Granite Skyes
Volume 17 No. 10   June 2005

NEXT GATHERING                        Approximate Schedule:
Sunday, June 26, 2005                 1:00 - 3:00 June's Tunes
1 - 5 p.m.  Annicchiarico Theater     3:00 - 3:30 Refreshments
One Thompson Street                   4:00 - 5:00 Requests and Solos
Concord, New Hampshire

NOTES FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR - by Sylvia Miskoe

Here we go with out last set of music for this year. First there is a song - On
the Road to Mingulay. It was sung at one of our early Gala concerts and I heard
The Kingston Trio do it at a recent concert. It's a catchy tune with lots of
body language if you don't want to sing it.  Mingulay is one of the Bishop's
Isles in the Outer Hebrides. Since 1912 when the last human left it has been
inhabited by sheep. The tune was written in 1938 by Hugh Robertson. A special
=93thanks=94 goes out to Susan Christie Woodward for working up this tune.

The next tune is a little march or Gay Gordons titled Terribus. It pops up in
sessions and lots of folks know it but I could not find much for background
information.

From Terribus you can move up to The Meeting of the Waters. It's a great march
and good dance tune. I like to use it as the last tune of a string of
reels/marches. When you launch into the tune you seem to be making some sort of
statement. I have always heard it in the key of A, as presented here. However,
the pipers play it in the key of D and there are two parts added to it by PM
Donald MacLeod. You can play it for a Gay Gordons, a Scottish Country Dance or
a stately contra.

The last tune is your homework for the summer. The Boston Two-Step is a couple
dance introduced in the early 1900s. It became a popular alternative to the
waltz and falls into the category of one steps, two steps and three steps. The
first step of the dance is called a Boston and the directions say Boston right
and Boston left. It's a very popular dance today at ceilidhs, weddings and
socials. You can dance it to other similar tunes. The tune was written in 1908
by Luke Cavendish Everett. It is played in a leisurely, lilting manner. The
version here is taken from a Jimmy Shand recording with a small tweak by me.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

We will be sending out membership renewals in the September mailing.

The 4th FEATURES FANTASTIC FIDDLE FUN

Whether you play the fiddle or like to listen, a lot of fun awaits you at the
Hillsboro 4H Fairgrounds in New Boston, NH beginning at 2:00 PM Monday July
4th. Sign-ups close at 1:30 for three categories: under 11, under 18, and
open. Come enjoy all the events of this historic annual small town celebration
from the 10:00 AM parade to the evening fireworks. More information: Frank &
Susan Woodward (603) 487-2480; email: nhdancecaller@aol.com or pygarus@aol.com


GALA ~ HELP! HELP! HELP!

We are in desperate need of a HOUSE MANAGER for this fall's Gala Concert. This
person would need to receive training from the City at one of their "Training
Sessions" this fall. The purpose of this is to show you around and familiarize
you with the emergency exits, lighting and the protocols of managing the
"House". This needs to be someone who is NOT playing in the Gala.

Tasks include contacting/arranging for a cleaning service for after out
performance, doing the pre and post inspections to insure the Audi is in good
condition so we get our deposit back, and arranging for the ushers.  (We have a
list of willing folks who do this every year and know the drill.)

We CANNOT, I repeat, CANNOT!!! have a Gala without a House Manager!  Please
contact the me at (603) 67-8497 or by e-mail, strumma@aol.com

SANBORNTON FARMERS' MARKET

Once again we've been asked to play on the market's opening day, Friday, June
24. We'll play, with pauses for shopping and refreshments, from 3 to 6 PM, then
have a potluck supper at Calef Farm. If you're interested, call Brian Mokler at
286-8211 or e-mail mokler3@aol.com

NH HIGHLAND GAMES, Hopkington, NH

September 24 and 25th If You are interested in performing with the SRSNH at the
Games, contact Sylvia Miskoe at Smiskoe@aol.com

HORNPIPES - Sylvia Miskoe

Hornpipes are great tunes. Bright, driving, fun to play and fun to dance to.
But what constitutes a hornpipe?  This question frequently comes up in any
general tune discussion. There are lots of statements that can be made about a
hornpipe.  I'll try to gather as many as I can find.

