Hooray! Spring is Still Here!!

Strings and Things

The Official Newsletter of the Great Plains Dulcimer Alliance

Volume XXIII Number Five

May 2005

FROM OUR PRESIDENT:

I think summer has finally arrived, so now I can start complaining about how hot it is. Marie and I just got back from the dulcimer festival at Glenrose, TX.  It was good to see our "festival" friends again.  Marie picked up a couple of new tunes -  maybe we can get her to share them in a workshop or something. Speaking of workshop, you folks that missed the Quintin Stephens workshop, missed a good one.  We had a really good turnout, thanks to everyone that showed up and supported this event.  Thanks to Barbara Barr for putting it together, and to everyone that helped with the event. 
    Club meeting is May 14th at 9:30 am, coffee & donuts at 9a.m. We will be discussing the warm-up picnic and will need your input. See ya then.  Joe

 

 

VICE PRESIDENTIAL CORNER:

 

A FEW WORDS FROM OUR VP:
Happy May!  It was good to see so many folks attending the dulcimer workshop and concert by Quintin Stephens last month.  I hope all that attended enjoyed it as much as I did.

Not being a mountain dulcimer player myself, I did not plan to attend both sessions.  But I got caught up with Quintin's presentation and really had a good time at both workshops.  I found it helpful to step away from the instruments I'm familiar with and to learn something new.  I had the chance to learn different strumming techniques and patterns along with a different approach to the strings on the neck.  And as we all know, we can get locked into our own worlds and forget about all of the wonderful rhythms around us.  It was good to review a few of those rhythms and to see how applying a slight change to a simple song can make such a world of difference.  It was also good to remind myself that I can add interest to songs by simply changing octaves or adding a little harmony.  Was some of the workshop a review of concepts I'm already familiar with?  Yes, but most of the time I forget, and those basics roots get left behind. Perhaps that is why my music tends to go stagnant... Will I remember everything I learned?  Probably not, but if nothing else, I will remember that changing picks is not a bad thing... Will I apply everything I was exposed to?  Again, probably not, but I do hope to retain at least some of the information, and find new ways of incorporating that information to other instruments and playing techniques.  It was good to learn something new.

I do want to thank all of you that helped with this workshop.  From contacting Quintin and taking care of the logistics, preparing such a wonderful meal for all of us, to being an active participant.  It really was a good day to be a member of GPDA.

Workshop for this month:
At the time of this writing, I do not have specific workshop leaders lined up for individual workshops...so come prepared for anything!  Actually, "Ashokan Farewell" has come to mind lately.  We have all heard this tune many times, and I think it would be a wonderful song to play together.  So I would like to incorporate this tune into at least a portion of each of the workshops so we can play it during the play-around.  If we have enough time we may look at how we can arrange the instruments, take different parts, and work on presentation skills.  Perhaps there is an arrangement you would like to share with the group.  If you are not familiar with "Ashokan Farewell", you will find it in the supplemental music packet that was passed out at the Club meeting in February.  If you have not heard the song at all, please contact me at ccarr@mvpcorp.com , and I will see if I can't find a "campfire" version for you.  This is a song that lends itself to so many instruments, so I want to encourage you to bring whatever instrument you wish to play. This could be the stepchildrens' big moment! Do we have a fiddle player anywhere in the group???

Always looking for ideas:
If there is something you would like to be learning, doing or playing at the club meeting, please let me.  I will see how the Club can address your needs.  If you would like to lead a workshop on just about anything, be it music theory or one of the instruments, please contact me and we will make it happen!

I hope everyone is well, bring on the May flowers!
Chuck (VP)

 

SECRETARY'S NOTES FROM April MEETING:

1.  Old business read, seconded, approved
2.  Treasurer's Report read into minutes
3.  Quintin Stephens Workshops discussed
4.  Increase WUP Instructors' fee to $50 per workshop
5.  Palestine Festival date changed
6.  Ann Ford returned box of GPDA property
7.  May 7-8 Women of the West @ Cowtown--A coordinator is needed for this,  see Joe to volunteer.
8   April 15th Pioneer Days at Oatville School
Respectfully,   Barbara Barr, Secretary

 

IT'S A BIRTHDAY PARTY! ! There will be an Open House in honor of Clara Burgess (one of the founding members of the GPDA).  The celebration will be on May 21st from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at 12 Lynwood in Eastborough.  Cards may be sent in lieu of gifts to: Clara Burgess, ℅ Cynthia Vieyra, 1707 N. Payne, Wichita, KS 67203.

M U S I C I A N S   W A N T E D:
We are gearing up for another big event at the Kansas Oil Museum.  Butler County Day will be Sat., June 11, from 9 to 5, at 383 E. Central, El Dorado.  If you haven't been to the
Museum for this fun event, you don't know what a terrific place it is!  Lots of big shade trees, an 1860 cabin, 1930 Oil Town, vintage car and tractor show, vendors, kids games, petting zoo, and much more.

What we need is MUSIC.  That's where you come in.  We will have a stage and sound system set up or you can just sit somewhere and play for the folks walking by. Let me know if you can help out.  The crowd really appreciates the music.  If you're interested, please contact me for more details.
Thank you,
Teresa Bachman      terbachman@sbcglobal.net


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UPCOMING FESTIVALS:
1.  Here is the website for the JAM (Jubilee of Acoustic Music) to held May 20-21.  To be held on the campus of Longview Community College, in Lee's Summit, Missouri  www.jubileeofacousticmusic.org

2.  Make,  Share, and Enjoy  Music at the 24th annual Kansas State Fiddling & Picking Championships, August 21-22, 2004 in Lawrence, Kansas.  Here's the fest website:  www.fidpick.org

Sunday: 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Java Villa, 7812 E. Harry. Gospel, bluegrass, Irish & old timey tunes. All musical ability levels welcomed. Java Villa also serves some great food.

Monday: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Starbucks in the Westway Shopping Center Seneca and Pawnee. Irish/Celtic/whatever Jam. Intermediate to Advanced level players. Coffees, drinks and yummy snacks available. Come and see the Corry Academy of Irish Dancers perform.

Tuesday: 7:00 p.m to 9:00 p.m. at Derby Woodlawn United Methodist Church, 431 S. Woodlawn. Mountain Dulcimer Jam with accompaniment welcomed (guitars, etc.) All levels.

Thursday: 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m at Java Villa, 7812 E. Harry. Irish Jam. Intermediate to Advanced level. See above for food commercial.

 

 

FREE......15th Annual....FREE..........15th Annual....FREE
Winfield Warm-Up Picnic

8:30 AM to 10:00 PM  September 10th, 2005     
Location: Island Park, north end of Winfield, KS   
( Rain location Cumbernauld Village ) 

**FREE Workshops *Jammin'* Concerts * Open mic **

VISIT OUR SALE TABLE for music related items and Instructor CD's    

5:30 p.m.  - Pot Luck Supper *Club provides meat*tea*coffee*paper plates.

We ask you to bring large casseroles, veggies, salads, desserts or bread for the dinner.

**NO drugs or alcohol please**

Sign-In 8:30 -9:30 AM,  Workshops 10:00-11:15, 1:00-2:15, and 2:45-4:00.  **  Lunch 11:00-12 noon

Evening Concerts by Instructors:   6:15-10:00 PM

GREAT PLAINS DULCIMER ALLIANCE     www.gpda.org

For info contact    Barbara@BarbaraBarr.com    or   Joe Anderson:  jmanderson95@earthlink.net

Good copies of this flyer for the Warm Up Picnic will be available at upcoming club meetings.