Teachers & Musicians 2024
Arthur McNair, Teacher
Arthur McNair began Scottish country dancing after seeing demonstrations at the local Pittsburgh Highland games in the late 90's. To Arthur, SCD is a wonderful social activity that happens to be a fun challenge both physically and mentally. Having performed in music and theatrical groups since a very early age, Arthur thrills in the joy of a fine group performance combining SCD dancers and musicians. Since beginning SCD, Arthur has attended as many workshops as possible in the U.S., Canada, and Scotland, and has been fortunate to learn from some of the best SCD teachers. Arthur has always loved sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge with others, so working towards obtaining the RSCDS teaching certificate as soon as possible was a natural path. Arthur received his RSCDS teaching certificate in 2004 at TAC Summer School, teaches weekly classes in Pittsburgh, and has taught workshops throughout North America. Arthur's first emphasis in his teaching is for all dancers to enjoy dancing to whatever level they are able, with a secondary emphasis on the beauty that comes from dancing well with others. Arthur also is a musician who plays piano accordion with the Scottish dance band, Highland Square. To support his music and dance habits, Arthur works for Zoll Medical as a systems engineer. Arthur was born and raised in Arizona.
Jennifer Reiner, Teacher
Jennifer Reiner has been dancing, performing, and competing in dance for most of her life. She began ballet at the age of 4 and continued through college. She took an interest in Scottish country dancing while still in college, and led a Scottish dance performance group at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. Around the same time, she also began taking classes in Highland dancing and competing in Highland dance competitions. Jennifer has been teaching Scottish country dancing in the Phoenix Branch since 1999, when she gained her preliminary teaching certificate and went on to get her full certificate in 2011. Jennifer has traveled through-out the U.S. and United Kingdom indulging this passion, and is currently a teacher for, and an active member of, the Phoenix Branch of the RSCDS. In “real” life, Jennifer is a Quality Assurance professional working in clinical trials. Jennifer lives in Phoenix with her husband and 2 of their 3 teenage children (the oldest at University of Rhode Island), all avid travelers, Disney-lovers and hockey fans.
Terpsichore photo courtesy of Ken Graham
Terpsichore: Elke Baker, Liz Donaldson, and Ralph Gordon
Champion fiddler Elke Baker, expert pianist Liz Donaldson, and versatile bassist and cellist Ralph Gordon make up the trio Terpsichore, named for the Greek muse of dance. Terpsichore is known for its unique ability to perform inspired and nuanced music based on the dance traditions of Scotland. World-renowned as a Scottish Country Dance band, they also play regularly for concerts, ceilidh dances, and many other styles of music. They have performed all over the U.S. and Canada and have toured in Scotland, Ireland, England, Japan, and closer to home at the Kennedy Center and Strathmore Hall.
U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion Elke Baker's distinctive, dance-driven fiddle style has made her one of the most sought-after Scottish fiddlers of our time. Performing solo and with Ken Kolodner, Robin Bullock, Terpsichore, Sugar Beat, Trio con Brio, Olde Vienna, and others, Elke has both a range and depth of skill surpassed by very few. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Birchmere, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hylton Performing Arts Center, Sanders Theatre at Harvard University, in most of the fifty States, and on four continents. She is world-renowned as a Scottish country dance musician, bandleader, and arranger. The Washington Post writes, “Baker's fiddle nearly throws off sparks,” while Celtic Beat calls her recording “a CD of rare delight, precise technical skill, and fulness of soul.” Her music was featured in the soundtrack of the film The Boyhood of John Muir. A scholar of Scottish music, Elke taught for many years at the Washington Conservatory of Music, was Artist-in-Residence and lecturer at Montgomery College and a panelist at Harvard University. Elke directs the Potomac Valley Scottish Fiddle Club, a non-profit Scottish music educational organization now in its 31st year. She has recorded eight albums, including new releases Better Days, On a Cold Winter's Day with Ken Kolodner, Wait 'til You Hear This One! with Sugar Beat, and A Dancer’s Best Friend with Terpsichore.
Pianist Liz Donaldson is nationally known for her profound understanding and expert interpretation of traditional dance music. A full-time musician who has played for dancing for many years, Liz is known for her innovative back-up style incorporating exciting rhythms, textures, and harmony lines. Liz plays and teaches many styles of dance music, including Scottish, English, American contra and square dance. She was a pianist-presenter at the Smithsonian Institution's two-year special exhibit on the history of the piano, "Piano 300." Liz plays with many traditional folk music bands, and in addition to three albums with Terpsichore, has recorded and produced numerous albums of English, Scottish, and American dance music, including English Echoes and Waverley Station. Liz’s books of Scottish country dance music have become an essential resource for aspiring Scottish dance musicians everywhere. Liz has played and taught music from coast to coast in the U.S. as well as in Ireland, England, Scotland and Japan. Liz’s contributions to Scottish music were recognized in 2018 when she was awarded the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society’s Scroll of Honour for lifetime achievement in Scottish music and dance.
Ralph Gordon (bass and cello) is a classically trained musician educated at West Virginia University and the Manhattan School of Music. He played for many years with the innovative folk band Trapezoid, and his skills span a wide range of musical styles from chamber music to big band swing. The Charleston Post Courier remarked, "His playing is more sophisticated and technically accomplished than the next ten string players of any sort and he uses his instruments to subtly ground, stabilize, and inspire the rest of the ensemble as they pursue their experimentations." He is in great demand in the Washington DC area as a freelance artist and a session musician. He can be heard on more than sixty recordings, including Scottish, English country, contradance, hoedown, folk, bluegrass, klezmer, blues, swing, jazz combos, and big band styles. Ralph has played for 25 years with Terpsichore, and has worked extensively on revitalizing Scottish folk cello style.
Their recorded music is available for sale at www.potomacvalleyscottishfiddle.org/webstore and downloadable music at https://elkebaker.bandcamp.com/releases
Elke Baker—Scottish Fiddle Music—Terpsichore
PO Box 236, Glenelg, MD 21737 (301) 854-9161