Fall Newsletter - Nov. 2008 - News of the Family...
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Any of you with notable news you’d like to share with the Gathering community should send a copy to the Gathering office, and we’d be happy to publish it here.... In the spring we learned that long time staffer Margaret Bennett had fallen while vacationing in the Maldives and broken her leg. Michael Newton ably replaced her during Celtic Week while Margaret convalesced, and she plans on rejoining us next summer.... Some of you may be familiar with the North American Folk Alliance (www.folkalliance.org) whose mission is to promote traditional, contemporary, and multicultural folk music and dance in North America. The Swannanoa Gathering and others in the southeast have been working for years with the Folk Alliance to get a Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) conference going, and this October, it finally happened. Next year’s conference will be at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas, Oct. 14-18. SERFA’s mission statement places great emphasis on support for the diverse forms of traditional music and dance in the southeast, and some of you may enjoy attending a weekend of music, dance, workshops and special sessions celebrating that heritage in the fall colors of the beautiful Ozark Mountains. Visit the SERFA website (www.serfa.org) for more details.... Congratulations to Celtic Week staffer John Doyle, who was named by Irish America Magazine as one of the top 100 Irish Americans (even though he’s a born and bred Dubliner!) This is an honor which includes accomplished people from all walks of life, including Arts & Entertainment, Education, Medicine, Politics, Public Service, Business and Sports.... Former Youth Scholar Ruth Howe once again won the Scottish Fiddle Open competition at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. This makes several years in a row Ruth has taken home the prize at the GMHG.... Congrats to Youth Scholar Maura Shawn Scanlin who won the Junior Division of the US National Scottish Fiddle Competition.... Congratulations to staffers Jamie Laval and Ashley Broder, whose CD, Zephyr In The Confetti Factory, was chosen as one of the five finalists for “Best World Traditional Song” at last year’s IMA Independent Music Awards.... This summer, our Youth Scholarship Fund sponsored 17 students: Isaac Akers, Casey & Emmy McGuirt, Bailey Warren and Isabel Young (Fiddle); Clifton Albrecht, Anne & Brendan Vickers, Mhari Baird and Bronwen Keith-Hynes, (Celtic); Alexander & Christine Clymer, Dakota Garland, Adam Heller and Torrie Tollison, (Old-Time); Jessica Whaley (Guitar); and Cort Tangeman (Dulcimer). In addition, the Charlotte Folk Society sponsored this year’s Marilyn Meacham Price Youth Scholar, Elene Clemens (Celtic).... Key deposit donations to our Youth Scholarship fund this year totaled $5,433. Our profound thanks to all of you who gave financially to help cultivate a love for traditional music and dance in the next generation.... Teachers please note that the Swannanoa Gathering offers teacher renewal certification hours for any of our weeks. Contact your local school board for prior approval.... Don’t forget to support your local Public Radio and Television stations. Where would we hear our music without them? For other folk news, don’t forget the magazines Sing Out!, Dirty Linen, The Old-Time Herald, Performing Songwriter, Acoustic Guitar, Dulcimer Players News, Fingerstyle Guitar, Acoustic Musician and Fiddler.