|
This spring I enrolled in the beginning hammer'd dulcimer class at Augusta Heritage Center at Davis & Elkins College. Each spring, Augusta sponsors a
week-long workshop for dulcimer players, or novice dulcimer players. When I arrived in Elkins for classes, I was a complete novice. 
Sunday night I met our teacher, Jody Marshall, at the curb as she drove in
from the Washington, D.C. area. Later that night we had a chance to chat while we watched the jam session. We discovered that we have in common,
freelance writing (she writes on occasion for "Ranger Rick" magazine) and a fondness for Revolutionary War era hunting jackets. She wore hers whenever
the weather was cool enough to allow. Here, doing improvisation, Jody Marshall demonstrates to the class an alternative use for dulcimer hammers.
It was such a thrill to be surrounded by music, as always seems to happen at Augusta. The previous August I was there during Blue Grass Week, and every night, all over campus, were clusters of musicians of varying levels of
ability from beginner to master, playing music, wonderful music.
The difference in Spring Dulcimer Week was that other than the first two days
which were uncharacteristically hot, it was too cold to stand around outside most of the time, so jam sessions were inside.
|