GRANITE SKYES
Volume 15 No. 8, April 2003

NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
-by Sylvia Miskoe
Just because we are not having a session doesn't mean we can't have
tunes.  This month's tunes were written by accordionist Jimmy Blair.
Every once in a while I revisit a tune book.  I've always liked Jimmy
Blair's tunes and this time as I perused his tune book I stopped to read
about Jimmy himself.   He was born in Glasgow in 1920 and began playing
button accordion at age 9, but eventually graduated to a piano
accordion.  After World War II he taught and performed with his ensemble
The Scotia Accordion Orchestra.  This group won first prize at the BAA
British Accordion Festival  three years running to retire the trophy.
In 1952 Jimmy formed another group and was frequently heard on BBC.  He
then played for many of the Scottish Television shows 'Jigtime'.
Around 1967 he started an Accordion school with his wife, Loretta, also
a teacher, which was to become the biggest in the UK. He had a numerous
amount of pupils winning trophies at all the music festivals throughout
the UK .  He was a firm believer in teaching phrasing, fingering, and
reading music properly.  His son, Gary, continues the musical tradition,
performing throughout the British Isles, Europe and the United States.
Here are two hornpipes: The Clyde, named after the Clyde River, is
slower and has a dotted rhythm.  In contrast, the Tugboat is smoother
and can be played in reel time.  Glasgow Green is a strathspey and Loch
Maree is a lovely waltz.  The two jigs are The Melodion and Blackwood.
The Melodion is named after Jimmy's father's instrument.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE
-by Cynthia Blaine, Secretary
Highlights from the last meeting, held April 1, 2003, were not available
at the time of printing.
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.

SRSNH ANNUAL MEETING ON MAY 25
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 25, 2002, at the
Annicchiarico Theater, 1 Thompson St., Concord, NH.  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.

SRSNH AT NEFFA
Many SRSNH members and friends will be teaching and performing at
NEFFA.  Look for Marianne Taylor teaching bourees delicieuses and
"vintage Russian", Nancy Kalinski with Swedish jam sessions, Sylvia
Miskoe with the rest of the White Cockade playing for Scottish country
dancing, and with the Spanish Civil War program with Tony Saletan;
Robert McOwen, Barbara McOwen and Margaret Lepley with Highland Dance
Boston, and others.  For more information, go to www.neffa.org - you can
get directions, search the schedule, or search a list of performers to
find your friends and favorites. You can come for a day, or stay for the
weekend.  Don't miss it!
SRSNH is playing on Sunday, April 27th at 3 pm in the Small Hall which
is adjacent to the Main Hall.  We have 55 minutes and that includes
getting in and out.  We should assemble at the IN DOOR of the small hall
by 2:45.  There will not be any sound system.  Try to sit next to a
similar instrument. We should wear our usual black-white-tartan stage
dress.
When you check in at the performer table you will be listed by your own
name, not by SRSNH.  Performers are given free admission.
Non-performers must pay at the general admission table.  There is an
instrument check area, similar to a coat and hat check, where you can
safely leave your instrument.  Any questions, don't hesitate to call or
email Sylvia Miskoe at 603-225-6546, or smiskoe@aol.com.

TEEN FIDDLE WORKSHOP AND DANCE
On Saturday, April 19 Lissa Schneckenburger will hold a workshop for
teen fiddlers at all levels at the home of Barbara and Robert McOwen in
Arlington, MA, with a contra and folk dance and pizza party to follow at
the Park Ave. Congregational Church in Arlington.  The workshop runs
from 3:30 to 6:30, and the pizza begins at 7pm.  Cost is $20 for the
workshop, $5 for the pizza, and $5 for the dance.  Contact Marcie at the
Folk Arts Center for more information or to register:  fac@facone.org or
781-662-7475.

