Waterbound Dulcimers, a mountain dulcimer club based in Kinston, is sponsoring their 12th annual workshop and concert on Saturday. At the workshop, people who would like to learn to play the mountain dulcimer will receive instruction to get them started and the tools to continue learning to play this uniquely American instrument from the Appalachian Mountains. The Mountain Dulcimer is easy to play, and fun from the very beginning; you don’t even need to read music. Many of the members of the local Waterbound club had not played a musical instrument prior to trying the dulcimer. The Beginners class will be taught by local instructors Nancy Galambush and Margit Roberson, who along with David Roberson, perform as the band Flat Mountain Dulcimers. Loaner instruments are available for those who would like to learn, but don’t own an instrument. Following taking the beginning class, a person who is interested in continuing to learn to play their instrument can join one of the many local dulcimer clubs, which are located in Kinston, Pink Hill, Snow Hill and New Bern.
Classes are also available at higher skill levels. These classes are taught by Joe Collins from Shelby, a National Dulcimer Champion; Ben Seymour, an instructor and dulcimer builder from Tryon; Judy House, who teaches dulcimer at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem; plus local instructors Barbara Strickland and Carolyn Roberts. As an added attraction, one class on playing bones will taught by Becky Cleland, also of Tryon.
The workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and requires pre-registration. A concert featuring the instructors will follow the workshop at 5 p.m. This concert is free and open to the public. People who are not familiar with this simple, three string instrument are often surprised at the music coming from this folk instrument when in the hands of these talented performers. Both the workshop and concert will be held at Queen Street United Methodist Church in Kinston. For details and registration, contact Nancy Galambush at 252-521-6207.
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