GRANITE SKYES
Newsletter of the Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire
Having Fun with Scottish Music
Volume 13, Number 7 -- March 2001

MARCH GATHERING
March 25  Sunday Afternoon, 1-5 pm.
Sylvia Miskoe,  Leader
Annichiaricho Theatre, S. Main St & Thompson St, Concord,
N.H.
 
 Approximate schedule:
 1:00 - 3:00  March's tunes
 3:00 - 3:30  Refreshments & Jamming
 3:30 - 5:00  Requests & Solos
 
 NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
 -by Sylvia Miskoe
 
This month is a potpourri of different tunes and ideas. 
 There is a march, the 25th King's Own Scottish Borderers'
 Farewell to Meerut.  I heard the Caledonian Scottish Fiddle
 Orchestra of Nova Scotia playing it on their CD, and asked
 their director, Allan MacDonald, to send me a copy of the
 tune.  When I first looked at the sheet of music I found it
 confusing and wondered just how to play it.  Then I played
 the tune on the CD as I followed the notation and could hear
 how it should sound - eyes and ears working together! 
 Rather than re-copy it I am giving it to you just as Allan
 sent it to me. The Dark Island has been part of the SRS
 collection since the first year.  Several years ago at Jay
 Ungar and Molly Mason's Ashokan music and dance week Jay
 used this tune for his 'Experimental Band' class.  We spent
 a week creating an arrangement to play for listening.  It is
 a listening arrangement and I think we will have fun
 learning how to put it together.  The Lowlands of Holland is
 a mid-1700's air.  Rodney Miller plays it on his new CD,
 Pure Quill.  It is from David Johnson's book, Music and
 Society in Lowlands Scotland in the 18th century.   Play it
 as written and then move it up one octave!  It goes well
 with some of our airs in G such as The Auld Resting Chair
 and Coilsfield House. The Black Bear Hornpipe is a pipe
 tune.  In all the various publications no one has listed a
 composer.  In spite of its title, it is frequently listed in
 the march section.  It's a great tune for an exit.  You can
 get the audience clapping in rhythm! 
 
 BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE
 -by Carolynn Marsh, Secretary
 
 Highlights from the February 28 meeting: The Scholarship
 Committee granted 2 scholarships, to Deirdre Rees and Ryan
 Thompson.  The nominating committee received no nominations
 by petition, so the slate will remain the same as reported
 last month.  Thanks go to both committees for their hard
 work.  SRSNH will perform at the June 2nd Southern NH Games;
 details are still under negotiation. This year's Gala is
 underway, with negotiations in progress with a potential
 headliner. Final approval was given to the amendments to the
 bylaws, which will be sent to members with the election
 ballot in the April mailing.  Dues were discussed, and it
 was decided that thanks to recent cost cutting and the
 existing reserve, dues would not need to be increased this
 year.

 Next Meetings: Tuesday March 20, Wednesday April 25.  All
 meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. at the NH School of Scottish
 Arts in Manchester, and are open to all members.  Please
 contact the secretary if you need directions.  Members
 wishing a complete copy of the Minutes should contact the
 Secretary at whimsyhill@aol.com 
 
 A BRIEF HISTORY OF BYLAWS
 -Sandy Lafleur, President 
 
Next month, SRSNH members will find a ballot for proposed
 amendments to the SRSNH Bylaws and election of officers with
 their newsletters.  In the spring of 1997, Bob Mazziotti and
 Frank Woodward volunteered to study the Bylaws and make
 recommendations to the Board.  After several months of
 study, they proposed 5 amendments.  These were revised and
 voted on by the membership in the spring of 1999.  The votes
 were overwhelmingly in favor of the changes, but less than
 half of the membership voted.  The vote failed because the
 Bylaws required any amendment to have the majority vote of
 the entire membership.  Then President Mike Vose led an
 effort to amend Article 11 of the Bylaws, pertaining to
 amending the Bylaws.  In October 1999, the membership
 responded to pleas for voter participation, and a majority
 of the total membership voted to allow future amendments to
 the Bylaws by a 2/3 majority of all returned ballots. 
 Beginning last fall, Vice President, Bob Reed led the Board
 in a comprehensive review of the Bylaws.  What you will see
 next month will be the proposed amendments and the reasoning
 behind them.  You will also be looking at the culmination of
 several years of hard work by 4 generations of SRSNH Board
 members.  Please read them carefully and feel free to
 contact any Board member if you have questions.
 And please, vote!  Thanks. 
 
