Granite Skyes
Volume 15 No. 10, June 2003

JUNE GATHERING
Sunday, June 29
1-5 pm, Annicchiaricco Theater
1 Thompson St.
Concord, N.H.

Approximate schedule:
1:00 - 3:00   June tunes
3:00 - 3:30   Refreshments
3:30 - 5:00   Requests & Solos


NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR
  -- by Sylvia Miskoe

This is the last issue for our 2003-2003 year and I think of it as a 
tidying up of some loose ends. First, mea culpa, I made a huge 
mistake in the Golden Rod Jig so it is being re-issued in its 
corrected form. Just replace that page with this new one.

Susan Woodward has found words to the waltz Kelvin Grove, 13.21. Here 
they are, for those of you who enjoy singing.

The last two selections are 18th century strathspeys: The Birks of 
Invermay and Col. H.F. Campbell's Strathspey. The Birks of Invermay 
is also a Scottish Country Dance. It is published in the RSCDS Book 
16 and the notation says it is from the Skellars manuscript of 1776. 
I found in the reference to the Birks tune that it was published in a 
McFarland manuscript in 1740 but also in the Charles McLean 
collection in 1772. It is attributed to Charles McLean but it also 
may be attributed to R. McIntosh. Searching out a tune is like doing 
an ancestor hunt! Col. H.F. Campbell is the alternate tune listed for 
the dance. While I haven't been able to find any references, it 
certainly is another 18th century tune.

Have a great summer! Play a lot of tunes! Take some familiar tunes 
and try playing them differently, turn a jig into a waltz, try making 
a waltz into a jig. Take a slow stately march and speed it up, 
conversely take a quick march and try slowing it down. You'll have an 
interesting experience.


BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE
  -- by Cynthia Blaine, Secretary

Highlights from the Annual Meeting, held May 25, 2003 were not 
available at the time of publication. Next meeting is June 17. 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 cblaine@wadleighlaw.com.

GALA 2003
  -- by Ellen Bassett

This year's Gala is under way, with a new producer (gulp)- me. 
There's a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in, but it will be 
a lot of fun and we'll have a great concert. Hanneke Cassel is our 
guest artist, and Robert McOwen's Highland Dance Boston troupe will 
also be performing. Sylvia will be putting the tune list together 
over the summer, and I'll be checking off the items for all the tasks 
large and small that need to be done in order to make the concert 
happen. Mark your calendars for November 30, and plan to come to 
play, to usher, to serve refreshments in the lobby, and to have fun. 
And when I call you and ask you to help, please find a way to say yes!


SOUTHERN NH SCOTTISH GAMES
  -- by Sylvia Miskoe

SRSNH was well represented at the Southern Highland Games in 
Greenfield, N.H. on June 7th. We played in "The Bard's Tent" at 1 pm 
just following the opening ceremonies. Once again the weather was not 
kind. The light showers of the morning progressed to heavy showers 
and then a downpour. The tent was packed with folks who wanted to 
hear the SRSNH and folks who wanted to stay out of the rain. At one 
point the noise of the rain almost drowned out the music. We had 3 
rows of musicians on the stage, fiddles filling the whole front row. 
At the end of the hour-long set, the audience applauded loudly and 
squished off to the next venue.


JULY 4 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 4-H 
Fairgrounds in New Boston, N.H. A total of $650 in prizes will go to 
winners in three categories: under 11, under 18, and open. The 
contest begins at 2 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 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.


FIDDLING AROUND THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HIGHLAND GAMES
  -- by Barbara McOwen

We will miss the White Mountains, but the old growth pine forest is a 
bit of all right. And, with the change of venue also come some new 
possibilities.

The New Hampshire Highland Games will take place September 19-21, 
2003 at the Hopkinton Fairgrounds in Contoocook N.H., about 15 miles 
west of Concord. New this year is the Fiddle and Dance Tent, located 
at the Fairgrounds site. Laura Risk has put together a schedule of 
concerts, instrumental & dance jam sessions, dance classes, and 
fiddle workshops, from Friday morning through Sunday afternoon.

Also new is the Fiddle Village, located at Camp Merrimac, about 4 
miles from the Games site. Alasdair Fraser will be the Mayor of the 
Fiddle Village. The Village offers a convenient place to stay, and 
perhaps some good late-night sessions including dancing. The 
facilities include dorm rooms with 12-15 single beds and shared 
bathrooms, camping space, a dining hall, a recreation hall, and a 
lake with swimming and canoeing. Dancers and all instrumentalists, 
all ages, all levels are welcome as Village residents and visitors.

Another new thing is the Massed Fiddles, to take place at the 
Grandstands on Sunday afternoon, about 1:30, led by Alasdair Fraser.

Although the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championships have moved 
to another Games, the N.H. Highland Games continues to sponsor the 
New England Championships. Bob Schecter is the Fiddle Competition 
Chair. New this year will be a Beginner competition (one tune 
required) and a revised Novice competition (two tunes required). All 
fiddlers, from beginners to champions, are encouraged to enter.

