Volume VIII Issue 7 Beth’s Newfangled Family Tree Section B December 2013 Scottish Harp Society of America Has a New National Champion - Haley Hewitt of Burlington, CT Receives Top Honors The Scottish Harp Society of America (SHSA) and the Clan Currie Society are pleased to announce that Haley Hewitt of Burlington, CT is the 2013 U.S. National Scot- Haley Hewett tish Harp Champion of America. The championship was held on Saturday, September 21 at the 55th Annual Ligonier Highland Games in Ligonier, PA – just east of Pittsburgh. Judging the Nationals were renowned harpers Sharon Knowles and Ann Heymann. It was a successful event, with a full flight of competitors. The championship hosted competitors in four Special Cat- egories as well as solo artists at every level of ability. Many traveled halfway across the country to take part. Judges Knowles and Heymann had a challenging event to judge as the quality of the competitors’ performances were extremely of material she had learned while studying in Scotland. The first high. In addition to judging, they provided competitors with set was a March/Strathspey/Reel of traditional tunes learned thoughtful feedback on their performance. from Northeast fiddle players: Farewell March, Forbes For Haley Hewitt, the win was unforgettable. “I am Morrison, and Monymusk. The second set was The Coombe very proud to have won, and am excited to share my love Road/Session at Fintan’s, which is a medley of an air into a 5/ for the rich tradition of this wonderful instrument! I was 4 reel. This piece is one movement from the Valentia Suite delighted to have taken part in what is apparently a thriving which Michael O’Sullivan composed for her. The third set was community of Scottish Harp players in the USA! a waltz and two jigs in E Major: Ennis Hour, by talented ac- It has been quite an honor to receive this award, and I am cordion player Gemma Telfer; The Velvet, by fiddler Chris very grateful to everyone who has ever taught me a harp tune, Stout; and Taking the Tent Down, by Julian Sutton. and the people who have given me the encouragement and in- Commenting on Hewitt’s award-winning performance, spiration to reach this level of performance and repertoire.” judge Sharon Knowles said: “The tone and colour of Haley Haley gave a powerful performance covering three sets Continued on page 2 With every Beth’s good Newfangled wish for Family a wonderful Tree Section New B December Year! 2013 Page 1 Haley Hewitt, continued from page 1 Hewitt’s performance was outstanding. Haley has always the Scottish Music Department of the Royal Conservatoire been able to create music with expert use of dynamics and of Scotland was defined by her drive, her dedication, her this was a brilliant example of her capabilities. Her many enthusiasm, her warmth of character and her sterling musi- years at the Ohio Scottish Arts and School and her recent cianship. She excelled at composition and music pedagogy, Master’s Degree at the Royal Conservatoire in Scotland having always aspired to a career in teaching. We are very were well spent. Her performance was magical! I have pleased for her and wish her well.” judged several National Competitions and Haley is the most Haley’s harp tutor, Corrina Hewat added: “Haley has accomplished performer I have heard to date.” always been a dedicated player, very memorable in charac- Knowles continued, “Haley’s performance is all the ter and enthusiasm. She has a very giving nature, and was a more outstanding when you realise the very high standard of great energy to have in a course, she affected all the other this year’s competition. All the Master competitors were ex- students with her joy of music and life in general! She is a cellent. They gave what amounted to be a wonderful concert natural teacher, a natural player, and I am very glad Haley and I am only sorry that I had to judge each harper because had some time at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to listening to them was a real gift. Although I feel this way, the achieve her MMus and she will be missed now that she has Scottish Harp Society of America’s competition circuit has gone back to the US to teach and perform professionally.” created this high standard and I look forward to the The championship was – and will continue to be – assured future of Scottish harp playing in the United States.” sponsored by the Clan Currie Society, who has entered Judge Anne Heymann added, “The standard at the into a five-year commitment to act as Title Sponsor for the 2013 SHSA National Championships, held at the Ligonier Championships through 2014. Highland Games was unbelievably high, and the perfect “We are absolutely thrilled to have the Clan Currie So- performance of Haley Hewitt in the Master Category earned ciety make such a generous and long-term gift,” said SHSA her the title of 2013 SHSA National Champion. A close vice-president and Competition Chair, Jen McGovern second in