Granite Skyes
Volume 17 No. 4, December 2004

December Gathering
Sunday, December 26, 2004
1-5 pm, Annicchiaricco Theater
Concord, NH

NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR- by Sylvia Miskoe

The Gala music included two tunes not in our repertoire.  So here they are for
everyone to enjoy.  The first one is The Flower o' the Quern.  A quern
(pronounced 'kern') is Gaelic for a hollow.  It was published in song form by
J. Gordon Phillips, Elgin (Scotland), whose words were written as a tribute to
a young woman, Mary Morrison. Mary, who lived in Forres in the latter half of
the 19th century, was described as "the bonniest lass from Inverness to
Aberdeen", but was widowed at an early age. She remarried David Flyslop, who
was the chauffeur to the Earl of Moray, and lived in a lodge at the end of one
of the driveways to Darnaway Castle. The music was composed by J. Scott Skinner
as a tune for the song, but the melody also became popular as a slow air.  As
an aire it should be played 'pathetically slow.'  It appears in his Logie
Collection, dedicated to another girl, Miss Jessie Stockwell.

Here are the words:


The flo-ers grow fair on the lowland vales,
an' green grow the wids on the braes,
an' saft an' low sing the scented gales
in the lang, lang simmer days;
But dearer to me are the mountains blue
where grow the heath an' fern,
an' the bonniest flo'er is the ane I lo'e
that blooms 'mang the braes o' the Quern.
 
Miss Brooke is also by Skinner.  I could not find anything about it or her.  I
first heard the tune last August at a Scottish Country Dance.  I decided to sit
out one dance and this tune came zinging at me, teasing me for not dancing.
 
Frank Woodward attended Pinewoods Scottish Dance Camp last July and took the
music course taught by Muriel Johnstone.  Muriel is a fabulous pianist.  At the
end of the week she gave Frank this waltz, Anna, to be enjoyed.  Anna Holden
was a very respected Scottish dance teacher from Birmingham.  She wrote two
books of dances, several of which are in the general repertoire.
 
Johnnie Come Kiss Me Now and He's Over the Hills and Far Away are two little
tunes given to me by Charlie Mullard.  Charlie lives in England, plays
accordion and has played for many a Scottish Country dance evening.  I met him
this summer at the American Dance Week at Pinewoods and he was eager to share
one of his sets with me.  The tunes are bright, easy, and probably played in
other keys.  He's Over the Hills is a pipe tune, not often played these days.


GALA 2004- by Sylvia Miskoe

Thank you, Everyone!
 
We had a fantastic Gala Concert and it was great because everyone contributed
their time, energy, talent and ideas.  The whole was greater than the sum of
its parts.  I have had many compliments about the players, the music, the flow
of the program.  I wish I had the time to write a thank-you note to each one of
you but I have to get started on the December music.  Instead, this is a group
thank-you.  If I missed your name, I'm sorry.

Thanks to Marianne who pounded the piano and kept us together; and to the eight
under-twenty-ones (Kylee, Tim, Kegan, Sarah, Brittany, Ashley, Molly, and KK)
who banished their butterflies and stood up straight and played alone to the
audience; to Dave who played 'pathetically slow'; and George who provided the
falsetto line for Kip's verse; to Ellen who played whistle and flute and big
bass drum with the other members of the NHSSA Pipe Band; to Sandy and Bob who
managed to produce the concert AND play in it; to Kevin who as house manager
had to stay outside the hall the whole time; to Stephanie who taught us how to
get on the stage and set up in less than 2 minutes; to Cal who organized both
the intermission refreshments and the after concert pizzas; to Brian and Mary
who organized and dispensed tickets at every opportunity; to the country
dancers who fooled the audience into thinking there was nothing amiss.  Bravo
to Pat, Jack and Arthur for surviving their first Gala.

Looking out at the audience I saw two ladies in the first row.  One very old
and the other middle aged .  At intermission the middle-aged lady stopped me
and told me that her mother was here for the first time.  She was born in
Scotland and never left her culture behind.  She's 87 and just thrilled with
our production.  Tonight a man called asking about tartans.  He told me that
last year he had brought his mother.  She was ill and he said her enjoyment
brought tears to his eyes.  This year he brought his kids.  Our music touches
everyone.

