Eliza Carthy: let's make a song and dance of her new honour
December 01, 2021
What a richly deserved but also inspired appointment. Eliza Carthy is to be the next president of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS).
Eliza, a brillant performer and champion of folk music and the daughter of two of its most respected figures, Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson. succeeds Shirley Collins, who held the position from 2008 to 2020. She is only the fifth person to preside over the society since its creation in 1932, the others being Ralph Vaughan Williams, Princess Margaret and Ursula Vaughan Williams..
Eliza, whose sterling work as "a modern English musician", to use her own description ha already earned her n MBE. She has been the EFDSS's vice president for 13 years, starting when Shirley became president.
"When I first joined [the society] I told some person and they said, but I thought you had to be a teacher to belong to it.," Norma wrote. "It did give that impression but changed over the years and finally attracted the young revivalists who listened to the old traditionalists who carried this wonderful cargo all their lives and like our Mike and Lal and Martin fell in love with thi fantastic music.
"Eliza came to love this music from being a child and from recording Anglicana onwards has shared her love."
For once I am lost for further words. They've said it all. Chapeau, Eliza.
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