BIRD TUNES: MIRANDA RUTTER, SAM SWEENEY & ROB HARBRON

Miranda Rutter, Sam Sweeney & Rob Harbron

Crucible Playhouse, Sheffield
Wednesday 20 May 2026, 8.00pm

Tickets:
£23
£14 UC, PIP & DLA
£5 Students & Under 35s

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Home› What's on› BIRD TUNES: MIRANDA RUTTER, SAM SWEENEY & ROB HARBRON

Three of the finest folk musicians working today perform a new suite of tunes, crafted from fragments of birdsong recorded on woodland walks by the brilliant fiddle player and composer Miranda Rutter.  

Performed with “concertina wizard” (The Guardian) Rob Harbron and “the fiddler with the golden ear” (BBC Radio 3) Sam Sweeney, as well as field recordings of this most elemental form of music, it is a love-song to avian beauty and a timely reminder of the struggles faced by migrating birds. 

“I follow in a long line of musicians from prehistory who’ve been inspired by birdsong – it being such an enchanting wonder of the world!  For me, listening deeper, discovering intricacies and learning to recognise birds by their song has made me care even more about birds and their habitat. As so many species are struggling in this rapidly changing, human-dominated world, I hope that my contribution can help spark intrigue, spread awareness and in turn, generate action to turn the tide of fortune for these awe-inspiring creatures.”
Miranda Rutter 

“Bird Tunes is, very simply, utterly beautiful. A glorious bringing together of field recordings, birdsong and three incredible musicians. Nature and music in perfect harmony.”

Tradfolk

About the Artists

Miranda Rutter

Miranda Rutter is a folk musician, composer and teacher. Her 2024 album and project ‘Bird Tunes’ toured the UK to great acclaim and was featured on BBC Radio 3 and 4. Miranda works with contemporary Morris dance side Boss Morris and has performed with Morris Offspring in ‘On English Ground’ and with Chris Wood in his ‘Listening to the River’. She is a core tutor for the English Acoustic Collective Summer School and the National Youth Folk Ensemble. Read more.

Sam Sweeney

Sam Sweeney is one of the UK’s most captivating and innovative folk musicians. A master of the English fiddle, he is known for his deeply emotive playing, bold compositional voice, and a career that has consistently pushed the boundaries of traditional music.

After rising to prominence as a member of the award-winning Bellowhead, Sam went on to forge a distinctive solo path. His albums — The Unfinished Violin, Unearth Repeat, and Escape That — have received widespread acclaim for their emotional depth and inventive approach. His most recent release, Escape That, saw Sam compose entirely away from the fiddle, later translating his ideas into rich, fiddle-led soundscapes that blur the lines between folk, classical and electronic music.

Whether on stage, in the studio, or in the classroom, Sam Sweeney continues to redefine what English folk music can be — grounded in history, alive in the present, and open to the future. Read more.

Rob Harbron

Rob Harbron is a uniquely skilled player of the English concertina, described by The Guardian as a ‘concertina wizard’ and renowned for his highly individual and harmonic style of playing. He is a member of Leveret (alongside Sam Sweeney and Andy Cutting), with whom he has toured extensively and released four landmark albums.

Known for his work with a wide range of artists including Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings, Emma Reid, and The Full English, he has also worked extensively with the National Youth Folk Ensemble and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Now he is exploring solo playing with a repertoire which includes settings of rediscovered traditional tunes as well as his many fine compositions. His debut solo album Meanders was released in 2019 and he has recently published a tunebook containing 54 original and adapted tunes. Read more.