I know when I hear a tune I often can identify it as a hornpipe, but what do I
hear that makes it a hornpipe?  The instrument itself was a primitive
double-reed wind instrument dating from around the 13th century. The dance and
its related music have a nautical association, as many ships included a
musician for dancing (exercise). There are different types of hornpipes. Some
hornpipes have even-rhythm notes similar to reels and they are played at reel
tempo. In the mid-19th century the dotted rhythm was introduced. Normal English
hornpipes are played slowly, (i.e. 75 bpm), especially to emphasize the dotted
rhythm. They are often written in 4/4 meter. But some English hornpipes are
non-standard time signature, (i.e. 3/2).

Here are a few of my observations:

There are very few hornpipes written in a minor key. Example, Saratoga
Hornpipe, Rights of Man There are lots in Bb and F major. Example, Vinton's,
Mary Claire, Fisher.  The dotted rhythm is generally long-short,
long-short. Example, Manchester, Harvest Home.  There can be lots of
triplets. The range is often greater than that of reels. Example: Garfield,
Vinton They often end with 3 quarter notes.  When you look at printed music you
will often find the same tunes written differently. Cole's 1000 Fiddle Tunes
presents them in 2/4 meter without the dotted rhythm. The same tunes will
appear in Kerr's Caledonian Collection in 4/4 meter with the dotted
rhythm. Ditto for triplets.

I suggest that you listen, listen and listen some more. You will develop an ear
for the subtleties between the hornpipes and the reels. Start by listening to a
tune that is labeled as a hornpipe and compare it with one that is labeled a
reel. Don't just listen, get up and move about.  Pretty soon your ear and body
will begin to differentiate the two styles.  And the one sure way to know if
the tune is a hornpipe - the word hornpipe will appear in the title!

A NOTE FROM OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR

We began our year by playing at the NH Highland Games at the Hopkinton Fair
Grounds. Saturday we were on the big stage at 10 AM, then Sunday we were in the
Music and Dance area at 9:30 AM plus back on the big stage at noon. We had a
record number of participants on Saturday. We filled the stage and had several
rows in front of it. People kept stopping me during the weekend to tell me how
much they look forward to our appearances.

Rod Stradling was the Gala featured artist. We had great music, lots of
fun. Unfortunately the weather was blowing and raining and our audience was
smaller than usual. Also the publicity was not as complete as it could have
been.

We repeated much of our Gala concert for the Wolfeboro First Night and they
have already asked us to return this year. In February we went up to Sandwich
NH and played for the Snowball Dance. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. A small
but enthusiastic group of dancers gave us standing ovations and asked for
encores.

We played a mini-concert at Neffa in Natick MA with an appreciative audience.

This year's special workshop was led by Beth Murray. Beth is a pianist and she
focused on accompaniment techniques.

We plan to be at the Games in September and our Gala featured artist will be
pianist Muriel Johnstone from Houston TX and Scotland.

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 24, Sanborton Farmer's Market 3:00 - 6:00
August 28, Sunday, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
SRSNH Annual Summer Picnic at Sylvia Miskoe's
102 Little Pond Road,
Concord, New Hampshire

September 24 and 25th
NH Highland Games, Hopkington, NH

CALENDAR

July 4, Monday 2 pm: Fiddle Contest in New Boston, NH  Hillsboro 4-H
Fairgrounds. Info: nhdancecaller@aol.com
July 16, 2005, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. The Art of the Scottish Fiddle
featuring internationally acclaimed artists
Catherine Fraser Fiddle
Duncan Smith Piano

First Parish Church, 35 Church Street, Watertown, MA
Tickets $15.00

Catherine Fraser is one of the Southern Hemisphere's finest Scottish
fiddlers. For more information, visit her website at
www.catherinefraser.com

Duncan Smith is a featured accompanist, bandleader and teacher at
Scottish music and dance workshops throughout Australia and New Zealand,
and across North America.

July 17, Sunday 2-5 p.m.Workshops for fiddlers and accompanists. For more
information on concert or workshops contact Jay Flynn at 617-243-0633 or
jay-flynn@rcn.com.

