Evening at the Ohio Scottish Arts School Day 2

I had a great day learning a pipe tune and an air from Sue Richards. After dinner, I went to my Gaelic class taught by Frances Acar. This is a new opportunity at OSAS this year. As I sat in my room completing some Gaelic homework, I enjoyed all of the sounds of bagpipes, practice chanters, fiddles, and harps. Outside my window, this young dancer on the wall, Justin, and the young woman below were reviewing some dance choreography and discussing this with someone on an upper floor. Simply an amazing environment!

Ohio Scottish Arts School- Day 1

There is a flurry of activity as 33 harpers and 5 instructors assemble in the large lounge in this building on Oberlin College and Conservatory campus. Besides harpers, there are classes for highland dancers, bag pipers, drummers, and fiddlers. 

After playing a few tunes together, everyone introduces themselves.

We attended our morning and afternoon classes with our first instructor of the week and had some time to explore town. Over the weekend, Oberlin hosted its annual sidewalk chalk art celebration. Remnants of the artwork still cover the sidewalks.

After dinner, we lounge for a few minutes before all students and teachers from the various disciplines assemble for a photo.

We are all wearing our purple shirts. Each year, we are given a different color of t-shirt.

Wendy and Carol are sure to have their lanyards with their identification around their neck. Since so many youths attend this school, this readily identifies those who belong. And if Debbie Doty ("Mom" to all the camp attendees) catches you without your lanyard, you can expect to be humorously reprimanded in public and be required to perform your rendition of "I'm a Little Tea Pot" with motions. 


Carol (center) won 1st place in the Harp & Vocal Competition at the Ohio Scottish Games on Saturday with her beautiful Gaelic song.

As we played our harps during an a jam session outside, this young woman came by. She was enthralled with how many harps and players there were. She is on campus for a early music school.

The young woman's name was Katina, and she specializes in medieval French songs and plays a historic harp. She played and sang her arrangement of "The Trees They Do Grow High".

The jamming continued late into this pleasant summer evening. Tiffany, on the far left, was awarded 1st place in the Master Level Solo Harp and 2nd place in the Harp & Vocal Categories at the Ohio Scottish Games.

Ohio Scottish Games

I competed in the Master Level Solo Harp category and was awarded 2nd place. In the Harp & Vocal category, I sang "Westlin Winds" by Robert Burns and was awarded 3rd place. 

Sue Richards and Seumas Gagne are two of the harp instructors at the Ohio Scottish Arts School this year. They performed an outstanding impromptu concert while the points were being tallied for the various harp competition categories.

Later in the afternoon, there was a harp circle. Each person playing harp had a chance to name a tune, and those in the circle joined in. Karen, a great friend at the Ohio Scottish Arts School, is playing my harp made by Larry Fisher.

Session

This is the second time that I've taken my harp to the session at Claddagh. Marian Funk is a great accordion player who attends regularly. She asked, "Has anyone taken your picture yet so you can show your friends?" I handed her my iPhone, and she snapped this photo.

Medieval and Renaissance Faire at The Ohio State University

Tisa McGraw and Kyle Meadow played lots of great tunes. Later, they were joined by a fiddler named Stewart who is a regular at the sessions at Claddagh.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b9OpCGgZF4

Kyle Meadows Web Page

Coaxing

I've never seen Dad sit down at the harp before,
but he did it today to try to coax Mom to play...

...but today, Mom was content
to just sit in her chair
and listen.

Proud Uncle at the Piano Recital

Mrs. Lewis asked my niece, Sadie, to play a piece on her harp before the piano recital. She played the Arran Boat Song.

Sadie has been taking harp lessons this past year
with Nancy Bick Clark. Nancy came to hear
Sadie's first performance on the harp.

Sadie played a complex and demanding movement from Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor (Pathetique).
Owen's rolled chords shimmered as he masterfully played the "real" version of Clair de Lune by Debussy.

Simon was dynamically bold and expressive
as he played "Chariots of Fire".

Sadie, Owen, and Simon are my sister Tina's children.

Victoria is congratulated on her confident performance of Mexican Fiesta by her mom, Sandy, and Linda. Sandy and Linda are my oldest and youngest sisters.

I am so, so, so very happy to have other musicians in the family...

and I've got tears in my eyes as I type this.