Granite Skyes
Volume 17 No. 1, September 2004

September Gathering [NOTE DATE!]
Sunday, September 18, 2004
1-5 pm, Annicchiaricco Theater
Concord, NH

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

NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR - by Sylvia Miskoe

Welcome back to our seventeenth year.  I hope you have all had a fine summer of
music.  It has been a while since we looked at Shetland music so I began
'mining' my Shetland tune books and remembering tunes that I had heard before
and liked.  The problem is where to stop.
   
This month we have a march, a slow jig and three little reels.  And next month
there will be more.  Tom Anderson was a Shetland fiddler who collected tunes,
taught fiddling, and wrote many tunes.  Tom taught at Stirling University
Summer School and Elly Abelson was a pupil of his in 1980.  Elly has been a
great help in selecting tunes and proof reading them.  He also has notes from
the sessions where Tom pointed out typos in his books.
  
Airthrey Castle is a slow march, composed by Tom Anderson.  The castle is a
large imposing building, designed by Robert Adam, on the Stirling University
campus.  The most impressive part of the castle to me, is the large room at the
entrance with embossed leather walls.  When SRS toured Scotland in 1996 we
played a jam session in it.

Auld Snatwell is a traditional slow jig.  It is from the playing of Peter
Fraser who was the opinion that it might have been a wedding tune.

Da Burn o' Weindia Little is from Hillsook and named after a burn that ran from
Pakin to the sea.  A sweerie box is a receptacle for holding two reels of
wollen thread so that they can both be fed into the spinning wheel together.
This is called twinnin.  The tune tries to give the rhythm of the reels.

Dawn's Reel is a tune for a very fine fiddler.  The notes on the tunes are from
Hand me Doon da Fiddle and Ringing Strings, edited by Tom Anderson and Pam Swing.

UPCOMING SRSNH ACTIVITIES 

GALA PREVIEW CONCERT

The SRSNH will be performing a $B!H(Bmini-set$B!I(B (5-10 min.) for the Concord City
Audi's preview concert.  It is at this event that attendees can get a glimpse
of upcoming performances held at the Audi, like our 16th Gala Concert!

The date for this is Sunday, Sept. 19, shortly after our Sept. gathering.
Please contact Sylvia ASAP if you are interested in playing for this!

NEW HAMPSHIRE HIGHLAND GAMES

The Hopkinton, New Hampshire Fairgrounds will again be the site of the NHHG.
Dates are September 24 through the 26th.  The SRS is performing on Sat. the
25th at 10 a.m. and on Sun., the 26th at 9:30 a.m. and noon.

Contact Sylvia ASAP to sign up to play and get your Games passes.

RENEW YOUR SRSNH MEMBERSHIP!

By keeping your membership current you help insure that you don't miss any of
the news and music, you'll be listed on the Membership directory AND you will
save SRSNH volunteers LOADS of work in trying to mail back music!

If you haven't sent your blue renewal slip in yet, please do it today!

Thanks to all who've helped me survive assembling this month's newsletter in
Cindy's absence.  I have a new appreciation for Cindy's efforts and talents!

Sandy Lafleur--Sept. newsletter ed.

SRSNH GALA 2004!

The date for this year's Gala Concert is Sunday, November 28 at 2:30 p.m.  It
will be held in the Concord City Auditorium and will feature accordionist from
the U.K., Rod Stradling.  The NHSSA Pipe band and dancers will add to the excitement.

Be sure to contact Sylvia to sign up to be part of this fun event!  

Producers Bob Reed and Sandy Lafleur will be looking for volunteers to help
with assorted tasks.

The big thing is ticket sales!!!  Mary Mokler is in charge of tickets.  She
will be bringing the tickets to the Sept. gathering.  Please sign out blocks of
tickets from her and sell them to your family, friends, neighbors & co-workers!

Another way you can help is by posting a Gala flier in YOUR town Library or
other public place.

