Saturday, 9:00 A.M. -9:50 A.M. Workshops

Humorous Songs- Northern Cross - There are so many songs that have no other purpose than to get us to smile, chuckle or laugh. Come and enjoy. If there is one you would like to share, please do. Ed told us, I don't worry about this workshop, because if we don't succeed, I know that nobody will laugh.(All)

Hammered Dulcimer 101 - Jeff Fedan - This class will introduce the instrument to flat out beginners and will include learning about the layout of the instrument, how to tune it, and a real tune or two. (B-HD)

Meet the Mountain Dulcimer - AbNormal Sines - Come and learn a brief history of the mountain dulcimer and then get to experience what the dulcimer is all about. Sing, play rhythm instruments and have a good time with AbNormal Sines. (B-MD, All)

If You Like One Tune, You'll Like 'em Both- Butch Ross - Learn to recognize recurring patterns in old-time tunes and use them to help you quickly learn new tunes. (I-A - MD)

Saturday, 10:00 A.M. -10:50 A.M. Workshops

Basic Autoharp - Bill Schilling - The purpose of this workshop is to introduce the participants to the autoharp, acquainting them with different harps, playing styles, setups, simple repairs, practice hints, and/or resources. Participants will hear and use different playing styles. (All)

Beginning the Hammered Dulcimer. - Neal Koch - This would include: a brief history of the HD; how the instrument is built, with the differences between the traditional instrument and the floating soundboard; tuning the HD; the major keys on a 12/11 or 15/14 instrument, a simple D scale with optional notes, and a basic tune like “Simple Gifts.” This would include a graph of the string layout and a simple score of “Simple Gifts.” (B, AB - HD)

Hold String Side Up - Marlene Oliver - Very basic instruction on the mountain dulcimer including suggestions on holding the dulcimer, basic strumming and fretting techniques, and practice suggestions for smooth playing. Two or three simple songs will be taught. (B-MD)

Dronal Fingerpicking - Jerry Rockwell - We'll take the well-known round Hey, Ho, Nobody Home (aka Rose Red), and make it into a fun ensemble piece playable by any number of dulcimers. We'll work out some easy parts that go along with the main melody, and experiment around with different variations. Once you get the basic idea, you can build your own tunes from the material you generate here. The arpeggiated drone is the secret to this magic, and it ties everything together. Tuning: DAC (I-MD)

Saturday, 11:00 A.M. -11:50 A.M. Workshops

Partner Songs - AbNormal Sines - They are songs we all know, but they have the same rhythm and the same chord pattern. Playing them together creates interesting harmonies and effects. It is easy, it is abnormal and it is fun! This workshop will be primarily vocal but instruments are also welcome. (All)

Ornamenting Fiddle Tunes ­ Doug Berch - This workshop will cover techniques and styles of ornamentation used when playing Old Time and Celtic tunes in an authentic manner. Rhythmic emphasis, shuffles, rolls, triplets, harmony and other ornaments will be covered. (I-HD)

Advanced Beginner Repertoire - Marge Diamond - Marge will be showing you some fun tunes that are easy to play that will help you add to your repertoire - DAD tuning. (AB-MD)

Dance with the Dulcimer - Linda Sigismondi - Participants will try different dance tunes including a French Bouree, a German waltz, a court dance and a modern waltz. Participants will also get the chance to see and hear two relatives of the dulcimer – an epinette and a Kratz zither. (DAD tuning) (I-MD)

Saturday, 12:00 P.M. -1:00 P.M. Lunch

Saturday, 1:00 P.M. -1:50 P.M. Workshops

Beginning Tin Whistle - Marlene Oliver - Basic instruction in playing the tin whistle.including how to hold the whistle and proper fingering techniques. Time permitting, several simple songs may be taught.

Easy Hammered Dulcimer Tunes – Bill Schilling – Working with the level of the group, Bill will show you how to play some simple hammered dulcimer tunes. (B,AB-HD).

