FEBRUARY 2002
www.celtic-connection.com
Page 11
Learn to play pipes and drums with the World Champions!
Annual Scottish Music and Dance Workshop
By ANGELA GAULD
VANCOUVER - Once again, on April 19-21, Scottish Country Dance enthusiasts from all over Canada and the United States will converge on the Scottish Cultural Centre, for the Pearl Holmberg Workshop for Teachers and Musicians, sponsored by the Vancouver Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS).
The late Pearl Holmberg was a long-time member of "The Branch" and is affectionately remembered by her fellow dancers. Her generous legacy allowed the RSCDS Vancouver Branch to undertake a number of initiatives, one of which is this major workshop for teachers and musicians who are involved (or would like to be!) in this fun pastime.
The Society itself undertakes to publish dances and their music, but the training and accreditation of teachers is also one of its major activities. To that end, the Society sends examiners all over the world, and the Vancouver Branch is proud that last year, a total of six certificates were awarded to new teachers, all of whom were trained by Teacher-tutor Mary Murray, from North Vancouver.
The Pearl Holmberg Workshop organizers pride themselves on obtaining the very best instructors, consequently we have invited a prominent RSCDS examiner and teacher trainer.
Lesley Martin, a native of Aberdeen, Scotland, will lead Scottish Country Dance Teachers from all over North America in refining their teaching techniques, and comes to us straight from conducting a similar session in Edinburgh.
No dance class is complete without music for inspiration, and Lesley's teaching will be assisted by pianist, Kristi Lind-Izat, of West Vancouver. Kristi has been
LESLEY MARTIN
KRISTI LIND-IZAT
accompanist for a number of teacher-training classes held at the Scottish Cultural Centre.
The music instructors are similarly distinguished in their fields: Calum MacKinnon, from Everett,
WA., is well-known to local dancers and musicians, and is highly sought after as a fiddle instructor, competition judge and Scottish Country Dance Musician. Calum has a number of recordings to his credit, and has performed all over North America. Calum will conduct sessions for lead instruments, including fiddle, accordion and flute.
Andy Imbrie, who will instruct accompairying instruments such as piano, second accordion and guitar, is active in the Scottish music scene in San Francisco, but like Calum, has performed and instructed throughout North America. He and Calum are return visitors to Vancouver, but Ralph Gordon, from Virginia, will be paying his first visit.
Ralph is no less accomplished: other than Scottish and English, his repertoire includes such diverse music styles as hoe-down, folk, bluegrass and klezmer. Ralph will lead sessions for bass and cello. Together, the three musicians form the band The Music of Spey, which will play for the workshop dance on April 20, to which all local dancers are welcome.
Aiding Ralph and Andy during their sessions will be two members of the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra who are currently resident in Vancouver, Mhari and Martin Duncan. Martin and Mhari enjoyed touring Canada with the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra in 1997 and 1999, and now play locally as members of the Vancouver Fiddle Orchestra.
The workshop is open to Scottish Country Dance Teachers, and to musicians who are proficient on their instruments. Complete information is available on the RSCDS Vancouver website at www.rscdsvancouvcr.org, or by calling (604) 270-4241.
ELECTIONS were held recently at the Scottish Cultural Centre in Vancouver. The new executive is shown above. In the back row: Duncan MacKenzie (Treasurer), John Bessuille (Vice President), Laura McLean (Secretary). In front: J. Stewart Cunningham (President). Angus McPherson remains as chairman of the annual B.C. Highland Games which will be held on June 29 as Town Centre Stadium in Coquitlam. Mike Paul also remains in publicity and advertising. The Scottish Cultural Centre is located at 8886 Hudson Street in Vancouver. For more information regarding upcoming activities, call (604) 263-9911.
Queen to Visit Parliament in Aberdeen
In addition to visits to Jamaica. Australia and Canada to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee (she became Queen on February 6, 1952), there will also be an extended tour around Scotland.
In May she will attend a service at Glasgow Cathedral, the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh and the new Millennium Wheel at Falkirk.
Later in the month she travels to Skye in the Western Isles, Caithness and then Aberdeen where the Scottish Parliament will be temporarily located at King's College.
On the way south, she will visit Lauder in the Scottish Borders and Melrose Abbey - and the Melrose Rugby Club. In August, she will attend a performance of the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle and there will be a garden party at Balmoral on Royal Dceside.
Interested?
The SFU Pipe Band's world-famous teaching program starts new classes in February 2002.
Lots of fun • Great instruction
For information, call: 604-943-1987
The Coast String Fiddlers
present the 2nd annual
sunshine coast summer school of celtic music July 1 - 5, 2002 in Roberts Creek, B.C
Our school offers a great time of fiddle, dance and fun not to be missed, located in the lovely beachside community of Roberts Creek on the scenic Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, Canada
The fabulous instructors currently in our line up (subject to change) :
Scottish Fiddle: Iain Fraser. Gillian Frame Canadian Fiddle: Pierre Schryer Baroque/Cape Breton Fiddle: David Greenberg Appalachian Fiddle: Erynn Marshall
Scottish/Cape Breton Fiddle: Shona Le Mottee All Styles Fiddle: Michelle Bruce, Kate Dunlay Cello: Christine Hanson
Piano: Heather Beckmyer
Guitar: Flndlay Napier and Reg Dickson
Banjo: Chris Coole
Accordion: Mary Ross Harp: Wendy Humphreys-Tebbutt
Dance: Debra Pinchbeck, Kate Dunlay
Our school of music will include daily instructional classes with accompaniment direction in all instruments. A wide range of workshops including song and dance will be offered. Join in the classes, workshops and jame. We encourage a learning, noncompetitive atmosphere for the whole family. Early bird fees are adult $225 children $130. Register early as the camp sold out last yearl For further information please contact K.athy Wood (604) 740-0516 kwood@uni»erve.com VISIT OUR WEBSITE
www.suncoastarts.com/coastfiddlers.html