OF INTEREST

CONCERT: ALASDAIR FRASER, Master Scottish fiddler, and NATALIE HAAS, cellist
extraordinaire, will be in concert September 18, 2004 at 7:30 pm at the Centre
Congregational Church, 193 Main St., Brattleboro VT.  Consummate performers,
this duo will be playing haunting Gaelic laments and airs, raucous dance tunes
and improvisations based on traditional themes in what promises to be a
passionate and riveting event. This church has wonderful acoustics and is used
for many classical concerts. Alasdair has a wonderful way of inspiring a sense
of community and of involving area musicians and dancers in the performance and
was especially interested in performing here in the Connecticut Valley where he
has so many friends. Please come join us at this special performance. --Mary
Lea

Tickets available at MapleLeaf Music, 23 Elliot St., Brattleboro.  $15 in
advance, $18 at the door.  Advance tickets also available by sending a check
made out to Mary Lea along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Mary Lea
/ P.O. Box 1704 / Brattleboro VT 05302-1704. Call (802) 257-1571 for more
information. Directions to the church will be included with the tickets.

MUSIC INSTRUCTION

Ryan Thomson has written a number of instructional materials, including: Banjo,
Clawhammer Style, First Lesson instruction for beginners. Fiddling, Left Handed
Style, First Lesson, fiddle instruction for beginners. Pennywhistle, First
Lesson, tin whistle instruction for beginners. Accordion, Jam Session Style,
First Lesson, instruction for beginners. Piano Accompaniment to Fiddlers, First
Lesson, instruction for backup piano.  For more info., visit his website:
www.captainfiddle.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE
-by Cindy Blaine, Secretary

A meeting of the Board of Directors was held on August 17, 2004 at the NH
School of Scottish Arts.  The SRSNH will be setting up a PayPal account so that
we can sell tickets for the Gala online.  Beth Murray will be conducting an
accompanist workshop at the October Session.  Things are coming along nicely
with the Gala as Sandy Lafleur and Bob Reed are co-producing.  Connie Eppich
and Nancy Normand have volunteered to sit on the Board of Directors as Members
at Large.  Cindy will review prior minutes to compile all the SRSNH policy
changes since the revised ByLaws were enacted.

SCHOLARSHIPS
  
Pinewoods Scottish Session II  2004

First, let me say thank you for the scholarship to help pay for the opportunity
to go to Pine Woods, Scottish Session II in July this summer to attend Scottish
music classes under Muriel Johnstone and Laura Risk. They are both world
renowned Scottish musicians and very helpful and willing to help musicians of
any level. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from these talented
musicians and hear them play. We also played for some dances during the sit-in
sessions at the evening dances.

I went to Pinewoods primarily to get some tips on Scottish piano playing from
Muriel Johnstone, as I'm not a fiddle player. I found Laura Risk's classes (the
fiddle instructor) very informative as well. There were many more dancers at
Pinewoods than musicians, and this kept the music sessions smaller and made the
music sessions more personal.

The main focus at the camp was Scottish dancing for all levels. I took basic
dance classes that I'm sure will help me be a better Scottish musician.
Combining these dance and music classes helped me understand how a musical
dynamic can give the dancers that extra kick at the right time during a dance.

It was a great international gathering of Scottish dance instructors, musicians
and dancers.  Instructors came from Canada, Scotland, and all over the United
States. Dancers came from as far away as Australia. Being a beginner Scottish
dancer, I found everybody very supportive and friendly.

At one of our music sessions, I asked Muriel if she would consider being our
featured artist at one of our gala concerts. She said she would and that she
could do some workshops if she came. When I asked her if she had any
compositions that the SRSNH might enjoy, she hand wrote one of her new tunes
that she hasn't even published yet, a waltz named "Anna" and suggested some
other tunes she thought we might like. I hope we can get her come for one of
our galas.

I found the Pinewoods Scottish Session II great fun and extremely helpful, and
would recommend it to SRSNH members.

Frank Woodward

SRSNH EVENTS

Gatherings on Sunday afternoons, 1-5 pm, Annicchiarico Music Theater, Thompson
& S. Main Sts, Concord, N.H. All welcome.

