TIME FLIES!!

Somehow it is already June, classes done, exams done - feeling great about it all, just don't know where the time went. Just the dissertation to tackle and complete! This is a brief update- but first to say I'll have a major overhaul to my website shortly- to make it more accessible to me, to you: as a musician's and educator's site and research resource!
I recently had a great visit from my aunt and uncle- we started with a visit to Portsoy for a music festival, my uncle Clarence sang and seemed to immediately have the audience in a trance.

In Portsoy we met Gaelic singer and language/culture advocate- the amazing Griogair Labhuridh, who invited us to a breath-taking visit to the Glencoe/West Highlands area.

Spectacular and dramatic landscape, stories of the land and lots of music and song sharing!!

My mom is the last to visit later this month - and I have some performances and directing here and there over the 30 days in between dissertation writing- then back to Iowa!! Lots to do when I get back - besides planning for the upcoming school year, check out my gigs page - starting to fill up with exciting and special events! Plus- get ready for the Cedar Rapids Folk Club announcement (based on the unique Scottish folk club format that I've learned so much about and enjoyed here).
~~More updates and details to come after I re-do this website!
Cheers

Since the last post...

Lots of traveling, music and studies!

From playing with Aberdeen's bluegrass band at a carousing Hogmanay (New Year's Eve)

Hogmanay at the Blue Lamp

 

to playing the national anthem for the US delegation at the International Softball Cup 2013 in Rotterdam, Netherlands - this winter has been an absolute adventure!

A side trip to Paris ....

 

 

....and attending a traditional Burns Supper in Garlogie, Scotland have been magical as well.

Burns Supper

Haggis, neeps and tatties!

 

Now, while in classes, I am beginning to really go in depth with my research. I am finding that there is excitement for my research interests. I will be starting observations and interviews of music educators this month. As a teacher and a musician my main focus in the degree program is how traditional music is passed on from one generation to the next. 

I am investigating the relation between music educators personal history (influences, training, and such from childhood on) and their current practice/suppositions/point of view.

So I'll be speaking with these educators about the transmission of traditional Scottish music from their perspective in a variety of educational settings.

I'll be doing some recording projects this and next month with local musicians and in the spring I will be doing a recording of my own to document and communicate some of my musical memories and techniques learned here!

In April I will be back in Iowa for a week during my spring break and will have a couple performances - Thursday, April 4 at the Lincoln Wine Bar with Craig Erickson and Saturday, April 6 at Gatherings with the Mayflies. If you are in Iowa please come around and say hello!

Then I'll be back to Aberdeen to continue with classes, exams and dissertation until late summer. I am looking forward to all this spring and summer will bring and to returning to Iowa and teaching in August!!