Larry Conger (Paris, Tennessee)

Beyond Intermediate Level Skills

Larry takes on the responsibility of working with the more skilled dulcimer players this year to help them improve their confidence and musicianship. He and his wife Elaine are co-directors of Dulcimer U at Western Carolina University. They make their home in Paris, Tennessee where they operate a private music studio, teaching piano, voice, guitar and drums as well as the mountain dulcimer.

A graduate of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Larry has been involved with music as a vocation for over 30 years. Besides being a popular instructor at various dulcimer workshops around the country, Larry also served as a church music director for several Baptist churches during the late 1970s through the 1990s. He has been a participating artist for the Tennessee Arts Commission’s Arts In Education program as well as the Kentucky Arts Council’s Teacher Incentive Program, bringing dulcimer music into the public schools.

In 1995, Larry won the Southern Regional Mountain Dulcimer Championship in Mountain View, Arkansas. Three years later, he won the prestigious National Mountain Dulcimer Championship in Winfield, Kansas. Larry has authored twelve dulcimer books and has three recordings to his credit.

When Larry is not teaching the Beyond Intermediate Level Skills class during the morning hours or attending to the details of Dulcimer U, he will be helping his wife, Elaine direct the Dulcimer Ensemble elective each afternoon.

Elaine Conger (Paris, Tennessee)

Teaching the Mountain Dulcimer Level I

Elaine is also one of our directors for Dulcimer U in 2012. She and her husband, Larry work throughout the year to bring Dulcimer U together in July.

Elaine is a professional music educator and Orff-Schulwerk specialist who has a passion for instilling a love for the arts in young people. Her years as a professional musician, combined with her experience as a classroom teacher give her a unique perspective when working with students. Her past musical experience includes touring with her own country band, performing on the General Jackson showboat at Opryland in Nashville and touring as pianist and back-up vocalist with country music superstar, Faith Hill. More recently, she has directed and accompanied numerous musical theater productions and even starred in a few herself. Her favorite role to date is as Patsy in “Always Patsy Cline.” Elaine also serves as organist/music director for a local Episcopal Church.

She will be teaching the “Dulcimer for Teachers Level I” class during the morning hours as well as co-directing the Dulcimer Ensemble class with her husband Larry during the afternoon hours.

Janita Baker (Santa Margarita, California)

New Player/Beginner Level Skills

Janita returns from the 2011 Dulcimer Week staff to again direct the New Player/Beginner Skills Class at Dulcimer U. The demand from students to have her back in 2012 was overwhelming due to her methodical and patient approach to teaching. Janita has expressed a passion for teaching players who are just getting started on the dulcimer and her class exemplifies that passion. Her kind and gentle spirit endears dulcimer players to her almost immediately after the first meeting. In addition to her work with the beginners each morning, she will be teaching a variety of electives for various skill levels during the afternoon sessions.

Janita has been playing mountain dulcimer for over 30 years. Through her recordings, books and appearances at festivals/workshops across the United States she has become well-known for her teaching skills and for Blue Lion Dulcimers, which she builds with her husband Robert. As a solo performer on the mountain dulcimer, Janita presents her audiences with a wide range of musical experiences including classical, traditional, delta and country blues, ragtime, swing and original instrumental pieces. A gifted story teller, Janita delights her listeners with a warm and personal sharing of her music and introduces to her audience and her students the incredible complexity, variety and beauty of the mountain dulcimer.

Marsha Harris (Morehead City, North Carolina)

Bowed Dulcimer Skills 

Marsha is the resident Bowed Dulcimer Skills Class instructor at Dulcimer U. She is one of the leading authorities on bowing the dulcimer, a technique that most likely dates back to pre-Civil War times. Marsha is also an accomplished mountain dulcimer player and will be offering several mountain dulcimer electives during the afternoon hours.

 Marsha has played the mountain dulcimer for the past eighteen years and the bowed dulcimer for eight years.  Her varied musical interests include traditional old-time, Celtic, contemporary, classical, Swedish, Cajun and original compositions.  She plays beautiful, intricate melodies on the mountain dulcimer and is an excellent bowed dulcimer player.  Her easygoing style in teaching and patience are a favorite with students.   Dulcimer instructors have taught her original composition, ‘Red Dog’, published in the Dulcimer Folk Association of Connecticut newsletter, to students for its ease of learning and it can be heard in jam circles.

