This past February, local student band Barkley Cove worked with Tell School of Music faculty to produce a submission for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. With a microphone provided by Dr. Jennifer Jester, the folk trio took to Dr. Philip Tacka’s office to record a live performance of their original song, Ghost of Me. According to the band, “Ghost of Me chronicles the story of a young woman whose essence is captured and stolen from her. We wrote this song in January during our second college semester while grappling with the complexities of our own identities.”

But even before exploring songwriting in their spring semester, the members of Barkley Cove were aware of a unique musical connection within the trio. After meeting in their fall semester ensemble, the first-year musicians began staying after rehearsals to discuss and improvise new musical ideas. These impromptu musical dialogues developed into a distinctive style for their original music and arrangements, rooted in the genres of folk, bluegrass, and rock. Fearlessly creative, Barkley Cove cultivates a sound focused on musical precision and dynamic variety.

After playing their first show in October at Millersville University’s very own Evergreen Café, Barkley Cove has expanded their musical reach across the Lancaster area, performing at notable venues and restaurants such as the Pressroom, the Southern Market, Phantom Power, and the Log Cabin. With the continued support of esteemed Tell School faculty members such as Dr. Barry Atticks and Dr. Mícheál Houlahan, the group ambitiously seeks to bolster the returning community of folk music. As this community grows, Barkley Cove hopes to utilize their imaginative songwriting and dedication to musicianship to push the boundaries of what folk music can be.

Barkley Cove is:

Jillian Dolan: Guitar/Piano/Vocals

Silas Gross: Banjo/Guitar/Vocals

Yusuf Miller: Mandolin/Bass/Vocals

Barkley Cove Is on YouTube.