1. Normally we book and confirm one lead musician per session who then finds the other musicians for that session though other options can be considered if agreed well in advance.

2. Unless otherwise agreed in advance, confirmation means that you undertake to provide additional musicians as indicated.

3. Each session lasts 3 hours and the musicians are entitled to a 10 minute break every hour.

4. Musicians should turn up 15 minutes before a session is due to begin.

5. You must play unamplified and allow participation of other individuals.

6. We ask that if after final confirmation you find that you are unable to play the session, you should immediately inform the TMSA McEwan’s Sessions and then seek to arrange for replacement musicians and inform the TMSA McEwan's Sessions of the names and contact details of the replacement musicians as soon as possible.

7. If, in accordance with point 6 above, you cannot find replacement musicians you should inform the TMSA McEwan’s Sessions as soon as possible and, in any case, well in advance of the session date.

TMSA are organising McEwan’s Sessions in pubs on behalf of Scottish Courage.  The TMSA contact is Phyllis Martin, Music Programme Coordinator (0131 555 4486; mcewans@tmsa.org.uk).

McEwan’s Sessions are acoustic (unamplified) and participatory. Please encourage other musicians, singers, storytellers etc. to join in. The object is to expose as many people as possible to traditional music and song.

There are normally three paid musicians per session but this may vary depending on how a venue wishes to spend its budget.

Each musician is paid £60 /session.

The venue will pay each musician £30 on the night of the session and you must sign a receipt form for this payment, which the venue will retain. Participating venues have already agreed to pay musicians on the night and the TMSA will contact them in the week preceding the session to remind them of this undertaking.

After the session, musicians must invoice the TMSA for the remainder of the fee (£30/musician). Please send the invoice to TMSA National Office, Office G43, The Drill Hall, 30 – 38 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG or email to mcewans@tmsa.org.uk.

Here are some details on how to invoice and what you can invoice for.

Please include the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Date
• Session Ref Number(s)
• Venue (s)
• Date of Session(s)
• Names of all musicians involved, their contact details and what instruments each play
• Total payment due
• Travel expenses claimed (details below)

As part of our ongoing development of the McEwan's Session we would like your feedback on how they are going. Please fill the evaluation form in on our website for each session (click here).

Cheques will be issued in 10 working days of receipt of invoice and the completed musician evaluation form.

Musicians travelling over 20 miles from their home base to a session may be entitled to travelling expenses paid at the discretion of the TMSA and at the lowest cost public transport rate. Musicians are expected to travel in the most cost effective manner, e.g. bus, car share. We would therefore ask that if musicians are travelling from the same place they share transport.

Invoices must provide mileage details of where travelled from and to and all tickets/receipts must be included for payment of travel expenses on public transport. The mileage rate is 14p per mile. After 11th May, the mileage rate will be increased for all sessions to 16p per mile. Unless specifically approved in advance, taxi fares will not be reimbursed.

• To promote traditional music in Scotland by organising session musicians and singers for establishments participating in the McEwan's Session programme.
  
  
• Where practicable, to draw on the wealth of talented local traditional musicians and singers.
  
  
• To include as many traditional musicians in the programme as is reasonably practicable.
  
  
• To encourage wider participation in the McEwan's sessions and to cultivate widespread awareness and interest in traditional music and song.
  
  
• To encourage visitors from within Scotland and beyond to come into pubs to enjoy the session experience.

• The TMSA is organising the McEwan’s Sessions in pubs on behalf of Scottish Courage. McEwan’s Ale has been brewed proudly in Edinburgh for 150 years, and the TMSA is delighted to be working with Scottish Courage to support our traditional heritage.
  
  
• The McEwan’s Sessions programme is supported by VisitScotland which is keen to promote the session experience to visitors both from within Scotland and beyond.
  
  
• There is no strict definition of a “session” and they are essentially dynamic and organic informal music and social events. They provide an opportunity for traditional musicians and singers to swap ideas, to learn new tunes and songs, to blether, to play and sing together, and to welcome other musicians and singers into the fold. Sessions are so good that pub customers very often come specifically to listen to and participate in them. Please be aware, sessions are not “gigs”, which are usually formal and amplified performances. A session is not a performance; it is a social event with music and song that anyone can expect to participate in.
  
  
• McEwan’s Sessions are unamplified, inclusive and participatory, all players and singers are welcome in a session. In addition, people often recite stories and poetry and this is also appreciated.
  
  
• If you advertise your McEwan’s Sessions you may want to suggest that other musicians bring along their instruments and voices to join in. This type of participation is what being in a session is all about and is to be encouraged.
  
  
• The McEwan’s Session will last for three hours. However, please note it is very common for short breaks in the music to occur regularly and conversation between musicians and establishment customers is very normal and is to be encouraged, this too is part of a normal session experience.
  
  
• Musicians often appreciate some free refreshments provided during the course of the McEwan’s Session!
  
  
• The McEwan’s Session should have a location in the pub free from other intrusive noise such as that emanating from a juke box, TV, pool table, fruit machine etc. Ideally the musicians should have access to a smoke free environment where suitable.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the TMSA/McEwan’s Sessions policy please contact Phyllis Martin, Music Programme Coordinator. Please let us know if you have any ideas that might improve the management of the Sessions. In addition, if you encounter any problems do not hesitate to contact us.

Contact: Phyllis Martin, Music Programme Coordinator
Telephone: 0131 555 4486
E-mail: mcewans@tmsa.org.uk
Web: www.tmsa.org.uk

• If you are participating in the McEwan's Session programme your establishment has a budget of £1000 which is held by the TMSA.
  
• Your Sessions can be spread out covering the period from 1 April 2006 to 30 November 2006 inclusive.

• Each musician booked to appear in a McEwan's Session is paid a total of £60/session (£30 from the £1000 budget and £30 paid on the night by the establishment).
  
• Money paid on the night by the establishment does not come from the £1000 budget but from the establishment itself.
  
• A normal session usually has three paid musicians, which would take £90 out of the £1000 budget and cost the pub £90 on the night. You can decide how many musicians per session you require in order to fit your budget to your needs and preferences. You may also want to think about what number is suitable for your size of venue.
  
• Based on these figures, you decide how many sessions you wish to book and the dates and times they will occur.
  
• The TMSA can advise on all aspects of the session including musician numbers.

• The TMSA will organise musicians for the dates and times of the sessions. Within 10 working days after you confirm the session dates and times, the TMSA will send you a letter which confirms the dates and times, and provides session reference numbers. We will also enclose an information pack.
  
• Once the dates are confirmed by you, the TMSA will also inform the McEwan's Sessions design team and they will send you a Promotional Pack.
  
• TMSA will also contact VisitScotland.com with session listings.
  
• Contact our Music Programme Coordinator on 0131 662 9153 (Mon - Fri, 11am - 3pm) or mcewans@tmsa.org.uk to confirm the session details. You must contact the TMSA at least 4 weeks before the date of the first session you want to happen.
  
• In the week before each session the TMSA may contact you to check that arrangements for the session are in place.