Granite Skyes
Volume 15 No. 5, January 2003

JANUARY GATHERING
Sunday, January  26
1-5 pm, Annicchiaricco Theater
1 Thompson St.
Concord, N.H.

Approximate schedule:
1-3 pm January's tunes
3-3:30 Refreshments
3:30-5 Requests, solos, jam

NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
-by Sylvia Miskoe

Happy New Year, Everyone!

After I presented Jerry Holland's tune in honor of Herbie Macleod, Angus
Grant told me he had composed a tune in honor of Herbie.  Here's what
Angus says about his tune:  "Herbie's Tune is a ¾ march, not a waltz.  I
first met Herbie at the Inverness Gaelic Mod in 1971.  We kept in touch
over the years, sending each other tapes.  I have his famous house
recordings of Dan R. (MacDonald), Angus Chisholm, Scotty (Fitzgerald)
and Bill Lamy.  Herbie and his daughter Audrey visited us on his last
trip to Scotland.  On my trip to Loon Mountain and Boston, Herbie and
his son Jim took me on a run down the coast, Salem, and other cities.  I
stayed the night at his house where I played for three hours.  Herbie
knew all the tunes.  He loved fiddle music and had
a great love for all things Scottish and Gaelic.  I composed the tune to
the memory of a man who had done so much to keep alive the culture of
his ancestors."
We have three hornpipes and a classic reel this month.  The hornpipes
are ones I learned from Jack Rennie.  Jack lives in Los Angeles and has
a Scottish Country Dance Band, The Thistle Band.  I have seen them
published in various collections but I am listing them as Jack plays
them.  The Scottish country dance Minard Castle lists Grinder's Hornpipe
as it's name tune.  The dance is 40 bars long and the three-part tune
matches it well.  The Swansea Hornpipe and The Handsome Ploughboy are
the other two hornpipes.  They had a lot of energy and are great
accordion tunes.  Swansea and Ploughboy each begin with two quarter
notes.  It is easy to play these notes too fast and then the following
eighth notes must be played too fast.  It is a pretty standard speed
trap and one must be conscious of strict timing.  The 'classic' reel is
Archie Menzies, written by John Lowe, a late 18th century dancing master
from Marykirk, not to be confused with Joseph Lowe.  I think it is the
chord structure in the first part of the tune that makes it exciting.
Menzies, by the way, is pronounced "Minghees."
This month's retrospective is year four, a banner year for tunes.  I
decided to look at two pipe marches because they are different meters
from the usual. Most of the tunes we play are 2/4, 4/4, 6/8 or ¾.  You
can find airs, reels, marches, jigs and waltzes in these meters.  Once
in a while, just often enough so we don't forget they exist, we come
across a different meter.  These two pipe marches are Cullen Bay in 5/4
and Farewell to Nigg in 6/4.  They are found on 4.6.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE
-by Cynthia Blaine, Secretary
Highlights from the last meeting, held December 17, 2002:
Eight percent fewer tickets were sold for the Gala than last year.  This
may be due to the fact that sales promotion was limited this year. The
SRSNH will be performing at Wolfboro First Night on December 31,2002.
The Portsmouth Herald  would like to do a feature on the SRSNH at a time
of our choosing. This istentatively scheduled for March 30, 2003.  Also
tentatively scheduled for early in 2003 is a workshop with Jerry
Holland.   Sylvia will let members know the particulars, hopefully by
our January session. $1,200.00 has been appropriated for scholarships
this year.
Next Meeting: January 21, 2003.  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
CBlaine@wadleighlaw.com.

NEFFA
SRSNH will be doing a concert at the New England Folk Festival, known to
its friends as NEFFA, in Natick, Massachusetts on Sunday, April 27, at 1
pm.  Sign up to play with Sylvia Miskoe.  NEFFA is a 3 day extravaganza
of music, dance, and food from all over the world.  You can come for a
day, or stay for the weekend.  Don't miss it!

NO APRIL GATHERING
Because NEFFA falls on the last weekend of April, and Easter falls on
the Sunday before, there will be no SRSNH gathering in Concord, NH this
April.  Plan to come to NEFFA instead - you'll get all the music you
could possibly fit into a day!

