EFN Newsletter October 2025 #35
- EFN editor
- Oct 7
- 9 min read
WELCOME AND SUMMARY
Welcome to the new edition of this communication and outreach initiative of the EFN. Feel free to forward it to your friends and colleagues. Receiving this newsletter is open to anyone for free, here. Read to the end to find out how to submit content for future editions.
This is what you'll find below:
🔹News from EFN:
▫️So this was the European Folk Day 2025
▫️Reminder: Annual EFN Conference, this week!
🔸News from the members:
▫️ Festivals Malta: new chapter, from Ritmu Roots Festival to Festgħana
▫️ Petition: CITES rules for the use of Pernambuco wood for bows for i.g. violins or cellos and African blackwood for woodwind instruments for clarinets, oboes, flutes, bagpipes
▫️ Traveling in Europe: European Entry/Exit System (EES)
▫️ Live Music Now Scotland is now welcoming applications for auditions
▫️ Transglobal World Music Hall of Fame: the call for proposals is open
🔹Our next featured member is The Celtic Art Gallery
🔸Our next featured artist is the Armenian singer Hayrik Muradyan
✍️ Do you want to participate? At the end of the newsletter you will find how you can contribute to future editions, whether you are an EFN member or not.
And of course EFN is always looking for new members and at the end of this newsletter there is a note about how and why to join, with links to the membership pages of the website and the application form.
Thanks for your attention, have a fruitful reading and, please, forward this to any person who could be interested! |
News from EFN |
🔸So this was the European Folk Day 2025
The third edition of the European Folk Day took place on September 23rd and the days around it. Once again, we have seen a wide diversity of initiatives — personal, community-based, institutional — that felt included in the concept, aligning their events under the umbrella of the European Folk Day.
We know these are just the tip of a huge iceberg that includes millions of citizens who, in one way or another, carry out activities connected to performing arts rooted in the traditions of the peoples. We hope that with each new edition, more parts of that gigantic iceberg will emerge, helping us deepen our sense of community and channel our collective voice with greater strength and clarity towards both institutions and citizens.
There have been 157 events, extending beyond European borders. We want to thank each and every one of those who chose to join. For that reason, we won’t list any highlights here — instead, we invite you to visit the website, where you can explore the map and the full database.
And now: How will you celebrate the European Folk Day 2026? 😊
🔸REMINDER: 2025 EFN Conference - this week!
The 6th annual European Folk Network Conference will take place on 10 & 11 October 2025 hosted by the Fira Mediterránia de Manresa.
The Keynote speaker is consultant Angharad Cooper talking about how public policy deals with questions of Diversity and Inclusion.
Speakers include Turkish festival producer and broadcaster Kutay Kugay, Tunisian percussionist & festival director Imed Alibi, Belgium’s Peter van Rompaey (Muziekpublique), and Laia Canals from Tempi (Denmark). Moderated by Araceli Tzigane.
The programme includes a panel focussing on Balkan traditions: Rok Kosir (MOST Music agency), Bojan Djordjevic (Ring Ring, Serbia), and Bogdan Benigar (Druga Godba, Slovenia) will explore the vibrant contemporary Balkan folk scene. Moderated by Daina Zalāne.
There will be a session on minority languages and cultures with contributions from Iranian expert Mehdi Aminian, language expert Ioana Aminian (Roots Revival), and Danny KilBride from Wales (TRAC Cymru) - plus Jaume Aspa, a Catalan speaker and expert on the issues around his language in the context of the majority language in Spain.
There will be breakout group discussions for delegates on topics like traditional dance, led by the Norwegian Centre for Traditional Music and Dance and their Horizon project, plus sessions on festivals, education, diversity & inclusion, and future priorities for EFN.
JMI’s Suchet Malhotra will give a presentation on the world-renowned multicultural Ethno movement and its impact on young people.
And in the Open Mic slot delegates will hear from a range of speakers about their own ideas and organisations.
Additional social and networking events: international lunches at the Kursall Theatre, a wine reception by D.O. Pla de Bages, plus access to the many roots music and dance showcases of Fira Mediterrània.
