NEW THIS YEAR:
Two Vacations in One!
Western Carolina University is in the scenic Smoky Mountains, one of the nation’s most popular outdoor destinations. When you join us for Mountain Dulcimer Week we encourage you to come early or stay late to take advantage of special bargain packages on 2-day lodging/ attractions we are working on with Smoky Mountain Host, www.visitsmokies.org. There are sweet mountain cabins to share, B&Bs, and many outdoor and cultural activities to enjoy. To learn more and make reservations contact Smoky Mountain Host’s Robin Jenkins by April 1, 2009, and tell her you are one of our participants. Her contacts are 828-369-9606 or Robin@visitsmokies.org. Also see “Tourism” below.

WCU ’09 Mountain Dulcimer Week T-Shirt – Limited edition t-shirt features this year’s “Dulci-mirth” design by Don Pedi of Linda Hynson’s theme. 100% cotton shirt in a flattering dark forest green. $16 each for sizes M – XL. $18 each for sizes 2X or 3X. Now is the time to order yours (and more for you friends if you want), using the attached Registration Form. We pre-order based on this advance order and can’t guarantee availability if you wait until you get here. Pre-ordered T-shirts will be distributed after you arrive.
 
Be a Volunteer – Just check off the “VOLUNTEER” space on the Registration Form that says you want to volunteer to help your teachers by tending sales tables at the Dulcimer Marketplace. The work is “non-hazardous” and fun. We’ll schedule your times so they won’t interfere with your classes. As a token of our gratitude for 3 or more hours of volunteer help, we’ll present you with one of our 2009 T-shirts. When you check the Volunteer space on the Registration Form, include your shirt size. 

Sunday Get-Acquainted Banquet - 6:00 p.m., 6/21/09, Hinds University Center. A sumptuous buffet banquet awaits you as you dine with faculty and other participants. We plan a buffet of roast beef, stuffed chicken breast, house salad, barbecue beans, green beans, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and for dessert carrot cake or cheesecake with berry compote. Decaf coffee, iced tea or water. If you are staying on campus bring your Meal Ticket with you because it covers this meal. If you are not staying on campus, or if you want to bring a guest, you need to purchase your tickets for $16 each in advance on the enclosed Registration Form.

Evening Concerts
Featuring some of the world’s best dulcimer players! These concerts are always full of many styles of music, beautiful singing, humor and tall tales. Come enjoy the talents of your instructors. Bring a friend along and they’ll have a great time too. Each performance will begin at 7:00 p.m. Planned performers will be:

Monday, June 22: Phyllis & Jim Gaskins, Joe Hickerson, Larry & Elaine Conger, Paul Andry, Wilfried Ulrich, Nina Zanetti, Leo Kretzner

Tuesday, June 23: Stephen Seifert, Susan Boyer Haley, Don Pedi, Lois Hornbostel, Mike Anderson, Linda Brockinton, Kenneth Bloom

Wednesday, June 24: Bill Taylor, Paul Henderson, Sarah Borders, Michael Fox, Anne Lough, Joe & Marie Shelton, Jerry Rockwell.
 
For all registered participants and resident non-participants staying with them on campus, admission to the concerts is included in their registration fee. For others admission is $12 for each night/$25 for the three nights. Students & those under age 20, $5 per performance. Tickets can be ordered in advance on the enclosed Registration Form.

Mountain Dulcimer Week CD
Outstanding performances from our concerts featuring 20 of the world’s best dulcimer players. Traditional Appalachian, Celtic, religious, swing, blues, jazz, Hawaiian, and contemporary music. $15 for 60 minute recording. See Registration Form.

Tote Bags
WCU Mountain Dulcimer Week Tote Bag –Sturdy black tote bag an attractive design, for men or women, has sections for music hand-outs, water bottle, cell phone, and more, and can be carried over the shoulder or in your hand. $10. Order on enclosed Registration Form.

Group Photo  - Commemorate your week and our 10th Anniversary with a photo of all your friends here with a professional 8” x 10” color photo of the whole group. When you arrive in Cullowhee your Welcome Packet will have an order blank. To make the picture-taking easy it will be during our 11:30-1:00 mid-day break, and our shuttle buses will be available to and from the photo location. Weather permitting we’ll take the photo on Monday or as early as we can in the week so prints can be processed by the end of the week.

Participants’ Open Stage
The spotlight here is on participants, and staff members will not perform. Please play your favorite piece for us or sing your favorite song. You’ll be playing for a very supportive audience! Open Stage is planned for Thursday night, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Sign up early at Registration on Sunday afternoon or after that outside the Workshop Office, as performance slots are limited. Our Shaped-Note group and Ensemble class will also play.

