Burn's Night

The Robert Burn’s Celebration in Cambridge, OH was sponsored by the Celtic Society of Southeastern Ohio. Melanie Pratt filled in at the last minute and recited the Address to the Haggis. After toasts and a delicious dinner, the evening entertainment began. The featured Piper was Stephen Sutherland Holter. Kathleen Currie Hall and Justin Rogers danced several solo and combined Highland Dances. 

I played the harp and began by playing “Lea Rig”. Robert Burns composed a lovely song for this melody. Afterwards, I played a medley which included “Jolly Band of Shearers”, “Greenwoodside”, “A.A.Cameron’s Strathspey”, and “Cuidich ‘n Righ”. I finished by singing “Westlin Winds” by Robert Burns. While the Highland Dancers changed for subsequent dances, Melanie Pratt told two stories for which I provided background music. “The Hunchback and the Swan” was recorded by Duncan Williamson. Since he was a Traveler, I played a love song that has been recorded by Traveler Belle Stewart.  I played bits of “O’er Yon Hill” along with chordal accompaniment patterns I’d created. Afterwards, Melanie told “Sworn on the Odin Stone”. This story comes from the Orkney Islands, so I played Vallafield with minor chords to fit the melancholy tone of the story until the end when I played in major to fit the bouyant ending of the story. 

The evening concluded with a few dances by the Heather and Thistle Royal Scottish Country Dancers. We danced “Knit the Pocky” and “Herself”. The evening concluded with the “Bonnie Knees Contest”. The men hitch up their kilts or roll up pants legs to expose their knees. The two female judges are blindfolded. These judges carefully feel the knees of the contestants and declare the one who has the most bonnie knees of all. We joined hands and sang “Auld Lang Syne” to conclude the evening. 

A few days later, one of the organizers relayed the following snippet from a Thank You letter she recieved. It said: I didn't expect such wonderful entertainment...the harpist was one of my favorites.  During one particular song, I was so tempted to give the older gentleman sitting next to me a big hug.  I think that’s about the biggest compliment I could’ve received.