Dulcimer Destiny

Hammer and Mountain Dulcimer 

 MY MESSAGE:  I specialize in sacred music.  I enjoy performing for church gatherings, senior living communities, hospitals, and events.  I am committed to preserving the old hymns, their history and their message.  Folk and Appalachian Hymns have a unique quality all their own.  I welcome the opportunity to inspire others by performing, speaking and teaching.

MY STORY:  I was introduced to the mountain and hammer dulcimer in 2006, thus my destiny was changed forever.  I have performed throughout North Carolina and Virginia and in 2021 I received certification to teach the dulcimer. I have attended dulcimer classes at Warren Wilson College, Mars Hill University, and West Carolina University, as well as various music festivals and workshops and continue to do so.  In spring of 2024 I gave an educational lecture at NCSU on the hammer and mountain dulcimer along with a mini workshop where a few volunteers learned to play a song in under five minutes.  Most had no prior musical experience.

MY PROGRAMS:  My programs bring historical and spiritual insight.  I’ll take you back to a time when life was simple and to a place where the old sacred hymns flowed through the crisp Appalachian air.  Where family and community often gathered to worship in a one room schoolhouse-church.  When old hymns were an anchor for the soul and sung by the old and young alike.  It was a time when life was simple yet so hard that faith in God was essential for survival .  

MY INSTRUCTION WORKSHOPS:  I give private lessons in my home and church in north Raleigh NC. 

I give free initial consultations to anyone seeking lessons or who wants to try a dulcimer out.  

 Both the hammer and mountain dulcimer brings me so much joy to play.  However, it is the mountain dulcimer that I enjoy teaching. This is because the instrument is a voice to those who cannot sing, and backup for those that do.   It can sound like a guitar but a guitar can never sound like a dulcimer.  It is the major scale with drone harmony built in.  Ideal for those that cannot read music.  All you need is one finger to play the melody and a simple strum to bring the tempo to the tune.  You can play a tune in under 5 minutes!  It grows with you as you start out simple and later learn to play chords if desired.   Check out DPN Dulcimer player news for workshops.