June Jams

NH Scottish Music Club members and guests had several opportunities to get together and have fun with Scottish music during the month of June.

On June 4 we hosted a “satellite” session in the Nelson Town Hall as we try to reach more people, especially in other parts of the state where a monthly Concord gathering might not be on their radar. 

Half a dozen musicians from Nelson and the surrounding towns joined eight SMC members to play tunes from our repertoire. On more than one occasion after a tune had been played (usually three times) there was a request to do it again faster, as people felt confident in their playing. Instruments included fiddles, guitars, cellos, flutes, bass, accordion, mandolin, and piano. After playing for two hours we gathered for snacks and conversation. We’re hoping that our new friends will find their way to Concord for some of our monthly gatherings!

Just a week later, on June 11, we met for our regular monthly gathering at the Concord Community Music School with Alan and Deb leading the group with a focus on playing through all the monthly tunes that were not part of a workshop.

First, the June tunes. Alan presented the YouTube performance of Fiddlers to the Fore played as a very brisk march by the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra. Then we played through the piece at a more moderate pace .... but Alan wanted the melody players to understand the way the tune should sound: i.e. not exactly as notated (long notes being longer and short notes shorter and slurred as 'ornaments' almost). 

Next we played through each of the June Jigs 3 times each... increasing the pace a tad for the third time.

Then to October’s slow air Chape Keithack by William Marshall, which we played in the key of A first (to get used to the melody), then in the original B flat. We discovered that we could stay together better, by watching Debby’s bowing.

We played the Manx tunes from December, two waltzes and a jig, followed by February’s selection of odd sounding tunes, including a couple from Shetland. Alan finished his part of leading by playing through Pam Weeks’ set - Hector the Hero  followed by Drummond Castle  &  Master Andrew Grant that will appear among the new concert sets.

Debby then led the group through the playing of the other workshop sets that will be in the 2023-24 concert.

Although the accordions outnumbered the fiddles, we had enough melody players to make a good noise! And we enjoyed having Justine accompany us on the piano as well as Rich Block on bass.

Finally, on June 20, about a dozen SMC members gathered in Anne’s barn in Bow to welcome Julie Wyrick, visiting from the West Coast. After playing through our concert program Anne’s husband, Clete, treated us to a delicious lunch of sandwiches and pasta salad.

Some folks went on their way home after lunch and those that stayed played some tunes from the session book and finished with three tunes Julie had brought with her.  Two were tunes her husband Steve Wyrick had written for her: Farewell to Thompson Island, referring to the island in Boston Harbor where there once was Scottish summer camp and one that was nameless or just called Reel for Julie, a slow reel.  We finished with Dark Island by Iain MacLachlan (1958).