Top 10 Reasons to Attend the 20th Annual Winston-Salem Dulcimer Festival

1. Affordable
2. Located in our "back yard"
3. Old friends will be there
4. New friends are waiting to meet you
5. Lots of different instruments to see / hear
6. Books, CDs, accessories for sale
7. Swap table - bring your own instruments and accessories to sell
8. Jam sessions at all levels
9. Nationally acclaimed instructors
10. Inspiring performances

May 2-3, 2014

20th annual Winston-Salem Dulcimer Festival

College Park Baptist Church

Winston Salem, NC 

Register today!

DIY Hammered Dulcimer Festival

A group of like-minded individuals

Gather to practice and play music

The setting is lovely

The hostess is the best

The hammered dulcimer IS the road to fun and fellowship!

This was Martha's 8th Annual Dulcimer Day on the Mountain! It's become an eagerly anticipated, weekend-long event that works as a group effort. Martha and hubby provide the space. Sue Wilson puts together some intense practice for Saturday. Everyone pitches in for meals and snacks and associated clean-up. The neighbors come in for a casual house concert and dessert on Saturday night. In between we share everything from music to gadgets to life situations to … well, by the end of the weekend we almost certainly have learned something significant from each person! I encourage you to put together your own magical dulcimer "day"!

CTO … Sue Wilson Teaching Workshop THIS Sunday Afternoon in Cary, NC

There's still time to reserve your space!

Check This Out … Sue Wilson will be teaching a workshop for novice / early intermediate players, "Tunes People Know -  and Maybe You Should, Too!" on Sunday, March 9, 1:30 - 4:00 pm at the Community of Christ Church, 912 West Chatham Street, Cary. The workshop will be taught in place of the monthly HD Slow Jam. All are welcome to join the fun!

This will be the 4th annual "winter" workshop hosted by the Slow Jam group and taught by Sue. This year, look forward to using a couple of popularly well-known tunes to practice arranging ideas, with some emphasis on syncopation. Sheet music for the basic melody of the tunes will be provided prior to the workshop to those who preregister. Fee:  $30

For more information, or to preregister, contact Viola Suddaby or Sue Wilson.

CTO … Sue Wilson Offering Workshop for Novice / early Intermediate Players

Attention: Trapezoids of the Triangle
Looking for a local hammered dulcimer workshop? A little inspiration as we await the coming of spring? New tunes? New ideas? New music buddies?

Check This Out … Sue Wilson will be teaching a workshop for novice / early intermediate players, "Tunes People Know -  and Maybe You Should, Too!" on Sunday afternoon, March 9, 1:30 - 4:00pm at the Community of Christ Church, 912 West Chatham Street, Cary. The workshop will be taught in place of the monthly HD Slow Jam. All are welcome to join the fun!

This will be the 4th annual "winter" workshop hosted by the Slow Jam group and taught by Sue. This year, look forward to using a couple of popularly well-known tunes to practice arranging ideas, with some emphasis on syncopation. Sheet music for the basic melody of the tunes will be provided prior to the workshop to those who preregister. Fee:  $30

For more information, or to preregister, contact Viola Suddaby or Sue Wilson.

CTO … Instructors Named for 2014 Winston Salem Dulcimer Festival

The 20th Annual Winston Salem Dulcimer Festival will be held May 2 - 3, 2014. The website is still being updated for this year's event, but the list of instructors has been posted. What a line-up!

Check This Out … The organizers of this festival bring in top-notch local and nationally-known teachers. Check out the impressive group of instructors expected at this year's Winston Salem Dulcimer Festival. Mark your calendar. Make your plans. I can't wait to see you there!

CTO ... Maggie Sansone and Marya Katz present workshops and concert

This a bit further afield than the Triangle of central NC, but a worthwhile opportunity within a reasonable driving distance.

