Windborne
ABOUT WINDBORNE
Availability
Summer 2027 18 July - 08 August
Music Of Midwinter December 2027 15-22
Otherwise on request
Entourage: 4 persons, 2 rooms
Venues: Greenfield & venue festivals, ecclesiastical venues, resonant spaces, arts centres, theatres.
"The most exciting vocal group in a generation!" - SONGLINES
Windborne’s captivating show draws on the singers’ deep roots in traditions of vocal harmony, while the absolute uniqueness of their artistic approach brings old songs into the present. Known for the innovation of their arrangements, their harmonies are bold and anything but predictable. Instead of simply dazzling the audience with vocal fireworks; Windborne evokes a deep emotional response connecting their audience to the past, distant places and themselves, it's no wonder they have been crowd favorites since starting to tour in 2018. Windborne is particularly known for our viral videos which have gained the group nearly 500,000 followers singing at Mont Saint Michel in France, and Cathedrals around the world!
Sublime and superb... [Windborne] exhausts superlatives! Intelligent, witty, formally exquisite and brimful of energy. - RnR MAGAZINE
With a 20-year background studying polyphonic music around the world, Lauren Breunig, Jeremy Carter-Gordon, Lynn Rowan, and Will Rowan share a vibrant energy onstage with a blending of voices that can only come from decades of friendship alongside dedicated practice. The ensemble shifts effortlessly between drastically different styles of music, drawing their audience along on a journey that spans continents and centuries, illuminating and expanding on the profound power and variation of the human voice. The singers educate as they entertain, sharing stories about their songs and explaining the context and characteristics of the styles in which they sing.
BBC Traveling Folk describes Windborne as “subverting expectations and redefining the genre [of vocal music]... just absolutely phenomenal!”
Audiences and critics lavish praise upon the singers not only for their technical mastery, but for the passion, engagement, and connection with each other and the audience that imbues each performance with a rare power. But there’s another, crucial dimension to Windborne that guides and roots their artistry. They are adherents to folk music’s longtime alliance with social activism, labor and civil rights, and other movements that champion the oppressed, the poor, and the disenfranchised. Windborne’s dynamic harmonies breathe new life into old songs, creating an experience that is rooted by its history, but strikingly relevant to the contemporary listener.
So remarkable as to defy easy description! ...a profound vocal experience.
MUSIC OF MIDWINTER
Available UK/Ireland - 15-22 December 2027
This is the live show around which Windborne’s album To Warm The Winter Hearth developed. A joyful and heartfelt celebration of song bringing light to a dark time, drawing on midwinter music from traditional, classical, and folk roots in the US, British Isles and beyond. It varies from Windborne’s general show as the Midwinter holiday spirit is accentuated with added instrumentation, including banjos and guitars, Lithuanian Kanklės, and bodhrán, and a simple stage set, and the repertoire draws on folk carols from several countries, solstice and secular songs, humorous takes on seasonal classics, and a powerful audience participation segment which induces a strong sense of community - see the video excerpt here from Music of Midwinter at Kings Place, on winter solstice 2025.
Once experienced, Music of Midwinter becomes as essential a part of the season as pantomime or a carol concert!
TO WARM THE WINTER HEARTH
Windborne’s campaign for To Warm the Winter Hearth smashed records and became the 5th most-backed album crowdfunder of all time in any genre, This evolved from their huge online following, a highly-engaged community whom the band expertly reach through tracked online campaigns for live shows.
PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOPS
In addition to performing concerts worldwide, Windborne has taught workshops in schools, community centers, singing camps, and universities for the past decade. Experienced teachers and song-leaders, they delight groups young and old with enthusiastic, clear, and nuanced instruction and get groups singing in harmony in no time!
Main workshop description: Participants of all abilities will learn singing styles from a variety of countries and cultures as well as songs of social struggle from movements past and present. All songs will be taught by ear, no experience required — just enthusiasm and willingness to try new things! The workshops are a great opportunity to connect with your community, sing out, and gather inspiration and energy. The Windborne singers educate as they entertain, telling stories about the music and explaining the characteristics and stylistic elements of the different traditions. They invite participants to learn some of their signature arrangements, improve vocal technique and health, and sing together in harmony!
Other workshop topics :
Polyphonic singing cultures
Songs of social struggle
Music with a message
Songs from France that aren't in French and songs in French that aren’t from France (Basque, Occitan, Corsican,Quebecois)
SELECTED RECENT/UPCOMING UK/IRELAND DATES
Summer 2026: Wickham & Sidmouth Festivals; Dublin, Belfast and Derry
September 2026: Durham Folk Festival
October 2026: London St Martin in the Fields