Here be Dragons

Here be Dragons is a Cape Town–based folk-baroque ensemble founded by Jan-Hendrik Harley in 2018. Drawing on both historical performance practice and vernacular folk traditions, the ensemble explores the meeting points between art music and folk music across Europe and beyond. Performing primarily on period instruments and historical models, Here be Dragons reimagines music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries through a folk lens while also engaging with contemporary works inspired by these traditions. Their programmes trace musical migrations, cultural exchanges, and the shared roots of folk and classical repertories, creating performances that are at once scholarly, adventurous, and accessible. The ensemble has appeared at festivals including the Cape Town Baroque Festival, Stellenbosch Woordfees, and Classics for All, and has been featured on Fine Music Radio and RSG.