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Below is a preliminary festival schedule with topic titles for some
instructors. We are still waiting for some instructors to respond with titles and descriptions. When it is complete,
we will publish full class descriptions and an updated schedule. THE SCHEDULE IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
MDG&FF 2011 Class Schedule REGISTRATION
8:30-9:00 A.M. FRIDAY & SATURDAY | Sessions | Rick Thum HD 118 | Russell Cook HD 102 | Ilace
Mears HD 115 | Betty Dawson HD 115 | Lorinda Jones MD 116 | Molly McCormack MD 117 | Lee
Cagle MD 106 | Agene Parsons 105 | Mixed Bag Vendor Area | Friday I 9:00-10:15 |
New Players | All Levels Tuning the HD | Intermediate Ragtime | | Int/Adv Classical | Nov/Int Irish drinking |
New Players 9:15
a.m. | Autoharp Beginning | | Friday
II 10:30-11:45 | All Levels Mechanics & Maintenance | Intermediate Uncommon Fiddle Tunes | | Int/Adv Right
hand arpeggio | Nov/Int Lullabies | | 11:50-12:30
LUNCH / 12:30-2:00 MIDDAY CONCERTS – INFORMAL JAMS | Friday III 2:10-3:10 |
Advanced Outside
the box | Beginner Roadmapping
1 | | Intermediate Key of C Showtunes | Nov/Int. Duets | Adv Calypso | Nov/Int Using capo | | | Friday
IV 3:20-4:20 | Beginner Roadmapping 2 | | Intermediate Key of C Showtunes | Nov/Int Strum&Play | Beg Hymns | | | Kevan Barley Gospel Singalong | INSTRUCTOR CONCERT – SANCTUARY 7:00 p.m $10 | Saturday I 9:00-10:15 |
Boot Camp ALL
LEVELS | Intermediate Roadmapping 3 | | | Int/Adv Chromatic | Int Personalizing | New/Nov
More Songs | Autoharp Playing Melody | Mandolin Tom Garrett | Saturday II 10:30-11:45 | Int/Adv Roadmapping 4 | | | Int Trad.Notation | All Levels Jam Survival |
| Shape Note Singing Kevan Barley | 11:50-12:30 LUNCH / 12:30-1:15 MIDDAY CONCERTS / 1:15-2:45
INSTRUCTOR LED JAM *** DOOR PRIZES / SILENT AUCTION*** | Saturday III 3:00-4:00 |
Boot Camp cont’d ALL
LEVELS | Int/Adv Performing Recording Competing | Intermediate Classical | | Int Melody across strings | Int Singing w/MD | Nov
& up Whiskey- BlackMtnRag | | Clawhammer Banjo Kevan Barley | Saturday IV 4:15-5:15 | All Levels All Things Considered | Intermediate Bridges | | Nov &
up DAA | Int Obscure
Xmas | | | Bowed Dulcimer Dan Reese |
Memphis Dulcimer Gathering & Folk Festival 2011 Class
Descriptions Except new player level, please be prepared to have a tuner and a capo.
Mountain Dulcimer Lee Cagle - Room 106 Friday - Sessions I and II - New Players I and II will focus on the basic techniques involved
in playing, including tuning, strumming patterns and reading tablature. No previous musical experience is necessary. Loaner
instruments are available. Friday - Sessions III - Using a capo – Novice and Up – We
will use this time to help players understand and make better use of the capo. Many players own a capo but are not sure how
it is used. If you do not own a capo, a few will be available for use in the class. Saturday - Session
II - Novice and Up – Many players ask about learning specific tunes that are commonly played in jam
sessions. This is a repertoire building class specifically focused on learning two of the most popular jam tunes – Whiskey
‘fore Breakfast and Black Mountain Rag.
Lorinda Jones - Room 116 Friday
- Sessions I -.Classical - Intermediate - Classical selections for the mountain dulcimer.
Friday - Session II - Working with the Right Hand - Intermediate/Advanced -
Right hand arpeggios and fill-ins in a finger or flat picking style across the strings, intermediate Friday
- Sessions III - Duets - Novice/Intermediate - Partner, Duo, and rounds for novice and up Friday
- Sessions IV - A Design for Success - Novice/Intermediate - From one number and
one noter to successful strumming and playing tunes Saturday - Session I - Chromatic Dulcimer - Intermediate/Advanced
- Introduction to the chromatic dulcimer and all those frets! You do not have to own a chromatic dulcimer to attend. This
is an opportunity to learn about something new, even if you do no tintend to play a chromatic instrument. Saturday
- Session II - Traditional Notation - Intermediate - Playing the dulcimer by traditional music notation Saturday
- Session III - Across the Strings - Intermediate - Finding melodies across all 3 strings Saturday
- Session IV - Playing in DAA - Noive and Up - Advanced Arrangements in DAA Tuning with expanded use of chords
in old time melodies and hymns.