Check This Out ... Music in the Mountains, hosted by Marya Katz, Saturday, November 2, 11:30 - 5:00pm, Northside Presbyterian Church, 1017 Progress Street NW, Blacksburg, VA. Maggie Sansone and Marya Katz present a fun-filled hammered dulcimer workshop in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Cost: $50, payable at the door. Includes 3 workshop sessions and a class jam, plus a mini-concert with Maggie and Marya. Bring a bag lunch to eat while setting up and tuning.

The day's schedule looks like this:

11:30 -12:15    Arrive, tune, meet & greet (bring a bag lunch, or eat ahead of time)

12:15 -  1:00    Mini-Concert with Maggie and Marya

  1:00 -  2:00    1st workshop session, led by Maggie (slow tune, possibly a celtic waltz)

  2:10 -  2:50    2nd workshop session, led by Marya ("chord choreography")

  3:00 -  4:00    3rd workshop session, led by Maggie (faster tune, probably a Scottish jig)

  4:15 -  5:00    Class jam for all who are interested

Other instrumentalists are welcome at the jam. Maybe there'll be a guitar or two, a bass, some percussion... Encourage anyone interested to join the jam at 4:15.

Contact:  For more information and registration contact Marya Katz at MaryaKatz@gmail.com 

Another successful workshop and concert in Pittsboro

Wish I had taken more photos, but I was sort of busy at the time. I regret that I didn't get the official group shot! And no photos from the concert. If you have some, please share!

19 students attended Ken Kolodner's all-day hammered dulcimer workshop.
The Tennessee Waltz and Cumberland Gap were on the agenda.

Circle the recording devices!

10 students attended Brad Kolodner's clawhammer banjo workshop.
A few folks hung around afterwards to play some tunes.

Late night jam after the concert

Ken & Bart

Bill & Rachel

Ken & Betsy 

MaryLynn & Carol

CTO ... There's still time!

Ken Kolodner and his son, Brad Kolodner, of Baltimore, MD, will be bringing their special brand of music to Pittsboro, NC on July 27, 2013. This one-day event will include:

• All-day hammered dulcimer workshop with Ken AND an afternoon clawhammer banjo workshop with Brad
• An evening concert featuring Ken and Brad, along with a variety of local talent, including Sue Wilson (hammered dulcimer) and Betsy Kraus (concertina)
• Plus, an open jam session after the concert 

Check This Out ... We've had a great response and we're anticipating a fantastic day! Have you been procrastinating and suddenly realize the time is now? Or has your schedule changed in such a way to allow you to come after all? Call me (919) 542-5854 - or just show up. We can accommodate you!

For all the details, click on the "Schedule of Events" tab at the top of the page.

CTO ... Andy Young Making a Special Appearance in Black Mountain, NC

Chicago-based hammered dulcimer phenomenon, Andy Young, will be teaching and performing at Jerry Read Smith's beautiful studio, Perelandra , in Black Mountain, NC, just east of Asheville next weekend, May 17/18. I've been hearing rave reviews and would dearly love to be in attendance, but life is conspiring against it. I hope some of you will be able to go and tell me all about it!

Check This Out ... CONCERT Friday night and hammered dulcimer WORKSHOPS all day Saturday. Click HERE to see all the details, including how to secure your seat. Reservations are required.

Take advantage of this rare event.  Here's what you're in for:

"Andy Young’s virtuosic hammered dulcimer takes the spirited Gypsy Swing of Django Reinhardt in an exciting new direction. Never before have you heard the dulcimer played like this, transporting you at once to Jazz Age Paris and the Gypsy encampments of the dulcimer’s ancestry. Andy’s performances infuse traditional Irish, Quebecois, and Gypsy Jazz melodies with humor and insight to provide a deep understanding of the role of music in our multicultural and interpersonal world."  ~ Gebhard Woods Dulcimer & Traditional Music Festival

"I strongly recommend seeing Andy play if you're not familiar with him. He's one of my favorites and I'm wearing out his latest CD." ~ Randy Marchany of No Strings Attached