North East Scotland Report 2022-23

Sheena Walker on 21 September 2023

The NES Branch is a vibrant, active branch of the Clarsach Society. Our members are spread throughout the Grampian and Angus Regions so are widespread. Our flagship annual events include our Harp Retreat in March, 2 Tea Concerts July and Dec, 2 Harps of Gold Charity Concerts in December. Other events include a concert at Bennahar Camp Hill Community to support their open day, European Folk Day, playing for Care Homes and a Concert in Strathdon.

Workshops included Stonehaven Folk Festival, SCAT collaboration Come and Try, and Lucie Hendry.  Special Projects comprised Arduthie School Project which was a week of tuition in traditional music, and also a Collaboration with SCAT (Scottish Culture and Traditions) to provide regular tuition in Clarsach and bring the Branch and SCAT together in a mutually beneficial way to promote the Clarsach in the NE of Scotland.

Current Members – 43           No of clarsachs owned 29   Performances – 12

Ensemble Meetings-8            Branch Meetings 12             Workshops – 3         

Special Projects 2

 Irene Watt, Convenor

Isle of Lewis Report 2022-23

Sheena Walker on 21 September 2023

It has been a challenging couple of years for our branch, but I am glad to say that we are emerging from the fog and finding our way again as a group. We started with our AGM in September where we only had our minimum quorate present and we were unsure how to proceed. I, reluctantly, became our convenor, temporarily, as well as being the committee member in charge of Harp Hire & our Branch representative, but I would be overjoyed to find someone who would take over the convenor role for us on a more permanent basis as I really cannot do the role justice with my various commitments on and off the island already.

We are very grateful to the Creative Scotland Covid Recovery Grant from the Society which funded our first group of 3 workshops to get us going again. After we reached out personally to some old friends, we were so excited to see historical members returning into our fold. Since then we have enjoyed a further 5 workshops together in our new venue at St. Peter’s church hall, which is a little smaller but a more central location. Harp hire payments have been keeping us going and it is encouraging that are accounts are so healthy despite our numbers still being quite low.

Some of our youth members have had very productive years.

  • Fiona Langley achieved 2nd place at the Perth Mòd, performed at the Glasgow Concert Hall with the Harris girl-group Alt at the Celtic Connections festival and had an inspirational time at the Michael Rooney youth outreach workshop at the EIHF before she rushed off to sing with NYCOS – she’s a very busy girl! She also combined her skills for the first time, singing with clàrsach accompaniment at the Harris local Mòd in June.
  • Isla is developing her confidence and joined the Teen Fèis with her Clàrsach for the first time this year in July, alongside her piping skills.
  • Charlie surprised herself by learning to play the clàrsach up to Grade 3 standard in one year, achieving a B in her Nat 5 music exam. She now looks forward to taking her Higher music exam next year.
  • Mairi Anna Binns has completed her 2nd year at the Junior Royal Conservatoire of Music, this time as a Pedal Harpist in the Classical Department. She has thoroughly enjoyed her tuition from Sharron Griffiths and now looks forward to moving to Italy as she prepares to start tuition with Anna Lorro at the Luco Marenzio Conservatory in Brescia. She also achieved a Merit in her Grade 5 Theory exam and pushed herself forward to be the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra’s only harpist this year at their Easter & Summer courses with their most recent performances in Edinburgh, Glasgow & Paisley. Mairi Anna assures me however that her clàrsach playing will never be left behind and will be taking her Norris with her to Italy. We wish her all the best for the future within the music industry, in whatever form that takes.

    Màiri Macleod, Branch Convenor

Highland Branch Report 2022-23

Sheena Walker on 21 September 2023

In autumn 2022, the Highland Branch started the term with an online workshop with Sunita Staneslow, then in-person workshops with Karen Marshalsay and Sara Evans. Sara drove all the way from the Pyrenees and also treated us to a duo concert with her partner on double bass. We also had our annual Christmas workshop with Cheyenne Brown and Isbel Pendlebury. In 2023, we continued our workshops with Jennifer Port, Siannie Moodie, Wendy Stewart and Fraya Thomsen. In March, we culminated all these amazing tunes into a fabulous concert at the RNI Chapel. The concert also featured children’s and adult’s ensembles who had recently performed at the Inverness Music Festival. 

 The branch also ran several ‘come-and-try’ sessions with Emma Wright and Cheyenne Brown, hosted in Inverness, Dingwall, Evanton, Kingussie, Aviemore and Grantown as well as at the Inverness Gathering and Belladrum Festival. 

 With support from the  Creative Scotland Covid Recovery Fund via the Clarsach Society, we have released our first ever Highland Branch tune book.  The 18 featured pieces have been collected from those currently and historically involved with the branch.  As the Clarsach Society itself was formed in 1931 in Dingwall, it is wonderful to have this collection of tunes reflect the Clarsach Society’s Highland origins. These books are available for purchase! 