Marsha’s varied interests are seen in instrumentation as well as genres of music.  She also plays the fiddle, Native American flute and tenor banjo. She has taught at various dulcimer workshops in Winston-Salem, Shelby, Kinston, and WCU Winter Weekend in North Carolina; Lagniappe Festival in Louisiana; and August Dulcimer Daze in Vermont. 

Marsha attends fiddle festivals where she uses her ability to learn new tunes by ear adapting them to the dulcimer and bringing them to the dulcimer community.  She has received several awards and a dulcimer championship in NC.  She is a two-time dulcimer champion at Fiddler’s Grove and her ‘First Teardrop’ composition has won second place at the Mt. Airy Fiddler’s Convention.  To compliment her music Marsha also is a caller for contra dances and Civil War reenactment balls.

Joe Collins (Shelby, North Carolina) 

Teaching the Mountain Dulcimer Level II 

Joe returns from the 2011 Dulcimer Week staff to teach the next level of his popular “Dulcimer for Teachers” class. Participants who were in Joe’s class last year strongly encouraged us to bring him back to teach a continuation of the curriculum, which he has developed into a certification program in partnership with WCU. Some of the skills taught during the morning sessions will be reinforced with afternoon electives that Joe will also teach.

Joe is the 2007 National Mountain Dulcimer Champion. He began playing the mountain dulcimer in the late 70s in coffeehouses, churches, and schools.   As an instrument of praise to his God and entertainment for others, the dulcimer quickly became an important part of Joe's life. Since that time he has written several books of dulcimer music, produced 5 CDs, and has performed across the country in a number of different venues.
He loves working with and performing for people.

His eight books of dulcimer tablature grew out of a desire to teach others to play.  He is a popular mountain dulcimer clinician at festivals, offering clear instruction supplemented by easy-to-follow instructional material.  He is a songwriter, vocalist, and an occasional guitarist.  His performances are sprinkled with a lot of humor and some excellent mountain dulcimer playing - sure to bring a smile to audiences of all ages.

Joe graduated from East Carolina University with Bachelor and Master degrees in English, from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity with Religious Education, and from NC State University with a Doctorate in Adult Education. He has worked in Religious Education for most of his professional career and now serves as Assistant Professor of Religion at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC.  And, of course, he continues to occasionally build dulcimers as therapy for his busy life and accepts as many opportunities to teach and perform as he can!

Jim Miller (Hampton, Tennessee)

Master of the Jam 

Jim has been playing and performing traditional music for more than 35 years. An accomplished instrument builder and teacher, he has taught workshops at numerous festivals as well as won many awards for his musicianship. 

For twenty years, Jim was the owner of the Hampton Music Shop, in Hampton, Tennessee, where he handcrafted over 750 hammered dulcimers. He has played with Celtic, Bluegrass, Swing, Blues and Old Time bands, and has done session work on many recordings. 

In addition to being an accomplished performer and workshop leader, Jim also is an enthusiastic jam facilitator (Jam-Meister, Master of the Jam, etc.) who likes to get everyone involved. He plays guitar, banjo, octave mandolin, bass, steel drum, percussion, autoharp, hammered and mountain dulcimers as well as his own off-the-wall musical inventions, which are always entertaining.

Jim holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and has completed the course work for certification in music education. He teaches 4th grade at Cloudland Elementary School in Roan Mountain, Tennessee, where he leads an after school traditional string band program. He also teaches dulcimer and autoharp in the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music program at East Tennessee State University.
 

Bob Magowan (Memphis, Tennessee)

Dulcimer Building Class 

Bob’s job at Dulcimer U will be to show participants how to build their own mountain dulcimer from the kits he will provide. Last year, Bob’s class was the one chosen to be filmed by a local television crew from Asheville. The story was broadcast on the local evening news to the delight of the Dulcimer Week crowd who gathered in the dorm to watch the story on the TVs in the study areas.