News from our members
🔹Festivals Malta: new chapter, from Ritmu Roots Festival to Festgħana
By Kris Polidano, Senior Officer (Communications)
Festivals Malta is starting a new chapter for the festival formerly known as “Ritmu Roots Festival”. Its new name will be Festgħana, and will focus on Malta’s folk song tradition, “għana”. The inaugural edition runs from 21 to 24 May 2026. The change follows consultations with għana community members, folklorists, past festival contributors, and stakeholders in Maltese cultural traditions. Under the artistic direction of Toni Sant, the festival aims to offer a national platform to preserve, promote, and celebrate għana. Beyond the core event in May at l-Argotti, the festival will also host year-round activities across communities, collaborating with local NGOs and councils.
Link to Festgħana Facebook Page.
🔹Petition: CITES rules for the use of Pernambuco wood for bows for i.g. violins or cellos and African blackwood for woodwind instruments for clarinets, oboes, flutes, bagpipes
By Birgit Ellinghaus, albaKultur
At the upcoming CITES CoP20 that will take place this November in Uzbekistan, Brazil will propose to put Pernambuco wood in Appendix I of the CITES list, which would effectively ban all international trade. Right now, Pernambuco is in Appendix II, which means that it is protected, but it still allows musicians to travel freely and bow makers to use it to make bows (under several conditions). If Pernambuco were to be listed in Appendix I, it would undermine decades of progress towards the conservation of this wood, as well as the development of a framework for the legal and sustainable use of planted Pernambuco trees that would ensure the future of stringed instrument music globally. It would also prevent musicians with Pernambuco bows from travelling with them. Same rules apply to African blackwood for woodwind instruments!
It is essential to raise awareness about the impact of this proposal to defend biodiversity and the future of live music, artists, artisans, and music lovers!
Here is a petition: https://www.change.org/p/sauvons-la-musique-sauvons-les-bois-pr%C3%A9cieux-save-music-save-precious-woods
You can find out more here and on the following website, as well as on the Pearle* website.
Picture: musician in Recife, Pernambuco. By Williamis Cesar: https://www.pexels.com/es-es/foto/hombre-tocando-la-guitarra-mientras-esta-sentado-en-la-puerta-abierta-2441175/
🔹Traveling in Europe: European Entry/Exit System (EES)
By Birgit Ellinghaus, albaKultur
The new European (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) will start operations on 12 October 2025. European (EU) countries using the EES will introduce the system gradually at their external borders. This means that data collection will be gradually introduced at border crossing points with full implementation by 10 April 2026.
These new rules are relevant for Non-EU nationals (including nationals from European member states in the Council of Europe i.g. British nationals, nationals from West Balkan countries, from Georgia, Armenia, Turkey with or without visa) travelling to the EU for short stays (up to 90 days within a 180-day period).
For more information – see What does progressive start of the EES mean?
🔹Live Music Now Scotland is now welcoming applications for auditions
By Malena Persson (Communications Manager)
Live Music Now Scotland is now welcoming applications for auditions from early-career musicians and ensembles (up to five members). This is a unique opportunity to join a vibrant community of artists sharing live music where it can make a real difference — in care homes, schools, hospitals, community centres, and on stages across Scotland. Musicians must be able to perform without PA or backing tracks, and ensembles should be fixed line-ups.
The scheme provides fairly paid performance opportunities for audiences who might otherwise be excluded from experiencing live music due to illness, disability, isolation, or financial barriers. Auditioning musicians will have the chance to showcase their talent and individuality, while being supported to develop their professional and artistic careers.
Learn more, here.
🔹Transglobal World Music Hall of Fame: the call for proposals is open
By Araceli Tzigane, Mapamundi Música
The Transglobal World Music Hall Fame celebrates excellence in the world music field. The Hall of Fame includes three categories: 1) Artists, 2) Professional Excellence; and 3) In Memoriam. Folk artists and other professionals are inductable.
Example of previously inducted: Birgit Ellinghaus, Valya Balkanska, Janusz Prusinowski, Antonovka Records / Anton Apostol, Antonis Dalgas, Martin Carthy, Jyotsna Srikanth, Simon Broughton,...
The period for proposals for 2025 is open until 31st of October 2025. Submit your proposals through the form in this website.
Featured Member: The Celtic Art Gallery vzw
When this organization, settled in Ham, Belgium, joined EFN, they explained that: "We are a Folkfestival in Ham, Belgium who’s focus is on European folk music. We have a crew of 15 permanent volunteers to organize and +- 80 volunteers to assist on the festival. 2020 we have our 24th edition."