FIDDLE MASTER CLASSES AND DANCE WORKSHOPS IN LEBANON, NH
excerpt from a press release from Lebanon Opera House
On Saturday, April 26 Lebanon Opera House in Lebanon, NH will host its
first ever Cape Breton Festival.
 Master fiddler and headliner of Cape Breton's annual Celtic Colours
Festival, Jerry Holland will be conducting a two-hour master class for
experienced fiddlers on Saturday from 2 - 4pm. The fee for this master
class is $20 per person. A one-hour+ master class for beginning fiddlers
will also be conducted that from 12:20-1:45 pm.  by Brendan Carey-Block.
Cost is $15 per participant.
Both fiddling master classes will take place at Lebanon College,
conveniently located a mere three doors down from Lebanon Opera House on
the Lebanon pedestrian mall.
Also on the 26th, LOH's Cape Breton Festival will offer two Scottish
Dance workshops led by Lezlie Webster, with the assistance of Cape
Breton step-dancer Hannah Bailey to illustrate the subtle differences
between Highland and Cape Breton dancing.  These workshops are at 10am -
Noon for beginning dancers; and 1 - 3pm for experienced dancers. The
workshops will take place at the studio of Lebanon Ballet School/City
Center Ballet.  The fee for both workshops is $15 per person.
Spaces for all workshops can be reserved by calling the Lebanon Opera
House at 603-448-0400.
LOH's Cape Breton Festival culminates that evening with a performance by
Natalie MacMaster at 7:30pm. For more information, visit:
www.lebanonoperahouse.org.

CAPE BRETON TRIP
An SRSNH trip to Cape Breton is in the works.  This will be a loosely
organized trip, to allow travelers to pursue their individual interests
in the company of like-minded friends.  No bus, no fixed price, no
enforced company - just music, dancing, friends, and lovely Cape
Breton!  Here's how it works:  Marianne Taylor has done a lot of
research on events and lodging in Cape Breton, and has made a list of
places to stay and things to do between July 20 and 27.  Everyone will
make their own travel and lodging arrangements, so that everyone will
have the schedule,  traveling companions and domestic conveniences of
their choice, and SRSNHers will meet at the ceilidhs, concerts, dances,
meals, shops, hikes, sightseeing etc. of their choice.  It should be a
fun and very low-stress way to enjoy the delights of summer on Cape
Breton in the company of your SRSNH friends.  Interested parties should
contact Marianne Taylor ASAP to learn more - where will SRSNH Central
be?  Where will we meet?  Marianne knows!  July is not far off, Cape
Breton is busy in the summer, and waiting for someone to call you is not
a good strategy.  You can reach Marianne at taylorgorman@juno.com, or
603-463-7771.

JULY 4TH FIDDLE CONTEST
There will be a Fiddler's Contest again this year at the New Boston,
annual 4th of July celebration on Friday, July 4 at the Hillsboro 4H
Fairgrounds in New Boston, NH. A total of $650 in prizes will go to
winners in three categories: under 11, under 18, and open. The contest
begins at 2:00 pm.
Contestants are encouraged to register in advance, but registration will
remain open until 1:30 at the event. Come enjoy all the events of this
historic annual small town celebration from the 10:00 AM parade to the
evening fireworks.
To register, arrange piano or guitar back-up, or for more information,
contact Frank Woodward (603) 487-2480; email yankee@grolen.com, attn:
Fiddle Contest

HOW MANY FINGERS?
        Attention, members and friends of SRSNH!! Last month's trivia
challenge has been answered, but only by the two people who are not
allowed to win - the Editor and the Trivia Chieftain.  If we can do it,
so can you!
Read the challenge one more time, and try a little harder - it's not as
obscure as one might think.  No heroics are needed to find the right
answer- a little knowledge about famous Scottish tunes and composers
and/or one good search engine will get you to the answer at once.  If no
one comes up with it this month, I will just keep on hectoring you to
try, try again.  The first person to submit the real skinny on the
unnamed soldier, and the diminished digits of the father of the composer
who celebrated his accomplishments, will win one lovely prize - as well
as the respect and admiration of SRSNH members worldwide.

Here is the question again -
 "There was a Scottish soldier who served in the 1st Boer War, and in
1885 he led a military expedition up the Nile to Sudanese territory. In
1888 he took part in the Battle of Sunkin and a year later won the
Distinguished Service Order for his service in Sudan. He remained in the
Sudan for the next decade, seeing action in the Battle of Tokar  in
1891, and leading the 2nd Infantry Brigade in the Dunglen Expeditionary
Force, by which time he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General.
During the next two years he took part in the battles of Khartoum and
Omdurman, with which he ended his Sudan service. He subsequently served
as the Aide de Camp to Queen Victoria and as a Major General with the
Highland Bridgade in South Africa during the Boer War. His deeds are
immortalized by a tune in our collection.
The question is:
Not counting his thumb, how many fingers did the composer's father have
on his left hand when he died?"
Please send your answers to the Editor at ebassett@ttlc.net.  Good luck!