July 25 - 29:  Gaelic College Foundation USA, Inc. presents 2nd Annual
Summer School
Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vermont
World-class Faculty from the Gaelic College, St. Ann's, Cape Breton
- Gaelic Language and Song - Mairi MacInnes, Hector MacNeil
- Great Highland Bagpipes - Alasdair Gillis, Sandy Gordon
- Cape Breton Fiddle - Sandy MacIntyre, Kendra MacGillivray, Jennifer
Roland
- Highland Dance - Jocelyn Rose Brogan
- Cape Breton Step Dance - Betty Matheson, Bonnie Jean Cutcliffe
- Celtic Harp - Heather Yule
- Bodhran - Mance Grady
- Piano Accompaniment - Troy MacGillivray                      
Affordable Room and Board package at the University of Vermont available.
EMAIL: registrar@gaeliccollege.edu
Phone: 902-295-3411

July 29 and 30, 2005 Glengarry Highland Games, Maxville Ontario Canada One of
the largest Highland Games in North America featuring the North American Pipe
Band Championship.

Tattoo on Friday night featuring John McDermott and massed fiddlers (bring you
fiddle and join us). Fiddling workshop on Saturday morning and excellent
Scottish Fiddling Show in the afternoon. More info at
www.glengarryhighlandgames.ca

July 29, 30 and 30st 7th Annual Celtic Camping Ceilidh! in rural Mason, NH. A
weekend of music, song, dance and frivolity! "Mauch" Scottish Games, evening
campfires, star gazing. $12/person for the weekend includes Saturday night's
Stone Soup feast. Children 12 and under are free. Contact Sandy Lafleur at
strumma@aol.com or (603) 673-8497

August 6-13: Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School, Thompson Island, Boston,
Mass. Lots more info & brochures available very soon. Info:
bmcowen@comcast.net, www.scottishfiddle.org

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@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@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 - First Wednesday of each month at Foodee's, Milford
Oval at 7:00 p.m. - Trad. acoustic "seissun". For more info. call
673-8497 or e-mail strumma@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@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@comcast.net, or
http://homepage.mac.com/lonwright/NashuaSCD
Wednesday =93Slow Jam=94 - Concord Community Music School - 7:30 -
9 PM voluntary donation; info: 226 1966 or cordway@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@unh.edu.
Upcoming dates 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, =BD 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@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@aol.com
Third Saturdays - Dance - East Concord, NH Community Center 8PM  
info:  dwh@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

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)
Connie Eppich - Secretary (Term Expires May 2007)
Bob Reed, Treasurer  (Term expires May 2007)
Len Buswell, Member at Large (May 2006)
Scholarship Committee:  Susan Willoughby, Chair & Elli Abelson, Bob Reed
Memberships, Email Newsletters: Barbara McOwen Webmaster: Terry Traub
Mailings; Denise and Jim Robinson
Back Music:  Susan Christie Woodward
Newsletter Editor: Cindy Blaine
Photographer: Evelyn Roberts
T-shirts: Bruce Cobb
Refreshments: Calvin Gardner

A REMINDER: Deadline for September articles is September 1, 2005.  No
calendar dates before September 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@yahoo.com in text
only format. Email subscription is free; send request  to
bmcowen@comcast.net The SRSNH Web Page is maintained by Terry Traub,
http://www.srsnh.org
					
SRSNH Gatherings 2005

Sunday, June 26, 2005
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Sunday, December 18, 2005

1-5 p.m. Free Admission.  All ages, all instruments, all levels welcome.
 Free with potluck refreshments.
Annicchiarico Music Theater
One Thompson Street
Concord, NH (At S. Main St., take I-93 to Exit 13 or 14.  Take S. Main
St. To Thompson St., two blocks south of Pleasant Street (Route 202/9)
One block north of Capitol Center for the Arts.  Free parking on the
street.  Do not park in the resident's lot.

STRATHSPEY & REEL SOCIETY OF NH
102 LITTLE POND ROAD
CONCORD, NH 03301

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUIRED
DATED MATERIAL