NH Scottish Music Club has a Far Reach
The NH Scottish Music Club is not just for those of us who happen to live in New Hampshire, or even New England. Julie Wyrick lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and has these thoughts about NHSMC that she’d like to share:
Greetings from a far-flung NHSMC member…
Although I live in California, being a member of the New Hampshire Scottish Music Club has been so rewarding. Sharing music and workshops and meeting other musicians over Zoom sustained me during the pandemic. But the personal connections I’ve made with some of you have been really special.
First, Connie Eppich and Rob Drugan came by my house while on their pre-Covid cross-country bike trip and we enjoyed a jam session and meal together.
This past June, Anne and Clete Baier hosted me for a week at their lovely home in New Hampshire. I have never been so pampered in my life, between Clete’s wonderful culinary creations and exploring the area and playing music with Anne. Anne also arranged a jam session in her barn where I got to meet so many of you in person and play through your concert program.
I then met Mari Black in person at the Acadia Trad Music and Dance camp and had the pleasure of hosting her and her bass player for a week in September while they were on tour in the San Francisco Bay Area. They wowed our local dancers with their brilliant musicianship and energy when they accompanied me in playing for a Ceilidh. They were very well received at a local house concert and and then we drove down to the Monterey area where they played an amazing concert, enjoyed the Pacific coast and ate some great Mexican food. Our local dancers certainly hope they come back and play for one of our larger events.
Hosting visiting musicians and friends is one of the pleasures of having a large house (although not as large or gorgeous as the Baiers’), so please feel free to contact me if you’re coming to the San Francisco Bay Area and would like accommodations. It would be lovely to visit and play some tunes together. I have my late husband’s fiddle, as well as viola, guitars, mandolin, piano and bodhran that would love to be played. Play on! Julie
Left photo: Mari Black and her bass player Noah Harrington when they accompanied Julie in playing for a Ceilidh dance.
Right photo: Linda Henderson, the dance caller, Mari, Julie, and Noah.