Folk music is probably the most common element in the Little Yarra Ensemble repertoire. It is music that has come out of the social realm; it is music of the people.

The Ensemble taps the folk traditions of the world, from the pulsating rhythms of Africa, to the enchanting melodies of the Middle East, following the ancient musical heritage of the Gypsies into Eastern Europe, and then on to Celtic Ireland, stopping off in the cathedrals of Western Europe for a touch of baroque elegance.

Musical styles are freely explored and the children are encouraged to diversify and stretch their musical horizons.

The Little Yarra Ensemble performed its unique blend of music at the prestigious National Folk Festival held in Canberra over Easter 2002, amongst musicians gathered from all over the world. At the end of the Ensemble's performance the huge audience simply refused to stop clapping and demanded an encore. "The most entertaining band at the festival" stated one festival organizer

Click on the 'Listen to the Music ' button on the left hand side of this page to hear samples of this group's wonderfully inspiring music.