November 2000
 
 Hello, Friend-of-Scottish-Music-Who-Is-On-The-Internet:
 
 Welcome to the email edition of Granite Skyes, the monthly
 newsletter of the Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire.
 This is sent out to all members with email, and to select others on
 our mailing list with email addresses. If you are not currently a
 member, and wish to subscribe to the paper edition, or to join the
 SRSNH, please get in touch. Members of the SRSNH will
 continue to receive their mailed paper copy of Granite Skyes. You
 can also read this and previous newsletters on the SRSNH web
 page, www.srsnh.org.
 
 If you really don't wish to receive any future email editions, please
 reply with a simple email message to me at Eafid@aol.com, or to
 the Database Manager: Barbara McOwen, at bmcowen@world.std.com
 and you will be removed from any future email distributions. If you're
 not a member and wish to continue to receive the mailed paper copy
 from time to time, you might mention that.
 
 Thanks! And hope you enjoy seeing the Strathspey & Reel Society
 news!
 
 Elias Abelson
 SRSNH Email Editor
 Eafid@aol.com


GRANITE SKYES
Newsletter of the Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire
Having Fun with Scottish Music
Volume 13, Number 3 -- November 2000

No regular gathering in November.

NOVEMBER GALA CONCERT
"A Crofter's Story," Gala Concert featuring Castlebay, 
the NH School of Scottish Arts, and the SRSNH Orchestra.  
Sunday, Nov. 26, 3pm Concord City Auditorium, Concord, NH

DECEMBER 17 GATHERING
Sunday Afternoon, 1-5 pm
Sylvia Miskoe, Leader
Annichiaricho Theatre, S. Main St &
Thompson Sts, Concord, N.H.

Approximate schedule:
1:00 - 3:00 December's tunes
3:00 - 3:30 Refreshments & Jamming
3:30 - 5:00 Requests & Solos


NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
--by Sylvia Miskoe

November is busy with our concert and we will have our
December session on the 17th so there is no new music this
month.  Instead, I've written a piece about traveling tunes,
or cross pollination.  With many apologies to Bob McQuillen,
I want to correct last month's note that he lives in Dublin,
NH.  Bob once lived in Dublin but has resided at 27 Granite
Street in Peterborough, NH for many years.   I am talking
with David Surette about the possibilities of a Breton music
workshop for one of our winter sessions.  David has traveled
in Brittany, France, and collected many tunes.  Breton music
is closely related to the music of the British Isles.

SRS has accepted an invitation from the Salem, Mass,
Scottish Country Dance class to play for their annual party
April 14th.  Anyone interested may sign up with me.  After
the program has been finished I will distribute music.  We
will rehearse in Salem in the afternoon, enjoy a pot luck
supper, and then play the dance. 


BOARD OF DIRECTORS' NEWS
-by Carolynn Marsh, Secretary

Highlights from the October 19th Meeting:
The Board of Director's October meeting was held on the 19th
at he NH School of Scottish Arts. Ed Los submitted a
performer's release form that needs to be signed by all
participants.  Gala updates as well as future gigs were
discussed including the Salem SCD party in April and the
creative seed for a SRS retreat.  The focus of the meeting
was on By-law amendments through Article 6.  Proposed
changes are available from Bob Reed or other BOD members. As
always, we encourage the membership input.  Discussion will
be continued at the November meeting.  Do join us, or send
us your thoughts.

Next Meeting:  Wednesday, November 29.  All meetings begin
at 7:30 p.m. and are held at the NH School of Scottish Arts
in Manchester.   Please contact the Secretary if you need
directions.  These meetings are open  to all members. 
(Note: Members wishing a complete copy of the Minutes should
contact the Secretary at whimseyhill@aol.com) 


CROSS POLLINATION
-by Sylvia Miskoe, Music Director

Throughout the years tunes have traveled, been played in new
settings, changed and taken on new identities in their new
homes.  I am always delighted when I find an old friend in a
new setting.  After the development of copy machines, the
exchange of tunes became much easier, you did not have to
hand write each piece of music nor find a book where it was
published.  Now with the internet and the abc method of
notation, tunes can fly around the world and be available
for anyone.  While the positive side is that we have
enormous numbers of tunes available, the negative side is
that composers' names are often lost and changes to the
melody line are perpetuated until the change becomes the
standard.  Of course, this also happens when tunes get
handed down aurally.   For example, I learned a tune from a
French Canadian fiddler who learned it from his brother who
learned it from someone from Labrador and we always referred
to that particular tune as 'Labrador'.  Somewhere it has
another name, and each person who has played it has put
their own, personal touch on it.

