2010 FIDDLE JUDGE AND WORKSHOP LEADER
A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Arlene (Leitch) Patterson first studied traditional Scottish fiddle music with such worthies as Bill Hardie and Tom Anderson. She plays regularly for Scottish country dance events and has taught numerous workshops and classes for the American Suzuki Association, has been on staff at Pinewoods Scottish Dance Camp, Alasdair Fraser's Valley of the Moon Traditional Music Camp, and participates in Scottish events all over the country. She is a regular at Colorado's annual Rocky Moutain Fiddle Camp.
Arlene teaches music at Mountain View Elementary school in Longmont, Colorado, and has a private violin/fiddle studio. She enjoys sharing stories and working with students and performers of all ages. Her youngest student is 2 years old.
THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR COMPETING!
It's a personal goal, it's a chance to be heard, it's a yearly measure of progress, it's a time for comraderie among your fellow competitors, it's a chance to really learn some new tunes, it's a good opportunity for our honored guest judge to hear what the New England Scottish fiddlers are doing, it lets an appreciative audience know that there is such a thing as Scottish fiddling, it's an opportunity to be part of a Scottish fiddle competition tradition which dates back to Niel Gow in the 18th century, it supports the Games which is supporting Scottish fiddling. All ages and levels are welcome - Give it a go and good luck!
Julie Gorka has written a nice article about competing, complete with tips. Click HERE to view. Julie plays Scottish fiddle and piano, and teaches Suzuki piano in Raleigh, N.C.
INFO FOR 2010:
New England Scottish Fiddle Championships: The New Hampshire Highland Games has sponsored the N.E. Scottish Fiddle Championships since 1978, as well as the Novice and Beginner Scottish Fiddle Competitions. The New England Regionals are sanctioned by Scottish FIRE (Fiddle Revival) Inc. One or more winners of the Open and Junior Regionals may be advanced by the Judge to the U.S. Scottish Fiddle Championships to be held the following summer (date and location to be determined).
The 2010 competitions will all be on Saturday September 18th, 9 am - 4 pm, in the Heritage Center, near the Governor Adams Lodge.
Tune Requirements: Junior and Open New England Championship competitors play four tunes: first a slow air, lament, pastoral or other slow tune followed by a pause; then a set of three tunes: march, strathspey and reel. The Judge may request that the Slow Tune be played once through, 2-part tunes be played twice through, 4-part tunes once through, and no tunes more than 4 parts. For more information on performance requirements, please contact the Competition Chair.
Novice competitors play two tunes (any two Scottish tunes) together as a set. All ages invited. If you have competed in the Regionals, you are not eligible as a Novice.
Beginners will play one Scottish tune, two parts, twice through. All ages invited. If you have competed as a Novice or above, you are not eligible as a Beginner.
Scottish FIRE: Scottish Fiddle Revival is the sanctioning body for Scottish fiddling in North America. They have established a judging panel, competition rules, and guidelines for hosting a competition. The New England Regional Championships are sanctioned by Scottish FIRE, and Junior and Open competitors are eligible to be recommended for the U.S. National Scottish Fiddling Championships the following season. Please support Scottish FIRE by joining! Our dues help make the Nationals happen.
For more information about Scottish FIRE, including Rules, Etiquette, Competition Results, Judges, Membership Form, Sample Newsletter, listings of teachers & performers & camps, etc, go to their NEW www.scottishfire.org.
Tickets and Info for the Games and Concerts: Go to the website at www.nhscot.org.
Young Fiddle Competitors, 2007
Tartan: New Hampshire State Dress
Webdabbler: Barbara McOwen, www.mcowen.net
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