MORE GREAT PICTURES
Evelyn Roberts took some great pictures of SRSNH's performance at First
Knight Wolfeboro, and has posted them on the WWW for all to see.  Go to
http://jawsa.homestead.com/SRS5.html, and enjoy.
 If you'd like to receive an email notice when Ev updates SRSNH
pictures, just send her an email at eroberts14@juno.com with "SRSNH
mailing list" in the subject line.  Thanks, Ev!

JERRY'S COMIN' TO TOWN
Jerry Holland is coming to Concord, NH for two fiddle workshops and an
evening concert on February 22, 2003.  He'll do a one-hour beginner
workshop at 1:30 pm, and a 90 minute workshop for experienced fiddlers
at 3 pm.  There may also be a piano workshop for accompanists - those
details are still being worked out.  He'll also do a concert at 8pm. All
events are at the Annicchiaricco Music Theater.  There is a flier
enclosed with the print newsletter, with a registration form, and the
rest of the details can also be found in the calendar section.

CORRECTION
-by Kathy Thompson
In the October 2002  issue of Granite Skyes, I  referred to the tune
'The Baddeck Gathering ' . I said that Brenda Stubbert wrote the tune
and that is incorrect.   According to Baddeck's bi-monthly newspaper The
Victoria Standard,  'The Baddeck Gathering' is a famous dance tune which
was  published in  The Cape Breton Collection of Scottish  Violin Music,
Gordon MacQuarrie's pioneer book of fiddle music (1940).  The paper goes
on to say that in 1994 a slightly different setting of the tune, one
influenced by the local aural tradition, appeared in Brenda Stubbert's
Collection of Fiddle Tunes (Volume 2 of  The Cape Breton Musical
Heritage Series - Cranford Publications).  Brenda's  book is the source
of the version in the SRSNH repertoire but she did not compose the tune.

 The composer of the tune is Piper Alex MacDonald (1892-1966). He was
both a fiddler and a piper.  His grandparents immigrated to Cape Breton
from Morar, Scotland in 1815.  Alex was pipe major of the Cape Breton
Highlanders until 1939. I have a copy of the version from MacQuarrie's
book if anyone  is interested in comparing the  two settings.

ANOTHER TRIVIA CHALLENGE
Can you find two tunes in the SRSNH tune list that have identical
parts?  The two tunes the Trivia Chieftain has in mind have identical
chords, but the melody notes in one tune are written a 5th higher than
in the other.  Happy hunting!
If no one gets it, further clues will be in next month's newsletter.
The first person to identify two tunes in SRSNH's repertoire that meet
the above criteria will win a lovely prize, and the respect of his or
her fellow triviators.

BERT MURRAY
 We have learned that Bert Murray spent the Christmas and New Year
holidays in hospital.  Bert will be 90 at the end of January, and we
send him our warmest wishes for a speedy recovery, a happy birthday, and
our hopes that in his 10th decade he will enjoy years of health,
comfort, and joy.

SRSNH OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEES, & VOLUNTEERS
Music Director:  Sylvia Miskoe
Board of Directors:
 Sandy Lafleur, President
Bob Reed, Vice President
Ed Los, Treasurer
Cindy Blaine, Secretary
Ellen Bassett, Bruce Cobb, & Frank Woodward, Members at large
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
Photographer: Evelyn Roberts
T-shirts: Bruce Cobb Refreshments: Calvin Gardner, Christina Brown

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.  January 26, February
23, March 30, May 25, June 29.  No April gathering.

Workshops and Concert with Jerry Holland, Saturday February 22.
Beginners' workshop 1:30-2:30 $15 for SRSNH members, $25 non-members;
Experienced players' workshop 3:00-4:30, $20 SRSNH members, $30
non-members.  There may also be a piano accompaniment workshop; please
inquire for details.  Concert Saturday, Februay 22, 8pm, $10 admission.
All events at Annicchiaricco Music Theater, 1 Thompson St., Concord,
NH.  For more information or to register for workshops, contact Sylvia
Miskoe, 603-225-6546, smiskoe@aol.com

NEFFA, Friday April 25 through Sunday April 27.  SRSNH will play a
concert, 1 pm Sunday April 27.  Sign up with Sylvia Miskoe.

