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Group Lessons

I offer group classes for hammered dulcimer at my house in Silver Spring, MD.

• The Morning Session (9:30-11:30 a.m.) focuses on chords, chord drills and accompaniment.
• The Afternoon Session (12:45-2:15 p.m.) works on an arrangement of the same tune.
• In between is an optional Vegetarian Potluck Luncheon.
• Music is posted in advance via Dropbox. Students are encouraged to learn the basic melody (or at least get it in your head) before the class.
• Email Karen at mail@karenashbrook.com for questions/ registration.

Cost: Classes are $30/half day or $50 if you attend both sessions on the same day.

Cancellations: If you must cancel (with a reasonable lead time), you can apply the money towards a private lesson.

I also offer Monthly semi-structured Jam Sessions for intermediate/advanced dulcimer players who already know their basic chords but want to practise back up. Contact me for more details if you are interested. Music is posted in a Dropbox folder. COST: $25.
Winter/Spring 2012 Jam dates are Friday evenings Jan 27, Feb 24, March 23, and April 20 at my house.

Spring 2012 Group Class Schedule:

• Sat, Jan 21 - Maivalserin, by Ivar Boerentsen from the Foeroese group Spoelimenninir.
  (INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED)
  True this is a "May" waltz but we all need the hope of spring in the dead of winter! This gorgeous A Harmonic Minor waltz with sweeping low to high phrases is just begging for harmony and a rich HD accompaniment. I recorded it many years ago with Sue Richards on harp on the Ceoltoiri CD “Celtic Lace” on the Maggie’s Music label.
  • Morning Session: accompaniment, looking at options for the interesting chord substitutions that happen in harmonic minor.
  • Afternoon Session: arranging & varying the tune
• Sat Feb 18th - Dragoon (Morning) & Branle Anglais (Afternoon)– Overview of Major, Mixolydian, Minor & Dorian modes (ADVANCED BEGINNER- INTERMEDIATE)
  • Morning Session: – Dragoon- An energetic old Flemish 3 part tune with the A part in Mixolydian, the B part in Major and the C part in the relative Minor. We’ll look at how the different scales sit on the dulcimer and accompaniment ideas.
  • Afternoon Session: – Branle Anglais comes from a 17th century lute manuscript from Antwerp. It is a simple but beautiful Dorian tune that I accidentally discovered works very well in Mixolydian too! We will examine how that effects where it lies on the dulcimer and how to harmonize in the different modes.
• Sat March 3rd - O'Carolan Music (tune TBA) (INTERMEDIATE)
  For the Irish month of March we'll visit the music of the blind 17th century harper Turlough O'Carolan.
• Sat April 14th - Belgian Marches! (Details TBA) (ADVANCED BEGINNERS - INTERMEDIATES)