WCU ’08 Mountain Dulcimer Week T-Shirt 
Featuring our original “Dulci-Mermaid” design by Lois Hornbostel and Don Pedi. 100% cotton shirt in aquamarine color. $16 ea. for sizes M – XL, or $18 ea. for sizes 2X or 3X. Now is the time to order yours (and more for your friends if you want), using the attached Registration Form. We pre-order based on this advance order and can’t guarantee availibility if you wait until you get here. Pre-ordered T-shirts will be distributed after you arrive. 
 
WCU Mountain Dulcimer Week Tote Bag – We sold out of these and have ordered a new supply. 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.

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 2008 T-shirts. When you check the Volunteer space on the Registration Form, include your shirt size. 

Sunday Get-Acquainted Banquet - 6:00 p.m., 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.

Group Photo  - Commemorate your week and have 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.

Official WCU Mountain Dulcimer Week CD
Outstanding performances from our 2000-2002 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.

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 fun. Come enjoy the talents of your instructors. Bring a friend along and they’ll have a great time too. We’ll begin earlier this year – at 7 p.m.

On Monday evening, June 23, the planned performers are Bill Taylor, Michael Fox, Lois Hornbostel, Paul Andry, Betty Smith, Susan Boyer Haley, and Leo Kretzner.

On Tuesday evening, June 24, the planned performers are Don Pedi, Anne Lough, Mark Gilston, Peter Tommerup, Kenneth Bloom, Linda Brockinton, and Larry & Elaine Conger.

On Wednesday evening, June 25, the planned performers are Mike Anderson, Joe & Marie Shelton, Ron Ewing, Terry Lewis, Joel Paul, George Haggerty, and Paul Henderson.

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.

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 “SuperJam” 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.

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. At the end of the Open Stage our Ensemble class will play.

Daytime & Evening Jam Sessions
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. We’ll also have song circles, 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.
 
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.

Free On-Campus Shuttle Buses for our Participants - See details under LOCATION page.

Fitness Facilities
Our adult participants over 18 may use the University Fitness Center located in Reid Gym. It has various equipment (weights, treadmills, etc.). Continuing Ed will have the hours it is open. Conference name badges are required for admission. The university swimming pool is not available during this conference.

Scholarships
WCU Mountain Dulcimer Week offers more scholarships than any other dulcimer event, and we thank all those who have helped support them! It’s an endorsement of our event and helpful to others. WCU Mountain Dulcimer Week welcomes contributions toward scholarships in memory of loved ones or just to help encourage seniors, youth, dulcimer teachers, traditional playing, contemporary playing, etc. To sponsor a tax-deductible scholarship before Dulcimer Week contact Lois Hornbostel, P. O. Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713 for details.

The WCU “Appalachian Dulcimer Traditions” Scholarship – Dr. Ernie Schoenfeld graciously donated this to be awarded to an applicant who is committed to learning and promoting the dulcimer’s history and traditional playing styles. It applies only to applicants wishing to take “Traditional Music for the Mountain Dulcimer” as their morning course, and covers the week’s tuition of $300. Scholarship recipient pays for room, meals and his/her other expenses. Apply with a letter to Lois Hornbostel, P. O. Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713. Firm Deadline – Your letter needs to arrive in Lois’s mailbox BY April 1, 2008. List your complete contact information, your achievements, and your plans with regard to traditional mountain dulcimer music and history research. 

The Albert d’Ossché Dulcimer Innovator Scholarship – This scholarship honors this legendary artist’s contribution to contemporary dulcimer and is sponsored by the Kindred Gathering and friends of Albert d’Ossché. Albert taught that music is within the individual, not within the instrument. His exploration of world music, complex rhythms and performance techniques forever changed what was considered possible for the instrument. The successful applicant will be able to play one of Albert’s original compositions or one he wrote in collaboration with his long-time musical partner, Robert Force. The scholarship covers the week’s tuition of $300, which includes a playing course. Scholarship recipient pays for room, meals and his/her other expenses. To apply send a tape or CD of your playing, as described above, to Lois Hornbostel, P.O. Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713. Include a letter listing your complete contact information, your musical achievements thus far, and your plans with regard to your contemporary dulcimer playing. Make sure to include in this letter your 1st and 2nd choices of morning courses. Firm Deadline – Your CD & letter need to arrive in Lois’s mailbox BY April 1, 2008.

The Sally George Scholarship for Dulcimer Teachers – Josie Wiseman sponsors this scholarship in memory of our friend Sally George, who was a well-loved dulcimer teacher and performer. Josie encourages dulcimer teachers to apply, especially those who require some financial assistance to be able to attend. The scholarship covers the week’s tuition of $300, which includes a playing course. Scholarship recipient pays for room, meals and his/her other expenses. Apply by writing a letter to Lois Hornbostel, P. O. Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713. Firm Deadline – Your letter needs to arrive in Lois’s mailbox BY April 1, 2008. List your complete contact information, your mountain dulcimer teaching experience, your future plans to teach, and how you will use the knowledge you acquire at Western to teach and promote the mountain dulcimer to others. Make sure to include in this letter your 1st and 2nd choices of morning courses.

