8th June 2014 - Stirling

Riverside Music Project, Stirling
8th June 2014

The creator of the Riverside Music Project, Jo Miller, invited me to Stirling for their annual Big Tune - an afternoon of playing music, eating and socialising. My friend Tom Fernie turned up in Crieff and we drove down in convoy. I had hoped that more of the fellow Crieff Community Band members would make the journey, but it just wasn't the right time of year, I guess. We arrived as they were setting up and were given a very friendly welcome.

A big circle was populated by musicians of all ages and experience, and Jo led the first few tunes and as time went on more and more folk arrived. I felt privileged to be part of this musical gathering, and once again to experience the joy of playing music in a supportive, encouraging atmosphere. The more initiatives like the Riverside Music Project there are in the world, the better the world will be.

Tunes:

• The Cockle Gatherers/O I Am a Poor Man
• Off She Goes
• Memories of Fr Angus MacDonnell/Braes of Dunvegan
• The Chanter Song
• Winster Galop/Jamie Allan/Salmon Tails Up the Water
• The Dawning of the Day
• The Hopeful Lover/Teribus/The High Road to Gairloch
• Fires at Midnight (Wendy Stewart)
• Miss Rowan Davies (Phil Cunningham)/Jean & Andy Leonard's Waltz
• Balchraggan (John Somerville)
• The Snipe (Donald Riddell)
• Calum's Road (Donald Shaw)/The Hut On Staffin Island (Phil Cunningham)
• The Galway Hornpipe/The Greencastle Hornpipe/Harvest Home
• Boys of Blue Hill/The Trumpet Hornpipe
• The Skye Boat Song
• Morrison's Jig/Hunt the Hare
• Ashokan Farewell (Jay Ungar)
• Sans Nom/The Bear Dance
• I See Mull
• The King of the Fairies/The Old Grey Cat/Stepping Stones/The Rochdale Coconut Dance