Dulcimers, Dreams & Delights

Dulcimer Day is now less than two months away. Spending a full day with dulcimers and dulcimer fans is something that you don't get to do just any day. Coming to Duluth on the first Saturday in May is a way to have a "dulcimer day' and a bonus is the Great Lake - Lake Superior - is right out the window. I believe in life-long learning and folk music has the multiple benefit of having you learn more songs, more style to playing but also being a part of carrying on a tradition. Schools hardly touch on instruments besides the keyboard or band or orchestra instruments. The world of the dulcimer is there - and it's the festivals that keep it going as well as clubs and getting out there sharing the instrument. Duluth and Dulcimer happen to share the same 3 first letters and although dulcimers aren't really a part of Minnesota history they are part of American history (for the mountain dulcimer). In the month of March here it's a great time to dip into the Irish music (with our without having a beer). Celtic music with reels, jigs, airs, and waltzes - music people danced too or just had jamming sessions in a pub. I'd recommend Mari's Wedding, Red Haired Boy, and John Ryan's Polka for some fun tunes on either dulcimer. As for dancing - I bought a pair of shoes for tap dancing a few days ago and will go to an adult class on Mondays. My hands like to keep learning on instruments and my feet are ready to be an instrument. My heads involved with both - and maybe some heart, too. Now - maybe I'll have to give it a try to do dulcimer playing and tap dancing at once - that'd be a new experience. Thanks to the people who have signed up for Dulcimer Day this year. So far about one-third of the attendees are coming down from Thunder Bay. Dulcimer Day is truly an international event. We'll be crossing the ocean through music as there will be music performed and taught from the British Isles. The fest will have classes in the Irish Drum - the bodhran. So whether you like melody or prefer percussion/rhythm focus folk instrument playing awaits. It doesn't matter our nationality or really even the language we speak music can be shared by all.