Chords for the Mountain Dulcimer (DAD Tuning) -Marge Diamond - In this workshop, Marge will show you how to begin to use chords to enhance your tunes. (AB-MD)

Civil War Songs - Mike Oliver -Songs from both sides in the Civil War. Fast and slow paced tunes (I-MD)

Saturday, 2:00 P.M. -2:50 P.M. Workshops

Modified Travis Style Finger Picking and More for Guitar - Bill Schilling - . Students will work on this finger picking pattern for guitar and explore some variations of it. These styles make great accompaniment for singing or for other instruments. They can also be helpful in developing the more complex fingerstyle guitar methods. (AB, I - guitar)

Sweet Songs I. - Jeff Fedan - For intermediate hammered dulcimer, we will learn some tunes that are so sweet they will make you smile. (I-HD)

The Louie Chords and OneLife - Jerry Rockwell - Here are two extremely simple, circular chord progressions that are so much fun to play that its literally hard to stop once you get them started! This will be an experiential workshop where we'll be playing constantly, so you'll be drawn in to the soothing, mesmerizing quality of these progressions. DAD tuning. (B,AB,I,A - MD)

Exploring Minor Modes on the Mountain Dulcimer - Part 1 Capo - Andy Beyer - In this workshop, you will examine Aeolian and Dorian modes using a capo.
This handy device saves time retuning and allows one to play major chords in minor modes. It is closer to the way a guitarist would play in the minor scale. (AB,I-MD)

Saturday, 3:00 P.M. - 3:50 Workshops

Utah Phillips Songbook - Ed and Elaine Bray, Bill Schilling, Linda Sigismondi - Ed, Elaine, Bill and Linda will shsare some of the songs and stories written or sung regularly by, or told by Utah Phillips including subjects such as trains, hobos, unions, cowboys and love. (All)

Sweet Songs II - Jeff Fedan -. There are more sweet songs to learn and, in this class, I'll introduce a couple for your repertoire. (I-HD)

Bowed Dulcimer- Jane Leidheiser - This workshop will be an introduction and demonstration of the bowed dulcimer. (All Levels - Bowed Dulcimer)

Exploring Minor Modes on the Mountain Dulcimer - Part 2 No Capo - Andy Beyer - So you left the Capo at home but you still want to play that minor song or tune. This lesson teaches the fundamental skills needed to play a minor tune without a Capo. (AB,I-MD)

Saturday, 4:00 P.M. -4:50 P.M. Workshops

Join the Jam - Marge Diamond - This is especially for those folks who have been to shy too join in a jam. Everyone is welcome bring any instrument. (All)

Harmony and the Hammered Dulcimer - Doug Berch - his workshop will cover the theory and hands-on techniques of harmonizing tunes on the hammered dulcimer. The theory and techniques of choosing chords and applying them to your arrangements will be covered in depth. (I-HD)

Almost Crooked Tunes - Butch Ross – Crooked tunes are a fun part of old-time music, but can be tricky to play (that's part of what makes 'em fun) This tune isn't really crooked, but ain 't quite "square" either. (AB,I -MD)

Playing for Others - Mike Oliver - Discuss the various aspects of playing and performing in front of other people. We will explore the different formats this can take, how to prepare for each and how to determine if you even want to try to play for others. Time permitting, the entire class or individuals can try their hand at playing for the small group this class will be. Nothing will be required of anyone beyond what they want to do.(AB, I - MD)

Saturday 7:30-9:30

Doug Berch and Butch Ross

Chapel

Saturday, 9:45 P.M. -?, Late Night Jam

Steve K. Smith at late night jam.

Sunday

Sunday, 9:30 A.M. to 10:20 A.M. Song Circle

Song Circle - This is a time to gather on Sunday morning and share some music in an informal session. Each person in the circle will be given a chance to play a song, request a song or to just listen.

Patty Looman leading Song Circle.