Kirsty North, Secretary

Edinburgh Branch Report 2022-23

Sheena Walker on 21 September 2023

I recall my Mother used to say “ the years pass more quickly as you get older “ and I thought that what a strange thing to say. Now, I understand. It certainly seems like only a few weeks since I wrote my previous annual report. However, on reflecting on the past year, it is clear that as a branch we have packed a lot in!

I suspect the highlight for many was the fact that we have returned to our full range of pre Covid activities with all our regular live events once again featuring in our calendar.  We enjoyed an excellent evening of music at The Young Performers concert in August, a variety of music, solos and pieces by Na Clarsairean at the Open Platform in October and then rounded off 2022  returning  to The Queens Hall for our Harps of Gold Christmas concert.  Neeps, tatties and music featured in January at our Burns Bash, and then rehearsals commenced for our concert at EIHF in April.

As a branch we are fortunate to have four fantastic “resident tutors”, Isobel Mieras, Margaret Collin, Rosemary McKerchar and Ellie Evans who arrange the music for all our performances.

However, It’s not all been about performing. We have also enjoyed sessions with guest tutors Charlotte Petersen, Ellie Hetherington, Karen Marshalsay, Wendy Stewart and Fiona Rutherford. We visited Bamburgh in September for a great day of music with the Northumberland branch and in June we hosted an evening for harpists on a trip to Scotland with Sunita Staneslow. We ran two Come and Try sessions and also organised follow on classes for new players who attended the adult beginner class at EIHF. As a result of both we are delighted to have a number of new members.

How quickly a year passes when you’re having fun with your harp!

 Morag Philips, Convenor

Glasgow Branch Report 2022-23

Sheena Walker on 21 September 2023

This year we have continued our regular workshops with a wide range of visiting tutors, and forged links with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland harp department!

We very luckily received funding from the Creative Scotland Covid Recovery Fund to deliver a concert and a come and try session. One of the members of the come and try session loved the clarsach so much that she is now a member of the society and bought her own harp. The concert was performed by Gwen Mairi (who performed her Douxe Noells) and we had Keziah Thomas perform her arrangement of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The concert was a huge success, and we sold some of our branch books as well!

In the spring we had four of the current students on the traditional harp course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland along with their tutor to deliver a workshop for us. Afterwards, they performed an informal concert – which was spectacular! 

Looking ahead, we’re very lucky to have Ben Creighton Griffiths perform a concert with The Transatlantic Hot Club as part of his UK tour, and also deliver a workshop for us as our September workshop.

Happy harping!

Sam MacAdam, Convenor

Dumfries & Galloway Report 2022-23

Sheena Walker on 21 September 2023

“Small but beautifully formed” could be our line for the D&G Branch. We have around 20 subscribing members, but only average 6 for playing sessions. We range in ages from teens to 90+, from drivers to not-any-longer drivers, and from beginners to competent through to don’t-practise-enough players. But we all enjoy playing together, and very much appreciate the arrangements our wonderful Convenor, Wendy Stewart, brings for us. Wendy has also provided extra Zoom sessions for our more distant members.

During the year we had our regular monthly playing sessions, mostly in the Dumfries area, with one “outreach” in Kirkcudbright. Driving remains a worry to me, both because a number of our members are no longer happy driving in the dark, and because we would like to be more environmentally friendly, but we do try to car-share as much as possible.

We were to be part of a songWave concert in December, but owing to a misunderstanding, this became background music. In December we did have background music at the Kirkcudbright Galleries on a Sunday afternoon, which was very generously received by the visitors.

We remain endlessly grateful to Wendy for her generosity and skilful teaching, among her other varied performing engagements.

Lyn Walby, Secretary

Bristol & West of England Report 2022-23

Sheena Walker on 21 September 2023

We have discovered a new venue for meetings this year and have had a couple of enjoyable workshops there, led by Julia Hammersley, including our annual Christmas get together, where we learned some new festive tunes and revisited old favourites, as well as enjoying lunch together.

This year, things have been quieter on the meetings front than usual, owing to the Convenor and Secretary being very busy, but we hope to get more dates in the diary soon. 

Our hire harps have been almost continuously on loan throughout the year, including our two recently acquired Salvis.  The revenue they’ve brought in allowed us to sponsor a workshop at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival.

Catherine Dack Secretary

Argyll Branch Report 2022

Sheena Walker on 21 September 2023

The Argyll Branch has forged ahead this year with a full programme of monthly workshops, led by the wonderful and very patient Ingrid Henderson. We’ve missed playing together and now make time in the day to revise old favourites as well as learn new pieces.

We also planned a number of ‘Come and Try’ events and as a result, we have welcomed some new beginners to the branch and hope to follow this up with another event later in the year.

We also managed to hold a residential weekend and with three days of tutoring, we came away with new pieces, plus a whole new set of accompanying skills. Thank you Ingrid for your encouragement and expert tuition!

Alicia Chapple, Secretary