Also available:

HANDS-ON MOUNTAIN DULCIMER

WORKSHOPS/CLASSROOM VISITATIONS

For groups of 10 - 30 participants

The mountain dulcimer is a user-friendly three or four stringed instrument whose history is associated with early settlers of the Appalachian Mountains. The most accurate musical description is to call it a fretted zither as it is related to the zither and other European folk instruments of the Medieval Ages.

The ease in playing it comes from the nature of its fretboard which places the "do, re, mi" scale right under your fingers and from the traditional manner of playing which finds the melody on just one string while the other two strings sound out as drones as you strum across all three.

In a 25 - 30 minute session Wanda can teach up to 30 children or adults how to play several fun and simple tunes.

Wanda owns 10 dulcimers she can bring for your use.

The word dulcimer means "sweet song" and your group can experience first-hand the joy of making music.

Wanda Degen is an experienced and patient instructor, having taught hundreds of dulcimer students in many different settings. She teaches private lessons at Elderly Instruments, an internationally renowned music store in Lansing where she has taught since 1978. Wanda is a favorite guest in the children's area and workshop tents at several folk festivals in Michigan, including the Hiawatha Music Festival in Marquette, the Bliss Fest in Cross Village and the Wheatland Music Festival in Remus.

Released in 2001: Of Woods & Water: Songs of the Great Lakes Region by Wanda Degen on CD.