The Folk Ensemble is a recent addition to PCM’s World Music Department. The ensemble offers a welcoming space to explore music from all over the world. Whether you’re picking up your instrument for the first time in many years or you’ve been playing for a long time and are looking for something new, the Folk Ensemble welcomes you.

For instructor Natalie Brejcha, the inspiration to start the ensemble was personal. “My father retired and started playing the guitar. He found himself practicing alone in his room, and I just kept thinking, ‘if we were just in the same room, we could have so much fun together. ’ This moment inspired me to create a place for adults where they can come and just have some fun and try something new.”

As a result, the Folk Ensemble is more than just playing notes; it’s about building community and embracing both diversity and curiosity. As they learn music drawn from folk traditions around the world, such as American, Mexican, and Canadian tunes, Natalie encourages students to bring their cultural background to the class. “In an ideal world, the folk ensemble would be a collaborative group where people come in with ideas and say, ‘I learned this tune and I want to share it with the group.’”

One of the ensemble’s unique strengths is its relaxed, judgment-free environment. “The Folk Ensemble is a community-based class where people bring their curiosity to enjoy diverse music.”

Michelle Bailey, a student in the ensemble, shares how the class helped her reconnect with her instrument. “I started playing the violin again because of my interest in folk music, so I was really excited when Natalie decided to create this program. She’s teaching us how to improvise and introducing us to the skills and etiquette needed to jam in traditional folk sessions. It’s been a wonderful experience.”

Ryan Samaan (cello) echoes her sentiment, saying, “This class promised a collaborative and judgment-free space to learn and play folk music from around the world, and it delivered. Natalie Brejcha leads the class with her depth of knowledge on multiple instruments and styles of folk music. She created a communal environment where we could try the songs and create music all together!”

For Roderick Pedersen (cello), this ensemble helped him find a music community after moving to Los Angeles from Berkeley. “As I moved to Los Angeles, I found it difficult to find people to play music with. For me, at this point, it’s kind of a social thing. I don’t need to be perfect, but I really enjoy playing with other people. This class is great because it offers several new things for me. I never really played folk music in this kind of setting, so it’s nice to have the community. Also, I get the opportunity to work on improvisation, which I find both challenging and super fun. Natalie creates an environment where you feel comfortable doing whatever you want to do, and she makes you feel like it’s okay to just try things.”

The ensemble is open to all instruments, and while it is currently tailored for adults, Natalie envisions a future where it becomes “a multigenerational group made up of grandmamas, grandpas, little kids, everybody in between, where we’re all playing music from all these different cultures together.”

PCM is already planning opportunities to bring this vision to life, including the Second Sundays Concert Series, where people of all ages and musical backgrounds are invited to play together every Second Sunday.

Whether you’re a longtime musician looking to start again or someone new to playing instruments, the Folk Ensemble is open for you. “Be brave and just try,” says Natalie. “I am not going to let you fail. All I need from you is the courage to try and a great attitude – I think it’ll be a lot of fun.” Even Roderick says, “Join us, have fun, and don’t worry about it. It’s really accessible even for beginners.”

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Are you or anyone you know interested in learning more about PCM’s World Music Department, taking lessons with our esteemed faculty, or joining a youth or adult combo? Please don’t hesitate to reach out, and we hope to see you on campus soon!