beginning on the London folk scene, she released a critically acclaimed disc with her band, The Twisted Twenty. To do this, she created her own record label, Penny Fiddle Records, dedicated to multi-genre, unclassifiable and unexplored string music.
Holly’s new album, Ground, is a unique blend of the historic with the contemporary, and captures the expressive qualities of both the baroque and traditional folk music. The title represents not only the Baroque compositional technique of ground bass, but is also a reference to feeling ‘grounded’, and at times, a nod to feeling generally ‘ground down’.
Featuring intricate works by early Baroque composers, the album also dives into traditional folk music, including the lyrical tune The Fairy Queen by Irish harpist and composer Turlough O’Carolan. A modern folk piece by Sid Goldsmith infuses a soulful, earthy quality to the album. The centerpiece is a fresh commission by composer (and wonderful singer) Alice Zawadzki, known for her emotive and genre-blending style. Zawadzki’s piece, Get Thee To The Trees, adds a modern voice to the album, exploring a new palette of textures and emotions, fusing past and present.
Ground was made with the support of Arts Council England National Lottery project grants, and the generous support of family and friends through crowdfunding.
Launch Concert: 29th April 2025, St John’s Church, Pevensey Road, St Leonards-on-Sea
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