Bob began his luthier career in August, 2000 when he purchased a mountain dulcimer kit, assembled it and began to learn how to play it.  Following that experience he started designing and making his own mountain dulcimers.  He currently constructs Magowan Mountain Dulcimers, which are custom made instruments, at his home in Memphis.

Over the years he has developed an interest in other stringed instruments by repairing all types of bowed instruments including violins, violas, cellos, and he has also worked on guitars, mandolins and concert zithers. To date Bob has built over 100 instruments, mostly mountain dulcimers, but also pickin’ sticks, cookie can instruments, a mandolin and a number of experimental instruments.  His musical interests include old time and bluegrass music and playing dulcimer, fiddle, viola, mandolin and tenor guitar.

Gary Sager (Waverly, Ohio)

Dulcimer Doctor 

Gary is the resident “Mr. Fix It” at Dulcimer U, making himself available to do repairs or upgrade work on your dulcimer throughout the week. He will also be one of the largest merchandise vendors in attendance.

Gary became interested in the Mountain Dulcimer in 1991 after seeing David Schnaufer's "Fischer's Hornpipe" video on CMT. He built a dulcimer in late 1991, then began building seriously in 1992 and has been building and playing since that time.

Gary, along with wife Toni are the owners of "Prussia Valley Dulcimers Acoustic Music Shop". Gary has taught playing workshops at Fort New Salem Dulcimer Festival, Dulcimer Doin's in Dayton, Ohio, Buckeye Dulcimer Festival in Ashley, Ohio, The Great River Road Dulcimer Festival in Grafton, IL, Yellowbanks Dulcimer Festival in Owensboro, KY, Chestnut Ridge Dulcimer Festival in Greensburg, PA, Western Carolina University Dulcimer Week and several other regional festivals. Gary and Toni perform occasionally at these festivals.

Gary and Toni have one CD to their credit, "Rats In the Fence Corner", which features an eclectic blend of tunes. Gary can also be heard on Doug Felt's "A Little of This & A Little of That" CD. His first tablature book, "Other Tunes For Appalachian Dulcimer" was published in March of 2009 and features many tunes not normally heard on mountain dulcimer.

Denise Borens (Tennessee Ridge, Tennessee)

Administrative Assistant

Denise is the heartbeat of Dulcimer U, working behind the scenes while everyone is in class to address all of the small details that make the week run smoothly. She can be found in the vendor area selling raffle tickets or helping participants with room assignments, in the classrooms making announcements or in nearby Sylva running errands.

Denise has been playing the mountain dulcimer for 13 years as a member of Three Rivers Dulcimer Club in Waverly, Tennessee and 11 years as a student of Conger Music Studio in Paris, Tennessee. She is a retired generating plant operator and instructor for the Tennessee Valley Authority. If you have a question about anything regarding Dulcimer U, Denise is the one to ask as she probably knows the answer.

Susan Trump (Newtonville New, York)

Intermediate Level Skills

Susan Trump comes to Dulcimer U this year to teach the intermediate players. She was part of the Dulcimer Week staff in 2010 and was extremely well received as she taught the advancing beginners. When Susan is not teaching the intermediate skills, she will be offering several afternoon electives.

Susan is well known for her clear and relaxed teaching style, her beautiful singing voice and outstanding instrumental skills on the mountain dulcimer. She also plays guitar and banjo. Susan has been a sought-after instructor and performer around the country for many years. Her ability to link the pastoral, tranquil images of rural America to contemporary life, inspire and touch the heart with her music is a trademark of Susan’s classes and performances. Some of her past teaching jobs include The Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas, Heritage Dulcimer Camp in Kansas City, Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, Kentucky Music Week in Bardstown, Kentucky, Yellowbanks Dulcimer Festival in Owensboro, Kentucky , Melodies & Musings in Guntersville, Alabama, Glen Rose and SAM Fest in Texas and the Old Songs Festival in New York.

Susan has several books and recordings to her credit. Her latest project is called “Lesson in Your Living Room,” a monthly subscription series of lessons on CD which include arrangements for novice to intermediate level players.

