GRANITE SKYES
Volume 14 No. 9, May 2002


MAY GATHERING
May 19, Sunday Afternoon, 1-5 pm.
Sylvia Miskoe, Leader
Annicchiarico Theatre, S. Main St & Thompson St, Concord, N.H.

Approximate schedule:
1:00 - 2:30  May tunes
2:30 - 3:30 Annual Meeting & Refreshments
3:30 - 5:00 Requests & Solos


NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
  -- by Sylvia Miskoe

Last November at our Gala concert, Jerry Holland played an exquisite 
march-strathspey-reel set. (Everything he played was exquisite.) 
Several months later I saw him at the concert in Nelson, N.H., and 
asked him about the set of tunes in G. "Oh, they are from Paul 
Cranford's Lighthouse collection," he said. "We play them a lot." 
Paul Cranford has lived in Cape Breton since 1975. A fiddler, 
composer and publisher. The first, a march, is Margery Ross Stewart 
who was Paul's mother. The strathspey is Emily Stewart, Paul's aunt, 
and the reel is The Jovial Journalist. Paul writes that he wrote the 
tunes for his parents and his Aunt Emily and put them into a medley.

One of my friends describes the two jigs as outrageously fun to play. 
They are by contemporary Scottish Country Dance musicians and can be 
found in the Newcastle Collection. This is a collection of dance 
tunes by contemporary musicians and published by the Newcastle on 
Tyne Scottish Country Dance Branch. The Jimmy Harris Jig is by Angus 
Fitchet and Miss Bunty Clark's Fancy is by Jimmy Shand.

The two reels are 18th century pieces. Maxwell's Rant has a country 
dance by the same name and Polly Stewart is the suggested alternate 
tune. I have taken them from the RSCDS Book #18. Both of these tunes 
are phrased such that they may be played either AABB or ABAB. My 
personal preference if I am playing them for the dance is to play 
them AABB because the dance begins with an 8 bar cross over mirror 
reel at the beginning which is followed by an 8 bar cross back mirror 
reel. To me, the A music fits these two figures perfectly.


BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE

Highlights from the April 24 meeting: We are applying to Wolfeboro, 
N.H. First Night 2003; answer is expected in the fall.

The 2002 Gala is taking shape. Rodney Miller, N.H.'s own 
world-renowned Shetland fiddler, has accepted our invitation be the 
headliner. The key positions of house manager (Bill Fitzpatrick), 
ticket manager (Mary Mokler), program manager (Sandy Lafleur) and 
producer (Brian Mokler) have all been filled. However we are still in 
need of a dynamic, creative publicity manager.

Membership buttons and a CD for members of the 2001 Gala are under 
construction.

The big issue of the night was money. Some of SRSNH's fixed expenses 
have increased in recent years -- hall rental has doubled, and 
postage continues to rise. Dues currently account for about 20% of 
our revenue, and have not gone up for several years. In addition, the 
Music Director Search Committee recommended, and the board agreed, 
that the Music Director would be paid position starting in September 
2002; the yearly salary was set at $1500. Sylvia is expected to 
continue as Music Director for one more year, and she abstained from 
voting and discussion on this issue. As a result of the additional 
expense of the music director's pay and the increased expenses, it 
was decided, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth, that dues 
would increase to the following new rates:

Individual $20
Supporting $15
Overseas $25
Family $55
3 yr. Individual $55
3 yr. Family $88
Friend $50
Highlander $100
Newsletter only $8
Overseas newsletter only $17

Next Meeting: Tuesday, June 4. 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.


ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING ON MAY 19

Article 3, Section 6 of the Bylaws of the Strathspey & Reel Society 
of New Hampshire states: "An Annual Business Meeting open to all 
members in good standing will be held in May on a date and location 
to be specified by the Board of Directors. Members will be notified 
by mail at least ten days prior to the meeting."

This year's annual business meeting will be held during the May 
gathering, May 19, 2002, at the Annicchiarico Theater, 1 Thompson 
St., Concord, N.H. The gathering begins at 1 pm, and the annual 
meeting will begin at 2:30 pm. All members are encouraged to attend 
and participate. Non-members are welcome to attend.


