Welcome to my website!

As a square dance caller with a rather extensive repertoire (over 1,100 singing calls and more than 200 patterns) my love for music in general, and for singing calls in particular, is clearly evident.

Leveraging new technological possibilities, I began creating and testing my own music for patterns. And lo and behold:
Although the music was technically "unfamiliar" to the dancers, they immediately began swaying to the rhythm with infectious energy.
The music was received so positively that it inspired me to create even more songs.

When I eventually decided to make these songs available to others—via my own independent label—it became immediately clear to me that this would only be viable if I could also offer accompanying singing calls.
Launching a new square dance music label featuring *only* pattern music was never an option for me.

So, I conducted my initial experiments using tracks I found on the website "Karaoke-Version"
The first test went quite well—but then came the big "BUT":

If you don't use the songs exactly as they are presented or delivered—that is, if you edit and rearrange them to fit the specific structure of square dancing—you are legally classified as a *producer*.
And that level of usage isn't really adequately covered by the standard licenses available for purchase on "Karaoke-Version."
Since the music is based on copyrighted material, I simply had no desire or inclination to delve any deeper into that legal thicket and navigate all its potential pitfalls.

So, I needed a new approach!

And that was the moment I decided not only to create my own pattern music from scratch, but to compose my music in such a way that it features the appropriate underlying rhythm and can be edited to fit the specific structural requirements of singing calls.

Next, I turned my attention to lyrics. And sure enough: if you have a specific melody running through your head, with a little patience and creativity, you can always find—or write—lyrics that fit it perfectly.

I debuted these first tracks during a club night, and just like the pattern songs before them, the singing calls were met with a very positive reception from the dancers. My first singing call, "Lion's Tooth"—centered on the core themes of "strength" and "never giving up"—reflects my own beginnings as a "producer."

And now, my very own record label is officially up and running.

PS: Cnoc-Records (cnoc = Gaelic for "hill" or "mountain")— chosen because, to me, the Irish and Scottish influences in square dancing are clearly evident, and because I live at the foot of the Rhön (a low mountain range).