That said, I would like to introduce you to three of the
well traveled tunes in the SRS collection.  The first is
Mrs. McLeod.  She's an 18th century tune, written in A, and
her original title is Mrs McLeod of Raasay.  However, she is
usually known as just Mrs McLeod, or even Miss McLeod. 
Scottish tune books have her in the key of A.  Some of the
American books, notably Cole's, have her in key of G.  The
melody line has changed a bit, too.  When she landed in
Appalachia, she reversed her A and B, changed her name and
found words.  The verse, "Did you ever see the devil, Uncle
Joe, Uncle Joe?", is sung to the B part and the instrument,
either banjo or fiddle, plays the A part between verses.  
Money Musk is an 18th century strathspey by Daniel Dow. 
When it landed here it shook off its strathspey
characteristics, became a reel and is played for the contra
dance of the same name.  The tune is 16 bars long and the
dance is 24 so an 8 bar tag was written to accommodate the
dance.

A tune that has recently gone East rather than West is Laxo
Burn, by Shetland fiddler Arthur Scott Robinson.  While the
B music is excitingly unique, the A music has its roots in
Quebec.  The earliest reference I have found is in a
collection of music played by Joseph Allard, born near
Montreal in 1873.  He called it Reel de Hotelier.  Don
Messer, from Prince Edward Island, published it in his
collection as The Chamberlain.  It is also in The Portland
Collection as Reel de Remy.  

If any of you know of a traveling tune, let me know and I
will mention it another time.  Until then, play the tunes
and think of all the others who have played and enjoyed them
from one side of the world to the other. 


SRSNH APPEARS AT NHHG GAMES
-by Barbara McOwen

The SRSNH has been performing at the New Hampshire Highland
Games at Loon Mountain since 1993, and so 2000 marks our
eighth appearance, with over 40 members signing up to
represent the group. Our longest-standing performance is
Saturday morning at the Governor Adams Lodge. We get to
perform some of our favorite concert sets, invite our
out-of-town members and friends to join us, take musician
and audience requests, and hear some unexpected solos from
various Games artists, all in a wonderfully informal
atmosphere. We have done a repeat performance of this on
Sunday afternoons in recent years. 

This year's appearance at the Games marked a transition year
between me and Sylvia as Music Director of the SRSNH, and we
celebrated this exciting moment with a "passing of the
baton" during each session.  This year also we played for
the Scottish Country Dance Ball on Saturday night, as we
have done occasionally in past years. I think the Ball has
finally found an appropriate venue in the Heritage Center.
There's plenty of room to dance, finally, and even plenty of
room for our 35+ players in the band! The sound was
marvelous, and the dance program, devised by NHHG Social
Dance Chair MaryEllen Scannell, included lots of SRSNH
favorites.

SRSNH members also played for the Scottish country dance
classes and demonstration, volunteered at various
competitions and other Games events, competed (and won) some
competitions, and kept the music going into the evening at
the SRSNH condos and other creative instrument-friendly
zones in the Lincoln N.H. area.  Many thanks go to the New
Hampshire Highland Games staff and volunteers for working
all year to create such a wonderful event.  It's a great
opportunity to welcome some new members and our out-of-town
members and friends. And the local membership of the SRSNH,
as always, worked together and played together with gusto
and congeniality. We certainly did have a lot of fun with
Scottish music this weekend! 