NEFFA
  -- by Bob Reed

Each year at the New England Folk Festival, the Boston Branch of the 
Royal Scottish Country Dance Society performs a demonstration of 
Scottish country dances. This year, the SRSNH was asked to supply the 
music for the performance. The performance lasts about fifteen 
minutes and includes strathspeys, reels, and jigs in a medley format. 
Both dancers and musicians perform continuously, making the switch 
from one dance to another in a smooth, seamless transition. Somewhere 
in the NEFFA hierarchy it was decided that the whole SRSNH orchestra 
was too big to suit the closely-timed dance performance schedule, and 
only 7 members were allowed to play. Music Director Sylvia Miskoe had 
to make the tough decisions to create an ensemble to represent the 
SRSNH sound. Ellen Bassett (flute), Bruce Cobb (fiddle), Frank 
Woodward (bass), Marianne Taylor (piano) and Bob Reed (guitar) joined 
Sylvia Miskoe and her accordion on the Main Hall stage.

Sylvia worked closely with the dancers at their rehearsals and hosted 
three band rehearsals at her home during the month prior to NEFFA. 
Early Sunday afternoon at NEFFA, the band got together with the 
dancers for a run-through. The run-through was held outdoors and 
included unforeseen environmental hazards. Bystanders were recruited 
to catch up with music and music stands blowing about (thanks, 
Margaret!). The dancers and musicians posed for pictures and had a 
hard time keeping still in the wind chill, not to mention the effects 
on instruments.

Everyone assembled at last on the stage, warm at last. The 
performance itself went very well and surprisingly quickly. The 
audience certainly enjoyed the show and great fun was had by all. 
Judging by the comments heard, the Boston Branch dancers and the 
SRSNH musicians were a highlight of the demonstration sets. It was 
certainly a different arrangement for SRSNH, but most enjoyable 
experience for the lucky participants.


WESTON SCD BALL

We have been invited to play for the Weston Ball on June 1st at the 
Unitarian Universalist Church in Weston, Mass. We will rehearse at 4 
pm, pot luck supper at 6, and the dance begins at 8. Sign up with 
Sylvia Miskoe, 603-225-6546, smiskoe@aol.com. Music sets are now 
available, through Sylvia.


STIRLING SCOTTISH SUMMER SCHOOLS

Margery Stirling sends her greetings to her friends in SRSNH along 
with the following: Our programme of summer schools offers various 
Scottish music, dance, literature and history week/weekend courses 
throughout the summer and now also includes weekend courses at 
certain times during October/November/March/April each year. This 
will be our 25th summer programme and we will be hoping that new and 
previous participants might plan to come this year and next, 
especially when next year we will celebrate our 25th Anniversary 
programme. I am sure many of you will enjoy having one of our tutors 
in your midst in New Emgland in July, Jessie Stuart, an excellent 
Scottish Dance tutor and lovely lady. You realise that for this 
summer what is Stirling's loss is New England's gain. Although I 
confess I have a wonderful substitute tutor for our Scottish Country 
Dancing, ceilidh and Scottish traditional dancing for this summer in 
Anita Mackenzie. For more information about the Stirling Scottish 
Summer Schools, email Margery at m.f.stirling@stir.ac.uk or visit the 
web site at http://www.stir.ac.uk/daice/sss.


SRSNH OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEES, & VOLUNTEERS

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
Nominating Committee: Elly Abelson, Marlene Friedrich, Kathy Thompson
Scholarship Committee: Marjory Swope, Chair; Lynn McElroy, Gary Hume
Memberships, Email Newsletters: Barbara McOwen
Webmaster: Terry Traub
Monthly Mailings; Sabrina Matteson
Makeup Mailings: Allen Brown
Newsletter Editor: Ellen Bassett
T-shirts: Terry Hickman
Refreshments: Calvin Gardner


SRSNH EVENTS

Gatherings on Sunday afternoons, 1-5 pm, Annicchiarico Music Theater, 
Thompson & S. Main Sts, Concord, N.H. All ages, all instruments, all 
levels welcome; free, with potluck refreshments. May 19, June 30.

Scottish Country Dance, June 1, Weston Mass., potluck supper then we 
play for the dance. Details to follow. Sign up with Sylvia Miskoe.


CALENDAR

Saint Andrew's Society of New Hampshire presents a talk by Mr. 
Coinneach MacLean, Deputy CEO of the National Trust for Scotland, 
Saturday, May 11, 2002,  Noon St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Hall, 
Main Street, Hopkinton, N.H. Bring your own sandwich and the Society 
will provide coffee and other beverages. Guests are welcome, please 
call Steve Avery at 603-563-8801 if you are planning to attend so we 
can plan for enough space & beverages.

