On the second Sunday of every month, members of the New Hampshire Scottish Music club gather to play Scottish music. Gordon provides piano backup and overall direction for the jam session, following the workshop
The general format is a workshop or focused work-session from 1 - 3, a tea break, then an hour or so of a less formal jam.
Anyone is welcome to attend.
The father-son fiddling duo Ryan and Brennish Thomson will lead our January workshop.
Ryan and Brennish live in Lee, New Hampshire. They are an award-winning father and son team known as the Fiddling Thomsons. Ryan has been playing for country dances for 50 years; his son Brennish joined him over 20 years ago. They’ve performed in venues ranging from the Chaoyang Pop Festival in Beijing, China, to the Bath Folk Festival in Bath, England. They’ve taught at music camps from New England to California. Look them up at captainfiddle.com.
The Thomsons play a wide variety of musical styles. However traditional Celtic music makes up the largest portion of their repertoire. Their favorite tunes include compositions both old and new, including pieces by James Scott Skinner, Alasdair Fraser, and Liz Carroll.
Keeping in the well-trod path of preceding fiddlers, Ryan has been composing original fiddle tunes for many years. His favorite project is writing tunes in honor of family members and friends. For this workshop Ryan has chosen a set of three hornpipes composed in honor of his great-great-grandfather, John Thomson, who lived in Dunfermline, Scotland: John Thomson of Dunfermline Nos. 1, 2, & 3.
Ryan originally composed the first tune in the John Thomson set on a penny whistle. Various fiddlers expressed interest in learning it, so he worked it out on the fiddle. It plays fine on the accordion as well. The second two tunes are recent complementary compositions.
Sheet music of the basic melodies is provided here. During the workshop Ryan and Brennish will teach how common hornpipe ornamentation can be applied to specific parts of these tunes.
Everyone please arrive in time for a prompt 1 p.m. start. Workshops typically run for two hours, then a coffee and tea break followed by a less formal jam using tunes from our session book.
If you are coming for the first time, note that the rear parking lot off of Fayette St. provides the easiest access. We always try to have extra copies of the music for newcomers.
Questions? NHScottishMusic@gmail.com
The Thomsons’ love of making music runs in their family. Their Scottish contingent left the lowlands and moved directly to the USA in the mid 1800’s for the possibility of an improved livelihood. Many of their family members sang, danced, and played instruments in both amateur and full-time performing ensembles.
As Ryan was growing up his mother, who played several different musical instruments herself, often spoke of her desire that Ryan and his brother learn to play highland pipes. Unfortunately no teacher could be found at that time. Instead, Ryan became a multi-instrumentalist who has settled upon the violin as his primary instrument.
Brennish was named at birth using an english spelling after the Scottish village of Breanais, on the Isle of Lewis. He started fiddling at age two on a 1/32 sized violin. He now performs music prolifically, works as a design engineer of musical instrument amplification systems, and offers the services of his recording studio at the Thomsons’ home in Lee.
Questions? Write to NHScottishMusic@gmail.com
Please use the parking lot and entrance off of Fayette Street.