MORE NH HIGHLAND GAMES RESULTS 

Last month, we didn't yet have the results of the harp,
dance, pipe, & drum competitions at Loon. SRSNH members and
friends who won trophy awards are:

Harp: 
 Open, Taurean Chasse, 2nd place
Jr. Amateur, Dominique Dodge, 1st place

Highland Dance:
NH Pre-Premier Dancer, Johanna Blackman
New England Championships:
Northern New England Award, Nancy Carbonneau
Nationals: 
Northern New England Award, Megan Marsh
NH Premier Dancer, Nancy Carbonneau

Drum Corp:  Grade II, Tulach Ard, 1st place

Pipe Band:  Grade II, Tulach Ard, 3rd place

Congratulations to all the competitors and to the winners,
and apologies to anyone inadvertently left off the list. 
For complete results in all competitions, visit the NHHG web
site at www.nhscot.org 


GALA CONCERT - "A CROFTER'S STORY"
-by Gail Birch

Thanks to so many people who have volunteered, the gala
concert is coming together very well this year. We miss Cal
and wish him a speedy recovery, but production continues on
schedule, with Sandy Lafleur and many others taking care of
the many details of the show.

We are fortunate to have the NH School of Scottish Arts
joining us again to provide many of the solo and dance
numbers.  Lezlie Webster and Myles Matteson will be piping.
Dancers Liz and Hannah Bailey, Amy Holdsworth, Sarah Marsh,
and Alicia Lekas will do Highland and Cape Breton step
dances.  Maggie Carchrie will be singing and leading the
women's chorus.  Madison Daniels and little Kiana will
sing.  We also have sets of contra dancers and Scottish
Country Dancers from our own ranks, and Kip Ferguson will
lead the men's chorus.  With the beautiful music of Fred
Gosbee and Julia Lane's Skye Suite, and of course the SRSNH
orchestra, our concert promises to be a wonderful treat for
our audience. A reminder to all:  We need each member to
bring a plate of cookies or other finger foods for the
refreshment table. Also, please get tickets from Mary Mokler
soon, and sell as many as you can.  Let's make this concert
another sell-out!  
 

SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS CONCERTS
A Scottish Christmas concert series featuring Bonnie
Rideout, Maggie Sansone, Tony Cuffe, Jerry O'Sullivan, Paddy
League, Robert McOwen, and Jen Schoonover is playing all
over the country in November and December - from Florida to
Michigan, California to Washington DC, but not, sad to say,
in New England.  Here are the cities & dates, for those of
you who are lucky enough to find yourselves in the right
place at the right time this holiday season:
Frederick, MD, November 29
Easton, PA, November 30
DeKalb, IL, December 1
Sturgis, MI, December 2
Clinton Township, MI, December 3
Big Rapids, MI, December 4
Berea, KY, December 7
Decorah, IA, December 8
Naples, FL, December 10
Clearwater, FL, December 11
Torrance, CA, December 15
Ogden, UT, December 16
Albuquerque, NM, December 17
Washington, DC, Dec. 19 & 20
Easton, MD, December 21
For a complete listing of dates, times, and locations, check
the schedule at www.maggiesmusic.com. 


CLAN DU SPEAKS
-Clan Du press release  

Celtic jazz?  Traditional Cape Breton?  Irish rock?   The
exhilarating band Clan Du has it all.  The five musicians,
whose average age is 17, perform many original and
traditional tunes from Scotland, Ireland, Cape Breton, and
Brittany on more than 20 instruments.  
Jazz-man Phil Selesnick of Concord performs on piano and
keyboards. Myles Matteson of Epsom plays the great Highland
pipes, Scottish smallpipes, border pipes, and electronic
pipes as well as a tune or two on whistle.  Mark Record of
Rehobeth, MA, is the band's smooth and inventive drummer and
percussionist.  Emerald Forman, who hails from Hamilton, MA,
plays terrific fiddle and also dances in the Cape Breton
step-dance style.  Tyler Matteson, also of Epsom,
specializes in strings - cittern, guitar, mandolin, fiddle,
bass, and tenor banjo - and is the composer of much of the
band's original music. Clan Du's new CD "Attitude"
exemplifies the diversity and energy of this young group.
For booking information or to puchase a CD, call
603-736-8185.  

SRSNH EVENTS

Gatherings on Sunday afternoons, 1-5 pm, Annichiarico Music
Theater, Thompson & S. Main Sts, Concord, N.H. All ages, all
instruments, all levels welcome; free, with potluck
refreshments. December 17, January 28, February 25.

