May 31, 2022 - Sustaining Harmonies: Tunes by David A. Kaynor
Concert on Zoom with Susan Conger, Becky Hollingsworth, Cynthia Thomas, and Rebecca Rose Weiss
8:00 - 8:45 pm EDT
We have all spent lots of time playing, learning, and/or harmonizing with David Allen Kaynor in various capacities.  And he composed over 70 tunes!  Here's a concert of some of our favorites: older tunes you've probably heard at your local dance, new tunes so new they didn't even make it into the book put together by Sue Songer, and those in between.  Tunes for people, places, events, digestive episodes, and seasons, composed in cars, planes, and trains, with computer, pen and ink, and eye-gaze technology. Tunes with three-fiddle harmonies and piano, coming straight to you from Montague, Massachusetts.  Maybe some of us will even remember to play melody.  Grab an instrument and play along, or bring your dancing shoes! 
 
More about us:
Rebecca Rose Weiss has played for contra dances around the country and recorded on a variety of albums.  She eagerly learns from elder musicians about community music and the old days and tunes, notably as mentee of David Kaynor, legendary New England dance caller and musician.  Lately, she has been following around a variety of other New Englanders in hopes of absorbing not only rock solid rhythm but also winter driving tips.  She gets especially excited about harmonizing, teaching, and composing.

https://www.rebeccaroseweiss.com

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Susan Conger has been playing fiddle for contradances and other events since the late 1980s. She has performed at numerous dance camps and festivals in the US and Canada, and has especially loved the opportunity to teach many fiddle classes over the years at the John C. Campbell Folk School and Ashokan Fiddle & Dance Camp. Susan conceived of and published Along the River, a collection of dance tunes written by musicians from the Connecticut River Valley. Some of her own tunes have become widely played and recorded. https://alongtheriver.com/susan/ 

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Becky Hollingsworth’s first encounter with a piano was in an unused, unheated room in her grandparents’ farmhouse, where she would attempt to plunk out tunes on an old upright, undeterred by missing key tops, stuck keys, and keys that didn’t sound at all.  A quarter-century or so later, she discovered the exhilaration of contra dancing, which re-introduced her to the joys of banging on a piano, particularly when someone else is doing the hard work of playing the melody.  She loves to play for dances of all sizes and at multi-level sessions.  She has helped anchor numerous open band dances at the Guiding Star Grange in Greenfield, Massachusetts, and has played with the Fiddle Orchestra of Western Massachusetts (https://fiddlewesternmass.com), a wonderfully welcoming organization whose possibilities she encourages musicians at all levels to explore.

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Cynthia Thomas entered the trad music scene through David Kaynor’s welcoming door at his weekly Monday night session.  Her trad favs, Quebecois and French-Breton Balfolk - any music with a French accent.  And she loves to play harmony: "Whenever I don't know the tune, I play harmony.  It's much easier," she says.  So we're glad she's here!  She is on the board of the Northeast Heritage Music Camp and co-instigator of Danse Café’s Festibal, a local French-Breton dance, and can often be spotted biking to a session with her travel fiddle slung across her back.

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Book of David's original tunes, dances, autobiography, jokes, flyers, etc- tunes also available in PDF here: https://www.theportlandcollection.com/coming-soon-david-a-kaynor-living-music-and-dance/
 
Tips- Venmo: @Rebecca_Weiss or PayPal: paypal.me/rebeccarweiss
Or, check via mail- inquire for mailing address.

Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/5zxAUtq3Q

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June 3, 2022 - Mostly Waltz CANCELLED due to covid situation

with Kristen Planeaux

Doors open 7:15 pm; recorded music

Live music for mostly waltzing, 8 - 10:30 pm

Guiding Star Grange; Preregistration is required.

Greenfield, MA

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June 4, 2022 - Montague Music Festival

Lead public contra dance music jam session with Becky Hollingsworth, 10:30 am - noon, Montague Common Hall

Wandering musician slot, 12:50 - 1:10 pm with Rose Jackson, Montague Common

Montague Center, MA

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June 5, 2022 - Fiddle Workshop, Jam Session, & Concert

with the Wise Geese (Rebecca, George Wilson & Becky Ashenden)

Email Rebecca if interested in Zoom option, rebeccaroseweiss at gmail

Fiddle workshop: 2 - 4 pm

Jam session: 4:30 - 5:30 pm

Concert: 5:30 pm

Shelburne, MA

This afternoon program will be a celebration of music and an opportunity to gather with friends and fellow musicians in the Barn at the Basset Road Homestead in Shelburne.

During two 45-minute workshops welcoming all levels, George and Rebecca will teach groove and bowing skills and help participants develop their stylistic and melodic harmony strategies.  After the workshops, everyone is invited to a jam session to practice their new skills and connect with fellow musicians.  At the conclusion of the jam session, the Wise Geese will play a lively concert with a variety of fiddle tunes, many featuring Becky on the piano.

There will be snacks available and a hearty soup as we push into the evening.

This event is part of a series through Fabric of Life to celebrate the life and legacy of the late David Kaynor.

Payment via sliding scale, event details here.

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June 17, 2022 - FSGW Friday Night Contra and Square Dance

with Charlie Pilzer (piano), Andrea Hoag (fiddle), Susan Brandt (flute), & Leigh Pilzer (soprano sax)

Calling by Susan Taylor

Lesson at 7:30, dance 8 - 11 pm

Preregistration required online.

Glen Echo, MD

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July 2, 2022 - Private event

Cummington, MA

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August 13, 2022 - Contra dance, details TBD

Vermont

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Ongoing:

Thursdays - Virtual Contra Dance Tunes Workshop & Jam

7 - 8 pm Eastern time

Drop in to have fun learning common contra dance tunes over Zoom and more easily and comfortably connect with other people through music.  The first half of the class is made up of tune melodies taught slowly, then discussion of harmony and ornaments.  Some discussion of chords; primarily focused on strategies for melody instruments.  The second half of the class is a relaxed-pace jam.  Jump in with your local Open Band or jam once physical distancing is over!

Email Rebecca for the link: rebeccaroseweiss@gmail.com

Pay what you can. Suggested amount $20-30 per class.
Venmo: @Rebecca_Weiss
PayPal: paypal.me/rebeccarweiss

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Ongoing- Private Lessons, over Zoom and in-person in Western MA

Choose your focus- such as fiddle styles from New England, Appalachia, and more; dance playing, composing, harmonizing, playing with others, making arrangements, and technique.  Having fun is a given!!

Email rebeccaroseweiss@gmail.com to schedule a lesson.