Happy 40th North East
6th September 2011
by Frank Farquharson
B&F October 2011
Chairman Jim Petrie welcomed a good turnout for the 40th Anniversary meeting of the Club and led the opening stramash. Fiddlers Rachel Stuart and Holly Strathdee remained on stage and gave a great performance. Accordionist Lesley Nicoll played ‘The Dark Island’ and a march. Lorna Edwards on fiddle, accompanied by Jane Farquharson on piano, played a set of jigs, a slow air and a march, strathspey and reel with great confidence. Accordionist John King gave a polished performance of waltzes and reels. Compere Doug Stewart kept events running smoothly.
The guest artistes were The Davie Stewart Trio with Davie on accordion, Bill Ewan on keyboard and Malcolm Ross on drums and what a great programme they produced, excellent content and style. Their Gaelic waltzes were particularly poignant. Jim Petrie surprised two of the founder members of the Club namely George Anderson and Ally Gray, by presenting each of them with a scroll of the Minutes of the First Meeting held in 1971, and an inscribed silver quaich. There was a special Anniversary Cake paraded through the hall and then distributed to the company along with a ‘free’ drink.
The second half was opened by father and son Doug and Iain Stewart from Muir of Ord. Doug had an excellent tenor voice and Iain was an exceptional accordionist and keyboard player. George Anderson, a lifelong friend, paid a warm tribute to the late Ian Duncan, also a founder member who was a talented musician and composer and a loyal supporter of the club. George played ‘The Hayfield Two Step’, one of Ian’s many compositions. Accordionists Jim Gray and John King played prior to the guests artistes return.
The Trio entertained us with terrific varied selections. A final stramash brought a brilliant night’s entertainment to an end.
The guest artistes were The Davie Stewart Trio with Davie on accordion, Bill Ewan on keyboard and Malcolm Ross on drums and what a great programme they produced, excellent content and style. Their Gaelic waltzes were particularly poignant. Jim Petrie surprised two of the founder members of the Club namely George Anderson and Ally Gray, by presenting each of them with a scroll of the Minutes of the First Meeting held in 1971, and an inscribed silver quaich. There was a special Anniversary Cake paraded through the hall and then distributed to the company along with a ‘free’ drink.
The second half was opened by father and son Doug and Iain Stewart from Muir of Ord. Doug had an excellent tenor voice and Iain was an exceptional accordionist and keyboard player. George Anderson, a lifelong friend, paid a warm tribute to the late Ian Duncan, also a founder member who was a talented musician and composer and a loyal supporter of the club. George played ‘The Hayfield Two Step’, one of Ian’s many compositions. Accordionists Jim Gray and John King played prior to the guests artistes return.
The Trio entertained us with terrific varied selections. A final stramash brought a brilliant night’s entertainment to an end.