|
|
Welcome to
www.BowedDulcimer.com.
This site is devoted to those people who are already
playing a bowed dulcimer, who are interested in playing
a bowed dulcimer, or wonder what a bowed dulcimer is.
This site features
Kenneth Bloom: luthier, performer, teacher and friend.
As you can see we are just beginning, but we will be
adding information, pictures, instructions, and exciting
information about Ken and the bowed dulcimer in the near
future.
2011
Registration Form NEW!!!
HOTEL
INFORMATION: Please note that all rooms to
receive the festival discount must be booked and
complete before the end of February 2011.
All rooms booked after that time will be at the
hotel's regular room rates, which are substantially
more. When participants call to book their rooms,
they need to call the hotel directly at
336.368.2237 and be sure to ask for the
Bowed Dulcimer Festival Discount.
The hotel is the Quality Inn and Suites,
711 S.
Key St., Pilot
Mountain, NC 27041. They are offering rooms
to the participants of the Bowed Dulcimer Festival
for $62.99 plus tax for a regular room, and $89.99
plus tax for a suite.
BOWED DULCIMER
FEST LUNCH OPTIONS will be posted later on (and
will need to be ordered in advance);
Check
Ken's Schedule for
upcoming bowed dulcimer events and classes.
Hi everybody,
I hope the winter isn't treating you too badly. In Pilot Mountain,
we are blessed with less snow and warmer temps than most
other places in our area. I wanted to first of all
remind everyone to make their reservations at the hotel
for Pilot Mountain before the end of February to take
advantage of the discount. I have received two
registrations so far but I figure most folks are holding
off until around now to send them in.
I also wanted to comment on the state of bowed dulcimer playing now
and how that will affect how I do the classes both in
Pilot Mountain and in upcoming seminars like
Dulcimerville and Common Ground on the Hill. We have now
moved into the enviable position where we have truly
advanced players, a large body of people I would call
intermediate, and a nice influx of beginners and a few
returning players. I will continue to do the big classes
as I have in the past, taking a tune and separating it
into three parts in the same manner I have in the past.
Happily, at Pilot Mountain and Dulcimerville I have the
opportunity to do a truly advanced class where I can
discuss technical concerns for those more experienced
players and hopefully push them out of their comfort
zones. I was able to do this at Winter Weekend with good
success. I have made quite a few discoveries myself with
regard to fingering and in my effort to be able to play
in all keys and I'm anxious to pass this info on.
Everyone is welcome to attend the advanced classes but
just know that I will be focusing on those there that
are ready to try these techniques.
The greater body of bowed dulcimer players fall into the beginner
and intermediate categories. I classify an intermediate
player as one who is very comfortable playing in first
position and not at all bothered by moving into second,
third, or higher positions and who's bowing has some
ease and grace to it. Most of you out there fall into
this category. The ones in the beginner category are
those just starting out or those who take playing the
bowed dulcimer to be something less than a religious
devotion. It is, after all, suppose to be fun! At least
I think it is. I am constantly heartened by the
enthusiasm of both new and experienced players as my
enthusiasm for the instrument has only increased over
the years and continues to do so.
I am also pleased that there has arisen the need for more than one
instructor to do programs at dulcimer festivals. Marsha
Harris will be doing more and more of this I'm happy to
say and she will also be helping out the beginners
during the big classes at Pilot Mountain. Thank you
Marsha!
I have also hit another landmark in that I have my first two orders
from overseas, one from England and one from Australia.
I have had inquiries before but these are first two
actual orders. I hope that more will follow. One other
development I think it good to mention is that I am
making more instruments for younger folks, teenagers!
Yes, Brittany, you are no longer alone, and there is
beginning to be interest from more classically oriented
musicians.
All in all, I'd have to say, in a world fraught with strife and
conflict, the bowed dulcimer seems to be slowly making
its way up and spreading to those looking for a sound in
their lives that brings more joy and comfort. I look
forward to seeing many of you here in The Little Town
That Time Forgot. Stay warm and keep those bows moving!
Ken
I am very pleased to announce the release of my
second bowed dulcimer CD. It has a fine
selection of
music from all over the world and goes further than
the last CD in demonstrating the versatility of the
bowed dulcimer. For further information and ordering
please go to:
http://www.bolick.net/bloom
NOTE FROM
GAIL: To help in keeping our website up-to-date we
ask that you email me
(gwest1955@aol.com
) with your exciting news that you would like to share. Any ideas,
suggestions, photos, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
Burt has graciously taken pictures and caught our sound
since the beginning - for now I would like to put the
links here...