SRSNH BACK MUSIC SETS

Complete collections of 12 years of the SRSNH back music are
now available.  Volume I contains years 1-6, and Volume II
years 7-12.  Each volume is spiral bound, with a plastic
cover, and has a complete index.  You can purchase them by
sending a check to SRSNH Back Music, 102 Little Pond Rd.,
Concord, NH  03301.  The price had not been set by the
newsletter's printing deadline, but should be by the time
this gets to your mailbox. Contact any board member (see the
list below) for pricing information. Many thanks to Allen
Brown for all the time and hard work he put into making
these sets!


 REVIEWERS PLEASE!
 
We will soon have Dave Wiesler's newest CD for reviewing. 
 If you write a review, you keep the CD.  First come, first
 served - please contact Ellen Bassett at 603-783-4261,
 ebassett@cheerful.com, and it will be on its way to you. 
 
 SALEM SCD PARTY
 
It's not too late to sign up to play at the Salem, MA
 Scottish Country Dance party on Saturday, April 14. 
 Rehearsal will begin at 4 pm, potluck dinner at 6, and the
 dance begins at 8 pm.  The music is ready, so if you haven't
 received your music yet, or if you'd like to sign up,
 contact Sylvia Miskoe at 102 Little Pond Rd., Concord NH
 03301, 603-225-6546, or smiskoe@aol.com 
 
 GALA 2001
 
Make your Thanksgiving weekend plans in New England this
 year, because you'll want to play in the Gala.  This year's
 Gala will be a concert featuring the SRSNH orchestra led by
 Sylvia Miskoe, and a guest musician as headliner.  Brian
 Mokler will be the producer. Negotiations are underway for
 the headliner, and an announcement will be made when they
 are completed - there will be some exciting news to tell! 
 
 SRSNH SCHOLARSHIPS 
 
Congratulations to Deirdre Rees and Ryan Thompson,
 recipients of the spring scholarships.  Ryan will be
 attending the American Fiddle Tunes festival and Deirdre
 will attend the Gaelic Roots festival, partially supported
 by their SRSNH scholarships.  The next round of scholarships
 will be granted in August.  To apply, contact Scholarship
 Committee chairman Don Young at 4 Bridge St., Berwick, ME
 03901-2212.
 
 NHSSA NEWS
 by Gordon & Lezlie Webster
 
Don't forget the NH Indoor Games Highland Dancing & Piping
 Competition, April 7, 2001 at Memorial High School in
 Manchester, NH.  Stay for the fabulous concert on Saturday
 night after the Games featuring Alasdair Gillies & James
 McIntosh, both world-class pipers.  Joyce McIntosh, our
 dancing judge will be performing, as will dancers from the
 NH School of Scottish Arts and Tulach Ard Pipe Band! 
 Concert tickets are on sale at the school, at the Games and
 at the door.  Admission to the Games is FREE!  Great raffle
 prizes!  You'll find the details at our Web Page,
 www.nhssa.org or call 603-621-9949 for information.
 
 BERTHA MACDONALD SCHOLARSHIPS
 
Students of Scottish performing arts who have at least 2
 years' experience in their specialty are invited to apply to
 the St. Andrew's Society of New Hampshire for a Bertha
 MacDonald scholarship.  Preference is given to New England
 students.  For further information or to apply, contact The
 St. Andrew's Society of NH, c/o Mrs. Tammy Melcher, 23
 Exeter Rd., Hampton, NH  03842, or the NH School of Scottish
 Arts, 603-621-9949.
 