A Crofter's Story, SRSNH Gala Concert 2000, featuring
Castlebay and the SRSNH Orchestra.  Sunday, November 26,
3:00 p.m., Concord City Auditorium, 39 Green St., Concord,
NH.  All seats reserved, $15, $12, $9; for tickets call
603-286-8211 between 8 am & 8 pm, or mok@worldpath.net .

Scottish Country Dance Ball, April 14, Salem, MA.  Rehearsal
in the afternoon, pot luck supper, play for the evening
dance party.  Sign up with Sylvia Miskoe, 102 Little Pond
Rd., Concord, NH  03301, 603-225-6546, smiskoe@aol.com 

CALENDAR 

Scottish Country Dance Classes for Children, ages 7 & up,
Sunday afternoons (only 2 left) Nov. 12, Nov. 26, Park Ave.
Congregational Church, Arlington, MA; contact Priscilla
Adams, 508-428-4231

St. Andrew' s Society of NH Annual Meeting,  Luncheon &
First Annual Charity Auction, November 18, begins 11:30 am,
Holiday Inn, Concord, NH.  $25 includes buffet luncheon,
entertainment including Haggis ceremony, & 
P/M Gordon Webster & students from NH School of Scottish
Arts. Reservations required; SASE & check to Annual Meeting
c/o Gooch, 276 Haley Rd. Kittery, ME, or call 207-439-4887;
www.lochdhu.com/sasnh 

Kate Rusby with John McCusker, November 19, 8 pm, Museum of
Our National Heritage, 33 Marrett Rd., Lexington, MA,
781-862-7837

Pinewoods Ball Benefit, Saturday December 2, Gourmet Potluck
at 6pm, Dancing at 8pm, with music by Och, Aye (Marianne
Taylor, Anne Hooper, Terry Traub, Howard Lasnik);  Hamilton
Hall, Salem MA, $20 per person; Dianne Kohlhofer, 44 Beaver
St., Salem, MA 01971-1401, phone & fax 978-745-6505

Clan Du, December 15, Borders Books & Music, Fort Eddy Rd.,
Concord, NH, 8pm; free

Scottish Country Dance Ball celebrating the 50th year of the
Boston Branch, with music by Highland Whisky; December 31,
2000, 8 pm, Hamilton Hall, Salem, MA, $20 per person,
advance reservations required; send check made out to RSCDS
Boston Branch to Flo Hearn, 18 Maurice Rd., Wellesley, MA
02482-4633, list all names.

MORE WEBSITES OF CELTIC INTEREST

www.srsnh.org - the new improved address for SRSNH

www.maggiesmusiccom - label representing over 33 albums and
7 artists, specializing in Celtic, Scottish, holiday, &
kids' music on acoustic folk instruments

www.mv.com/ipusers/celticbeat/index.html -Celtic Beat
Magazine , now a monthly publication, with extensive
calendar & interviews with performers. 
 

SESSIONS, JAMS, DANCES

2nd Sundays - English dancing, 6:30-9:30pm., at the Old
Concord Hospital, Pleasant Street, Concord, NH. $6, or $5
for ECDSNH members. Call Judith Ackerson (603)934-2543, or
jnoska@cyberportal.net .

3rd Sundays - English dancing, 7-9:30 pm., at the Portsmouth
Ballroom. Portsmouth, NH, $6 or $5 for ECDSNH members. Call
Dave Bateman (603)886-5071 or dbateman@net1plus.com .

3rd Sundays - Gaelic Club, 3-7 pm. at the Canadian American
Club, Watertown, Mass. Info: Peggy Morrison, (978)858-3792.
Mondays - Slow jam, 7-9pm+, at Fiddler's Loft, 19 Marshall
Rd., Kingston, NH. $5/night. Info: Albert Brien
(603)642-5434, Fidlerloft@aol.com .

Tuesdays - Scottish Country Dance, 6-8pm., at the Fitchburg
Library, Main St., Fitchburg, MA. Call Gail Birch (978)
597-8016.

Tuesdays - Irish/Celtic Sessions at The Barley House
Restaurant and Tavern, 132 North Main Street,  Concord, NH
7:00 to 10:00 PM.  (603) 229-0083

1st Tuesdays - Slow Jams, 6-7:30pm, Park Avenue
Congregational Church, Arlington Hts., MA. Info:
(617)-522-5887.