Lorinda Jones (Rineyville, Kentucky)

Dulcimer for Healing & Therapy

Dulcimer U is excited to offer a new program in 2012 – “Playing for Others in Healthcare and Related Settings.” This class will be directed by Lorinda Jones, a nationally recognized performer, teacher and recording artist of the mountain dulcimer and the owner of Music Therapy Service of Central Kentucky.

Lorinda became interested in the mountain dulcimer as a music educator in the public schools. Her first self-published books were developed as instructional and song materials for her classroom and ensembles. As she began teaching adults, she continued to arrange music to meet the needs of her students.

Since her initial involvement with teaching dulcimer, arranging music, and leading performing ensembles, Lorinda has gone on to have a successful solo featuring the history and playing of the mountain dulcimer in Kentucky. Three of her books are published by Mel Bay Publications, five or her CD recordings feature the mountain dulcimer, and she is a contributing artist on both the "Great Players of the Mountain Dulcimer" by Michael Shull, and "Masters of the Mountain Dulcimer Play Christmas", by Susan Trump.

Lorinda has taught and performed at festivals and camps across the United States, including Kentucky Music Week, Swannanoa Gathering near Asheville, NC, and Meadowlark Music Camp, in Maine.

As an extension to her music therapy and dulcimers in the classroom work, she has developed a method of teaching the dulcimer to special learners and a sequential program that uses colors, numbers, and an adapted approach for success.
She remains an active member of the Kentucky Arts on Tour Directory (a juried directory of the Kentucky Arts Council), performing for schools, Kentucky Crafted Market venues, and other local and state events.

If you don’t get a chance to take Lorinda’s morning class for healing and therapy, you should plan to sign up for some of her afternoon electives.

Ralph Lee Smith (Reston, Virginia)

Dulcimer Traditions Class

We are thrilled to have Ralph Lee Smith on our Dulcimer U staff for 2012! Ralph is the foremost authority on the mountain dulcimer’s history and its music. He is an encyclopedia of information and a National treasure! Ralph will be teaching a Dulcimer Traditions Class in the morning and various electives during the afternoon.

Ralph lived in Greenwich Village in the 1960s and was involved in the folk music revival of the time. It was there that he first heard Jean Ritchie play the dulcimer. Ralph was so inspired by Jean’s music and the sound of the dulcimer that he bought one for himself and learned to play it, performing at Village gatherings where young people were beginning to discover traditional Appalachian mountain music.

In the 1970s, Ralph’s interests shifted toward the history of the mountain dulcimer. He made many field trips to remote Appalachian mountain locations in Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina to meet the old time dulcimer makers and learn more about their craft. Along the way, he aquired a wealth of knowledge and a number of antique dulcimers that he uses in demonstrations.

Ralph has given performances and demonstrations at the White House, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Boston Museum of Fine Art, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley and the Mountain Heritage Center in addition to dozens of festivals, historic sites and reinactments throughout the U.S.

Ralph holds a BA in English Literature from Swarthmore College outside of Philadelphia and an M.Ed. from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He has won a number of major writing awards, including the National Magazine Award for Public Service, given by Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

David Street (Sylva, North Carolina)

Afternoon Electives

David is a local resident from Balsam Mountain who has been bringing his talents to WCU each year for the various dulcimer related activities. Last year, David was asked to contribute to the Dulcimer Week curriculum by offering some afternoon elective classes. He was then asked to teach classes for Winter Weekend at Lake Junaluska in January. Participants raved about those classes so David has been invited to share some new offerings on the afternoon elective schedule again this year.

David accidentally crossed paths with the mountain dulcimer in March of 2001. A short time later, he was thrilled to find some dulcimer festivals and workshops that he could attend to help advance his playing skills. He discovered that, in additon to the traditional songs he had been learning as a new player, he could play more advanced music like blues, ragtime and bluegrass on the dulcimer. That sparked a whole new enthusiasm for David and the instrument. He has since become a very accomplished player.

David has always been eager to explore various alternative tunings, finger-picking, flat-picking, extra frets, extra strings, bass dulcimers, baritone dulcimers, etc. in an effort to expand his knowledge and enhance his performances.

His sly and witty approach to teaching the mountain dulcimer makes him a favorite among participants. He is sure to offer some very clever, unique and interesting topics so be sure to check him out.