Molly McCormack
- Room 117 Friday - Session I - IRISH DRINKING
TUNES - Novice/Intermediate - Fun tunes, most with words that are fun to play and/or sing anytime. Friday
- Session II - LULLABIES - Novice/Intermediate - Some sweet melodies used to calm the young
and old. Techniques include fingerpicking, flatpicking, and improvisation. Friday - Session
III - CALYPSO TUNES - Advanced - Fun songs with interesting rhythms from the islands. Friday
- Session IV - Hymns - Beginner - Easy repertoire-building hymns. Saturday - Session
I - PERSONALIZING TUNES - Intermediate - Take a simple tune and work out a unique arrangement that suits
your style of playing. Techniques include playing various rhythms, changing keys, alternate chord progressions and more. Saturday
- Session II - SURVIVING A JAM SESSION - All Levels - This workshop covers basic chording,
easy finger positions, listening for chord change, and reading the guitar players chords to help in a jam session. Saturday
- Session III - SINGING WITH THE MOUNTAIN DULCIMER - Intermediate - Covers various techniques
for singing with the instrument, some knowledge of chord progressions is helpful but not required. Topics covered are grouping
of chord positions, varying strumming and picking patterns, dynamics, and arrangement of tunes. Saturday
- Session IV - OBSCURE CHRISTMAS TUNES - Intermediate - Some Christmas and winter melodies of old, some from
America and some from across the sea.
Hammered Dulcimer Betty
Dawson – Room 115 Friday - Session
III & Session IV - Key of C: Show Tunes - Betty will teach two intermediate classes on the topic of Playing in
the Key of C, using showtunes. You may attend one or both of the classes. The showtunes for the two classes will be different. Ilace Mears – 115 Friday - Session I – Out of the Rag Bag – Intermediate - Rags are fun to listen to and
lots of fun to play. Embellish your repertoire with The Pig Ankle Rag and The Beaumont Rag and
enhance your syncopation skills with rhythm and accents. Friday - Session II - The World Beyond Golden Slippers
- Intermediate - Uncommon fiddle tunes you may not hear at every jam, but should! We'll choose and learn a couple
of catchy tunes you may not have encountered before. "Roscoe," perhaps? How about "Moses, Hoe Your Corn?"
"Needle Case?" And where do we find new (old), different material anyway? Saturday -
Session III - Back to Bach - Intermediate – Learn to adapt classical melodies for your instrument. We'll explore
three little Bach minuets and how to "flesh them out" by adding harmony and other embellishments. Saturday
- Session IV - Overcoming Gephyrophobia - Intermediate – Terrified by the bridges on your dulcimer or just tired of
whacking them every time you cross? Train your muscles, both hand and brain, with these exercises and fear no more! The
Swallowtail Jig will provide a showcase for your newfound confidence. Russell Cook - Room 102 Friday
- Session I - Tuning the Hammer Dulcimer - All Levels - Personal help and instruction for
the most dreaded process concerning the Hammer Dulcimer. Can’t play it if you can’t tune it! Lots of intermediate
players have tuning issues that no one can fix. Friday - Session II - Hammer Dulcimer Mechanics and
Maintenance - How to replace a broken string or restring the entire instrument. How to adjust the 5th interval. How
to tighten loose tuning pins. How to change the sustain. Wound strings? How to install microphones. How to repair the Hammer
Dulcimer. How do I maintain and protect my instrument. Traveling with or shipping my instrument. Friday
- Session III -Roadmapping the Hammer Dulcimer Part 1 - Beginner - Introduction to the Hammer Dulcimer. All
the basics that are so often skipped over. YOU DON’T NEED TO READ MUSIC TO SUCCEED ON THE HAMMER DULCIMER!!! Friday
- Session IV - Roadmapping the Hammer Dulcimer Part 2 - Beginner - "I can
tune and have learned a few tunes but what now?" Chromatic scale, using the bass bridge, playing horizontally –
not vertically, harmonies, drones, rolls, transposing keys – heck, what is a KEY and where are they?!! Saturday - Session I - Roadmapping the Hammer Dulcimer Part
3 - Intermediate - Multiple harmonies and chords, arpeggios, alternate locations, extended arpeggios, "WHERE and WHEN
do I use all these notes?" Saturday - Session II - Roadmapping the Hammer Dulcimer Part 4 - Intermediate/Advanced
- Arranging!! Filling the blank spots in slow tunes, cram chords in before the melody note, plus harmonies, rolls, flams,
changing times, choosing the right key. Dissecting some of Russell’s tunes and arrangements. Bring some simple tunes
or your arrangements to see what he suggests. Saturday - Session III - Performing, Recording,
and Competing - Intermediate/Advanced - I would like to perform but don’t know how! What songs do I play? How
can I change it up? How do I go about recording the hammer dulcimer? What is it like in the recording studio? Can I record
at home? Why should I compete? How do I prepare? What do I do the day of the contest? Saturday - Session
IV - All Things Considered – All Levels - The World of Dulcimers Bring your questions and ideas and share in a conversation
covering anything he is or has been involved with in 32 years of playing, building and designing, promoting, recording, festival
producing, traveling, playing with other instruments, teaching, competing, improving your instrument or anything that comes
to mind. You’ll not be bored! There is so much to talk about in the world of dulcimers.
