The Surround are an emerging ensemble of young Traditional Irish musicians drawn from various parts of Victoria. United by their deep engagement with Irish musical forms and community-based learning, the group combines rhythmic tune sets and carefully arranged song material with a respect for the cultural frameworks that shape their repertoire.

In early 2026, The Surround was selected as the Stars of the Lake ensemble at the Lake School of Celtic Music, Song & Dance in Koroit — a program that brings together promising trad musicians from across Australia for intensive collaboration and performance opportunities. As part of this program, they worked together with peers to prepare a set of music that foregrounds both traditional repertoire and shared musical understanding, culminating in performances associated with the Lake School week.

The members —  Donncha O’Grady, Sylvie Rigby, Pascal Moran and Tully Baker — represent a generation of musicians who are active in regional and metropolitan folk circles. Individually, they contribute multi-instrumental fluency and experience in session playing, song craft, and ensemble work. Their coming together as The Surround reflects not only technical proficiency but a collaborative ethos rooted in the oral tradition of Irish music.

Through The Surround’s performances, audiences encounter an approach to Irish traditional music that is informed by deep listening and shared musical conversation — shaped as much by community sessions and festival contexts as by formal study. Their participation in Stars of the Lake signals a widening presence on the broader Australian folk circuit, with appearances linked to major cultural events like Port Fairy and the Melbourne Celtic Festival, where Lake School ensembles often feature.

As they continue to build their profile, The Surround are contributing to the vitality of Victoria’s trad music scene, connecting local practice with broader currents in Irish and Celtic music while exploring new ways of arranging and presenting this repertoire.