Day tickets, Competition forms, and tickets for concerts and other 
Games-associated events are available at the Games website, at 
www.nhscot.org, or contact the Games office at nhscot@aol.org or 
603-229-1975. The latest info on Fiddle and related activities at the 
Games, and an application form for the Fiddle Village, will be 
available at the June SRSNH session, and on the web at 
www.mcowen.net/fiddlezone.


TRIVIA CHALLENGE

No one has successfully answered any portion of the trivia challenge 
yet. There wasn't room to repeat it this month, but if you get the 
answer you can send it to the Editor, and prepare to receive a lovely 
prize in the fall.


HELPING STUDENTS FIND TEACHERS

Here is a brief listing of teachers and schools of Scottish music, 
dance, and culture, every one of them a member or friend of SRSNH.

Steven Cushing
lessons@justplainfolks.com
Offering private lessons in fiddle, viola, and fidola in the Boston 
and Metrowest (Natick/Framingham, Mass) areas.

N.H. School of Scottish Arts
603-621-9949
nhssa@attbi.com
Offering private lessons in Great Highland Bagpipe, Scottish 
smallpipes, and fiddle; and classes in Highland dance and Gaelic 
language. Teachers include Lezlie Webster (dance and GHB), Gordon 
Webster (GHB), Brian Yates (GHB and smallpipes), Anna Ciglar (dance), 
Brendan Carey Block (fiddle), and Barbara McOwen (fiddle), in 
Manchester N.H. Private lessons also available at other locations 
from many NHSSA teachers.

Ryan Thomson
cfiddle@tiac.net
Offering private lessons in fiddle, wooden flute, pennywhistle, 
banjo, piano accompaniment to fiddle tunes, and accordion, in Exeter 
and Newmarket, N.H.


CINDY BLAINE, NEW GRANITE SKYES EDITOR
  -- by Ellen Bassett

This is my last issue of Granite Skyes. Cindy Blaine will be editing 
the newsletter beginning with the September issue. You can reach her 
at cmbfiddler@yahoo.com. Thank you for your patience, good humor, and 
faithful submissions, including all the unprintable jokes. It has 
been a lot of fun - and now I’m looking forward to one less deadline 
every month, and more time for music!


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
      Bruce Cobb & Frank Woodward, Members at large
Scholarship Committee:
      Lynn McElroy, Chai
      Gary Hume
      Susan Willoughby
Memberships & Email Newsletters: Barbara McOwen
Webmaster: Terry Traub
Mailings; Sabrina Matteson
Back Music: Allen Brown
Newsletter Editor: Cindy Blaine
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. June 29. September 
28, October 26.

N.H. Highland Games, September 19-21, Hopkinton Fair Grounds, Hopkinton, N.H.

Gala Concert with Hanneke Cassel, Highland Dance Boston, and the 
SRSNH Orchestra


CALENDAR

Fiddle Workshops: Tommy Peoples on 6/12/03 (3-5 pm). Limited to about 
a dozen people and will be held at the Burlington Violin Shop, 
Burlington, Vt. You must pre-register to be able to participate. For 
more information and/or to sign up, send a message to 
mrksustc@together.net.

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

Clan Du concerts:
July 20, Bow Band Stand, Bow, N.H. 6-8 pm
August 2, 11, 1 and 3 pm, Sunapee Arts Festival, Newbury, N.H.
August 23, 2:30 pm, Quechee Highland Games, Quechee, Vt
September 13, all day, The Big E, W. Springfield, Mass.

Ceilidh Trail School of Music in Cape Breton, July 28 - August 1, 
2003, with fiddlers JP Cormier, Joe Cormier, Buddy MacMaster, 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.


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, 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.

Tuesdays - Irish/Celtic Sessions at The Barley House Restaurant and 
Tavern, 132 North Main Street, Concord, N.H. 7-10 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 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, 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 Community Traditional Music Sessions. 
All sessions are on Saturday afternoons 3-6:30 pm at the Fox Library, 
corner of Mass Ave and Cleveland St in East Arlington, Mass. 
Admission is $1 per person. Call 781-643-3603 for further information 
and upcoming dates.

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 September articles is September 1. No 
calendar dates before Sept. 14 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. Editor Cindy Blaine. All items 
welcome, depending on space available; email by the 1st of the month 
for inclusion in the mid-month mailing to cmbfiddler@yahoo.com 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


SRSNH GATHERINGS 2002-03

Sunday, June 29
Sunday, September 28
Sunday, October 26

1-5pm. Free admission. All ages, all instruments, all levels welcome; 
free, with potluck refreshments.

Annicchiarico Music Theater

1 Thompson St, at S. Main St.

Directions: Take I-93 to Exit 13 or 14. Take S. Main St. to Thompson 
St., 2 blocks S. of Pleasant St. (Rts. 202/9), 1 block N of Capitol 
Center for the Arts. Free parking on the street. Do not park in the 
Resident's Lot.