Music for Scottish Country Dancing, for English Country and Contra
Dancing, and for listening
Strath Hanna is a celtic band based in State College, PA. We play
mostly Scottish and English traditional music, both for dancing and
for listening. One of our specialties is playing for Scottish
Country Dancing, and our members include a dancer, so we know our
music from a dancer's point of view.
We also enjoy playing for English
country dancing and for contra dancing. Our name is motivated by the
straths (valleys) of Scotland and hannas (creeks) of Central
Pennsylvania. (Just north of our home town, we have the Moshannon
Creek, or Moss Hanna = Moose Creek.)
Here are recordings of a selection of the music we play. On the first
four, the musicians were: John Collins (piano), Kurt Kroeker, and Patty
Lambert. On the last two, the musicians were: Toby Carlson, John
Collins, Kurt Kroeker, and Celia Wyckoff.
Shiftin' Bobbins (8x32 reel):
This set of reels was recorded live at the Buffalo Burns night in
2019, for the Scottish country dance Shiftin' Bobbins. It uses
the tunes: Shiftin' Bobbins, Westwood Reel, and Roy's Reel.
Luckenbooth Brooch (8x32 jig):
This set of jigs was recorded live at the Buffalo Burns night in
2019, for the Scottish country dance Luckenbooth Brooch. It uses
the tunes: Weaver and His Wife, Blackberry Quadrille, and Goose
Feathers.
Fair Donald (8x32 strathspey):
This set of strathspeys was recorded live at the Buffalo Burns night in
2019, for the Scottish country dance Fair Donald. It uses
the tunes: Lady Dick Lauder's Strathspey, Soldier's Return, and
Patty's Flute.
Postie's Jig (4x32 jig):
This set of jigs was recorded live at the Buffalo Burns night in
2019, for the Scottish country dance Postie's Jig. It uses
the tunes: Come Lassie And Dance With Me, Geordie Hinnie, and Blaydon Races.
Little Brown Island:
A classic Scottish-style concert medley, starting with an air
(Little Brown Island in the Sea), then a strathspey (Banks of
Spey), and finally two jigs (Cat in the Hopper and The
Astronomer). The Astronomer was composed by band member John Collins.
Dancing with the One I Love:
This is a beautiful waltz by Sarah Armstrong, who was a fiddler
from Southwestern Pennsylvania in the first half of the 20th
century.
Sorry, but we don't currently have recordings of our playing for
contra dancing or for English country dancing.
Depending on the situation, we play with two to four of our band
members: Matt Carlson (fiddle), Toby Carlson (recorder/whistle/viola
da gamba), John Collins (piano), Betsy Gamble (fiddle), Kurt Kroeker
(fiddle), Patty Lambert (flute/whistle/concertina), and Ray Najjar
(string bass), sometimes with other guest musicians.
For more information contact:
John Collins,
E-mail: strathhanna at verizon dot net
(Web page last modified 12 Nov. 2023.)