A NEW generation are singing a range of traditional Devon songs on a CD by harmony singers Hocus. Okehampton-based folk arts development charity Wren Music is delighted to be able to release the new CD Cast Threads Away. Hocus are all still in their teens and enjoy singing together in harmony and a capella. Over the last ten years, they have amassed a varied repertoire of traditional and original songs ? and a passion for singing that is infectious. They have performed at major folk festivals, including Sidmouth and Bridgnorth, toured to Germany and Italy and were semi-finalists in the 2002 BBC Radio 2 Young Tradition folk awards. Nurtured by Wren Music since its inception, Hocus are going from strength to strength. Their new CD features material developed during their two-year Young Sing Old Songs project. A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled Hocus members to research traditional Devon songs from the Baring-Gould archive to arrange them for recording and share them with others at open singing workshops. The Baring-Gould Archive is a collection of traditional songs of Devon?s working people gathered by the Rev Sabine Baring-Gould, and containing manuscripts of 650 West Country songs plus broadside ballads and chapbooks. Cast Threads Away was launched last month with a performance and two singing workshops for young people from schools across Devon, at the Devon Schools Mix music festival, which was attended by more than 5,000 people. Hocus will be performing at the Sidmouth Folk Festival this weekend and have been invited to perform at the Artscape Schools Music Festival in South Africa next month. The visit would also include a series of singing workshops in schools and communities in Cape Town and in surrounding townships and countryside. The visit to South Africa will enable Hocus further to share Devon?s traditional songs, and to learn African songs and widen their musical horizons. Band member Becky Kyle-Smith explained the ethos behind Hocus: ?The whole idea is that everyone has got a voice, and everyone can sing ? its about encouraging people to get involved in music.? Fellow band member Lizzie Pettet-Smith explained the origins of the CDs title: ?It says what we do ? cast out to other young people. We try to inspire them and help people to realise that they really can sing.?
