English Village Carols

Laurel Swift
6 week sessions: $130
Sundays – 6:00-7:30 pm
Start date: November 1, 2026
Tuition: $130
Scholarships available

Brattleboro Music Center and Upper Valley Music Center join forces to present a six week course exploring the joyful world of the English Village Carol.

There is a fantastic repertoire of seasonal carols that became separated from the church, and are still kept alive by communities in pubs and on the street, most famously in Sheffield, UK. They are also found in Derbyshire, Somerset, Dorset, Nottinghamshire – and in Glen Rock, PA! You will recognize some of these carols from Nowell Sing We Clear, Revels North, or Welcome Yule. Some carols will be familiar to English folk enthusiasts, and others will be brand new to everyone.

Come explore the catchy tunes of these carols: some rowdy, some haunting and somber. Many have fantastic fugal entries and all are a joy to sing. Many have religious text, although this is now a secular tradition. There will be familiar lyrics, obscure lyrics, and some lyrics that appear to have no festive content whatsoever. There is plenty of repetition for ease of joining in and gorgeous rich chords with space to add your own harmonies.

Printed music will be available but you do not need to read music to participate since teaching will be “by ear.” Participants will learn melody and bass lines, and be welcome to add harmonies, in preparation for some village carol sings in local pubs in December. Please note this is not a choir, it is a learning group with the opportunity to anchor a fabulous community sing at which all are welcome!

There will be public carol sings at area pubs along the CT River, with dates and details to follow.

The class is being offered both in Brattleboro, at the BMC, and in Lebanon, NH. Sign up at the BMC for the Brattleboro classes.