 SRSNH OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, & COMMITTEES
 
 Music Director:  Sylvia Miskoe
 Board of Directors:  Sandy Lafleur, Pres.; Bob Reed, VP, Ed
 Los, Treas., Carolynn Marsh, Sec., Ellen Bassett & Nancy
 Kalinski, Members at large & Sylvia Miskoe, Music Director
 Scholarship Committee:  Don Young, Chairman, Marjory Swope,
 Lynn McElroy
 Nominating Committee: Elly Abelson, Keith Knight
   
 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. March 25, April 29, May 27, June 24.
 
 Scottish Country Dance Ball, April 14, Salem, MA.  Rehearsal
 4pm, potluck supper 6pm, play for the 8pm dance party.  Sign
 up with Sylvia Miskoe, 102 Little Pond Rd., Concord NH 
 03301, 603-225-6546. smiskoe@aol.com 
 
 Scottish Country Dance Ball, April 21, at NEFFA, Natick, MA,
 6:30 pm.  Sign up with Sandy Lafleur, 603- 673-8497 or at
 Strumma@aol.com
 
 3rd Annual Southern NH Scottish Games and Celtic Music
 Festival, Saturday, June 2, Oak Park in Greenfield, NH. 
 Sign up with Sylvia Miskoe, 603-225-6546 or smiskoe@aol.com 
 
 CALENDAR
 
 Benefit Concert with Raymond Ellis and Terry Traub, March
 17, concert 7pm, dancing 8-midnight, French-American Victory
 Club, 193 Elm Street, Waltham, MA  617-559-9903
 
 Benefit Concert with Buddy McMaster, Halali, Laura Risk,
 John Campbell, & Frank Ferrel, March 18, 3-6 pm, The
 Canadian American Club, 202 Arlington St. Watertown, MA. 
 Janine Randall 781-54-3179 or Laura Risk 781-488-5084
 
 Alasdair Fraser & Tony McManus in Concert (3 times!):
 Friday, 3/30/2001, Brattleboro VT, First Baptist Church, 190
 Main St., 8pm,  $15advance, $18 at the door. 802-257-1571.
 Saturday, 3/31/2001, Bath ME, Chocolate Church Cultural
 Center / 207-442-8455 www.chocolatechurcharts.org 
 Sunday, 4/01/2001, Lexington MA / Museum Of Our National
 Heritage, 781-862-7837 www.music-for-robin.org/
 
 NH Indoor Games, Highland Dancing & Piping competitions,
 April 7, Manchester NH.  NH School of Scottish Arts,
 603-621-9949 or www.nhssa.org 
 
 Concert featuring Alasdair Gillies, Ed Neigh, Jimmy
 McIntosh, Joyce McIntosh, Tulach Ard Pipe Band, and the
 students and faculty of NHSSA, April 7, Memorial High
 School, Manchester, NH, $12, $8, $5, available at NHSSA,
 603-621-9949, at the NH Indoor Games, or at the door.
 www.nhssa.org 
 
 St. Patrick's day session Saturday March 17, 8pm Barley
 House, Concord, NH.  Traditional Irish music in the
 afternoon, Bodaich 8 pm Barley House  603-228-6363.
 
 Clan Du St. Patrick's Day Celebration, Saturday, March 17,
 7:30 pm, Annichiaricho Theatre, Concord, NH  $10.  736-8185.
 