Living Tradition Concert with Joe Derrane, master Irish accordionist 
and John McGann on mandolin and guitar at Ossian's Loft, Saturday May 
11th, 2002, 8 pm. $15/all seats, Pre-paid reservations only. Limited 
seating. Doors open 7:15 pm. House reception/session to follow 
concert. Parking off-street in field. Phone 603-783-4383 with 
Visa/MasterCard or mail check made out to: Ossian USA, 118 Beck Road, 
Loudon, N.H. 03307 www.ossianusa.com info@ossianusa.com.  All profit 
benefits Concern Worldwide.

Féis Shiàtail Slighe nan Gaidheal's biennial celebration of Scottish 
Gaelic language and culture, May 28 through June 2, Fort Worden State 
Park Conference Center, Port Townsend, on Washington's Olympic 
Peninsula. Gaelic song, language, piping, poetry, dance, stories and 
more! www.slighe.com.

Old Songs Festival of Traditional Music & Dance, June 28, 29, 30, 
Altamont Fairgrounds, Altamont, N.Y., with music, dancing, singing, 
crafts, food, & camping; including Scottish singer Norman Kennedy, 
New England's own red-hot contra dance band Swallowtail, Tom Paxton, 
Margaret MacArthur, and many other musical wonders from across the 
globe. 518-765-2815, www.oldsongs.org.

Folk and Contra Dance Cruise on the Mount Washington, Monday, July 8 
from Weirs Beach, N.H. Boarding and buffet dinner begins at 6:15 pm, 
ship departs to cruise Lake Winnepesaukee at 7 pm and returns at 10 
pm. Main deck contra band is Musical Chairs, with callers Peter 
Yarensky and Sue Hunt. Tickets $34, include everything except bar 
service. For information or reservations call 603-366-BOAT or 
www.cruisenh.com.

Pinewoods (Mass.) Scottish Sessions, July 12-15 and July 15-20. Dance 
teachers are Jessie Stuart, Terry Harvey, Norah Link and Robert 
McOwen. Music by Liz Donaldson, Hanneke Cassel, Earl Gaddis, Anne 
Hooper, Mara Beamish, David Knight, Chuck Corman, Terry Traub, Dan 
Emery, Laird Brown, Rob Wolanski. Contact Valerie Wade 781-933-5634 
wadepossi@mediaone.net or Gretchen Gates 781-245-7639. Web site: 
www.rscdsboston.org.


SESSIONS, JAMS, DANCES

2nd Sundays - English dancing, 6:30-9:30 pm., Old Concord Hospital, 
Pleasant Street, Concord, N.H. $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, N.H., $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,Mass. Peggy Morrison, 978-858-3792.

Mondays - Contra dance, 8 - 10:30, callers & musicians welcome to 
take a turn. Nelson, N.H. Town Hall, $3. 603-827-3732.

Mondays - Slow jam, 7-9 pm+, Fiddler's Loft, 19 Marshall Rd., 
Kingston, N.H. $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, N.H. 7-10 pm. 603-229-0083.

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

Wed or Thurs - Scottish Country Dance, 7-9 pm., Chandler Library, 
Nashua, N.H. 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, 7-9 pm, Fiddler's Loft (see 
Monday's info), free.

Fridays - Seacoast Scottish Country Dance class, Greenland Parish 
Hall on Rte 151, Greenland, N.H., 7:30-9:30 pm, through end of June, 
Laurie Stevens 603-773-9795.

1st Fridays: Contra dance, Windham, N.H. 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, N.H. 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, Arlington Comm. Traditional Music Sessions, Fox 
Library, Mass Ave & Cleveland St., 3-7 pm, $1 per person, 
781-646-7522 or 781-643-3603, May 18, June 1 &15.

2nd Saturdays, Contra dance, 8-11 pm, Town Hall, Gilmanton, N.H., $5 
per person, $10 family, through April or May.

2nd Saturdays - Contra dance, 8-11, Francestown, N.H. Town Hall. 
Frank Woodward, 603-487-2480, yankee@grolen.com.

3rd Saturdays - Contra dance, 8 pm, East Concord Community Center, $5

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


A REMINDER: Deadline for June articles is May 31. No calendar dates 
before June 13 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; email by the 1st of the month 
for inclusion in the mid-month mailing to ebassett@ttlc.net in text 
only format. Email subscription is free; send request to 
bmcowen@world.std.com. The SRSNH Web Page is maintained by Terry 
Traub, http://www.srsnh.org