OLD SONGS: STORIES OF LOVE AND DEATH FROM TRADITIONAL BALLADS
Saturday 6th December, 9am
Amy Jeffs, author of the Sunday Times bestseller Storyland and Wild, artist Gwen Burns, and musician Natalie Brice combine forces to create a rich compendium, singing of mystery, magic and, above all, humanity.
At December’s Rural Voices, the three will celebrate their illustrated and music-infused book, Old Songs: Stories of Love and Death from Traditional Ballads, which fuses short stories, histories, lyrics, and illustrations in an enthralling reimagining of traditional folk ballads. At this very special breakfast edition, we’ll be able to hear all about these stories from Amy Jeffs, as well as enjoying Gwen Burns rich visuals and live performances of the ‘Old Songs’ themselves with Natalie Brice.
Featuring iterations of fairy tales and sinister descendants of Greek myths and bible stories, Old Songs threads a tapestry of Britain's landscape, history, and cultures. Signed copies of the book will be available to buy after the talk.
Dr Amy Jeffs is an author, artist, and medievalist. She worked in the British Library's department of Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern manuscripts.
Gwen Burns has a background in costume design and social history. Her work is informed by fine art, western symbolic traditions, historic artefacts, and nature.
Natalie Brice is an actor-musician, composer, and teacher – she’s sang with The English Touring Opera and arranged music for film, theatre, commercial voiceover work, with collaborations with various artists.