Rick
Thum - Room 118 Friday - Session I &
Session II - NEW PLAYERS - Rick will get the new player off to a solid foundation including tuning, holding the hammers,
finding the scales. The new player will be amazed at how simple tips can get them playing quickly and with accuracy. Friday
- Session III & Session IV - Outside the Box - Advanced - We will work on ways to embellish your music
that might be "outside the box". There are many embellishments that will tax even the best players. Lots of hands
on playing and skill building. Saturday - Sessions I thru IV - A to Z Workshop – Hammered Dulcimer
Boot Camp - ALL LEVELS – The class starts at the basic beginning so that we all have the same vocabulary and
skills, and then continues to get into more and more detail as we go. We will work on techniques that will make your playing
better and your learning faster and easier. We will seek the specific topics by polling the class to see what you need to
work on the most. Bring your questions and your areas of weakness and we will work our way through them. I have lots of directions
I can take the class. Lets see where you want to go. ALL LEVELS WILL GET SOMETHING FROM THIS CLASS. I have taught this class
for seven years. If you want to get to the next level, if your playing has been stagnate, if you don't know what else
to do to get better, this is the class for you.
Agene Parsons - Autoharp - Room 105 Friday - Session I – BEGINNING AUTOHARP – This class will start with the basic knowledge of the autoharp
and the techniques necessary to play easy vocal accompaniment. Learn how each hand functions in working together to create
music for your own enjoyment, as well as to accompany others. Basic strumming techniques will be covered, as well as basic
chord theory as it applies to the Autoharp. Learn the three basic chords used in most traditional tunes. A few simple tunes
will be used to apply these techniques. Friday - Session II - CONTINUING AUTOHARP – Learn more strumming
and chording techniques to add variations in your playing. Learn to play a variety of rhythms and how time signatures in tunes
can lead to strumming variations. Learn how to play a tune in several keys and how to listen for chord changes. Learn how
to determine which key for you to sing a tune in. (This may vary from one tune to another.) Expand your ability to apply these
techniques to your playing as we learn several tunes to add to your repertoire. Saturday - Session
I – PICKING THE MELODY – Beginning Steps – Learn how to play a scale in each key on your autoharp and why
playing scales is so important in learning to pick out the melody notes. We will also learn more about chord changes necessary
for picking the melody and why there are more chord changes for picking the melody than for playing chord back-up. Saturday
- Session II - PICKING THE MELODY – CONTINUING – Learn how to find the melody notes in a tune using the scale.
Learn how to determine the chord changes needed in a tune to play the melody. We will take a tune with only back-up chords
on it and determine where and how to add the chords needed to play the melody of that tune. If
you are interested in trying one of the variety classes but do not have an instrument, please let us know and we will try
to find one for you to borrow during the class.
Kevan Barley - Gospel Sing-a-long - Vendor Area Friday - Session IV - Gospel Sing-a-long Tom Garrett - Mandolin - Vendor Area Saturday - Session I - We'll be learning techniques of playing mandolin by ear
and learning to play a song and finding it in several keys. Kevan
Barley - Shape-Note Singing - Vendor Area Saturday
- Session II - Shape-Note Singing Kevan Barley
- Clawhammer Banjo - Vendor Area Saturday - Session
III - Basic Clawhammer Banjo - a crash course for the totally clawless. Let's get that right hand on the right track,
learn to play an old-time tune, and become familiar with a whole bag full of tricks you can work on for the next twelve months.
Dan Reese - Bowed Dulcimer - Vendor Area Saturday - Session IV - Learn about bowing the mountain dulcimer.
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