Classes | Upper Potomac Music

2023 Fall Dulcimer Weekend Classes

Students in intermediate and advanced classes should have a familiarity with their instruments and be able to learn tunes either from sheet music or by ear.

Friday Afternoon Classes 1:30pm-4:45 pm

These deep-dive 3 hour classes are available as an addition to the weekend program for those who are able to join us early in the day on Friday. See Application and Fees page for costs.

Map of the Dulcimer (Jody Marshall) Beg. +

Recognizing the inherent shapes and patterns on your dulcimer can facilitate everything from learning tunes to finding efficient hammering patterns to accompanying others. We’ll explore the dulcimer’s visual cues while learning some easy tunes, and we’ll also discover a practical approach to locating basic major and minor chords all over your instrument.

The Thanksgiving Hymn: “Ashgrove” (Mark Wade) Adv. Beg.

“The Ashgrove” (AKA, “Let All Things Now Living”) is a timeless melody that is easy to master on the

dulcimer. First, we’ll tackle the melody and learn how to make the best hammering choices. Then we’ll

learn how to add harmony notes below it. You’ll have this ready to share before Thanksgiving gets here!

Flemish Tunes (Pieter Blondelle) Int.

Flanders was a crossroads in Europe where there was a blending of many cultures. This class explores some of the traditional music that was was played on instruments popular there from early hammered dulcimers, bagpipes, hurdy gurdy and more. The class will feature tunes that work well on the hammered dulcimer and explore some arranging skills.

Old Time Repertoire (Tina Bergmann) Int.-Adv. Beg.

Explore two of my favorite, unusual old time tunes, Henry Reed’s Breakdown and Tipping Back the Corn. These tunes, one old and one modern, are vehicles for groove, syncopation, rolls, and variations, and truly are a joy to play and share at jams.

Weekend Classes

* Classes in white are approximately 90 minutes of instruction. Mini-classes are 45 minutes. Classes in yellow are available for mixed instruments with permission of the instructor.

Class 1: Saturday Morning Classes 9:30am-11:45

Good Habits Right out of the Gate (Tina Bergmann) Beg.+

Beginning with good habits is WAY easier than breaking bad ones! In this workshop you’ll learn good habits for healthy playing that enable you to play without tension or discomfort, and keep you growing musically. Bad habits can hobble your ability to progress, so get a solid start and avoid pain and injury through better technique.

Hearing Chord Changes (Jody Marshall) Adv. Beg.- Int.

By focusing on the ubiquitous I, IV, V chord progression, we can begin to recognize the movement of chords through a tune. And while we’re “tuning up” our ears, we’ll practice some simple accompaniment techniques.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Mark Alan Wade) Int.-Adv.

We’ll master the theme of this tune from my Nutcracker Suite book and solve the hand choreography problem in the chromatic bits. It sounds like it should have been written for a dulcimer!
You’ll need a 16/15 chromatic or larger. It’s incredible fun to play and one that everyone knows and loves!

Paul's Romp Through Europe... Club Med! (Paul Oorts) Int.- Advanced

Four classes for all instruments, sampling tunes from four different traditions and exploring ways to dress them up using basic (and more complex) chord progressions, melodic variations and various rhythms.

Tarantella luzzitana (Calabria) and Sto mi e milo (Greece) (7/8) among others.

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Class 2: Saturday Afternoon Classes 1:15-3:30PM

I Just Want to PLAY Something Cool! (Mark Wade) Beg. +

Sometimes you just want to learn how to play SOMETHING well on your dulcimer that you can be proud
of and show your friends. THIS class is just for that! In the process, we’ll learn transferable skills like
harmony and hand independence. We’ll also do some simple variations in case you are ready for a bit
more!

Playing Rounds (Tina Bergmann) Adv. Beg.

We’ll play rounds as an introduction to group playing, and along the way discuss listening, beat, hammering, musicality and variations. Both familiar and unfamiliar rounds and partner songs will be taught! I’ll also teach you how to use your recording device so you can play along with someone else (hint: it’s all you!

Happy Hornpipes (Jody Marshall) Int.-Adv.

Sometimes you just want to play a toe-tapping tune that makes you smile. Hornpipes are just the thing. Come learn some sprightly melodies that are bouncy, boisterous, and 100% fun!

Paul's Romp Through Europe... Western Europe! (Paul Oorts) Int.- Advanced

We will work on creative group arranging with the concept of “finding your lane” in an ensemble (i.e. finding the most useful thing to do that is not being done by someone else). This class goes to France for Les Lancers, a popular quadrille dance, Mazurka in G (Kampenhout?), and perhaps some other things we can "explore on the floor" at our evening dance party.

