The Small Hall Band
(Last updated August 2008)
Contact  l.marroni@zen.co.uk     Tel 01573 224920
Check below for the tunes practiced over the previous few months.
Dates for diary - for SHB information only.
Forthcoming Bookings 

2008

Saturday 18th October 2008 - Hexham Wentworth Leisure Centre. This is s MUST for all the older members of the Band - David Oliver's 60th & retirement bash. We are the headline band !!

Saturday 25th October - Family Ceilidh for visiting American Fiddle group - 'The Peninsular Fiddlers'. Venue and times to be confirmed.Possibly Ednam or Coldstream.  If there are SHB folks who would be able to offer 'hospitality' to the Americans that would be great.

Saturday 29th November St Andrew's Day
Family Ceilidh to raise funds for The Border Gaitherin 2009.  Coldstream Community Centre

Contact  l.marroni@zen.co.uk
to indicate your availability and committment to our Bookings Dates
.

The Small Hall Band. This lively young group of musicians has been going since 1995 and has played over 250 gigs in more than 100 different venues throughout Scottish Borders and beyond. Many of our original members have since become successful professional or student musicians. Our current band, about 20 in number, continue the tradition of  playing music for concerts and high-energy ceilidhs on traditional instruments - fiddles, flutes, whistle, guitar, accordion, bodhran and keyboard.

AGM Tuesday 22nd January, 2008
A great turnout of parents thanked J Waite for her chairperson role over the last 3 years and welcomed L Turnbull as the new chairperson. Many thanks also to J Dellow and P Dorricott for agreeing to continue in their roles as secretary and treasurer. 

The Small Hall Band meet on the third Sunday of every  month in Ednam Village Hall.

1.45pm - 3pm 
More recent band members 'Slower and steadier'
Older members come and act as tutors please.
3.15 pm - 5pm
'Building the Repertoire'

Next Third Sunday Dates are as follows for 
2008- 2009
Sunday 17th August
Sunday 21st September
Sunday 19th October
Sunday 16th November
Sunday 21st December
Sunday 18th January 2009
Sunday 15th February 2009
Sunday 15th March 2009
Sunday 19th April 2009
Sunday 17th May 2009
Sunday 21st June 2009

Please note them in your family diaries !

Sheila Blain is creating a 'tea' rota for these dates. Contact her at 01573 223568

Send you ideas to l.marroni@zen.co.uk

 

 