Sunday, 10:30 A.M. -11:20 A.M. Workshops

Period Tunes - Jane Leidheiser – Jane will perform and perhaps teach you some songs of the frontier period with a focus on 18th century.. (All)

Basic Gospel Songs and Hymns - Neal Koch - Play list: Amazing Grace, Ashgrove, The Church In the Wildwood, I’ll Fly Away, In the Sweet By and By, Precious Memories, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, etc. New titles: Wye Valley (Like A River Glorious); Crimond (The Lord’s My Shepherd) (B, AB, I - HD)

Basic Finger Picking on the Mountain Dulcimer - Andy Beyer - This is an entry level in finger picking, for the student with some playing background, but little experience in finger picking. Why finger pick? There is this wonderful world of cascading notes that can be added to the dulcimer by using this technique. If you have finger picks, bring them, but they are not required. (AB,I-MD)

Cumberland Gap - Butch Ross - Trickier than you think! Hammer-ons, pull-offs, bar chords, and chord substitutions make this old tune harder than it looks and cooler than it sounds. But it's a great introduction to all these concepts, and a fun tune to boot. (I-MD)

Sunday, 11:30 P.M. -12:20 P.M. Lunch

Sunday, 12:30 P.M. -1:20 P.M. Workshops

Songs of Tin Pan Alley and the 1920's- Northern Cross - What exactly was "Tin Pan Alley" and where was it located? How is the music similar & yet different from "Ragtime" & 1920's era music? Elaine will answer these questions and present many fine examples of these musical genres. (All)

Using Sustain to Your Musical Advantage- Doug Berch - People have asked me “What do you do with all that ringing?” I tell them “I use it!” This workshop will cover using harmony, rhythm and creative arrangements to take advantage of the sustain and sympathetic resonance of the hammered dulcimer. (I-HD)

Easy Rounds - Joni Sines -Playing rounds is the easiest way to get a budding musician used to playing something different than his neighbor is playing. This workshop teaches several easy rounds so that students can not only learn the songs, but also play them as rounds in the workshop. (AB-MD)

Celtic Ballads - Linda Sigismondi - This is a repertoire-building workshop for intermediate dulcimer players. Participants will be taught several songs from Ireland, Scotland and Wales including Bard of Armagh, Mingulay Boat Song, Mairi’s Wedding and Balinderry. DAD tuning. (I-MD)

Sunday 1:30-2:20 Workshops

HD Jam - Neal Koch -. It is my feeling that hammered dulcimers need to have at least one separate jam session in order to be able to play a wider selection of tunes and in different keys. This not only gives confidence playing together, but provides a forum for learning from each other. Group members would provide the titles to be played and/or learned.

From Rock to Cabbage - AbNormal Sines -. This is kind of like a sampler platter of all of the chording workshops AbNormal Sines has ever given. Chord and sing traditional, Celtic and even some rock and roll songs. While having a great time you will also painlessly increase your knowledge in the areas of chording, rhythm and transposing. (All)

Getting Beyond Chord-Melody - Jerry Rockwell -: How to get more than one line of music happening on your solo dulcimer. Did you ever wish you could get a ground bass, harmony part or counter-melody going on at the same time as the main melody on your solo performances? This is a very tricky process, but it's not as hard as you might think: I've had my biggest successes by just winging it in a very playful way. We'll use Simple Gifts, Frere Jacques, and the circular 4-chord progression I call Light Into Darkness. Tuning: DAD (I,A-MD)

Sunday, 2:30-3:15 Finale

Finale - The festival will conclude with an all-participant gathering in which everyone is invited to join in to sing and play as we end the festival in song and perhaps harmony.

Bill Schilling and Linda Sigismondi leading finale at Dulcimer Festival 1995 with help from David Schnaufer on right

Featured Performers

Doug Berch

Hammer Dulcimer

(and mountain dulcimer)

Doug Berch is a folk musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His music has an original sound that shows the influence of Old-Time, Celtic, British, Rock and other styles of music from around the world.

