Granite Skyes, Vol. 14, No. 3, November 2001

NO NOVEMBER GATHERING

GALA SCOTTISH CONCERT WITH JERRY HOLLAND, THE SRSNH ORCHESTRA, ROBERT 
McOWEN AND JEN SCHOONOVER, THE NHSSA PIPERS AND DANCERS, AND MORE
Sunday, November 25, 2:30 pm
Concord City Auditorium
Concord, N.H.
srsnhgala@aol.com or Mary Mokler at 603-286-8211


NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
  -- by Sylvia Miskoe

There is no new music this month, because the concert replaces the 
monthly session.  See you at the concert, and we'll have some great 
new tunes for December.


BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE
  -- by Carolynn Marsh, Secretary

Highlights from the October meeting: Our October BOD meeting was 
efficient (read relatively quick) and focused. Brian, our GALA 
producer, continues to keep us abreast of the upcoming GALA. A new 
Policy for the Merchandise Table and Inventory Form was adopted and 
should be available for members to review and complete in advance of 
the GALA if you are planning on selling merchandise. An Audience 
Response questionnaire was also hammered out. Sylvia did not have any 
news Re: other gig/updates. SRSNH will not be performing at First 
Night Portsmouth. Bob will be looking into the details of First Night 
Wolfeboro for us. Regrettably there has been no response in our 
efforts to form a committee to explore the position of Music 
Director. We need your help on this one. Please contact Bob Reed, or 
any BOD member. Finally, the BOD voted to donate the cost ($25.00) of 
one ticket to the Tony Cuffe Benefit Concert.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 28. All meetings begin at 7:30 pm 
at the N.H. 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.


CALLING ALL MEMBERS
  -- by Barbara McOwen, Membership Chair

November's mailing is always the critical point for renewing 
memberships. Our membership cycle is September 1 - August 31. If you 
were a member last year and haven't yet renewed, you are already past 
your two-month grace period. If you're not sure, you can always check 
your mailing label. If the date on it reads 9/1/01, then you are no 
longer a member; you will get the occasional newsletter, but no music 
and other member perks unless you re-join. If you have any questions, 
or find any errors, contact me as soon as possible. You are welcome 
to renew at any time of the year, but it may take a month or two to 
get any mailings you missed while you were officially not a member.

For those just joining up for the first time: feel free also to join 
up at any time of the year. Our all-volunteer staff will get you onto 
the mailing cycle as soon as possible. Your membership is retroactive 
to the previous September 1, and you will get any newsletters and 
music you missed, if any, in a separate mailing, again by our 
hardworking all-volunteer staff, as soon as possible.

If you are a new or renewing member as of October 15th, enclosed to 
all current members with this mailing is the 2001 Membership Roster.


GALA 2001 FINAL UPDATE
  -- by Brian Mokler, Producer

It's only a little over a week (2 weeks for email recipients) now 
until the Scottish music event of the season. The program is 
developing well and is going to be a lot of fun for both the 
performers and the audience. Seats are still available, especially in 
the lower price categories. Call (603-286-8211) or e-mail 
(SRSNHgala@aol.com) now to reserve seats for your friends or family.

Schedule reminder: The next rehearsal is Saturday, Nov 17, 1-5 pm at 
the Concord City Auditorium ("Audi") which is on Prince Street just 
off Green Street, about two blocks from the N.H. Capitol. The 
mandatory dress rehearsal is Saturday, Nov 24, 1-5 pm at Lakeshore 
Farm in Northwood. This is located just off NH Route 107. Directions 
will be distributed at the Nov 17 rehearsal or can be provided by 
e-mail from SRSNHgala@aol.com. Finally, we gather at the Audi at 9:30 
the morning on Sunday, Nov 25, for final details, stage arranging, 
and so forth. Then an afternoon of great music followed (after 
cleanup of the Audi) by an evening of fun, pizza, and more music at 
Sylvia's.


FROM THE SRSNH MAILBOX

Dear Friends.
Thank you for sending me the latest issue of Granite Skyes and 
announcement of your up-coming Gala Scottish Concert. My mother, 
Janet Giddens, would be so pleased to see this year the concert is 
featuring her friend, Jerry Holland!! Is that the father or his son, 
as my mother accompanied them both? The last Gala Concert Mom played 
in, we had four generations of our family in attendance!! Please find 
a donation to SRSNH in memory of my mother...she has been gone 5 
years now. The SRS and the Giddens' String Band were such an 
important part of her life. There she enjoyed so many friends and the 
music she loved to play!! I wish you a very successful Gala concert 
this year.
Sincerely,
Hazel Raymond.