CALENDAR

Burns Supper, Scottish Concert and Silent Auction, Saturday, February 1,
5pm, Boston Marriott Newton, featuring Tulach Ard Pipe Band, Highland
Dance Boston, Jerry Holland, Halali, and readings and songs from Robert
Burns.  $50 per person for dinner and concert.  Make reservations by
January 24.  Information and reservations at
www.tulachard.org/burns-supper.htm, email burnsnight@tulachard.org, or
call Marilyn Costello at 508-362-8165

St. Patrick's Day Celebration with Craobh Rua and Fitzmaurice-Moran
Irish Dancers, Thursday, March 13, 2003     7:30 PM, National Heritage
Museum, 630 Marrett Rd, Lexington, MA  General admission: Advance -
$18.00,  Door - $20.00  Reserved:      $25
http://www.music-for-robin.org (781) 862-7837

Old Blind Dogs inConcert, the cutting edge of Scotland's roots revival,
Friday, March 28, 2003, 8:00 PM, First Baptist Church, 1580 Mass. Ave,
Lexington, MA, $17 advance, $20 at the door.  (781) 862-7837
http://www.music-for-robin.org

Manchester Indoor Scottish Festival and Evening Concert, Saturday April
12, 2003, Memorial High School, Manchester, NH.  Piping, drumming, pipe
band and Highlanddance competitions during the day, concert in the
evening with pipers Bruce Gandy, Ed Neigh, dancers, and much more.
Details still in the works!  For more information, contact Lezlie
Webster, nhssa@attbi.com

NEFFA - The New England Folk Festival Association's 59th annual
festival, April 25, 26, 27 at Natick High School, Natick, MA.  A weekend
full to overflowing with music, dance, crafts and food from all over the
world.  For more information visit www.neffa.org

Bonnie Rideout and the City of Washington Pipe Band, Saturday May 3,
2003, Capitol Center for the Arts, Concord, NH, 8pm; for more
information contact www.ccanh.com, or call the box office at
603-225-1111.

The Bretons & Co. w/Alain Leroux Concert and Dance Saturday, May 10,
2003, 7:30 PM, Masonic Hall, 1950 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
$14 advance, $16 at the door. (781) 862-7837
http://www.music-for-robin.org

Ceilidh Trail School of Music in Cape Breton, July 28 through August 1,
2003, with fiddlers JP Cormier, Joe Cormier, Buddy McMaster, Brenda
Stubbert, pianist Hilda Chaisson, guitarist Scott MacMillan.; $395 US,
$595 Canadian. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced sessions.
Reservations required, early sign-up suggested.  For more information
www.ceilidhtrail.com, or J9RAND@aol.com

SESSIONS, JAMS, DANCES

2nd Sundays - English dancing, 6:30-9:30 pm., Howard Auditorium, 99
Pleasant Street, Concord, N.H. $6, or $5 for ECDSNH members. Judith
Ackerson 603-934-2543, or jnoska@cyberportal.net;
http://people.star.net/blw/dance/english.html

3rd Sundays - English dancing, 6:30-9 pm, Woman's City Club, 375 Middle
St, 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,Mass. Peggy Morrison, 978-858-3792

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

Tuesdays - Irish/Celtic Sessions at The Barley House Restaurant and
Tavern, 132 North Main Street, Concord, N.H. 7:00 to 10:00 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, 7-9pm, 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, Jan 25,
Feb 8, Feb 22, Mar 8, Mar 22, Apr 15, Apr 19, May 10, May 24, and Jun
7.  All sessions are on Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 6:30 pm at the
Fox Library, corner of Mass Ave and Cleveland St in East Arlington, Ma.
Admission is $1 per person.  Call 781-643-3603 for further information.

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

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 February articles is February 1.  No calendar
dates before February 15 will be included.

Granite Skyes is published monthly (10 issues) between September and
June by the Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire. Subscription
$8/yr ($18 overseas). Individual domestic memberships cost $20/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@ttlc.net  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