Doug is best known as a masterful player of both the mountain and hammered dulcimer. He also plays clawhammer banjo, tinwhistle, harmonium and other instruments, In 1983 Doug took first place in both The National Mountain Dulcimer Championship and The National Hammered Dulcimer Championship in Winfield, Kansas.

Through the years Doug has toured and performed as a solo act as well as with a number of bands. He was a member of the Colorado based Celtic Ensemble Colcannon for 10 years. After taking a break from full time performing (during which time he worked at Elderly Instruments) Doug announced his return with two solo recordings: “Songs From My Past - Music With Mountain Dulcimer” and “The Sadness of Common Objects - Hammered Dulcimer Instrumentals”

Doug’ is a dynamic and entertaining performer who can have the audience on the edge of their seats with a haunting ballad and have them laughing moments later! Doug is also a maker of fine dulcimers. He has been performing and teaching nationally since the 1970’s. Doug's Website

Butch Ross

Mountain Dulcimer

Butch Ross can't do anything right.

1. He plays the mountain dulcimer.
2. He plays it standing up like a guitar.
3. He holds it upside and strung backwards.
4. And Butch Ross plays rock n roll on it.
   

Despite all this wrongness, somehow it all sounds just right.

Okay, sure, he plays his own funny, poignant songs and some traditional mountain tunes, but somehow, in Butch's hands, they rock, too.
Besides, it's pretty clear that Led Zeppelin always intended for "Stairway to Heaven" to be played on the dulcimer. It just took Butch to figure it out.

Butch Ross was given a mountain dulcimer for his birthday a few years ago, at the time the regionally touring singer/songwriter had no idea of the impact the instrument would have on his career. "I thought it's be cool to have one around the house, but I found myself playing it more and more. It had made music fun for me in a way that I hadn't felt since I first picked up the guitar."

More than "making music fun," this primitive mountain instrument began to open doors for him too. Not long after adopting the dulcimer he met Robert Force a musician, producer, independent label owner and all-around hippy who had once written a best-selling book on the mountain dulcimer. He saw in Butch "a spirit, talent and vision" that he last saw in his own idol; 60's folk-icon Richard Farina±a. Almost immediately, he offered to sign him to his Blaine St. Records and produce, for free, his debut CD "the Moonshiner's Atlas."

The dulcimer has opened other doors for Butch Ross as well: a full-ride scholarship for a graduate degree in folk studies, a quickly-earned reputation amongst the dulcimer community as one of the most innovative and exciting players on the scene, endorsement offers, including one builder who working with him on a "Butch Ross Signature Model,," opening slots for wide variety of performers from Hayseed Dixie and Little Country Giants to the Jazz Mandolin Project, Great Big Sea and the legendary Jean Ritchie. Additionally the dulcimer has found him invited to play festivals and clubs in England, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Germany and most recently Budapest, Hungary.
Sean Phipps of the Chattanooga Times Free Press says, His set consisted of folk songs and various instrumentals, including blistering version of Richard Thompson's 1952 Vincent Black Lightning and The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby." We're lucky to have such a talented, interesting musician living in Chattanooga. Butch's Website

2009 Workshop Leaders

Andy Beyer is a mountain dulcimer player and teacher from Worthington, Ohio, who has been "instrumental" as Teacher of Dulcimer in central Ohio. He was on the board of The Olentangy Dulcimer Co-Operative, and COD Fests(and taught through both events). He has worked with The Central Ohio Folk Festival (the last 13 years) in one capacity or another. He taught for The CAP program at OSU for 16 years and has taught for The Lifelong Learning & Leisure program In Upper Arlington, Ohio for the last 14 years. Andy hold two degrees in Education, and a degree in instructional design(which he sometimes uses in his music education programs for adults and children).

