Queen of folk music Maddy Prior, lead singer of Steeleye Span, joins up with The Carnival Band for the final time to perform Capers and Carols at The Apex, in Bury St Edmunds

Queen of folk music, Steeleye Span’s Maddy Prior teams up with The Carnival Band to celebrate their 40th and final Carols and Capers tour, which calls in at The Apex, in Bury St Edmunds, in December.

Together they mix renaissance, modern and ethnic instruments with a cavalier attitude and plenty of humour, putting their inimitable stamp on a range of familiar and not-so-familiar festive fare.

Carols and Capers, which comes to The Apex on December 9, has offered a unique take on timeless Christmas music ever since Maddy and The Carnival Band came together in 1984.

Ahead of the tour in the UK, Culture spoke to Maddy about the long relationship and her take on Christmas.

How did you first get together with the Carnival Band?

It was in the early 80s. The Carnival Band had been asked to play on the BBC programme Pause for Thought. This was an early morning slot each morning for five minutes. Towards Christmas, The Carnival Band were asked to play a carol a day for five days. The producer John Forrest knew of me from Steeleye and suggested that I would be ideal for The Carnival Band. I was asked to sing Angels from The Realms of Glory. It was incredibly high and incredibly fast, it intrigued me, it was great. I sang with them that year, then the next and have done so ever since. We decided to record an album and follow that up with a tour. . . That was over 30 years ago now.

What is special to you about appearing with The Carnival Band?

They are all very skilled, mainly classically trained, musicians. They come from a different way of playing to Steeleye or myself. It makes for a very interesting way of working. I am a slow learner and it takes me time to feel comfortable with a song, but once it all came together it was special.

What does Christmas mean to you Maddy?

Like for everyone it is about family and a particular atmosphere at that time of year. I always tour right up until Christmas, so these days I go to another member of the family’s house. Now the celebrations are for my grandchildren, notably for my four-year-old grandson. This year he will begin to understand what it is all about, which is very exciting.

How do you celebrate the festive season?

With family, but I also run a Christmas Weekend at Stones Barn between Christmas and New Year. It is a course for people who love to sing. Some stay here, some locally and we all sing mainly less well-known carols, feast and generally have a great time.

Do you have a favorite carol or a few favorites and why?

Angels from The Realms of Glory is one of the most energetic carols and The Carnival Band do a fantastic arrangement of it. The lovely Angel Gabriel is also beautifully arranged.

Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band, Monday, December 9, 7.30pm, The Apex, Bury St Edmunds. Call 01284 758000 or visit www.theapex.co.uk