SHhhhh!  Don’t tell anyone yet, but, there’s some good news as of this evening! Let’s hope it continues in this direction!  It will be cold, for sure!  😉

You’ve come to the right place!  Any information here regarding weather, and possible impact on the workshop will be right here.  We’ll start with this one. These will always be for Stanwood, so you can figure out what to bring, etc.  Be prepared, either way!

‘Tis the season!  We’re starting off the Holidays with a wonderful session December 3rd, at the the home of Linda Bliss, in Edmonds. Start time is 2 PM.

Linda says we can bring snacks!

If you aren’t on our mailing list, but wish to attend, see our Calendar page for details.

Holiday tunes, all our usual favorites, plus new adventures are all welcome!

We’ll be returning to one our very favorite places for a session November 12th at 2 pm. Just a short drive to Edmonds, we’ll gather in the home of our dear friend Donna Varnau, whom we lost this spring.  Donna’s wonderful husband David will be our host and listen in from his studio as he works on his latest creation.  If you’d like to join us, contact Marcia Thumma!

No masks required, but welcome! Come join us!

It’s time to get tickets!!

If you’re not attending the workshop, you definitely need to come to the concert!!

Join us for an incredible musical experience with our friends, and renown duo, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.  Get ready to be mesmerized by another captivating performance on Sunday, January 14th, 2 PM Pacific Time.

The concert will be at the Stanwood high school’s state of the art Performing Arts Center, at 7400 272nd Street NW, Stanwood, WA 98292.

Tickets are available in advance through Eventbrite. Prices range from $18 for youth, to $25 for seniors, and $28 for general admission.  Tickets will also be available at the door.  Doors open at 1:30.

And, speaking of doors opening! Our warmup act this year is non other than long time NW Scottish Fiddle club members, Flora and Elinor Cummings!  This sister duo is incredible- and we’ll hear some viola, and violin, and…. stay tuned!

Flora (left) and her younger sister Elinor Cummings.

Come join the magic and toe-tapping fun!

YES! Mark your calendar for Wednesday, September 20th for a real treat! This workshop will go deep into the playing styles of Castilian and Celtic music, with the likely incorporations of San Miguel Fraser’s contemporary compositions. See their website at: https://sanmiguelfraser.com/

They will play a combination of fiddles, cittern, percussion, and singing!  It is not limited to the instrumentation that Maria and Galen will be teaching with, but it is recommended for intermediate to advanced players.  Here’s a video of them playing in London earlier this year: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cug62tugxBM/

•  6:30 – potluck and socializing
• 7 – 8:30 – workshop
• 8:30 – 9pm -optional review and jam session.

Flexible pricing at $30 – $40 per person for the evening.  Payment must be made out at the time of filling out the RSVP form. Can’t access this form, write to Mccallbooking@gmail.com.

Send payment via PayPay, and use this email: galenfrasermusic@gmail.com.  You’ll receive the exact location within 48 hours of your payment being received!  Let’s just say for now, it’s in the Green Lake area of Seattle 😉

Other questions – write to mccallbooking@gmail.com

We say goodbye to our dear friend in the Scottish Fiddle community, Donna Varnau. Her health rapidly declined shortly after she hosted the our April session at her home. Her passing on May 7 came as a dramatic shock. She kept herself in immaculate health, but it was no match for pancreatic cancer- which was discovered all too late.  She was 77 when she “passed to the other shore”, according to her obituary in the Edmonds Beacon. To learn more about this vibrant woman we lost far too early, click here.

Donna no doubt holds the record for hosting the most NWSF meetings, sessions and other events. Her warm and welcoming smile made you feel truly at home for any occasion she hosted. She was incredibly gracious, as well as spirited, witty, full of spunk, and at the same time, so insightful.

Those of us who have had the pleasure to know her throughout the years, will cherish this dear friend, and sorely miss her. Plans at this time include returning to Donna’s home for sessions from time to time, as her husband David enjoyed our tune playing while he worked on his sculpting in his studio.  We will also name our current scholarship fund in Donna’s memory.

You might also enjoy the tune, Donna Varnau’s Jig, written by Calum MacKinnon. It reflects Donna’s personality in so many ways!

Donna, may your golden fiddle play to your heart’s content, and may you never have to tune it, rosin your bow, or even put it away, so it’s always ready to play, like you were.

SORRY-A formal announcement coming later- BUT we have had to cancel this event!!