Ken Bloom has given solo concerts all over North America since 1974. These have included appearances at many major Folk Festivals and clubs in the U.S. and Canada. In the past he has been a regular performer at the Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Owen Sound, Philadelphia, and Mariposa Festivals as well as appearing in major venues across the country and appearances on A Prairie Home Companion. More recently, his appearances have been closer to home. His North Carolina presentations include: The Stokes Stomp, Hiddenite Center, Turkey Festival (Raeford), Red Springs Highland Games, Mt. Airy Storytelling Festival, and many others. These programs include the traditional music of this country as well as Celtic and Eastern European selections. He usually uses Concert zither, Northumbrian-smallpipes, guitar, clarinet, bowed dulcimer and Minstrel banjo, but he will often include other instruments and traditions as well. He tries to introduce audiences to unfamiliar sounds in an entertaining way and expand their musical view of our ever-shrinking world.For the last twenty two years, Ken has been building a wide range of instruments for people. These include those instruments not commonly available from other sources. He has done a tremendous amount of research on these and, wherever possible, has consulted with native builders and players. Ken also participates in 18th century Living History events, providing period music on period instruments, as well as acting as Sergeant for the Royal Highland Emigrants, 84th Foote. He has presented these programs at National battlefields, Living History sites, Highland Games, and schools all over North and South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Many of these presentations focus on the role of Scottish Highlanders in the 18th century. this interest in history has led Ken to go back and reconstruct many of the instruments of the time and research the music that would have been played on them. This includes the gourd banjo and a detailed study of early antecedents of the mountain dulcimer. Ken's bowed dulcimer is the result of some of these studies. Ken's Webpage

Marge Diamond began playing mountain dulcimer in the mid eighties with virtually no music background but tons of enthusiasm. Through attending dulcimer workshops and getting in touch with the playing styles of established dulcimer players from all over the country, she found the greatest tool for making friends and having a great time. That is what she teaches others to do. Her early efforts emphasized the playing of fiddle tunes and taking part in a square dance band, ‘The Bentwood Rockers’. She then moved on to playing songs that required a little more arranging. Currently Marge plays with “The Oberlin Dulcimer group”. Marge has performed and taught dulcimer workshops since 1987. She has been on hand teaching and performing at all of the Dulci-More festivals, at the past 14 Fort New Salem Festivals, at several of the Kent State Folk Festivals and has been on hand for some of the COFF festivals. Marge has one recording “Beyond Cabbage” which is now available on CD. She also sells T-shirts featuring original dulcimer and other instrument designs. Marge's Homepage

Jeff Fedan lives in Morgantown, WV and learned to play the hammered dulcimer from his teacher and mentor, Patty Looman, also from Morgantown, who has given him the gift of music. He has been playing for nearly eleven years, loving every minute of it. He is especially interested in the old time repertoire of northern West Virginia, the music of Worley Gardner, Russell Fluharty, Patty Looman and others. He helps organize Pattyfest, a music festival in honor of Patty Looman. He will be doing hammered dulcimer workshops this weekend.

Neal Koch grew up in the midst of church choirs and in an accomplished musical family. Early in his middle school days he took lessons on the trumpet and later the sousaphone, winning awards and playing in his high school and university bands. In 1997 he was introduced to the hammered dulcimer at a craft festival in Ripley, WV, and heard the music of Worley Gardener. After that Neal, built nine hammered dulcimers for his own enjoyment, writing and publishing a well respected “how to . . .” book on building hammered dulcimers.
Since 1997, Neal has taken lessons from several noted advanced players: Bob Crumm, Dewey Sanderson and Sally Hawley. He has also attended numerous Dulcimer weekends in Ohio and West Virginia. Neal is a retired pastor living in the Huntington, WV area. He is a member of the Tri-state Dulcimer Club.

Northern Cross is Ed & Elaine Koehler-Bray. Ed plays guitar, 5-string banjo, autoharp, mt. dulcimer and various other instruments and sings. Elaine also sings & plays 12-string guitar, tenor banjo, harmonica and mandolin. They perform at many festivals and gatherings throughout the state of Ohio. Last August they performed at the National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa. Ask them what else they did in Britt.

