Burns Night 2015

My husband's sister has hosted a Burns Supper every year for more than a decade now.

 

The format hasn't changed over the years. A haggis dinner is provided by my sister in law and the guests bring along puddings. Once the food is over there is usually a Scottish quiz and then after this it's time for the music - a few solos if anyone is feeling brave enough and then communal singing and playing of Scottish folk songs.

 

It's a chance for us to dig out our kilts.

 

 

James (15) was going to wear his dad's kilt but decided at the last minute that it was still a bit too big.

 

 

Fraser wore a kilt for the first time.

 

 

 

His one is actually the one that my youngest brother wore to our wedding! He was only 18 months old when we got married.

 

 

 

 

You should know by now that Calum (12) always has to take a few selfies of us when we are doing something special!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our boys love haggis!

 

 

 

 

 

The pudding table is always impressive.

I made another of my chocolate finger and M&Ms cakes to bring along.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Scottish Quiz required us to name these famous Scots. How many can you get?

 

 

 

 

Look who was on the winning team!

 

 

 

 

 

James has been looking at Scottish music in music at school just now and has just finished doing a group performance of a Jig, where he played the piano. He used Calum's accordion to play it at the Supper and was accompanied by dad on the guitar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was over to Calum (and dad on the guitar again) to accompany the singing of folk songs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And at the very end, Alasdair (5) wanted to show everyone his violin that he is going to start learning.

 

 

Calum started learning it when he was about 8 before switching to accordion, so it's still a bit on the big side for Alasdair (I think it's 3/4 size but can't actually remember!) but he's determined he wants to learn it.

 

 

 

Maybe next year he will be playing a tune for everyone too.

 

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A spot of music

It's been a while since I shared some music on here so let's put that right.

 

Calum, now thoroughly settled in at high school, started trumpet lessons two weeks ago. With James still playing the trombone and one of my nephews learning a baritone horn I've been telling them that I'm going to get them together as a mini brass band to go out and play Christmas carols in December. I'm only half joking too!

 

Anyway, don't worry, tonight's clip isn't of Calum's trumpet playing after only two weeks of lessons. It is, rather, his old favourite the accordion. He hasn't been playing it much over the summer and since he's never had lessons for it there isn't the same incentive to practise. He loves to learn new tunes on it though and so when he decides he wants to learn a new one, out it comes.

 

Last night he asked if I would teach him the Skye Boat Song, and here he is playing it 24 hours later, accompanied by yours truly.

 

Now before you watch it I should apologise for the strange camera angle! Dad was out, James was busy keeping Fraser quiet and David & Alasdair were playing in another room so we didn't have anyone to hold it! I just placed my phone on the piano and hoped for the best! It's the music you are listening to anyway!

 

 

 

 

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Another musical interlude

I'll hand over to Calum to entertain you all with his accordion playing tonight.

He isn't getting lessons for it formally, just getting a bit of help from his piano teacher mum with the keyboard side of the instrument for now. I've worked out what chords the buttons do and so I'm getting him to start trying to put both hands together too (although not in this clip). 

He seems to have a natural gift for it and will sit down and work out a tune from ear. The first tune in this clip, Mairi's Wedding, was one he had worked out just 5 minutes earlier after a discussion on Pentatonic Scales. 

I told him that if you used the black notes only it was an easy way of playing a Pentatonic Scale (that is, a 5 note scale. Western music mostly uses an 8 note scale but if you take out the 4th and 7th notes of that scale you get a Pentatonic Scale). I then said that a lot of Scottish music was Pentatonic and when he had a wee shot on the black keys he realised it sounded like the start of Mairi's Wedding. Then off he went, working out the rest of it.

He's working on some traditional tunes just now for Hogmanay celebrations, and Christmas gatherings of course, as well as looking towards Auntie Anna's annual Burns' Supper in January. There is always a good singsong of traditional songs at that and an accordion accompaniment will set the tone perfectly!

Anyway, without any further ado, here he is. In dressing gown and jammies, but pretend you didn't notice that. Oh, and just ignore the train noises in the background too!

Another educational post from the housefulofboys!

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