Practice on Sunday 20th January 2008
Tunes practiced :- John Whelans Waltz / Twisted Bridge     Inish Air / Jig Run Rig     Harvest Home & Trumpet Hornpipe ; Egan's Polka Set; Snowy Monday; Spoota Skerry; 
Tunes to learn -   Thunderhead;   Mrs MacLeod/ Fairy Dance/Soldiers Joy;  Music of Spey ;  Blayden Races 
New tunes coming up next month to learn :-  Oot be est da Vong; Clare Jig / Dingle Regatta ; The Bugle Horn 
Also need to get our heads round more dance sets -  The Blue Bonnets, Jig of Slurs & Atholl Highlanders 
New members welcomed included Anna, Eliza, Erin, Hannah who shared these tunes with us :- Islay Jig, The Arran Boat,   Auld Lang Syne (in G)      
Practice on Sunday 16th December 2007
Tunes practiced :- Egan's Polka Set; Scotland the Brave Set; The Dark Island; Harvest Home/Trumpet Hornpipe: SHB March /Marie's Wedding (G) / Gallowa Hills;  20th August /New High Level Hornpipe; Boys Lament for his Dragon/ Redcastle /Jingle Bells (A) & Angus McLeod;  Snowy Monday/ Atholl Highlanders; 
Tunes to learn - John Whellans Waltz, Twisted Bridge      Inish Air, Jig Run Rig                Music of Spey 
New ones listened to - Haymakers Jig              Blayden Races            Dingle Regatta.
Plus A good old blast through some old favourites:-  Mrs MacLeod Set, Spoota Skerry, SHB All Stars
Practice on Sunday 18th November 2007
Very busy practice this time - lots of tunes covered and the new folks are really coming on well ! We need to have a programme ready for December 2nd at Edgerston.  The proposed programme will be emailed out to band members. We are really lucky to have new musicians who are also very experienced Highland Dancers.
Tunes practiced :- Egan's Polka Set; Marie's Wedding (G): Jingle Bells (A) & Angus McLeod; Harvest Home /Trumpet Hornpipe; 20th August /New High Level Hornpipe; Scotland the Brave Set; Snowy Monday/ Atholl Highlanders; The Dark Island; Farewell to Whisky; Dingle Regatta.
Practice on Sunday 21st October 2007
Today we had to revisit some of the tunes we are teaching the new members as well as work out a suitable program for the event at Cardrona Hotel.  We also welcomed another accordion player with whom we played 'The Dark Island'
Practice on Sunday 23rd September 2007
A last minute change of venue saw us in Stichill Village Hall for a change. SHB welcomed to three new young players. Older and more experienced members of the band have been very helpful in individually tutoring the new folks with Egans Polka /Rattling Bog /John Ryans Polka,    Scot Brave/Marie's Wedding/Angus McLeod
20th August 
Practice on Sunday 19th August 2007
1.45- 3.00pm  Egans Polka /Rattling Bog /John Ryans Polka,    Scot Brave/Marie's Wedding/Angus McLeod
20th August / New High Level Hornpipe
3.15- 5pm John Whelan's Waltz followed by The Twisted Bridge
Snowy Monday followed by Kinko ( at speed !)
The Scandinavian Polka
Practice on Sunday ...June 2007
1.45- 3.00pm
Learned John Whelan's Waltz, Egans Polka /Rattling Bog /John Ryans Polka
3.15- 5pm Started looking at The Scandinavian Polka, Rakes of Mallow and Reel of Tullochgoram set.
Revisited Snowy Monday and also Farewell to Whisky
Put together 20th August tune with New High Level Hornpipe and Hamilton Rant
Practice on Sunday 20th May
1.45pm - 4.30pm group Practiced through most of the sets we were going to need for Hexham 
Put together a new hornpipe set - 20th August, The High Level Hornpipe / Hamilton's Rant
Practised a set of 48 bar jigs
Practice on Sunday 15th April, 2007
1.45pm - 3pm group 20th August, Derby's Farewell & Spotted Dog
3pm - 5pm group Bugle Hornpipe,  Border Gaitherin, Jackson's Jig Set, Islay Rant /Tam Lin, Blue Bonnets - plus a number of other tunes specifically for the Border Gaitherin Ceilidh on 5th May
Practice on Sunday 18th March, 2007
1.45pm - 4.30pm group  Road to Banff & Andy's Saltire,  Mick's Knitted Triplets (Andrew), Border Gaitherin Tune, Bugle Hornpipe 
Practice on Sunday Febuary 18th, 2007
1.45pm - 3pm group  20thAugust , Marie's Wedding ( KeyA ), Bugle Hornpipe, Egan's polka, 
3pm - 5pm group Derby's Farewell / Spotted Dog,    Tain in the Rain The High Drive,  Arthur's Favourite / Hamar oe'r the Taing
Practice on Sunday January 21st, 2007  
1.45pm - 3pm group The band welcomed two new visitors - Monica and Rebecca. All learned the first part of the '20th August' tune, as well as playing Marie's Wedding in A, Egan's Polka, Bugle Hornpipe.
3pm - 5pm group
All played '20th August'. Spent some time on different parts for Derby's Farewell & Spotted Dog, with help from Carly and Cherie. Aslo revisited Mrs MacLeod Set, Ferry Reel Set, Carly's Boat tune & Hamar o'er the Taing.
 