3rd Tuesdays - sessions with hired teachers, variety of
traditions, 6:30-8pm, First Cambridge Baptist Church,
Cambridge, MA donation, 617-522-5887

2nd & 4th Tuesdays- "Play Togethers" with Michael Kenney,
1st Cambridge Baptist Church, 5 Magazine St., Cambridge MA
617-492-7323

Wednesdays - Merrimack Valley Scottish Country Dancers, SCD
classes, beginning Sept. 6:  children's class at 6 pm,
adults at 7:30 pm at the Odd Fellows Home, Pleasant St.,
Concord, NH Contact Brenda Janssen, (603) 226-2739.

1st Wednesdays - Jam session, 7pm., at the K of C Hall, Elm
St., Milford, .3 from oval. Info: Sandy Lafleur
(603)673-8497. 

3rd Wednesdays - Swedish fiddle night, 7pm., at the home of
Nancy Kalinski.  Call or e-mail for directions,
swedishfiddler@hotmail.com 

Wed or Thurs - Scottish Country Dance, 7-9pm., in the
Chandler Library, Nashua, NH. Call Loren Wright
(603)891-2331.

2nd and 4th Thur - Beginner jam, 7-9pm, Fiddler's Loft (see
Monday's info), free

3rd Fridays - Contra Dances, 8-11pm, Town Hall, Kensington,
NH; $6; Claire 603-772-3558

3rd Fridays - Square and Contra Dances presented by Roaring
Jelly, Lexington, Mass. Susan Elberger, Caller, and Debby
Knight, Music Director. To dance or join band, call
(781)-944-3544, www.toc.lcs.mit.edu/~slonim/rjelly.html . 

4th Fridays - Contra Dance, 8-11pm, at the Town Hall,
Milford, NH. Open band. Contact Sylvia Miskoe, (603)
225-6546.

Saturday afternoon - play fiddle with John Campbell at his
home in Watertown Mass. Call John for specific dates and
times (617)924-1837.

2nd Saturdays - Contra dance, 8-11, at Francestown, NH, Town
Hall. Call or e-m for info  Frank Woodward, (603) 487-2480
or yankee@grolen.com .

Saturday afternoons - Community Traditional Music Sessions, 
3-6, Fox Library, Arlington, MA., Oct 28; Nov 11 and 18 Dec
2 and 16.; $1 per person for hall rental. Info: Laura at
(781)646-7522, or call 781-643-3603.   


A REMINDER: 

Deadline for December articles is Friday, Nov. 24. 
No calendar dates before Dec 8 will be included.


PUBLISHERS MESSAGE
 
Granite Skyes is published monthly (10 issues) between September 
and June by the Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire. 
Subscription $6/yr ($10 overseas). Individual domestic memberships 
cost $14/yr; please inquire about other rates. Edited by Ellen Bassett. 
All items welcome, depending on space available; e-mail by the 
1st Friday of the month for inclusion in the mid-month mailing to 
editorsrsnh@juno.com in text only format. Electronic Editor is Elly Abelson. 
Email subscription is free. The SRSNH Web Page is maintained by 
Terry Traub, http://world.std.com/~ttraub/srsnh.


SRSNH OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
  
Music Director: Sylvia Miskoe
 
President: Sandy Lafleur

Vice President: Bob Reed

Secretary: Carolyn Marsh

Treasurer: Edward Los

Members-At-Large: 
Ellen Bassett
Nancy Kalinski 


SRSNH GATHERINGS 2000

Gala Concert, November 26
(no November gathering)
Sunday, December 17

Sundays, 1-5pm.
Free admission. All ages, all
instruments, all levels welcome;
potluck refreshments. Angela 
Annichiarico Music Theater
1 Thompson St, at S. Main St.
Exit 13 or 14 off I-93. 
Take S. Main St. to Thompson St., 
2 blocks S of Pleasant St. (Rts. 202/9), 
1 block N of Capitol Center for the Arts. 
Park on S. Main, S. State, or in the lot 
across Thompson St. from the theater. 
Do not park in the resident's lot.


STRATHSPEY & REEL SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
102 Little Pond Rd.
Concord, NH 03301
603-225-6546
smiskoe@aol.com
www.srsnh.org