Mike & Marlene Oliver first discovered the mountain dulcimer in late 1988 at a craft fair in their hometown of Lancaster, Ohio. Since then they have become increasingly involved in dulcimer activities, having performed and taught across Ohio and in neighboring states. They founded the Standing Stone Strings & Things dulcimer club and the Harmony Harvest Dulcimer Festival. They perform together as Lower Lights with Marlene singing and playing mountain dulcimer and tin whistle and Mike playing mountain dulcimer and percussion.

Jerry Rockwell is one of a handful of folk musicians who, since about 1970, have been national and international advocates for the mountain dulcimer. He is an accomplished player, teacher, and custom builder of this American folk instrument. His currently available recordings are Favorite American Folktunes (CD with extra Roots Project tracks recorded in 2000 featuring mostly solos on historic mountain dulcimers), and The Blackbird and the Beggarman (CD produced by Pete Sutherland originally for the Wizmak label in 1994). He has also written instructional texts for mountain dulcimer, including four titles available from JC Rockwell Music Publishing: Dulcimer Solos volume II, arrangements for intermediate level players; Beginner's Tunebook in D-A-A and D-A-D, with emphasis on rhythmic foundations; and Music Theory and Chord Reference for the Mountain Dulcimer. Jerry concentrated on music theory and composition at Ohio State University. He lives and works in the Appalachian foothills of southeast Ohio, and regularly teaches mountain dulcimer at workshops across the country. Jerry's Webpage

Bill Schilling has been singing and playing various folk instruments (at least 20 with variations of several) for nearly 40years. He has performed for audiences of all ages in many settings from coast to coast. His high-energy performances may include songs, slide programs, and/or stories selected specifically for your group. His performances often involve members of your group with audience participation songs or activities. Bill often performs with others including Linda Sigismondi with whom he has recorded “Songs from Canal Days”. Since Bill believes that his music should be inclusive, he is involved in many groups which share music. A few of them are: Dulci-More: Folk & Traditional Musicians (Bill is the founder and leader (called Fearless Leader) of this group); the annual Dulci-More Festival (Bill is the director); the Canton Folk Song Society (Bill is one of the original members); the Dulcimer Society of Trumbull County (Bill has reorganized and leads this group); Folknet (Bill is a charter Executive Committee Member & President); and Folk Music at Weatherbury Farm (Bill is one of the originators of this program and a workshop leader). His “Dulci-More Public Domain Songbooks “(in several variations) are used by clubs around the country.Bill's Webpage

Linda Sigismondi is a mountain dulcimer player and folksinger from Gallipolis, Ohio. Her music includes traditional Appalachian tunes, Celtic tunes, folk dances, traditional and contemporary folk music, and original compositions that feature environmental themes. Linda has played at Fort New Salem, West Virginia, for the Harvest and Christmas Festivals for many years. She also organizes the music and workshops for the Fort New Salem Dulcimer Festival. Linda has taught workshops and performed at many folk music festivals in West Virginia, Ohio and New York. Linda is also the leader of the Banks of the Ohio Dulcimer Club in Gallipolis, Ohio. Linda has written several books (and companion CDs) of mountain dulcimer tab and has recorded a CD, "Songs from Canal Days" with Bill Schilling. Linda's Webpage

AbNormal Sines (Dayton) is now Gary and Joni Sines. The original trio has taught and performed at various festivals throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee since 1987. Gary is a guitarist and unreformed rocker. Joni has classical piano background, but was easily converted to a “folkie” as a “child of the 60’s”. In addition to teaching and performing with the group, she has been teaching dulcimer at the University of Dayton’s Institute for Learning in Retirement for the past 13 years. They have 2 recordings to their credit including many of their original songs. Joni has written 7 dulcimer instructional books.

Links to Other Events

Pattyfest - A music gathering near Morgantown, WV to celebrate teacher/performer Patty Looman

Dulci-More - A festival in Lisbon, Ohio that features workshops and concerts on dulcimers and other instruments.

Last Updated: August 6, 2009