Greetings Music Enthusiasts,

I’m delighted to be back at Spring Augusta! What a wonderful place to gather, learn, and unite through music.

To me, dulcimer playing at the advanced level is about making the instrument do what you want it to do. It’s about going beyond just the basics of strumming and picking and giving the dulcimer your voice. This is no easy task, but the journey is well worth the effort. It’s my belief that the dulcimer is nearly limitless in its capabilities. I hope we can show that to each other as we explore and expand the boundaries of this humble instrument.

I enjoy so many styles of music and seek out ways to bring these styles to the dulcimer in a way that sounds natural and not contrived. I’ve recorded Celtic music, fiddle tunes, hymns, pop tunes, and even jazz standards on the dulcimer. I hope through our interaction we can find ways to make your dulcimer sing your song.

I encourage you to list your questions prior to your arrival. You may email me your list beforehand so I can be better prepared to explore these topics with you. Although I have an outline of subject matter to be covered, I feel advanced level curriculum is best determined by your wants and needs.

The materials you will need are your instrument, picks, a capo, a pencil, and any other accessories you find helpful in your playing. Many people bring extra strings, music stands and tote bags. I’ll provide music and outlines, but it’s up to you to take notes to fill in the gaps of the outline. You may record (audio only) most of the sessions, but there may be times I ask you to turn off your recorders. Please, use battery operated recorders only.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. When you leave Elkins, you may not be a better player, but I promise I’ll do my best to give you the tools you need to work toward that end.

I look forward to seeing my old friends and making new ones!

Stay Tuned,

Rob Brereton