THE BAND

Spinndrift met in 2006 when four of the members all started the Folk and Traditional Music Degree in Newcastle. They went from playing in each other's living rooms, having tea and biscuits to gradually playing at bigger and bigger events. In fact, they liked each other's music and company so much that they moved in together two years later. In 2008 and 2009 they were finalists in the New Roots competition, and in the summers of 08 and 09 played at various festivals such as Sidmouth, Towersey, Warwick, Dartmoor and Bideford. After surviving their first few tours together they managed to raise the money to make their first Album: 'Far distant', which was released at the end of 2010. They recorded the album as they were graduating from their degree program, where they all excelled, achieving excellent marks and giving fantastic end-of-year performances. In 2011 Spinndrift became a partnership, and have been working on all aspects of their business and music.


ISLA HUGHES:
Vocals, Flute and Whistle

Isla was born and raised in Hong Kong, where she grew up listening to her father's folk radio show, and started singing with her family and friends at Hong Kong Folk Society events. In the year 2000 she was awarded the Carnegies Young Folk Entertainer of the year award with friend and fiddler Eleanor Taylor, and performed on the main stage at the Hong Kong Folk Festival. Isla has been playing guitar since she was 7, but since age 16 Isla has focused on playing the silver flute, the Irish flute and whistles. Now, age 24, Isla has played and sung in various parts of Hong Kong and the world, and is a graduate of the Newcastle Folk and Traditional Music Degree.

JENNIE PAGE:
Fiddle and Oboe

Growing up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, Jennie started learning the violin aged 7, then oboe aged 15, later joining regional orchestras playing oboe and cor anglais. She was classically trained on both instruments but after experiencing Towersey Festival in 2004 she turned her attention towards folk. Her musical tastes are eclectic. She's interested in the traditions of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe as well as the British Isles but also has a passion for early music, musicals and romantic to name but a few.

SETH TINSLEY:
Guitar and vocals

Seth Tinsley is a guitarist from Corbridge in Northumberland and in 2009 was a finalist in the BBC Young Folk Awards with trio Tyde. Seth joined Spinndrift this year as he met the rest of the band when he started the Newcastle University Folk and Traditional Music Degree. Seth likes all sorts of different music, particularly jazz and blues music as well as more traditional folk and occasionally some Eastern European stuff.

FYNN TITFORD-MOCK:
Cello and Vocals

Fynn was born in Stourbridge in the West Midlands. He has been singing since he was little, and began playing the cello at the age of ten. He has also been singing with the youth choir Stream of Sound since 2000, and has discovered several unsung local Black Country songs for them to sing. Fynn is also passionate about baroque chamber music as well as English, Irish, Scottish, Scandinavian, Croatian, German and Georgian folk music.

NICK WISEMAN-ELLIS:
Melodeon and Fiddle

Nick comes from a small village called Spixworth in Norwich, Norfolk. Since coming to University in Newcastle, Nick has come to enjoy Irish music as well as Scottish, French and other European folk music. As well as playing box and fiddle, Nick also takes part in traditional dance, mostly Cotswold Morris and East Anglian Molly Dance. Nick also set up and teaches a morris side at Newcastle University.