Conductor’s Score available for download

Please note this is for reference only and not for use in performances. Arrangement is copyright of Sarah Farmer.
If you would like to perform this work as part of an orchestra or as a soloist, please get in touch via my contact page.

This was a great project to be part of, really lovely folk tunes from a wide variety of sources expertly woven together with such exciting orchestral backing. It was so clever how the tunes evolved and progressed. An unusual composition with fabulous solo violin on top. An enjoyable project to part of, and the audience feedback was very good!

James (1st Violin), Djanogly Community Orchestra

Thanks for writing the folk suite! It was interesting to play Klezmer and folk tunes with an orchestra. The effect you produced was amazing – very cleverly done. All the people that I invited to listen were really positive, the music had the wow factor! I particularly enjoy the Doyna (maybe because I could just sit and listen to you playing…)

Fran (violin), Djanogly Community Orchestra

Loved the folk concerto – who ever heard of fiddle tunes on the horn? But it worked!

1st Horn, Djanogly Community Orchestra
The Folk Suite is fusion-music at its absolute best. It’s incredibly accessible for the audience and Sarah’s performance was an utter joy to witness. Never before have I seen a modern “classical” piece so instantly embraced by the audience – from the foot-stomping Balkans, to the weeping Klezmer, and the (probably more familiar) Scottish tunes.  The orchestra were somewhat hesitant when they first saw the music, but they mastered some difficult rhythms, and by the end of the first performance they were buzzing! I’d like to be informed the next time this piece is performed – I can guarantee it’s worth travelling to!
Jo (flute), Djanogly Community Orchestra
This was such a cool project to be involved in, from the first workshop through receiving the score to finally performing it with Sarah. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever been involved in with an orchestra because the music was great and it was a bit different. It was fun to practise and thrilling to perform it on the night. Sarah is a great player. Several friends and family came to the concert and they were buzzing after the performance, hugely enjoyable.
Jane (1st violin), Djanogly Community Orchestra

“Huge thanks to Sarah Farmer… what a brilliant musician she is and what a great opportunity she gave us to try something very different!”

Roger, Djanogly Community Orchestra

First performed in March 2025, this folk suite was conceived after a trip to Shetland.  I returned buzzing from the experience of playing in folk sessions at the Lounge bar and Zoe Galbraith’s kitchen, and when Dan Watson, conductor of Djanogly Community orchestra  asked me if I’d like to do a solo piece with the orchestra, translating this feeling is what first came to mind rather than a classical concerto.

The scale and quality of sessions in Shetland is something to behold and has many parallels with community orchestra playing in England; the main being that both folk sessions and community orchestras are highly evolved forms of social music. This brings me great joy in any context, classical, folk or otherwise – people making music together in a way that lifts everybody in the room. There are also many differences however, particularly in how written music is treated and melodies are arranged, and I hoped to bring a bit of that folk process to the orchestral setting.  

Players are encouraged to adapt their parts to make them the most playable and enjoyable. The focus is on groove and having fun, not exact note replication; tempi/rhythms etc can all be adapted to sit most comfortably.  Hopefully through the process of working on this suite, players unfamiliar with folk music might feel more confident joining in a session in the future.  Then work can be adapted and  re orchestrated for individual group needs.

Whilst the inspiration for the suite came from Shetland, which is represented in the 5th movement, movements 1-4 reflect my other folk interests of music from the Scottish Highlands (mvt. 1) Central & Eastern European Klezmer (mvt. 2 & 3) and the Balkans (mvt. 4). 

This digital rendition has been recorded at home using Reaper and the Spitfire/LABS BBC Symphony Orchestra midi sample library. All orchestrations/arrangements and the Doyna are written by me.  Engraving is by Amy Coates.

Performing this work

Please get in touch if you would like to perform this work with me. I appreciate finances for orchestras are tight, so I am adopting a self selected 4 tiered fee system as guideline fees to try and make this work as accessible as possible, with the top tiers subsidising tiers 1 and 2.  You will all be aware of how much time, energy and money goes into creating and performing new works and that all these costings are extremely reasonable.  I ask you to honestly select which tier feels the fairest to both your group and myself.

All tiers include 1 rehearsal, 1 performance, hire for score and parts plus PDF downloads to print extra copies and video calls with conductors.  Extra charges will apply if new scores/orchestrations need to be provided but will be kept to a minimum.

Tier 1 – £250

For very (economically) small orchestras, charities and community groups local to Birmingham or Northampton whose membership income or funding cannot support Tier 2 or above.

Tier 2 – £350+

For larger community ensembles receiving regular membership fees, music services and charities  (additional travel charges will apply if more than 20 miles from Birmingham)

Tier 3 – £450+

For larger community or professional ensembles receiving regular membership fees, funding or other income. Additional travel charges will apply if more than 20 miles from Birmingham.

Tier 4 – name your price

For professional ensembles, large organisations receiving funding and other income or generous philanthropists  – those with budgets available that can trickle down to and subsidise grass roots music making by volunteering the fair going rates. (We thank you!)