Goldfields folksongs brought back to life

TRADITIONAL folksongs of the goldfields will be brought to life in a concert at the Eureka Centre, marking the start of Ballarat Heritage Festival.

Anyone partial to a rollicking or heart-wrenching folk song will relish Unsung: Reimagining Folksongs from the Victorian Goldfields at 6pm on Thursday 21 May.

Local performers Hap Hayward, Freya Josephine Hollick, and Phil and Trudy Edgeley will be reinterpreting old music through a contemporary lens

“Each artist will sing a traditional folk song from times gone and also playing an original song of their own,” said Hayward who will also be emcee, guiding conversations on the stories behind the songs.

“People may have certain expectations and we’d like to challenge them in a really interesting and entertaining way.

“Each century seems to add its own viewpoint to traditional folk songs so they tend to keep changing while remaining relevant. Songs about war, poverty or inequality are issues that are still with us in the present so the meaning of these songs is still very present.

“Each of our artists will be performing their own material as well so people can see that link between past and present and how that tradition continues. You know a great song when you can have just a guitar and a voice pull it off.

“The folk song tradition takes such an interesting path, not always a clear path. I’m going to let the music speak for itself as much as possible.”

Eureka Centre manager Anthony Camm said the first event on the Ballarat Heritage Festival program is generating plenty of interest.

“We’re excited about it,” he said.