As another participant on the folk degree course in question, let me be the first to correct "GUEST" and co. that we are certainly not being taught "the rights and wrongs of folk music".
In reality, we are being encouraged to be our own performer. Our instrument and voice tutors are there to provide us with other techniques and styles for us to absorb. I resent the notion that our tutors CONTROL us or even could if they tried -we are quite a stubborn bunch of kids y'know!

Of course we don't expect to walk out and be handed a 5 album deal or an arts admin job by default, but show me a place where you can be taught 5 days a week by brilliant and inspirational musicians and I'm there!
Please don't cheapen our experience -ask your so-called "experts in the field" if they ever learnt something worthwhile from another folkie -it's an AURAL tradition you know.

Ian s.