 Scottish Arts Indoor Competition, April 21, Shrewsbury, MA. 
 Highland Dancing, Solo Piping, Scottish Vendors, Shortbread
 and Tea and FREE!  Info - www.scottisharts.org 
 
 Celtic Crossroads,  Celtic music and traditions, May 4-6,
 2001, Lincoln, NH.  Call 877-564-SCOT or
 http://www.nhscot.org/
 
 Fiddle Course, June 8-11, taught by Iain Fraser & Karen
 Steven, Dornoch, Scotland, Karen.Steven@thurso.uhi.ac.uk 
 
 Old Songs Festival of Traditional Music and Dance, June 22,
 23, 24, includes traditional Scottish singers Allison
 McMorland and Tom Spiers, Altamont, 518-765-2815
 www.oldsongs.org  
 
 English-Scottish Session at Pinewoods, July 2-6, 2001; for
 more information call Howard Brezner, Registrar,
 518-456-1731, or www.geocities,com/SoHo/Courtyard/8534/ 
 
 Pinewoods Scottish Sessions , July 6-14:, Music classes will
 be taught by Pat Clark (U.K.), Liz Donaldson (MD) and
 Barbara McOwen (MA). Spaces limited. Mary Ellen Scannell, 97
 Birch St, Lynn, Mass. 01902, 781-593-5949, scannell@gis.net 
 
 Summer programs in Scottish music, dance, & culture at
 University of Stirling,
 http://www.stir.ac.uk/daice/summer.htm  
 
 SESSIONS, JAMS, DANCES
 
 2nd Sundays - English dancing, 6:30-9:30pm., Old Concord
 Hospital, Pleasant Street, Concord, NH. $6, or $5 for ECDSNH
 members. Judith Ackerson (603) 934-2543, or
 jnoska@cyberportal.net
 
 3rd Sundays - English dancing, 7-9:30 pm., 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. , Canadian American Club,
 Watertown, MA. Peggy Morrison, (978) 858-3792
 
 Mondays - Slow jam, 7-9pm+, Fiddler's Loft, 19 Marshall Rd.,
 Kingston, NH. $5/night, Albert Brien (603) 642-5434,
 Fidlerloft@aol.com
 
 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,: 
 children's class 6 pm, adults 7:30 pm, Odd Fellows Home,
 Pleasant St., Concord, NH Brenda Janssen, (603)226-2739
 
 1st Wednesdays - Jam session, 7pm., K of C Hall, Elm St.,
 Milford, .3 from oval. 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., Chandler
 Library, Nashua, NH. Loren Wright (603) 891-2331
 
 1st Thursdays:  Contra dance, Dover City Hall, 8:00 -
 Lamprey River Band, guest callers and musicians invited. $5;
 Peter Yarensky 603-664-2513
 
 2nd and 4th Thursdays - Beginner jam, 7-9pm, Fiddler's Loft
 (see Monday's info), free
 
 2nd Fridays: Contra dance, Kittery, ME Grange Hall (now
 called the Left Banke), 8:00 - various bands. $6
 
 3rd Fridays - Contra Dances, 8-11pm, Town Hall, Kensington,
 NH; $6; Claire 603-772-3558
 
 3rd Fridays - Square and Contra Dances 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, Town Hall, Milford, NH.
 Open band. Sylvia Miskoe, (603) 225-6546
 
 Saturday afternoon - play fiddle with John Campbell at his
 home in Maynard, Mass. For specifics, John 978-897-7031
 
 Saturday afternoons - Community Traditional Music Sessions, 
 3-6, Fox Library, Arlington, MA., Mar 24, Apr, 7 & 28, May 5
 & 19, June 2.; $1 per person for hall rental. Laura at (781)
 646-7522, or call 781-643-3603
 
 2nd Saturdays - Contra dance, 8-11, Francestown, NH, Town
 Hall.  Frank Woodward, (603) 487-2480, yankee@grolen.com 
 
 4th Saturdays - Contra dance, Dover City Hall, 8:30 -
 various bands. $7, 603-659-7038
 
 A REMINDER: Deadline for April articles is April 6.  No
 calendar dates before April 15 will be included.

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
ebassett@cheerful.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.

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