Here are some favorable reviews from our audience:

"Rod's fingers just danced."

"All of a sudden it was 5 o'clock and the concert was over."

"The attention given to the youth was very uplifting."

"Ken and I had a wonderful time at the concert yesterday.  The best yet!  It's
alright with us if you have Kip as the MC and Rod as the guest musician every
year!  They were both terrific.  The piper opening was awesome!  The program
was very well balanced from beginning to end.  Pass my words of praise on to
anyone who might be flattered and, of course, take a bow yourself as you set
the standard for the group!  Love: Judith & Ken"

"Lovely, lots of variety"

"What a surprise when the band came in - great way to start"

"A lot of fun"

"The pub scene looked really spontaneous!"  

"There were just enough rough edges to remind everyone that we were among
friends, and the music was really good too."

"The end of the first half was my favorite - when the last tune started, the
music just burst off the stage"

"Timmy should know that audiences can read lips."

And last but not least, a note from Rod:

"Thank you for a wonderful Gala. Frances and I had a great time.  You are
welcome to make whatever you want with my part of the recording. I will leave
it to your judgement to select whatever you want."


SCHOLARSHIPS

Week at the Gaelic College - The Eppich Family

The days at the Gaelic College are filled to the brim with fun.  The
instructors teach you a lot of techniques about Cape Breton fiddling,
ornamentation and many other tricks to make fiddling yours.  But fiddling isn't
the only thing you can do there.  Highland and step dance, bag- and
small-pipes, bodhran and drumming, chanter and harp.  Pick out your level and
activity and you will have the music-filled week you want!

- Kylee Drugan-Eppich

I had been interested in the Gaelic College in Cape Breton for some time,
especially as a violin student of mine attended several years ago.  I had also
been thinking that it may be time for Kylee and Tim to attend some sort of
music camp to focus on fiddling.  When I saw that the Gaelic College would be
offering a program in Vermont this summer, the opportunity seemed too good to
pass up.

I can usually come up with the funds to send myself to a music camp, but paying
for three of us was a bit daunting.  Needless to say, we were all quite
grateful when SRSNH offered us some scholarship money.

The camp was held on the grounds of Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont.  We
pulled into the main parking lot on Sunday afternoon to register for our
classes which would begin on Monday morning, and were told to drive to the
Coach Barn.  It was a long, beautiful drive down a dirt road, past old barns,
views of Lake Champlain, and the historic inn.  The Coach Barn was huge and
beautiful, a lovely place to play and listen to music.

The classes ran for 5 days, Monday through Friday, August 23 - 27.  You could
choose 5 classes each day.  I opted to take 3 fiddle classes, one with each of
the 3 fiddle instructors - Dara Smith, Jennifer Roland, and Sandy MacIntyre.

Sandy has compiled a book of traditional Cape Breton tunes and much of his
class time was spent sight-reading tunes from the book (available during the
classes or to purchase for $20).  Both Jennifer and Dara focused on teaching
some of the details of Cape Breton style fiddling - bowing techniques and
different types of ornamentation.  I was particularly happy to spend time
working on learning how to do a cut.

We also looked at the different types of tunes - strathspeys, reels, jigs, and
marches.  There were 3 levels of fiddling offered - beginner, advanced
beginner, and intermediate.  I took all classes at the intermediate level and
found it to be appropriate.

After lunch I rounded out my knowledge of Cape Breton musical culture with
classes in bodhran and step dancing.  5 hours of instruction in each of these
left me with an appreciation of how difficult both are.  Kylee and Tim both
took fiddling classes at the advanced beginner level.  Kylee also took classes
from all 3 instructors, as well as highland dancing and celtic harp.  Tim, who
is not much of a sight-reader, decided that Sandy's style of teaching was not
for him.  He took fiddling classes from Jennifer and Dara, chanter, bodhran,
and harp.  It didn't seem to make sense to take more than one class a day at
the beginner level since the instructors tended to repeat what they taught for
that day.