SRSNH OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEES, & VOLUNTEERS

Music Director:  Sylvia Miskoe
Board of Directors:
 Marianne Taylor, President
 Don Young, Vice President 
 Ed Los, Treasurer 
 Cindy Blaine, Secretary 
 Len Buzwell, Member at Large
 Connie Eppich, Member at Large
 Nancy Normand, Member at Large
Scholarship Committee: Gary Hume, Chair; Susan Willoughby & Elly Abelson
Memberships, Email Newsletters: Barbara McOwen
Webmaster: Terry Traub
Mailings: Denise and Jim Robinson
Back Music: Cindy Blaine 
Newsletter Editor: Cindy Blaine 
Photographer: Evelyn Roberts
T-shirts: Bruce Cobb 
Refreshments: Calvin Gardner 

CALENDAR

September 25, 2004 - Dance - Dover City Hall - band: Swallowtail 8 - 11:30 PM
cost: $10/ $6 Students & Seniors - Pot luck dessert at break

CONCERT, Sept. 18, 2004, at 7:30: Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas,
fiddle/cello duo. Centre Congregational Church, 193 Main St., Brattleboro VT.
Tickets available at MapleLeaf Music, 23 Elliot St.  Brattleboro. $15 in
advance, $18 at the door. Advance tickets also available by sending a check
made out to Mary Lea along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Mary Lea
/ P.O. Box 1704 / Brattleboro VT 05302-1704. Call (802) 257-1571 for more information.

FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH:  Dance - Dover City Hall - Peter Yarensky &
Sarah Mason calling & teaching;  Music by:  Lamprey  River Band; 8 - 10:40PM
Cost:  $7 /$5 Students; More Info & Directions:  664-2513 or peter.yarensky at unh.edu

Second Saturdays Dance - Gilmanton (NH) Town Hall (Academy Building)
(intersection Rtes 107 & 14) - 8 - 11 info: (603) 267-7227; Sept. 11 - Music:
Bill Perry, Patrick Hornig, Dave Medritz; Caller: Byron Ricker; Oct. 9 Old New
England, Caller: Don Primrose; November 13, Randy Miller & Friends, Caller: Sue
Hunt; Dec. 11 - Two Fiddles, Caller: Dudley Laufman

Third Saturdays - Dance - East Concord (NH) Community Center 8PM 
info: dwh at nhvt.net

September 12, 2004 - English Country Dance - Presidential Oaks auditorium,
Pleasant Street, Concord, NH - 6:30 PM

Lissa Schneckenberger & Phantom Power, Corey DiMario & others: Concerts and
Dances see: www.lissafiddle.com

Thursdays: Acoustic Open Mic 7:30 PM - Green Martini - 8 Pleasant Street
Extension, Concord, NH (host: Duane D'Agnese)

Fridays - Press Room, Portsmouth, NH - Irish Music sessions (open) - 4:30 PM or
so to when the music upstairs starts (9 PM)

SESSIONS, JAMS, DANCES

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

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 -Canadian Jam Session: We play a mixture of French and English
Canadian fiddle tunes as well as some New England tunes and tunes of other
origins.

$2 donation requested to cover the rent. Every Wednesday from 7:30 - 10:30 at
the Durham, NH Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (corner of Madbury Rd. and
Woodman Ave.). For more information call 603-664-2513 or or
peter.yarensky at unh.edu.

Wednesdays - Fiddle on Wednesday - open jams - alternate between Ashland, NH
(Booster-s Club) and the Gordon-Nash Library, New Hampton ( 7 PM )

1st Wednesdays - Jam seissun, 7 pm, Foodee's, in the Milford Oval, Milford,
N.H. Sandy Lafleur 603-673-8497 or strumma at aol.com.

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

1st Thursdays - of every month Country Dance: Dover, NH City Hall - Upcoming
dates July 1, August 5.  With Peter Yarensky & Sarah Mason calling and
teaching, music by the Lamprey River Band. Guest musicians and callers
welcome. 8:00 - 10:40, $6. 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, -.AN= 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. Frank
Woodward  603-487-2480

1st Saturdays - Contra dance 8-11pm, Town Hall Peterborough, N.H.  For more
information: (phone): (603) 525-3883, (603) 525-4432; Email: fiddleheads at adelphia.net

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, 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 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.  For more information, call  603-487-2480 or NHdancecaller at aol.com 

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

4th Saturdays - Contra dance, Kingston, NH, 8:30 pm - various bands. $7, 603-750-7506.

Saturdays - Acoustic Outfitters, Stratham, NH - AMS - open 

A REMINDER: Deadline for  September articles is October 1, 2004.  No calendar
dates before October 16 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 Cindy Blaine. All items welcome, depending on space
available; e-mail by the 1st of the month for inclusion in the mid-month
mailing to cmbfiddler at yahoo.com in text only format. Email subscription is
free; send request to bmcowen at comcast.net.   The SRSNH Web Page is maintained
by Terry Traub, http://www.srsnh.org