NOVEMBER Session

We’ll be returning to one our very favorite places for a session November 12th at 2 pm. Just a short drive to Edmonds, we’ll gather in the home of our dear friend Donna Varnau, whom we lost this spring.  Donna’s wonderful husband David will be our host and listen in from his studio as he works on his latest creation.  If you’d like to join us, contact Marcia Thumma!

No masks required, but welcome! Come join us!

 

CONCERT TICKETS ON SALE!

 

It’s time to get tickets!!

If you’re not attending the workshop, you definitely need to come to the concert!!

Join us for an incredible musical experience with our friends, and renown duo, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.  Get ready to be mesmerized by another captivating performance on Sunday, January 14th, 2 PM Pacific Time.

The concert will be at the Stanwood high school’s state of the art Performing Arts Center, at 7400 272nd Street NW, Stanwood, WA 98292.

Tickets are available in advance through Eventbrite. Prices range from $18 for youth, to $25 for seniors, and $28 for general admission.  Tickets will also be available at the door.  Doors open at 1:30.

And, speaking of doors opening! Our warmup act this year is non other than long time NW Scottish Fiddle club members, Flora and Elinor Cummings!  This sister duo is incredible- and we’ll hear some viola, and violin, and…. stay tuned!

Flora (left) and her younger sister Elinor Cummings.

Come join the magic and toe-tapping fun!

Session Oct. 8th Third Place Books Commons!

It’s SESSION TIME! Swing by Third Place Books Commons in Lake Forest Park for a listen, or share some tunes!
Starting at noon, and ends at 2pm, the NW Scottish Fiddlers will be gathering for a session, featuring Scottish, Cape Breton, Shetland, and all related genres. Various stringed instruments, and those related to the genres are very welcome!
I just had a great latte and a wee sandwich on their very own bread- from the Honey Bear Bakery located in the Commons. What’s not to love about all that, and then listen to some great music at the same time? Or maybe join us in some tunes?!
The tiny sign asks that you don’t play on the stage… We will have to ignore that 😉 Hope to see you there! Find it here .

Scholarships await! Don’t be late!

Want to go to WOW 2024 featuring the incredible Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas? Need a scholarship?
Time is running out. DON’t delay! Sign up and send in your $50 deposit. Then apply for a scholarship before Oct. 15th!
Scholarships are for all ages and abilities. Go to: https://www.nwscottishfiddlers.org/scholarship-application/
Looking forward to another great workshop, with amazing instructors and friends! Don’t
miss out.

Galen Fraser and Maria San Miguel Seattle Workshop!

YES! Mark your calendar for Wednesday, September 20th for a real treat! This workshop will go deep into the playing styles of Castilian and Celtic music, with the likely incorporations of San Miguel Fraser’s contemporary compositions. See their website at: https://sanmiguelfraser.com/

They will play a combination of fiddles, cittern, percussion, and singing!  It is not limited to the instrumentation that Maria and Galen will be teaching with, but it is recommended for intermediate to advanced players.  Here’s a video of them playing in London earlier this year: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cug62tugxBM/

  •  6:30 – potluck and socializing
  • 7 – 8:30 – workshop
  • 8:30 – 9pm -optional review and jam session.

Flexible pricing at $30 – $40 per person for the evening.  Payment must be made out at the time of filling out the RSVP form. Can’t access this form, write to Mccallbooking@gmail.com.

Send payment via PayPay, and use this email: galenfrasermusic@gmail.com.  You’ll receive the exact location within 48 hours of your payment being received!  Let’s just say for now, it’s in the Green Lake area of Seattle 😉

Other questions – write to mccallbooking@gmail.com

A True Friend and Long-time Supporter of NWSF – Donna Varnau

We say goodbye to our dear friend in the Scottish Fiddle community, Donna Varnau. Her health rapidly declined shortly after she hosted the our April session at her home. Her passing on May 7 came as a dramatic shock. She kept herself in immaculate health, but it was no match for pancreatic cancer- which was discovered all too late.  She was 77 when she “passed to the other shore”, according to her obituary in the Edmonds Beacon. To learn more about this vibrant woman we lost far too early, click here.

Donna no doubt holds the record for hosting the most NWSF meetings, sessions and other events. Her warm and welcoming smile made you feel truly at home for any occasion she hosted. She was incredibly gracious, as well as spirited, witty, full of spunk, and at the same time, so insightful.

Those of us who have had the pleasure to know her throughout the years, will cherish this dear friend, and sorely miss her. Plans at this time include returning to Donna’s home for sessions from time to time, as her husband David enjoyed our tune playing while he worked on his sculpting in his studio.  We will also name our current scholarship fund in Donna’s memory.

You might also enjoy the tune, Donna Varnau’s Jig, written by Calum MacKinnon. It reflects Donna’s personality in so many ways!

Donna, may your golden fiddle play to your heart’s content, and may you never have to tune it, rosin your bow, or even put it away, so it’s always ready to play, like you were.

 

Celebrate a Wee Bit Longer, on March 18th!

Sign up soon! Plan a viewing party, have lunch with tunes! Support NW Scottish Fiddlers with the purchase of your ticket!

YOU choose your own ticket price, anywhere from $5 -$50!  You choose when you want to view the concert- it’s available for up to 48 hours after the live broadcast!

Use this link to buy a ticket: https://boxoffice.mandolin.com/products/alasdair-fraser-natalie-haas-livestream-ticket-3-18?utm_source=ef&utm_medium=aff&utm_campaign=482&oid=482&affid=363

Once you get a ticket, be sure to set up your account.  You only need to provide your name and email- and this is what makes it so easy to see the show, and, you’ll be able to put comments in the chat, before the show, maybe even request a tune or two?? and… you can opt-out of future marketing, just setting up your account by going to Mandolin.

If you need help, once you’re on the website, there’s a great help page– just click on the section devoted to “Box Office” for answers to your questions.

Many thanks!

What a wonderful workshop!  Thanks to so many people for making this happen!  It could not happen at all without our wonderful instructors, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas (photo from the concert).

A BIG thanks to the planning committee who kept each other inspired and full of the “can-do” attitude:

Susan Barkan – Epidemiologist, and Covid expert planner

Jasmin Faulk-Dickerson – Organizer of the Martin Luther King focus, volunteer at the workshop with most varied jobs and responsibilities

Jasmin Faulk-Dickerson presents our MLK Focus!

Erin Esses-Lusk – Ceilidh theme creator, and planner.

Cummings Family- Taught the incredible songs!

 

Dante and Eros Faulk and Jesse Partridge – Contra dance musicians extraordinaire, and let’s not forget they were also the sound system managers at the workshop!,

Jesse Partridge- Truly fantastic contradance caller

 

Niki Love- Ceilidh co-organizer, emcee, and amazing helper for concert ticket sales

Derek Stallman- Tune review instructor

Ladies Loe- Most awesome warmup act for the second half of our concert!

Bill Boyd – Our treasurer

Anna Aldrich for taking pictures- We need her to take a selfie, sorry no current photo.

And so many more wonderful people, who just stepped up, and helped make this a truly incredible workshop!