Welcome to Ffonic!
Ffonic started in 2000 when the parents of a teenage folk band run by Kitty Greenwood saw
how much fun the kids were having and asked if she would start a band for them too.
Kitty led the band for 12 years before moving from the area, but Ffonic carried on and have
continued to have musical fun, playing anywhere and everywhere in the Newtown area, for
ceilidhs, parties, weddings, civic functions, festivals, garden parties, outdoor fairs and even
the odd posh reception.
Our repertoire consists of traditional folk tunes of the British Isles plus world music and
music written by band members. Our line up consists of flutes, fiddles, guitar, accordion,
saxophones, viola, cello and percussion and we play dynamic music with the emphasis on strong
melody lines and punchy rhythm, but we also do slinky waltzes and reflective pieces too.
We welcome new adult members, preferably with a basic musical knowledge and
instrumental ability and would be happy for anyone to give us a try to see if they would fit in
before joining us. If you are interested, don't hesitate to contact us at info@ffonic.co.uk.
County Times press release 2026
Ffonic, now in its 25th year of music making in Newtown and the local area, is incredibly pleased to announce its latest support of local initiatives for youth music.
Funds generated by gigs locally are given back each year to help local charities deliver musical experiences for young people.
In recent years Montgomeryshire Youth Music and North Powys Youth Band have benefited from grants from Ffonic’s funds.
Most recently Ffonic has donated £2000 to Mid Wales Opera to help support residencies in local schools. The school children spend a whole week working with Mid Wales Opera’s artistic team to create their own opera. They learn songs, write the story, rehearse the opera and perform a costumed show for family and friends at the end of the week. The experience not only introduces them to the world of opera and embeds music and creativity in their school for a whole week but it inspires teamwork and builds confidence for the future.
Ffonic are very excited to support this work. Geoff Beilby, the Chair of the band, said “As amateur musicians who have generally been playing since childhood, we play for our own enjoyment and have fun whilst generating income from gigs. We can then support the next generation through our charitable donations. It’s a win win!”
Mid Wales Opera said “Without support from organisations like Ffonic and Mid Wales Music Trust we would not be able to undertake this valuable work in schools, boosting creativity and allowing the children to express themselves through music and movement.”
Ffonic is Newtown’s community folk band and welcomes instrumentalists interested in playing folk music regularly in a social setting, and at public events. We meet weekly on a Monday night.
We are available for ceilidhs, twmpaths, dances and concerts at reasonable rates – the proceeds of which go back into the community via our charitable giving.