The Vermont session was a day program that ended at 3:00.  Lunch was provided
but other meals and lodging were the campers' responsibility.  Not being ones
to enjoy motels or private campgrounds, we opted to stay at a Vermont State
Park.  The closest one is Button Bay, outside of Vergennes, about a 40-minute
drive from Shelburne Farm.  It was absolutely beautiful, with large campsites
right on Lake Champlain.  At the end of August, mid-week, it was practically
deserted.  After working hard all day, Kylee and Tim especially enjoyed
swimming in the pool and playing tether ball.  The drawback was the long drive.
There were evening activities on Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights but we
were all disinclined to drive back and forth to Shelburne twice in one day (and
the cost of these for the 3 of us would have been about $100, which I hadn't
budgeted for).  I was also concerned that Kylee and Tim get enough sleep each
night.  Sunday night there was a Gaelic College Pipe Band Concert with an
admission charge of $12.  Cape Breton dancing was offered Wednesday night ($5
admission) and a grande finale concert was held Thursday night for $25
adults/$18 children.  We were a little sorry to miss the final concert, as all
the faculty performed, but heard that it went so late that many people left
during the intermission.

There was a wide mix of ages, maybe equally divided between children and
adults.  Many campers seemed to be from the local area, some commuted each day
an hour or more.

This was my first experience with a musical "day camp" program.  I've
previously been to a number of classical music camps and one fiddle camp.
Compared to the fiddle camp I attended several years ago, the instruction at
the Gaelic College Vermont program was phenomenal.  What was missing from the
day camp program was what I described to Kylee as the "fun factor."  Everyone
worked hard all day and then left.  No jam sessions and little opportunity to
meet other campers.  Picnic lunches were provided each day and people tended to
spread out on the various lawns and eat with people they already knew or maybe
had met in a class.  Instructors tended to socialize with instructors.  This
was also the first camp I've attended that, for better or for worse, held no
informal recital at the end of the session.

Going into this experience I was hoping that my children would find this to be
a positive experience and I have to say they loved it.  They were as excited
about their classes on Friday as they were on Monday.  We all had fun, learned
a lot, and would definitely recommend the camp as a great experience.

- Connie Eppich

The Gaelic College was a lot of fun.  I really liked the classes but the
lunches weren't top notch.  I really enjoyed doing fiddle and bodhran.  I think
that if you have a chance you should try it.  - Tim Drugan-Eppich


MINUTES OF THE SRSNH BOARD MEETING
- Cindy Blaine

A meeting of the Board of Directors was held on November 10, 2004.The Gala is
on track.  Mary has sold a number of tickets.  The SRSNH will perform at
Wolfeboro First Night.  The next Board meeting is scheduled December 29, 2004
7:30 p.m. at the NH School of Scottish Arts in Manchester, and is 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
cmbfiddler at yahoo.com.

A VERY BAD JOKE FOR YOU ALL TO ENJOY: :)

 A B-flat, a D-flat, and an F walk into a bar. The bartender says to them, "I'm
sorry, we don't serve minors here."  The D-flat leaves, and the B-flatand the F
have an open fifth between them.
    
HAPPY HOLIDAYS

I would like to wish all SRSNH members, their familes and loved ones a happy
holiday season and a prayer for peace in the new year.  Cindy Blaine

SRSNH OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEES, & VOLUNTEERS
Music Director:  Sylvia Miskoe (May 2006)
Board of Directors: 
Marianne Taylor, President (May 2006)
Don Young, Vice President  (May 2006
Ed Los, Treasurer  (Term expires May 2005)
Cindy Blaine, Secretary (Term expires May 2005)
Len Buswell, Member at Large (May 2006)
Nancy Normand - Member at Large (Term Expires May 2005)
Connie Eppich - Member at Large (Term Expires May 2005)
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 

SRSNH EVENTS


First Night  Wolfboro - December 31, 2004 9:00 p.m.

CALENDAR

December 17, 7:30 p.m.  - "Nowell Sing We Clear" will appear in concert on Friday 

December 17th at 7:30pm at FlynnSpace in Burlington, Vermont.  Admission is $20
the day of the concert and $17.50 in advance through the FlynnTix Regional Box
Office (863-5966 or http://www.flyntix.org).