Practice on Sunday January 21st 2007 

1.45pm - 3pm group
Marie Wedding (A), Angus McLeod (A)
Egan's Polka
Barren Rocks of Aden
Bugle Hornpipe

3pm - 5pm group
Started discussion about what tunes we might record on a CD
Dance Sets suggested were :-
Spoota Skerry Set; Blue Bonnets Set;  High Road to Linton; Ferry Reel Set; Small Hall Band March;  Harvest Home/Trumpet Hornpipe;
Listening Sets suggested were:-
Devil In the Kitchen set; Darby's Farewell/Spotted Dog; Tain in the rain & High Drive; Pailmerk & Heatherhope; Air for a SH / SHB Allstars; Gardebelaten & Hoy;     Old Head Pier /Du's bune lang awa; Sound of Sleat / Tongadale; Carly's Boat Tune /Hamar o'er the Taing;
Inish Air/Jig Runrig

Will start practice on these on Feb 18th

Practice on Sunday December 17th 2006 - This is what we did. 
Mostly the experienced members turned up today

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Fattigvorden + next three tunes Jeannie Shook da Bairn etc
Old Head Pier, Du's Bune Lang Awa'
Achilles Reel Set
Tongadale, Chernobyl, MacArthur Road (D & E)
Marches - Campbells Return to Redcastle, Boys Lament for his Dragon, Jingle Bells (G) Angus McLeod
South Wind, Saturday Waltz
Gardebelaten & Hoy,
Pailmerk Set
Orcadia / Orkneyites (revise new tune)
Road to Banff / Andy's Saltire
Calliope House, Morrisons

Practice on Sunday November 19th 2006- 
This is what we did. 

1.45pm - 3pm group
Eryn brought three of her tunes for us to play - Hot Cross Buns (A minor), Twinkle Twinkle (A) and Frere Jacques (A)
Revised  'Green Hills of Islay (Ceilidh collection book1)
and Angus MaLeod
Scott let us listen to 'Whistling Rufus' and will look out the music for us for next time.

3pm - 5pm group Practiced
Played Small Hall Band Allstars to warm up.
Learned new tune 'Orcadia / Orkneyites (Jenny Wrigley)
Revised Border Gaitherin'
Harvest Home/ Trumpet Hornpipe
New High Level Hornpipe /Hamilton Rant
Calliope House/ Morrisons
Spotted Dog

 

Practice on Sunday October 22nd, 2006- 
This is what we did.
1.45pm - 3pm group
Revised new tune called '20th August'
Looked through 'Green Hills of Islay (Ceilidh collection book1)
Marie's Wedding (in key A)
New High Level Hornpipe with intro and Hamilton Rant
Harvest Home / Trumpet Hornpipe (with a quiet bit !!)
3pm - 5pm group Practiced
Old Head Pier  / Du's bune Lang awa
Heights of Cassino (with arrangement)
Border Gaitherin Tune (learned)
Pailmerk / Heatherhope ( + intro)
Fashion o the Deltin Lassies, Jack is yet alive, High Rd to Linton
Tain in Rain / High Drive
Road to Banff / Andy's Saltire
Mrs MacLeod - entire set
Sound of Sleat, Tongadale, McArthur Road in E

Will look at possible arrangements of some of these next time.
Keep the usual Ceilidh Sets practiced - we need them on Friday 8th December.
Practice on September 17th - 2006
This is what we did.
1.45pm - 3pm group
All learned a new tune called '20th August'
Revised Carly's Boat Tune,Trumpet Hornpipe
Spoota Skerry Set (second tune)

3pm - 5pm group Practiced 
Pailmerk / Heatherhope reels
Fashion o' the  Deltin Lassies, Jack is Yet Alive, High Road to Linton
Laxo Burn, Boy Fae da Bid, Robbie Petersons
Heights of Casino
New High Level Hornpipe / Hamilton Rant
Harvert Home / Trumpet Hornpipe 
Derby the Driver / Spotted Dog
Please revise these again before we meet on Oct 21st
Time to start thinking about arrangements of tunes again !

 

Practice on August 20th 2006 - 
This is what we did.
1.45pm - 3pm group
Trumpet Hornpipe, Carly's Boat tune, Jacksons /Lannagan's/ Biddy of Sligo set, Scotland the Brave in Key of C

3pm - 5pm group
Practiced programme items for St James' Fair 2nd Sep
Tam Lin x2 Dm then x2 Am
Tain in Rain / High Drive
Derby the Driver / Spotted Dog
Arthur's Favourite / Hamar o'er the Taing
Spoota Skerry Set
Road to Banff / Andy's Saltire
New tune brought by Andrew
When the Saints coming Marchin' in in Key C