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  BIO - Wanda, the Organizer
 

Wanda Degen, born March 20, 1953
Hometown: Montague, Michigan
Location: Resident of the Lansing area since 1971
Family: Two daughters, Taia Degen Repas, musician, born in 1975 & Tansy Degen Repas, dance instructor, born in 1978
Life work: Folk music specialist, performer, teacher, arts organizer.

When Wanda Degen began coordinating the performances for the East Lansing Art Festival under the tutelage of Judith Taran, she was already uniquely qualified for the position. As a person with many ideas and a strong desire to see things happen and to see them done well, her interests, initiative and abilities combined with her connection to the community to help create many successful events.

A native of West Michigan, Wanda’s leadership and organizational skills emerged through her high school years where she was a member of the National Honor Society, Director of the School Musical, elected Class Treasurer, served on the Student Council and was voted “Most Dependable” by the Montague High School Class of 1971. A life-changing experience from that time was spending the summer of 1970 as an exchange student, living with a family in Denmark through the Youth for Understanding program.

In the transition from small town life to a large college town, Wanda was a liberal arts major at Justin Morrill College, a residential college within MSU. It was during this time she discovered the mountain dulcimer, built her first one and connected with the community of musicians congregating around the new music store in East Lansing, Elderly Instruments. With the birth of her children, her interest in their education led her to help organize a statewide conference at MSU on Alternative Education, working with a committee representing Montessori, Waldorf, Home Schooling and The Detroit Children’s School.

In 1978 Wanda began teaching dulcimer & autoharp lessons at Elderly Instruments. She started performing with flutist Dan Giacobassi. She volunteered at Mariah Folk & Blues Coffeehouse and became active with the newly formed Looking Glass Music & Art Association where she was an integral part of the publication & distribution of the 1981 and the 1982 Musician’s Directory- a community resource guide listing performers, instructors, services, clubs & other performance venues in Mid-Michigan. Wanda worked closely with Stan Werbin and Sharon McInturff, then co-owners of Elderly Instruments, when they hired her in 1981 to be the Director of Elderly Instruments School of Music. In that position she oversaw a staff of local instructors and organized group classes , workshops with nationally known musicians, open-houses and children’s concerts.

In 1983 the trio Lady of the Lake was formed and in this group Wanda began performing at coffeehouses and festivals around the Mid-West. Through Wanda’s initiative, the City of East Lansing, the MSU Museum and the Ten Pound Fiddle Coffeehouse collaborated in 1985 to begin the Children’s Concert Series. Wanda first started working with Judith Taran as the coordinator of that series, a position she held for over 10 years.

This working relationship and Wanda’s desire to see things improve for the musicians and the audiences at the East Lansing Art Festival resulted in Judith hiring Wanda as the performance coordinator for the 1987 Festival. Originally she was in charge of 3 stages for the 2- day event, hiring 30-35 mostly local performers. The Festival has evolved and changed over the years and Wanda now oversees 2 stages with a mix of local, regional and national talent. She has always been mindful of bringing a variety of musical styles to the event. 2005 marks Wanda’s 19th year with the Art Festival. She has worked with over 250 performers and has many favorite memories- performances by Tom Paxton, Solas, The Duhks, Butch Thompson, Bill Kirchen, Robin & Linda Williams are just a few- and lots of ideas for the future. She also receives ideas from the Board of Directors, the sponsors, musicians, artists and the community.

Wanda is a member of the Ark in Ann Arbor and a patron sponsor of the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. She is a member of the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, the Lansing Area Folk Song Society and volunteers at the Ten Pound Fiddle Coffeehouse in East Lansing. Wanda is a member of, and volunteer workshop leader for, the Original Dulcimer Players Club & Funfest in Evart, MI. She serves on the Community Advisory Committee for the Great Lakes Folk Festival.

Progressive Torch & Twang, a weekly radio program produced at MSU, had this to say about Wanda when they featured her web site as their “ Link of the Week” on their World Wide Twang site:
“A long time supporter of Progressive Torch and Twang, Wanda Degen is a legend around these parts. Besides being an accomplished singer, songwriter and dulcimer player, Wanda works tirelessly to support roots music around the mid Michigan area.”

 

 

RESUME - Wanda, the Music Teacher

Wanda Degen
500 N Magnolia Ave
Lansing, MI 48912
Telephone: (517) 482-1377
E-Mail: wandadegen@att.net Web site: www.wandadegen.com

Career Objective:

To obtain a position as a music teacher at the preschool or elementary school level.

Education:  
1971 - 1972 Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
Justin Morrill College, Liberal Arts
1986 - 1989 Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
Music Education major
Employment History:
1989 -
Present

Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Vienna, Virginia

Present Michigan Performing Artist

Leading one week and seven week residencies in preschools and kindergartens, working with both teachers and children at incorporating the performing arts into the classroom; conducting workshops for teachers around the state.

1978 -
Present

Self-employed, East Lansing, Michigan

Folk Musician

Performing as a soloist presenting assemblies at elementary schools around the state and giving family concerts at festivals, libraries and museums. Also performing in various groups: the trio Lady of the Lake; The Troublesome Lasses; and as a duo with Kitty Donohoe, Dan Giacobassi or Pete Wittig.

1978 -
Present
Elderly Instruments, Lansing, Michigan
Private lesson instructor of autoharp, hammered & mountain dulcimers.
1987 -
Present

East Lansing Art Festival, East Lansing, Michigan

Performance Coordinator

Responsible for two stages for two days of community-oriented entertainment.

1980 -
Present
Music teacher at the Okemos Nursery School, Okemos and Abbott Nursery School, East Lansing.
1998 - 2003 Performer - Michigan's Great Outdoors Culture Tour, in northern Michigan & the Upper Peninsula, sponsored by the Michigan Humanities Council and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
1994 - 1999

Michigan Early Elementary Center/Michigan Early Childhood Center, Lansing, Michigan

Music Teacher

Twice weekly music sessions working with 18 month old to 5th grade students. 1st to 3rd graders received hands-on mountain dulcimer lessons once a week. 4th and 5th graders received recorder instruction as well as singing.