FEBRUARY SESSION LEADER NEEDED

SRSNH needs someone to lead the February 24th session, as Sylvia will 
be away. You pick out the tunes, 2 to 3 pages worth, get them to 
Ellen Bassett by the first of February, and lead the session. It's 
lots of fun. Please let Sylvia know if you are interested, 
603-225-6546 or smiskoe@aol.com


10 COMMANDMENTS FOR JAMMING
  -- submitted by an alert reader

I.  Thou shalt not ever forsake the beat.

II.  Thou shalt arrange thyselves in a small circle so that thou 
mayest hear and see the other musicians. Thou shalt listen with thine 
ears to the songs and attempt to play in accord with the group; also, 
open thine eyes betimes to look about thee, lest there be some visual 
sign someone is endeavoring to send thee. Thou shalt play softly when 
someone lifteth his voice in song, when playing harmony, and when 
thou knowest not what thou art doing.

III.  Thou shalt play in tune. Tune thine instrument well, and tune 
it often with thine electric tuner, lest the sounds emanating from 
thine instrument be unclean.

IV.  Thou shalt commence and cease playing each tune together as one, 
so that the noise ye make be a joyful noise, and not a heinous 
tinkling that goeth in fits and starts, for that is unclean, and is 
an abomination. Whensoever a musician sticketh forth his foot, as 
though he were afflicted with a cramp in the fatted calf, thou must 
complete the rest of that verse, and then cease.

V.  Thou shalt stick out thine own foot or else lift up thy voice 
crying "This is it!" or "Last time!" if thou hast been the one to 
begin the song, and it has been played sufficient times over. If the 
one who began a tune endeth it not by one of these signs, then the 
tune will just go on and on, like the Old Testament, until the 
listeners say, "Hark! It all soundeth the same."

VI.  Thou shalt concentrate and thou shalt not confound the music by 
mixing up the A part and the B part. Most songs, but not all, 
proceedeth according to the ancient law "AABB." But if thou sinneth 
in this regard, or make any mistake that is unclean, thou may atone - 
not by ceasing to play - but by reentering the tune in the proper 
place and playing on.

  VII. Thou shalt be ever mindful of the key the banjo is tuned in, 
and play many tunes in that key, for the banjo is but a lowly 
instrument, which must needs be retuned each time there is a key 
change.

VIII. Thou shalt not speed up or slow down accidentally when playing 
a tune, for it is an abomination. (See commandment I)

IX.  Thou shalt not, by thine own self, commence noodling off on a 
tune the other musicians know not, unless asked or unless thou art 
teaching that tune, for it is an abomination, and the other musicians 
will not hold thee guiltless, and shall take thee off their computer 
lists, yea, even unto the third and the fourth generation.

X. Thou shalt have fun and play well.


SRSNH OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, & COMMITTEES

Music Director:  Sylvia Miskoe

Board of Directors:
   Sandy Lafleur, President
   Bob Reed, Vice President
   Ed Los, Treasurer
   Carolynn Marsh, Secretary
   Ellen Bassett & Bruce Cobb, Members at large
   Sylvia Miskoe, Music Director

Scholarship Committee: Don Young, Chairman; Marjory Swope; Lynn McElroy


SRSNH EVENTS

Gatherings on Sunday afternoons, 1-5 pm, Annichiarico Music Theater, 
Thompson & South Main Sts, Concord, N.H. All ages, all instruments, 
all levels welcome; free, with potluck refreshments. December 30, 
January 27, February 24.

Gala Concert with Jerry Holland and the SRSNH Orchestra, Sunday, 
November 25, 2:30 pm, Concord City Auditorium, Concord, N.H., 
srsnhgala@aol.com or Mary Mokler at 603-286-8211


CALENDAR

Barbara McOwen's fiddle students will be playing at the November 
session of the Gaelic Club, Sunday afternoon November 18, some time 
during 3-7 pm. See item under "Sessions Jams Dances" for contact 
info. Everyone is always welcome to attend, chat with friends, listen 
to great music, play a solo or group set.

HALALI (Hanneke Cassel, Laura Cortese, Lissa Schneckenburger, Flynn 
Cohen) Tuesday, Nov. 27 at Johnny D's, Somerville, MA, 17 Holland St. 
8:30 pm. Tickets/Info: $8, 617-776-2004

A storytelling doubleheader: "Ulysses in Hades" plus "Celtic tales of 
the other world." Wednesday, Nov 28 at 8 pm. Passim, 47 Palmer St., 
Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA. Info at: 508-879-0361 or lake@gis.net.

