About the Barber Band
The Barber Band play traditional English music for dancing in their own unique style. We combine the traditional fiddle and melodeon duet with oboe and bass saxophone to provide a lively, foot-tapping and energetic sound.
The lineup is:
Mary Barber: Fiddle
Nick Barber: Melodeon, french horn
Susan Edwards: Oboe
John Barber: Bass saxophone
The band works with a range of expert callers who can lead you through the dances and ensure that you have a memorable occasion.
The Barber Band performed at Upton Festival 3rd-6th May 2024 and Sidmouth Folk Festival 2024.
About the band members:
- Mary Barber is a very experienced fiddle player. She leads Orchestra of Square Chapel and Valley Sinfonia, and plays fiddle in The Barber Band and The Stean Cottage Band. Together with husband Nick, she runs the Sidmouth Big Band – a large celiidh band (with up to 70 players).
- Nick Barber plays melodeon. He has published four books of English session tunes, and along the way helped to breathe new life into a large number of little-known 17th and 18th century dance tunes. His other instruments are horn and recorder.
- Susan Edwards is a professional oboe player and woodwind teacher based in Thorpe, Derbyshire.
- John Barber plays bass saxophone, flute and melodeon.
OUR LOCATION
The Barber Band are based in West Yorkshire and Derbyshire, but have been known to travel far and wide depending on the event!
