This week presents the best in mountain dulcimer and hammered dulcimer music and instruction, with many of the world’s best dulcimer musicians. Both of these instruments provide a user-friendly welcome to new players and can challenge, support and inspire those who already play, and this year, we’ve added introductory classes in autoharp, banjo and guitar, and a special afternoon class in Jamming for Everyone. Want to learn one or more of these instruments, but don’t have a dulcimer, guitar, autoharp or banjo yet? We have made arrangements for our students to rent any of them for $35/wk. See course descriptions below to learn more. Dulcimer Week offers carefully planned classes and a supportive and engaging social community in a setting of mountain beauty and comfort. You can sign up for classes in any instrument. Class sizes are limited to allow for individual attention to our students. All participants get three 75 minute class periods a day, providing over 18 total hours of class instruction. Beginners in both instruments remain with their instructors to comfortably build a solid playing foundation. Our participants often tell us that they learned as much at Swannanoa’s Dulcimer Week as in six months of study at home! Our after-lunch Communal Gatherings are a favorite, and feature a new “close-up” performance each day by our instructors. Evening activities include a Sunday night Welcome Celebration at which you will meet other participants and the staff. On Monday night our exciting Staff Concert runs the gamut of dulcimer versatility and talent. There will be a Students’ Open Mike for participants to share their music, and Thursday night’s exciting Old Farmer’s Ball is a great opportunity for some dancing in the beautifully-renovated Bryson Gym. Evenings are also the time to hone your skills in playing with others at our “slow” or “moderate” speed jam sessions, led by staff members. Informal jams and sing-alongs continue into the wee hours and are legendary for their fun and lively music. We will have several special sessions, including Enrichment Guests who will provide the the opportunity to hear the plucked psaltery, the hammered dulcimer’s Appalachian cousin, and classical Indian music on the santur, a type of hammered dulcimer, as well as other artists to perform and lead some of the evening jams. You can view classes here as well as staff bios.
Or go directly to an individual instructor’s bio by
clicking one of the names to the right.
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