About the Club

Blue Ridge Mountain Dulcimer Players Club is currently meeting once a quarter to share dulcimer music and play together. The purposes of our club include PROMOTING mountain dulcimer activities locally and state-wide, and PLAYING at Festivals, Retirement Centers, Farmers’ Markets, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and other venues.

We PLAY

…together, sometimes in large groups

…in nursing homes and retirement centers

…at local festivals and picnics

…for libraries, churches, civic and social organizations

And Always,

We PLAY for FUN

We meet for jams four times a year. Gatherings are open to the public and new players are welcome! The upcoming gatherings are listed here (Our Dulcimer Gatherings); directions to the Bridgewater Retirement Village “Studio” are also provided below the schedule. Please check “Our News” menu tab for announcement of time and location or weather related cancellations.

New players and visitors are welcome!

Officers 2025

  • Chair – Dinah Ansley
  • Secretary – Becky Chalam
  • Treasurer – Patsy Kislek
  • Webpage – Lori Lineweaver

Officers 2026

  • Central Coordinator / Delegator – Dinah Ansley
  • Secretary – Becky Chalam
  • Treasurer – Patsy Kislek
  • Webpage and Facebook – Lori Lineweaver and Sharon Baiocco

Area Groups in the Blue Ridge Dulcimer Players Club

  • Dulci-Cats – Charlottesville Area
  • Contact: Penny Reighart
  • Heart Strings – Woodstock Area
  • Contact: Vickie Germroth
  • Joyful Noise – Bridgewater Area
  • Contact: Dave Lineweaver and Chuck McCarty
  • River City Strummers -Waynesboro Area
  • Contact: Debbie Campbell
  • Merrifield Music Makers – Ruckersville
  • Contact: Lynne Schwar

Origin of Blue Ridge Mountain Dulcimer Players

In June of 2011, with a new micro-grant program, and the help of Waynesboro Tourism director, Katie McElroy, Dinah Ansley organized a three day event featuring dulcimers and old time music, to start on August 12, 2011. With support from Stone Soup, WDI and Wayne Theatre Alliance and much hard work from volunteers comprising of some of Dinah’s students, the event was a success. At Dinah’s suggestion, proceeds from this event became the seed money for the formation of the Blue Ridge Mountain Dulcimer Players’ Club.

Thus, in 2011, a dozen folks interested in the mountain dulcimer gathered in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and formed the BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN DULCIMER PLAYERS Club.

In September of 2012, on the third Saturday, monthly jams were begun at the Augusta County Library in Fishersville VA. In 2013, another jam was started on the first Saturday of each month, at the Bridgewater Retirement Community.

Today, our membership ranges north from the City of Winchester to the James River at Gladstone and west from Augusta County’s Greenville eastward into Richmond’s city limits.

Origin of the Mountain Dulcimer

What was once a primitive instrument found slightly more than one hundred years ago in isolated hills and hollers of the Appalachian mountains has moved into our country’s mainstream and can be found in every state in the U.S., as well as in many parts of the United Kingdom and Europe, and even in some Asian countries.

Initially known as an instrument primarily for solo ballad accompaniment and traditional fiddle tunes, some of today’s mountain dulcimer players have stretched the instrument and play blues, jazz, classical music, pop tunes, and a number of other varieties of musical composition.

20 thoughts on “About the Club”

  1. Hello!!

    I just got a dulcimer!!!! I have a question about setup. My dulcimer is made by Folkcraft. I wanted to know how high the string action is for dulcimer. Currently it 3 mm above the 1st and last fret. It feels high to me but I don’t know how high these should be.

    thank you

    Troy

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    1. Troy
      Congrats on your new dulcimer! It was the beginning of a love affair with dulcimer playing for me! Your question is a good one, and I didn’t know the measurements for height of frets on my dulcimers. I found out that mine are not all the same, and range from 2 mm to almost but not quite 3 mm. The very first dulcimer I had did have a larger space from fret to string, and I had the bridge adjusted and reset to make it lower.
      This is an interesting article about string action: https://www.bearmeadow.com/build/methods/setup/html/action.html
      As you can read, it can be a complicated procedure to arrive at the exact “best” height. I would not wish to attempt that process myself! There are experienced luthiers in the area… (and I have taken my dulcimer back to the maker for work to be done, on more than one occasions.

      If you are in our area (central VA, Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Waynesboro, Bridgewater, etc.) I hope you will come join us at one of our gatherings! Visitors and newbies are always welcome!

      Lori

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    1. Mark, we anticipate that there will be a class of new players starting in Charlottesville in January, and many or most of that group will not have their own duclimers, so, this offer may be very timely. I will share this with the one who will be leading that class. Thanks! (And feel free to come join us at one of our gatherings!).

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  4. I am very interested in meeting club members and listening.

    I am especially interested in regional dulcimer history.

    When are you preforming again or meeting?
    I live some distance and need to plan.

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  5. I have just returned from a week-long beginning mountain dulcimer class at John C. Campbell Folk School and would like to connect with local players. I’m in the Charlottesville area. Are you accepting new/beginner members?

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    1. We plan to meet outside at Oakdale Park on Saruday, May 15, 1 – 3 pm, weather permitting. Updates will appear here on our webpage. Bring your own chair, music stand, etc. Looking forward to finally playing together again! Lori

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