HELPING STUDENTS FIND TEACHERS
Many SRSNH members are music students, and many are teachers.  Some
students are looking for a teacher, and some teachers are looking for
students.  It is possible that this very newsletter could help them find
each other!  In the June newsletter, we'll run a listing of teachers of
anything related to Scottish music, dance, and culture.  If you'd like
to be listed either as a teacher or a student looking for a teacher,
send your name, your area of interest or expertise
(instrument/dance/voice/Gaelic/kilt-making/etc.) to the Editor at
ebassett@ttlc.net
To get you started, here are two notices that came recently:
Ryan Thomson, cfiddle@tiac.net:
I'm teaching private lessons in fiddle, wooden flute, pennywhistle,
banjo, piano accompaniment to fiddle tunes, and accordion, in Exeter and
Newmarket, NH.
NH School of Scottish Arts, 603-621-9949, is offering lessons in Great
Highland Bagpipe, fiddle, and Highland dance in Manchester, NH z

MUSIC CORRECTION
There is a typo in Archie Menzies.  Please take a look at your copy and
make this change.  The first note in the 3rd line is a high F. Make it a
quarter note so the measure is just like the first measure in the bottom
line.z

SPIN CD
Lissa Schneckenbuger (fiddle & vocals(, Michael Kerry (guitar) and Corey
DiMario (bass) announce the release of their CD Spin, featuring New
England contradance music.  Spin is also the name of their band.
The CD is available at Lissa's web site www.lissafiddle.com, or at
www.cdbaby.com

BUDDY MACMASTER CD
-from Burt Feintuch
Rounder has released a new recording by Buddy MacMaster, the great and
deeply influential Cape Breton fiddler. Called Cape Breton Tradition, it
features fifteen tracks of Buddy's playing, accompanied by Mary
Elizabeth MacMaster MacInnis, his daughter, on piano.
http://www.rounder.com/Album.asp?catalog_id=6458.

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: Lynn McElroy, Chair; Gary Hume, Susan Willoughby
Memberships, Email Newsletters: Barbara McOwen
Webmaster: Terry Traub
Mailings; Sabrina Matteson
Back Music: 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.  May 25, June 29.
September 28.  No April gathering.

NEFFA, Friday April 25 through Sunday April 27.  SRSNH will play a
concert, 3 pm Sunday April 27.  Sign up with Sylvia Miskoe.

Southern NH Highland Games, June 7, Greenfield, NH, concert 1 pm.  Sign
up with Sylvia Miskoe.

CALENDAR
Teen fiddle workshop and dance with Lissa Schneckenburger, Saturday
April 19; teenage fiddlers at all levels welcome.  Workshop at 3:30,
pizza at 7, dance at 8.  Arlington, MA, for more information contact
Marcie at Folk Arts Center, fac@facone.org or 781-662-7475

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

Cape Breton Festival, April 26, Lebanon Opera House, Lebanon NH - master
classes with Jerry Holland, Brendan Carey-Block, and dance workshops
with Lezlie Webster and Hannah Bailey.  Concert with Natalie MacMaster
in the evening.  For more information call Lebanon Opera House at
603-448-0400.

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

Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School, August 9-16, with Angus Grant,
John Campbell, and Hanneke Cassel.  All ages, all instruments, all
levels are welcome. There will be lots of jam sessions and general music
clinics, though most of the instrumental teaching will be directed
towards the fiddle.  Contact Marcie van Cleave at the Folk Art Center,
42 West Foster St., Melrose, Mass. 02176-3811, 781-662-7475,
fac@facone.org, http://www.facone.org.

Annual New Boston 4th of July Fiddle contest,  July 4, 2:00 pm, New
Boston NH.  Frank Woodward, 603-487-2480, yankee@grolen.com

Cape Breton Ceilidh with Derrick and Melody Cameron from Mabou, Cape
Breton. They will be joined by folk singer Lisa Cameron.  Let the
fiddle, the dancing shoes, and Gaelic words take you to the dance halls
of Cape Breton, join us for this delightful evening.   May 17, 2003,
7:30PM at the White Church Community Center, Memorial Street, Deerfield,
Mass.. Tickets are $12 in
adavcne $15 at the door, call 413-774-3046 to reserve.

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.

Wednesdays -Wednesday Night Soiree - 7:30 - 10:30 in the Durham
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (20 Madbury Rd.; corner of Woodman
Rd.). Jam session with an emphasis on fiddle tunes of Canada. $2
donation requested. Peter Yarensky (603-664-2513 or
peter.yarensky@unh.edu

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, 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 May articles is May 3.  No calendar dates
before May 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.std.com.   The SRSNH Web Page is maintained by Terry
Traub, http://www.srsnh.org