Ken
Bloom's arrangement and explanation of the Napoleon
Suite performed by the 2007 ensemble (large file)
Ken
Bloom's comments only for the above
 |
|
Burt Kahn has sent you a PhotoShow!
Hi to all, Please share the photo show link
with other bowed dulcimer and mountain
dulcimer players. Turn on your speakers and
enjoy! Burt |
|
|
  Here is a
photo of Ken and the first Bowed Dulcimer Pardessus <Click
here for more photos and information>
The
December, 2004 DULCIMERSESSIONS.COM webzine issue featured an
excellent Bowed Dulcimer article by Ken Bloom...<Click
here> for more
on the article.
Since the 1st
Annual Pilot Mountain Bowed Dulcimer Festival, we have a Bowed Dulcimer Friends Yahoo Group. You have
the option to receive each individual email, a daily
digest, or only special announcements. We hope to
use this group to keep in touch, get to know each other,
and help each other. It is a great way to share
information. If you need help to join, just email
gwest1955@aol.com
. Please remember - you don't have to post, but we
would love to have everyone join. An easy way to
join is to enter your email address in the box
below...Yahoo will then send you an email that you just
have to hit Reply and Send.
My very best wishes to all you
bowed dulcimer people out there and all the ones who
will soon be joining us as well. If the last two weeks
are any indication, it would seem our little family will
be growing in the New Year. I am excited about all the
upcoming events for this year. Just a quick mention: We
have Winter Weekend in Lake Junaluska in about a week
and a half. The Seventh Annual Pilot Mountain Bowed
Dulcimer Festival will be held the second weekend in
April. Dulcimerville this year will be especially great
for bowed dulcimer people as I get to teach three bowed
dulcimer electives! Taking place in early June this
should be a great event.
I will be doing Common Ground on the Hill up in
Maryland this year and I hope that many of you will
take the opportunity to attend this unique event.
This is a wonderfully interesting venue that offers
a huge range of classes, not only in music but in
craft, philosophy, dance and so on. Check out their
website.
I hope you all have a convivial and safe New
Years and let's get together and make those bows
sing!
Ken
Items of
interest:
2005
Bowed Dulcimer Class at the NFGDA festival in Unicoi
- pictures
Video
of Ken playing "John
Roy Lyall", also known in the Bowed Dulcimer world
as "Tune from St. Andrews". (please note the fluidity
of Ken's wrist as he pulls the bow, the relaxed bow hold,
loose wrist, flowing, steady movements)
Listing
of Bowed Dulcimer models
Video
Snippets and pictures from the 1st Annual Pilot
Mountain Bowed Dulcimer Festival
The
2nd Annual Pilot Mountain Bowed Dulcimer Festival (March
31- April 2, 2006)
2005
Western Carolina University Mountain Dulcimer Week Bowed
Dulcimer Class
An
introductory DVD/video will soon be available
Lots
of tips and help
Bowed
Dulcimer Music/Tablature
Please come back soon. If you have pictures,
advice, or ideas to share on this website please email
them to Gail at
gwest1955@aol.com.
|
|
|
Info Box
|
|
|
|
Info Box
For those planning on coming to Unicoi this year, there will be a
repeat of the Friday night Swing Dance with an enhanced band. The band
will be dressed formally and they request that those guests
who want
to fully re-live a bygone era do the same.
|
|
Info Box
|
|
The 19th annual Winston-Salem Dulcimer Festival will be held
at College
Park Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, NC Friday, April
30 -
Saturday, May 1, 2010. Ken Bloom
will be teaching several workshops for the bowed dulcimer. Updated
info will be available closer to festival time. <
click here > |
|
Info Box
|
2011 Western
Carolina University Mountain
Dulcimer Week
Marsha Harris
will be teaching Bowed Dulcimer
classes at WCU Mountain Dulcimer Week.
<Click
here> for more information.
|
|
Info Box
|
|
The "1st Annual Pilot Mountain Bowed Dulcimer Festival"
was held the first weekend in April, 2005 in Pilot
Mountain North Carolina. There were 17 participants and
a great time was had by everyone! Thanks to Ken, Cammie
and Ben (Sawbriar Acoustic Club)
Click here to read
what we did.
|
|
Info Box
|
|
The December, 2004 DULCIMERSESSIONS.COM webzine
issue is archived online and features a Bowed Dulcimer article by Ken
Bloom...
<Click
here> for more information.
|
|
|
.
|
