10/31/10

Rehearsals

The next Fiddleheads rehearsal date is the morning of 11/6/10, but NOTE THE LOCATION CHANGE..... UVM vs. Burlington Violin Shop.  The schedule will be the same as in October.....  9:30am to 10:30am new-to-Fiddleheads players learning core repertoire from more experienced members (Latimer Hoke this month), 10:30am to 11:15am playing tunes up to speed from the core repertoire and tunes taught recently by guest instructions, and 11:15am to 12 noon with a guest teacher teaching a new tune or 2..... Tim Cummings (piper and whistle player from Monkton/Middlebury College) will be with us this time.  

Thanks for Mike Verla and Latimer Hoke, students at UVM associated with the Old Time Music Club, and musicians themselves, the location for the November and December rehearsals is the Billings North Lounge at the University of Vermont in Burlington.  Billings is the building to the right as you face the front doors of Ira Allen Chapel, the large building with the steeple and clock near the corner of University Place and Pearl Street.  It used to be the UVM student center before the Davis Center was built, and prior to that it was the UVM library.  The physical address is 48 University Place, but there isn't a number on the building.  Parking along University Place, which runs along the east side of the main campus green, as well as the lot behind Ira Allen Chapel, is free on weekends.  You should enter Billings through the front (University Place) doors...... turn left as you enter the set of double doors, and we'll be in the large room you're facing.  I'll be there by 9:15am, and will have my cell phone with me (802-233-5293).

The Burlington Violin Shop is still helping to sponsor the rehearsals, with the UVM Old Time Music Club and Young Tradition Vermont.  They are in the process of moving, likely before the end of the year.  After the shop gets set up in the new location, we'll make a decision about sticking with the UVM space, or setting up again in violin shop.  Hoping you'll make sure you'll stop by the Burlington Violin Shop and tell them thanks for their continuing support of Fiddleheads.  

Its helpful to know how many are coming, so send me a note if you can make it this month.

Next Fiddleheads Appearance

Children's Memorial Service at Ira Allen/UVM on Sunday (11/7), starting at 3:30pm.  Please arrive by 2:30pm if you’d like to be part of running through the tunes we'll be playing ('Boda Waltz' and 'Fanny Power') and knowing where you'll be standing before the service starts.  Confirmed players are 

Luke Bisceglio, 

Tyler Bryant, 

Roland Clark, 

Sterling Ford, 

Laura Harris, 

Dana Hartshorn, 

Latimer Hoke, 

McKinley James, 

Kyla Leary and 

Kevin West.  

Let me know if you’re coming but aren’t on this list.

McKinley and Roland will be arriving after they get done with Vermont Youth Orchestra rehearsal in Colchester (3:45), so they won't be joining us for the pre-appearance rehearsal or positioning.  McKinley and Roland...... find me when you arrive so I can let you know any details you might have missed.  I guessing that the Fiddleheads segment will be after 4, perhaps around 4:15.

The service will likely be done by 4:30/5, and the reception by 5:30/6.  The program will start with a musical prelude by Kathryn Kuba-Dandurand, followed by welcome comments from Dr. Lewis First and Dr. Robert Mccauley.  Laura Valastro (Elly's sister) will sing, which will be followed by the Flower Ceremony, when families put flowers in a vase in memory of their children.  Someone will read children’s names, and then families will be invited to provide some remembrances of their children.  Mayfly (Katie Trautz and Julia Wayne) will sing, then there will be a slide show.  When that’s done, Fiddleheads will play.  The service will finish with some closing remarks.  Kathryn Kuba-Dandurand will then play a musical postlude, followed by a reception at Billings (next door), where those who can stay will play some tunes for 30 minutes or so.  I tried to pick tunes with a theme or title related to remembrance or hope or celebration of life.... something like that would fit the theme of the service.  

Please wear dark pants or skirt, dark shoes and a white shirt, blouse or top.  

As a reminder, the event is for the families of children who have died, most often associated with Fletcher Allen Health Care in some way.  My son Thomas died 9 1/2 years ago at 16 years, after 2 years with leukemia, and he is one of the children remembered.  

The event is designed as a celebration of the children's lives, youth in general, and this is the 8th year that the service will be held.....  Fiddleheads are the only group that has played every year.  

If you haven't participated before, its only fair to let you know that the experience can be a little rough emotionally..... its about remembering children who have not made it through some extremely tough experiences...... family members are there, and there is a slide show with photos of the children....... some of them the only images parents have of their infants, some of which are not pleasant to look at. You should know up front that although its supposed to be celebratory and life-affirming, there's no getting around the sadness and loss.

Core Set List

These are the tunes we focus on having ready for performances.  Sometimes we do others, but if you can work on the tunes on this list, and have at least half of them memorized, you'd be ready to sign up for performances.  We do adjust the list as we learn new tunes from guests, recycle tunes learned in the past, etc.  I have sheet music, MP3s, and chord charts for all of these...... ask if you'd like a copy. 

1. Aran Boat Song/Skye Boat Song
   
   
   
2. Swallowtail Jig/Road to Lisdoonvarna
   
   
   
3. Chase Me Charlie
   
   
   
4. Gaspe Reel
   
   
   
5. L'Oiseu Bleu
   
   
   
6. The Butterfly
   
   
   
7. Bonnie Tammie Scolla
   
   
   
8. Kerry Polkas (Kerry Polka #4/Ger the Rigger/John Ryan’s Polka)
   
   
   
9. Off She Goes/Smash the Windows
   
   
   
10. Rose Tree
    
    
    
11. Mary's Wedding
    
    
    
12. St. Anne's Reel
    
    
    
13. Devil’s Dream/Mason’s Apron/Miss McLeod’s Reel
    
    
    
14. Growling Old Man and Grumbling Old Woman
    
    
    
15. Boda Waltz
    
    
    
16. Fanny Power
17. Billy in the Lowground (from Pete Sutherland)
18. Eel in the Sink (from Laura Markowitz)

Fiddleheads schedule

Here is a list of events on the Fiddleheads schedule.  More details will be sent as each event approaches.  An '?' means its not confirmed (pencil these in but don't worry about confirming with me until you get more information).  An '!' means I need some players to sign up, or we'll risk canceling it as a Fiddleheads event.  Notes as needed following each date.

• 11/6/10 rehearsal with Latimer Hoke and Tim Cummings 9:30am to 12 noon at Billings North Lounge at the University of Vermont in Burlington
• 11/7/10 Children's Memorial Service 3:30pm+ at Ira Allen Chapel at the University of Vermont in Burlington...... reception follows service at Billings (next door)
• 11/12/10 contra dance with Ann Whiting 7pm to 9pm at St. Paul's Methodist Church in St. Albans
• ? ! 12/3/10 Vermont International Festival (TBA times between 9am and 3pm) at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction
• 12/4/10 rehearsal with Joanne Garton and TBA 9:30am to 12 noon at Billings North Lounge at the University of Vermont in Burlington
• 1/8/11 contra dance 7pm to 9pm (5pm soup and rehearsal) at the Jericho Community Center in Jericho Center....... soup and rehearsal at Amy Malinowski's house in Jericho
• ! 2/12/11 contra dance 6pm to 8pm at the Folsom Educational Center in South Hero
• ? 3/17/11 workshop with Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh and Ciaran Tourish (TBA time prior to Altan concert) at the Flynn in Burlington