About the question on what a member can give to the European Folk Network, the answer was: "In the past 20 years we build up a nice network with European folk bands. We are experienced in organizing a festival with diversity in folk music. The benefit of membership exists in extended connections for further festival."
Learn more about The Celtic Art Gallery and the festival on their website.
Featured Artist: Hayrik Muradyan
By Araceli Tzigane
This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of this artist. It’s pure coincidence. I came across him a few weeks ago in a YouTube video, and I was captivated. I spoke with Nod Knowles. Armenia is not geographically in Europe. It lies beyond Turkey. But Cyprus, too, is considered geographically part of Asia, although a large part of the island has Hellenic culture, and we would have no hesitation in including a Cypriot artist here.
This year, moreover, the Yerevan Music Week aligned part of its program with our European Folk Day. Thank you!
In addition, although geographically Armenia lies in the Caucasus, it is recognized as part of the European cultural framework (member of the Council of Europe since 2001). And above all, we both agreed it was the right thing to do. So, it is a pleasure to welcome, for the first time in this newsletter, an Armenian artist whose legacy is one of imperishable beauty.
This song is Ամռան գիշեր (Amran Gisher, Summer Night). In the Bandcamp of Astghik Martirosyan I read that "the song depicts an old Armenian village where after the hard day of work the villagers have gathered in a house or yard and enjoy the peaceful summer night as the moon shines pleasantly. The song spotlights women of the village, praising them and celebrating their work and beauty as they sift the flour and grind the grain with a millstone."
Hayrik Muradyan (1905–1999) was a singer, ethnographer, and researcher who dedicated his life to preserving Armenian folk songs, especially from his native region of Van (currenty part of Turkey). Born into a large family, his early childhood was marked by the devastating events of the Armenian Genocide, which forced him and his family to flee their homeland in 1921. Out of many relatives, only a few survived, and these tragic experiences deeply shaped his connection to the music of his homeland.
Throughout his life, he became a central figure of Armenian folklore, devoted to the preservation, performance, and dissemination of Armenian traditional music. Although his early training was as a historian, Muradyan dedicated much of his life to rescuing traditional songs that were at risk of disappearing. He is credited with memorizing and performing more than 150 Armenian folk songs. Muradyan sang in regional dialects of Western Armenian, which helped preserve endangered linguistic forms.
From the 1960s onward, his voice became widely known: he performed on stage, radio, and television, and was often invited to speak publicly about the importance of forgotten Armenian cultural traditions.
Beyond singing, he also supported the creation and teaching of folk ensembles, worked with student groups and local dance collectives, especially in the region of Vaspurakan, transmitting regional repertoires and teaching traditional techniques. He influenced generations of Armenian musicians and ethnographers, serving as a bridge between oral tradition and academic documentation.
Last August, the Gutan Festival was organiced and held in Yerevan as a tribute to the 120th anniversary of his birth. More than 500 artists gathered there.
Իմ խորոտիկ յար (Im khorotik yar, My Little Darling or My Beautiful Beloved, I found several possible translations) is a love song. The full lyrics are here. I tried to translate it with Google Lens and the result is more or less understandable.
Sources:
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS NEWSLETTER
Are you already a member? Then, remember that you can submit contents for this monthly newsletter. Email your content to efneditors@gmail.com, for these sections:
· News from EFN Members. Brief announcements – of around 100 words and a link.
· Featured artist. - A profile with around 200 words, an embedded video and one link. Members are invited to submit profiles, considering solo and ensemble living or not living artists who have achieved lifelong artistic and technical quality or historical significance in the field of folk art from or developed in or settled in Europe. If you have any artists in mind that you'd like to feature, please ask in advance, just to be sure there is no other member already doing it.
And whether you are a member or not, you can participate in this section:
· Special sections. For instance, an interview with someone from an institution that is not a member or a thematic article by a guest writer or anything that can appear and be considered as interesting. This section can also host guest writers that are not members.
If you'd like to share any content, contact us in advance to schedule it by emailing efneditors@gmail.com
Of course, self promotional articles lacking interest won't be accepted. In case of doubt, the EFN board will be consulted and will decide.
The news from institutions all over Europe really gives a strong sense of the folk-music pulse. I found the piece on entry/exit requirements and impact to be particularly insightful. Should the writing ever feel overwhelming, your eye may be drawn to review ukassignmenthelp reviews, but always be sure to check that you find credible reviews. Continue well and thank you for this newsletter!