A Scottish Christmas, with fiddler Bonnie Rideout, and Highland 
dancers Romey Marah and Jennifer Schoonover, will make a New 
Hampshire appearance this year: Friday December 7, 7:30 pm, Colonial 
Theatre, Keene, N.H.

Childsplay in concert: 3 times!
Friday, December 7, Ipswich Performing Arts Center, Ipswich MA at 8 
pm. For ticket info call 978-356-1949

Saturday, December 8, Museum of Our National Heritage, Lexington MA, 
8 pm. For ticket info 617-354-1673 or send $20 per ticket (with SASE) 
to Childsplay, 120 Garden St, Cambridge MA 02138. General Admission 
seating only.

Sunday, December 9, 2001 Childsplay Children's Matinee, Museum of Our 
National Heritage, Lexington MA, 2 pm. Tickets: Children 12 and under 
($10), accompanied by an adult ($20). General Admission seating only


MORE WEB SITES OF CELTIC INTEREST

www.ceolas.org   Ceolas, the home of Celtic music on the internet 
since 1994. Ceolas houses the largest online collection of 
information on Celtic music, and has links to hundreds of related 
sites.

http://www.scottishdance.net/music/   The home page of the Scots-L 
mailing list, a Traditional Scottish Music and Culture discussion 
list. This site has, among other interesting things, lyrics to Niel 
Gow's 'Farewell to Whisky'

http://www.gaeliccollege.edu    The Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and 
Crafts, Baddeck, Nova Scotia

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/irish/FAQ.html    Frequently asked 
questions about Boston College's Gaelic Roots summer school and 
festival of music, song, and dance

http://www.neffa.org/~neffa/   The New England Folk Festival Association

http://www.monitor.net/~kimhughes/   Home page of the San Francisco 
Scottish Fiddlers

http://www.valleyofthemoon.org/   Valley of the Moon Scottish 
fiddling school, directed by Alasdair Fraser

http://www.lochdhu.com/sasnh/   The St. Andrew's Society of New Hampshire

http://home.istar.ca/~dougwick/   Bagpipe Player, downloadable music 
engraving and playing software program for Great Highland Bagpipes, 
made available free in the spirit of exchanging musical ideas amongst 
bagpipers. Small donation suggested.

http://www.tartanday.com/   Tartan Day information

http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/jokes/   A rich source of corny instrument jokes


SESSIONS, JAMS, DANCES

2nd Sundays - English Dancing, 6:30-9:30 pm, 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, 7-9 pm+, 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 7-10 pm, 603-229-0083

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

1st Wednesdays - Jam Session, 7 pm, Foodee's, in the Milford Oval, 
Milford, NH. Sandy Lafleur 603-673-8497

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

1st Thursdays - Contra Dance, Dover City Hall, 8 pm, Lamprey River 
Band, guest callers and musicians invited. $5; Peter Yarensky 
603-664-2513

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

Fridays - Seacoast Scottish Country Dance Class, Greenland Parish 
Hall on Rte 151, Greenland, NH, 7:30-9:30 pm, through end of June, 
resuming September 21, Laurie Stevens, 603-773-9795

1st Fridays - Contra Dance, Windham, NH Town Hall, ½ mi. W of exit 3, 
I-93; Neil Harvey 603-890-8907

2nd Fridays - Contra Dance, Kittery, ME Grange Hall (now called the 
Left Banke), 8 pm, various bands. $6

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, 8-11 pm, Town Hall, Milford, NH. Open 
band. Sylvia Miskoe, 603-225-6546

Saturday Afternoons - play fiddle with John Campbell at his home in 
Maynard, Mass. For specifics, John 978-897-7031

Saturday Afternoons - Arlington Community Traditional Music Sessions, 
Fox Library, Mass Ave & Cleveland St, 3-7 pm, $1 per person, 
781-646-7522 or 781-643-3603, Nov.17, Dec. 1

2nd Saturdays - Contra Dance, 8-11 pm, Francestown, NH, Town Hall. 
Frank Woodward, 603-487-2480, yankee@grolen.com

4th Saturdays - Contra Dance, Dover NH City Hall, 8:30 pm, various
bands. $7, 603-659-7038


A REMINDER: Deadline for December articles is December 1.  No 
calendar dates before December 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 of the month 
for inclusion in the mid-month mailing to ebassett@cheerful.com in 
text only format. Email subscription is free; send request to 
bmcowen@world.com. The SRSNH Web Page is maintained by Terry Traub, 
http://www.srsnh.org.