For more general information about the concert series and the Tom Sustic Fund, contact 
Mark Sustic at 802-849-6968 or mrksustc at together.net. 

January 19, 2005, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. - Robert Burns birthday bash with
biography, poetry, songs & instrumentals by Kate Chadbourne, Leslie Holmes,
Michael Penzak, Tyler Buck, Libby Franck, David Ingle and others. A special
program of "The Outspoken Word" at David Langšs Art Studio, 25 Washington Ave.,
corner of Cochituate St. (off Rte 27, South of RR tracks, Natick Center). Info
at 508-879-0361 or lake at gis.net

 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, NH 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 New England tunes and other tunes we feel like playing. $2 donation 
requested to cover the rent. Second Wednesdays from 7:30 - 10:30 at the Durham, NH Unitarian 
Universalist Fellowship (corner of Madbury Rd. and Woodman Ave.).  For 
information/directions: Peter Yarensky, 603-664-2513 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 session, 7 pm, Foodee's, in the Milford Oval, Milford, N.H. Sandy 
Lafleur 603-673-8497 or strumma at aol.com.
1st, 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays-Scottish Country dance, 7-9 pm, Church of the Good Shepherd, 
214 Main St., Nashua, NH.  $3.00  More info: Loren Wright 603-891-2331, 
nashuaSCD at comcast.net, or 
http://homepage.mac.com/lonwright/NashuaSCD

4th and 5th Wednesdays-Scottish Country dance, 7-9 pm, Chandler Library, 257 Main St., 
Nashua, NH.Free More info: Loren Wright 603-891-2331, nashuaSCD at comcast.net, or 
http://homepage.mac.com/lonwright/NashuaSCD

Wednesday "Slow Jam" - Concord Community Music School - 7:30 - 9 PM starting Oct 13, 2004 
- voluntary donation; info: 226 1966 or cordway at ccmusicschool.org
Thursdays:  Acoustic Open Mic  7:30 PM  - Green Martini - 8 Pleasant Street Extension, 
Concord, NH  (host:  Duane D'Agnese
1st Thursday of every month: Dover, NH City Hall - Contra/square  Dance with the Peter 
Yarensky & Sarah Mason calling and teaching, music by the Lamprey River Band. Beginners 
welcome; all dances taught. Guest musicians and callers welcome. 8:00 - 10:40, $7; students 
$5. For information/directions: Peter Yarensky, 603-664-2513 or peter.yarensky at unh.edu.
Upcoming dates: December 2, January 6, February 3.
2nd and 4th Thursdays - Beginner jam, 7-9 pm, Fiddler's Loft (see Monday's info), free.
Fridays - Press Room, Portsmouth, NH - Irish Music sessions (open) - 4:30 PM or so to 
when the music upstairs starts (9 PM)
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, 1/2 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, NH Open band. Frank Woodward  
603-487-2480
1st Saturdays - Contra dance 8-11pm, Town Hall Petrborough, 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, MA. 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.
Second Saturdays  Dance - Gilmanton, NH Town Hall (Academy Building) (intersection Rtes 
107 & 14) - 8 - 11pm.  info:  (603) 267-7227; Sept. 11 - Music:  Bill Perry, Patrick 
Horning, 
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
2nd Saturdays - Contra dance, 8-11pm, Francestown, NH Town Hall.  Frank Woodward.  For 
more information, call  603-487-2480 or NHdancecaller at aol.com 
Third Saturdays - Dance - East Concord, NH Community Center 8PM   info:  dwh at nhvt.net
4th Saturdays - Contra dance, Kingston, NH, 8:30 pm - various bands. $7, 603-750-7506.
Saturday Jam Session - Acoustic Outfitters - Stratham, NH   (778-9711 
www.aomusicshop.com) from October to May 1st and 3rd Saturdays. 2-5PM 

Photos Courtesy of Evelyn Roberts
  
For more great photos, check out Evelyn's website  www.eroberts1.photosite.com/GALA-04/

A REMINDER: Deadline for January articles is January 1, 2005.  No calendar dates before 
January 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