Arlet are a diverse group of Kent-based musicians, whose music is found somewhere between the folk club and the chamber music hall.

Propelled by the restless creativity of accordionist and composer Aidan Shepherd, their sound brings together all the primary colours of the orchestra- strings, woodwind and brass. A founding musical inspiration is a love of the joyful melodicism and rhythmic intensity of British Folk, but rather than viewing folk traditions as artefacts to be revered, Arlet have drawn on folk idioms as a route to their own brand of carefully sculpted, richly harmonic and lusciously textured instrumental music.

Gigging highlights in their first year have included:

Opening the Sondryfolk Canterbury Arts Trail 2011 in the medieval Eastbridge hospital

Performing at the inaugural Smugglers Festival 2011

In October, in collaboration with Sondryfolk artists and the Dawn Chorus Recording Company, Arlet are playing for the closing party of the Canterbury Festival 2011