Daytime & Evening Jam Sessions & more!
Jams are social/musical good times playing or singing music together. Sometimes they happen spontaneously, but we offer some organized jams, led by staff members. They’re not actually “classes,” but playing tips are given to help you play along with the group. These jams come in different challenge levels – for “new jammers,” for those with some experience, and for experienced jammers. To help you prepare, we’ll send you a list of well-known dulcimer jamming tunes before you arrive. Evenings will also have song circles, a Shaped-Note sing, a ballad sing, a storytelling jam and other just-for-fun stuff too. When you arrive you’ll receive a jam schedule. Our Norton Residence Hall offers large lobbies and other good rooms for evening jams. Length of staff-led jams is 1 hour, but the group is welcome to continue playing as late as they want in our lobby locations. For our commuting and early-to-bed participants we have mid-day (1:00-1:45 Mon. through Thurs.) staff-led jams as well.

Staff  “Super Jam”
For many of our staff, one of their favorite things when they come here is the opportunity to play music spontaneously with one another. The purpose of each of our concerts is to showcase the individual talents of our teachers to their students and the general public. The Staff “Super Jam” offers an informal opportunity to hear the neat things that happen unrehearsed and spontaneously when seasoned musicians collaborate and improvise. Instead of a behind-closed-doors setting, this will be an informal, unpredictable group performance for students to enjoy and, if brave, join in for the latter part of the session! Time/Location announced later.
 
The Dulcimer Marketplace
“Handmade” items are the focus here. This is your chance to buy top-quality mountain dulcimers and other hard-to-find dulcimer related items.
Limited sales space is available to our registered participants to sell dulcimers or other dulcimer-related items they have hand-made. This space is FREE and on a first-come-first-served basis. Goods are to be sold in the Dulcimer Marketplace (no sales in residence halls). The Marketplace is closed during class times and participants must attend their classes. If interested, check the Dulcimer Marketplace space on your Registration Form to receive further details (please make sure to include your e-mail address if you have one).

Some “food for thought”: It’s an investment in the present and future of the mountain dulcimer when you buy direct from the artist. It helps our staff continue to create more exciting new CDs, music books, dulcimers, etc., both for your future enjoyment and for the dulcimer’s ever-expanding horizons. Please consider doing your annual dulcimer-product shopping here in our Dulcimer Marketplace.

Dulcimer Doctor & Dulcimer Supply Booth - If your strings are too high, have them lowered. If your strings are old, have some new ones put on. If your frets are causing buzzes, have them “dressed.” If they’re worn out, have new frets installed. If you want extra frets (6-1/2 fret, 1-1/2, 8-1/2), have them installed. If you want to play 4-equidistant string style, have your dulcimer’s nut and bridge modified for this. Worn or malfunctioning tuning pegs or machines can be replaced. Dulcimer strap buttons installed.
See “Doctor Joe” Shelton early in the week to make your dulcimer’s appointment for expert repairs or adjustments. Reasonable published prices and estimates given.

At the Dulcimer Supply Booth maintained by the Dulcimer Doctor you can purchase:  Herdim and other popular dulcimer picks, tuners, strings, metronomes, fretboard lubricant, and other manufactured dulcimer supplies.

Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Credits are available when you attend WCU Mountain Dulcimer Week. Interested teachers should contact their local school board for prior approval for Teacher Certificate Renewal Credit. Contact Bobby Hensley at WCU for details and sign up on enclosed registration form.

Scholarships are available for a wide range of dulcimer players.

Tourism - The area surrounding Western Carolina University abounds in scenic wonders and excellent outdoor activities. If you would like to plan vacation days before or after Mountain Dulcimer Week, you can find some excellent tourism links on our website, http://edoutreach.wcu.edu/dulcimer, or the Smoky Mountain Host organization at http://www.visitsmokies.org or 1-800-432-HOST.

WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center – Don’t miss this! The Heritage Center is located on campus on the first floor of the H.F.R. Administration Building. Hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Sundays, 2-5 p.m. Admission is free. It is a museum that celebrates the rich traditions of the southern Appalachian mountains and has fascinating exhibits. Mountain Heritage Center website: http://www.wcu.edu/2389.asp 

Y’all Come Back Next Winter!
Our cozy gathering at the historic Lambuth Inn on Lake Junaluska is a great reunion for our participants and a fine way to musically brighten up the winter! More details after you arrive in Cullowhee!