Manx youth music and dance workshop Bree celebrates 20 years

For 20 years, youth club Bree has been bringing young people together on the Isle of Man "so they meet each other and start making new friendships and new bands", says founder Dr Chloë Woolley.

The Manx music and dance group, whose name means "vitality", was set up to give children who had never come across traditional music "a fun introduction" to it.

Since then, its young musicians have gone on to play festivals, record albums, perform at the Royal Albert Hall and build professional careers.

Now it is marking its 20th birthday with a two-day workshop this October half term.

Woolley, Culture Vannin's Manx Music Development Officer, has run Bree since it began.

She said it was modelled on Scotland's Fèis movement, which promotes Scottish traditional music.

While some schools taught traditional music, she said, much of the Manx cultural arts was "just invisible" to many young people around the island, so the idea was to bring them together and introduce them to Manx songs, tunes and language.

She said the club brought Manx music to life and aimed "to ensure that Manx music and dance remain a living tradition".

Some former members have gone on to professional music careers, including fiddle player Isla Callister and harpist Mera Royle.

Others have joined Scran, an advanced teenage folk group which has recorded two albums and performed at the Royal Albert Hall.

Woolley said former students often come back to help.

"A lot of students feel like they want to then give back once they're doing quite well professionally," she said.

She said interest in Manx culture had grown over the past two decades, helped this year by Blein ny Gaelgey, the Year of the Manx Language.

The workshop, in St John's, will see young musicians and dancers aged 10 to 18 work on collectively performing a Manx fairy tale.

It costs £20 and is open to singers, dancers and musicians, as well as those who just want to help make props.

It runs from 10:00 to 16:00 on 27 and 28 October, and finishes with a free concert for family and friends.

"You might actually feel this is the first time that you feel brave enough to perform, and feel fantastic and encouraged," Woolley said.

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