The Statland Scholarship for Dulcimer Teachers – Alexandra Statland sponsors this scholarship to encourage dulcimer teachers, especially those who require some financial assistance to be able to attend. The scholarship covers the week’s tuition of $300, which includes a playing course. Scholarship recipient pays for room, meals and his/her other expenses. Apply by writing a letter to Lois Hornbostel, P. O. Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713. Firm Deadline – Your letter needs to arrive in Lois’s mailbox BY April 1, 2008. List your complete contact information, your mountain dulcimer teaching experience, your future plans to teach, and how you will use the knowledge you acquire at Western to teach and promote the mountain dulcimer to others. Make sure to include in this letter your 1st and 2nd choices of morning courses.

The Ron Cyr Memorial Scholarship for a “Super Senior” Dulcimer Player – Ron was a longtime enthusiastic participant in many of our weeks and was loved by the many friends he made here. He passed away in 2006. The Waterbound Dulcimer Club and his family and friends sponsor this scholarship in Ron’s memory. It is awarded to an enthusiastic Senior Citizen dulcimer player (age 65 or over) who exemplifies continuing to learn even though not a kid, enthusiasm for mountain dulcimer playing, and encouraging others to play. The ideal applicant is a senior player that younger folks want to grow up to be like! The scholarship covers the week’s tuition of $300, which includes a playing course. Each scholarship recipient pays for his/her own room, meals and other expenses. Apply with a letter to Lois Hornbostel, P. O. Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713. Firm Deadline – Your letter needs to arrive in Lois’s mailbox BY April 1, 2008. List your complete contact information, your achievements, and your plans with regard to your mountain dulcimer playing. Make sure to include in this letter your 1st and 2nd choices of morning courses.
The Deborah Lubicich Memorial Scholarship – Deborah was a friend who attended several of our weeks. She passed away recently and her family and friends are sponsoring this scholarship in her memory to encourage and help a “young woman player to learn dulcimer.” It covers the week’s tuition of $300, which includes a playing course. Each scholarship recipient pays for her own room, meals and other expenses. Apply with a letter to Lois Hornbostel, P. O. Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713. Firm Deadline – Your letter needs to arrive in Lois’s mailbox BY April 1, 2008. List your complete contact information, your achievements, and your plans with regard to your mountain dulcimer playing. Make sure to include in this letter your 1st and 2nd choices of morning courses.

Youth Scholarships – We started sponsoring these scholarships 10 years ago when were in Boone, and approximately 60 Youth Scholarships have been awarded since then. We are grateful for our many participants, staff, vendors, and outside donors whose generous contributions have made it possible for us to encourage these new generations to play the mountain dulcimer. Our Youth Scholarships are awarded to talented and motivated young people (aged 12-20) who would like to learn more about the heritage and playing of the instrument. Youth scholars are expected to be helpful and willing to work with other young people, rehearsing and preparing a piece for performance at our Friday morning Farewell Session. Youth Scholarships cover tuition (which includes a playing course) and meals for local young people staying off campus, and out-of-town students receive free tuition, room and meals. If a youth scholar is 18 years or younger and will be staying on campus, it is required that a parent or parent-designated adult guardian room with the youth scholar and be responsible for the safety and conduct of the youth scholar. Our Youth Scholarship Fund does not cover any parent/guardian’s expenses, nor tuition for them to attend classes.

Young dulcimer players are invited to apply by letter to Lois Hornbostel (P. O. Box 907, Bryson City, NC 28713). Firm Deadline – Your letter needs to arrive in Lois’s mailbox BY April 1, 2008. It’s important that you answer all the following questions in your letter:
1. Your date of birth and age as of June 22, 2008.
2. Your mailing address, your e-mail address, and telephone number.
3. If you will be 18 or under as of June 22, 2008, put the address of your parent or the adult guardian your parents appoint to stay with you. If it’s a guardian your parents have to write us a letter to go with your application.
4. What you have done so far playing the dulcimer, and why you like it. If you don’t play yet, tell us why you want to learn.
5. What you would like to learn at Dulcimer Week.
6. If you and your parent/guardian will be staying off-campus or in one of our residence halls.
7. Your 1st and 2nd choices of morning playing courses.
8. The name, e-mail address and mail address of a dulcimer teacher or knowledgeable player who can witness to your interest and/or achievements in dulcimer playing.
Make sure to read about DEADLINE above. Thanks!

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

Try to save some time to visit WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center http://www.wcu.edu/2389.asp  It is located 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. and admission is free. The museum promotes the rich traditions of the southern Appalachian mountains and has fascinating exhibits.

Y’all Come Back Next Winter!
2009 WCU Mountain Dulcimer "Winter Weekend"
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!