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Mini Classes: Saturday Afternoon 4:30-5:30PM EST

The Nuts and Bolts of Chord Progressions (Mark Alan Wade) Adv.Beg.

When you know a few basics of what makes a chord want to go here instead of there, you can take your
arrangements ANYWHERE. With just a little easy-to-memorize chord facts, you’ll be able to predict
chord changes. All it takes is practice! It’s important to learn these telltale signs of chord changes
because it will improve your playing by ear AND your music reading. It’s like being musically clairvoyant!

Learn Schottishe du Stockfish! ” (Tina Bergmann) Int.

This is the version from Ad Vielle Que Pourra, an incredible French-Canadian group. It has fun chord changes, syncopation, and a great drag roll, time permitting.

“Song of the Water Kelpie” (Jody) Adv

Celtic legends of the water kelpie describe an aquatic horse-like creature that can shape-shift into human form. We’ll learn an arrangement of a haunting tune from the Isle of Man named for this mysterious creature, and along the way we’ll explore different ways to get our hands working independently.

Learn to use Musescore (Paul) All Levels

Learn to use this popular, free, computer proram to transcribe and work with music notation.

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Class 3: Sunday Morning Classes 9:30am-11:45

Easy Holiday Hits (Jody Marshall) Beg.-Adv. Beg.

If you can play a scale, you can play some Christmas classics! That’s because they fit neatly within the “scale box”—the markers on your dulcimer that designate a major scale. (Music will be provided, but the ability to read music is not required.)

More than Melody: Coleman's March (Mark Alan Wade) Adv. Beg.-Int.

In this class, we’ll learn the beautiful slow “Coleman’s March” and how to fill in chords during the long,
sustained melody notes. That is a must-have skill on the dulcimer and is easily applied to your other
tunes. Using easy-to-find chord shapes, you will be able to add an entire new texture to your playing!

How to Build a Gorgeous Waltz Arrangement (Tina Bergmann) Int.-Adv.

We'll be building skills to add to your musical “bag o’tricks” while tackling different of types of rolls, rhythmic variations, adding chords in different ways, endings, and general arranging techniques. Using the stunning three-part Slavic Waltz as a vehicle to apply these concepts, we’ll work together to create a fluid arrangement in class. The overarching goal is to build skills to create a fluid arrangement that changes in interesting and subtle ways every time the tune is played instead of locking into a set and static arrangement. This is where the fun really starts, both for the performer and for the listener.

Paul's Romp Through Europe... England! (Paul Oorts) Int.- Advanced

We will work on creative group arranging with the concept of “finding your lane” in an ensemble (i.e. finding the most useful thing to do that is not being done by someone else). In this class we will feature English Dance melodies from 4 centuries... from Playford to the Modern day.

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Class 4:Sunday Afternoon Classes 1:30-3:00PM

Art of the Drone (Jody Marshall) (Beg- Adv. Beg)

Using repeating notes, or droning, can take a simple melody from “meh” to “wow!” We’ll learn how to spice up our playing with this useful technique as we apply it to the old-time tune, “Old Joe Clark.” Then we’ll up the wow factor a little more by adding bounces and valley rolls.

Medieval Tune: Argeers (Tina Bergmann) Adv. Beg.-Int.

We’ll learn the medieval tune Argeers and explore a number of techniques that add variety, give you a solid base to play musically, and create a fluid and interesting arrangement.your own.

“The Gliding Dance of the Maidens” from Polovetsian Dances (Mark Alan Wade) Int. Adv.

This gorgeous melody from Borodin’s “Prince Igor” is perfectly suited for hammered dulcimer. You can
hear it on my Over the Waterfall CD and in this workshop, I’ll show you how to play the melody with
chords. You may also know this tune as “Strangers in Paradise” from the musical Kismet. We can learn a
lot about chord changes while we work through adding chords under the melody.

Paul's Romp Through Europe... Scandinavia! (Paul Oorts) Int.- Advanced

We will work on creative group arranging with the concept of “finding your lane” in an ensemble (i.e. finding the most useful thing to do that is not being done by someone else). Paul ends his trip in Scandinavia, with a choice selection of tunes and arrangements.

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Student Led Activities....

Student Open Mike

Students are encouraged to share pieces they are working on at our Student Open Mike on Saturday evening. This is a chance to share a piece you are working on and develop performing skills in a warm and friendly atmosphere. A good way to meet other students and to get feedback on your arrangements.

If you would like to host the open mike, let us know! We can give you a tuition discount, if you would like!

Mini Classes

Students offering to teach a useful one hour mini-class on Friday or Saturday afternoon may receive a $50 tuition discount. Call or email us by February 15, if you would like to teach a class for this discount. Students not needing the discount are also encouraged to share something during the weekend. This make it more fun for everyone. Take ownership in the weekend by sharing something that you do!