About Quentin Budworth
Quentin is a professional musician playing Hurdy-gurdy, a multi-award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and digital artist. His mission is to create new, unique high-quality work and promote participation and enjoyment of the arts in an inclusive and collaborative way. Working with community, folk, world, festival and arts audiences.
In 2019 he worked on a year of professional development for his hurdy-gurdy playing funded by the Arts Council DYCP award scheme. Over the course of the year, he studied contemporary hurdy-gurdy technique and Folk Music with some of the world’s best players from across Europe. Researching and learning repertory and technique from Iberian, Gallic, Nordic, Greek and Italian modal folk traditions.
Quentin performs as a soloist and lead musician with world music band and festival favourites Celtarabia, historical musicians The Grinnigogs and the deeply traditional Hessle Ceilidh Band. From 1995-2000 Quentin worked as a composer producing four critically acclaimed albums with his band Celtarabia and produced ‘Fusions’ a library music album for Studio G. Quentin has recorded as a featured artist for Suns of Arqa, and in session for the Afro-Celt Sound System, Andy Kershaw, John Peel and more recently Alan Raw of BBC Introducing.
Recently Quentin has been performing his acclaimed new solo show ‘Old Dog New Tricks’.
He has used the time during Lockdown to study online with musicians and organisations all over the world deepening his knowledge of traditional music and extending his professional network.
During lockdown Quentin has run and attended music workshops online. Teaching and learning from folk musicians from all over the world.
Previous projects include Hullywood Icons project funded by a National Lottery Grant for the Arts which was a worldwide hit right at the start of Hull City of Culture 2017. He also produced the remarkable Changing Face of Hull exhibition in 2015 which explored ideas of self, identity and city.
During the third lock-down he remotely recorded European Howl with collaborator Lou Duffy-Howard under the band name ‘Agent Starling’ which was officially released on May 4th gaining critical acclaim and widespread airplay in the UK and abroad. To date tracks from the album have been played on over 80 radio shows and podcasts around the world. In addition to writing the tunes for this album Quentin has researched music contacts and created music videos on a micro budget.
Quentin is currently developing his first solo project Disconnect/Reconnect which is supported by the prestigious The Alan James Creative Artist Bursary and Residency Programme 2021/22 at the English Folk Dance and Song Society.
In his spare time Quentin can be found, creating field recordings, chasing foghorns and lighthouses, swimming and hiking in wild places.