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| Whiskey Before Breakfast kicks off the Faculty Concert on Friday night (L-R: Ken Kolodner, Gretchen van Houten, Steve Eulberg, Neal Hellman, Janita Backer, Irma Reeder and Scott Reeder ) |
I was honored to be part of an amazing staff and faculty for the 3rd Annual New Mexico Dulcimer Festival in Albuquerque in the middle of October.
Hosted by Hope in the Desert Episcopal Church with mind-tickling views to the east:
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| (A controlled burn…we always hope!) |
and the sunset to the west (looking out the front doors of the church each night:
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| The glories of the American Southwest on stunning display |
were inspiration to the many students who gathered from across the region and the country. Students were present from California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and parts east.
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| Bluegrass on Mountain Dulcimer was a very popular class! |
I was able to teach with some of my mentors and now friends!
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| Neal Hellman’s ChordBook finally opened the mountain dulcimer forme nearly 30 years ago. |
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| Janita Baker: her Blues and Ragtime book expanded the dulcimer for me! |
And I was tickled to have Ken Kolodner fiddle away with me on Mississippi Sawyer, Liberty and Ragtime Annie:
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| Fiddling master Ken Kolodner |
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| Backstage warm-up |
And, of course, everyone was glad to know that “She Thinks My Dulcimer’s Sexy”:
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| Best played on Baritone |
Scott and Irma Reeder and their compadres put on an amazing event that helps to anchor both kinds of dulcimers in the Rocky Mountains!