the Master category was Rachael Clemente, who Narkevicius. “Part of the success of our National Champi- delivered stunning examples of traditional style that earned onship depends upon generous donors like the Clan Currie her the coveted “Harper of the Day” award and her name to ensure we have sufficient funding in place to produce a on a most impressive perpetual trophy. Not to be over- first class competition. It is especially rewarding when that shadowed was the winner of the Journeyman Category, support comes from a clan with such an ancient and distin- fifteen year old Mary Abbott, who propitiously garnered guished history of Gaelic poets and musicians.” both the SHSA Travel Scholarship of $2000 and the Wash- According to Robert Currie, president of the Clan ington Area Folk Harp Society’s scholarship to their Currie Society, the partnership with SHSA is a perfect fit. ‘Harper’s Getaway Weekend’!” “The founders of our Clan were the celebrated MacMhuirich Dr Joshua Dickson, Head of Scottish Traditional Music bards of Medieval Scotland and the instrument of the Bard at the Royal Conservatoire, said:” Haley Hewitt’s time at Continued on page 3 If you see your clan advertisement in this publication - either section - Please read it carefully and, if there has been a change of officers, or you see something that needs to be deleted or think of something that needs to be added or changed, write your editor at [email protected] Page 2 Beth’s Newfangled Family Tree Section B December 2013 Haley Hewitt, continued from page 2 was the clarsach. classes, competitions, and gatherings all over the United Over the past several years Clan Currie has sharp- States and Canada. ened its focus on the arts with our concerts, special events Founded in 1981, SHSA is a non-profit educational and scholarship program. In addition to sponsoring organization dedicated to the Scottish harp, the clarsach, and this championship, we have established an annual harp schol- its music both ancient and modern. Members of the Society arship at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and host the include musicians, harp makers, and people who simply en- highly-popular Harp Glen at the Seaside Highland Games joy listening to the Scottish harp. SHSA is dedicated to the in Ventura, CA. We look forward to supporting additional performing of Scottish Music, both new and old, on the small Scottish harp programs in the future.” harps of Scotland. The Society supports the playing of nylon, About Haley Hewitt gut, wire strung, levered and unlevered harps. Haley Hewitt spent two years in Glasgow, Scotland About the Clan Currie Society obtaining her Master’s degree in Scot- The Clan Currie Society, an Ameri- tish harp. She loves to play new music, can-based, international, non-profit cul- collaborate with other musicians, and tural and educational organization, is the perform on both pedal and lever harp. preeminent Scottish-American cultural She holds a Master’s degree in society in preserving and promoting Scottish Music from the Royal Highland heritage through an extensive Conservatoire of Scotland where she scholarship program and at Scottish studied under Corrina Hewat, and a Games and festivals, as well as commu- Bachelors Degree in Pedal Harp Per- nity groups and classrooms. formance from the Hartt School of Mu- The Society was originally formed sic in the studio of Rebecca Flannery. in Glasgow, Scotland in 1959 to further As a pedal harpist she has played the knowledge and appreciation of the in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings MacMhuirich (pronounced MacVurich) extensively, including performances at bardic dynasty. The MacMhuirichs Carnegie and Benaroya Halls. As a tra- served for over 700 years as professional ditional musician, she has presented poets to the Lords of the Isles and later programs featuring the music of mod- to the MacDonalds of Clanranald among ern Scottish harpers and fiddlers, and other prominent Highland clans and fami- looks forward to the release of her debut recording in 2013. lies. The Red Book of Clanranald, one of Gaelic Scotland’s Hewitt was born and raised in Longmeadow, Massa- literary treasures, was penned by successive generations of chusetts. She started taking harp lessons with Pat Larkin the MacMhuirich family. from West Springfield, and then went to the Hartt School in Today, the organization is a respected producer of out- Connecticut to study with Rebecca Flannery and obtain her standing programs and events to honor Scotland’s rich cul- Bachelor’s Degree in Pedal Harp Performance. After gradu- ture and ancestry. The Society’s signature events include The ating, Hewitt went to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Pipes of Christmas – a musical celebration of Christmas per- to complete her Master’s Degree in Scottish Music, study- formed on bagpipes and brass, harp and fiddle, and organ – ing under Scottish harper, Corrina Hewat.