BRMDC Dues are “due” by March 31 for 2020 membership. Be sure to pay up in order to get “club” rates for our Jeff Furman Workshop on May 2, 2020.
Author: brmdulcimeradmin
January 18, 2020 Jam Cancelled
Due to the weather uncertainty, we will be cancelling the Blue Ridge Mountain Dulcimer JAM at Augusta County Library Jan 18th from 2-4 today. Stay safe and play a few tunes! We hope to gather in February: February 1 in Bridgewater, and February 15 at the Fishersville Library. Note that the March, April and May location for the 3rd Saturday jams will change to the Waynesboro Libray, which has an accessible entrance on the lower level beside the spacious meeting room.
2020 Jam & Program Schedule
Workshop planned for May 2, 2020
Check out the ** plans here ** for Jeff Furman’s Workshop for our club, on May 2!
The location will be: Alexander Mack Room, Maple Terrace, in the Bridgewater Retirement Village, 210 Virginia Avenue, Bridgewater, Virginia 22812
Read more about Jeff, his music and his teaching on his website: http://jefffurman.com/about.shtml
Save the date: MAY 2, 2020 – DULCIMER WORKSHOP,
Location: Maple Terrace, Bridgewater, in the Alexander Mack Rooms
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First and Third Saturday Jams
Join Us At Our Next Jam
Note: In the event of inclement weather, PLEASE CHECK THIS WEBSITE or our Facebook page for a notification of cancellation.
Our next First Saturday jam will be February 1, 2020 from 2 – 4 pm in the Maple Terrace in the Bridgewater Retirement Community. (unless ongoing construction requires a relocation – check your email to confirm the location.) Parking is now available in the front as renovations continue. The March First Saturday Jam will be on March 7.
For our December, we played on the balcony in Maple Terrace!
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Our next Third Saturday gathering will be from 2 – 4 pm on January 18, 2020. The location will be the Augusta County Library in Fishersville, downstairs. Bring a list of songs you would like the group to play, your Dave Haas Jam Book and our Joe Collins hymn collection! The February Third Saturday Jam will be on February 15.
Note: In the event of inclement weather, PLEASE CHECK THIS WEBSITE for a notification of cancellation.
Summer First Saturday Jams MAY be relocated to the Oasis, just for fun, for sharing and for being in an outdoor venue. This always depends on the availability of the Oasis Shelter in the Bridgewater Retirement Village, as well as weather! If the location is changed from the Shenandoah Room, members will be notified via email.
Jeff Furman – May 2, 2020 Workshop
Plans are underway for a May 2 WORKSHOP featuring JEFF FURMAN. Jeff is a multi-instrumentalist (mountain dulcimer, clawhammer banjo, guitar, autoharp, and string bass) who has been playing old-time music since 1980. Primarily a banjo player for many years, Jeff developed a rhythmic and melodic style of playing which has heavily influenced his dulcimer playing.
Jeff has won numerous dulcimer competitions in North Carolina and Virginia. Most notably, he was Champion Mountain Dulcimer player at the Fiddler’s Grove Festival in Union Grove, NC, numerous times, and he has also won awards on the mountain dulcimer at the prestigious Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax, Virginia. Jeff’s playing has been described as fluid and expressive, and, in his hands the mountain dulcimer becomes an instrument capable of creating a wide array of moods, emotions, and feelings.
Save the date: MAY 2, 2020 – DULCIMER WORKSHOP, Location: Alexander Mack Room, Maple Terrace, in the Bridgewater Retirement Village, 210 Virginia Avenue, Bridgewater, Virginia 22812
Retirement Communities & More
Music Memories:
Familiar Music for those in Nursing Care, Memory Units and Retirement Villages
In the dining rooms, the community rooms and gathering places of Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, White Birch Retirement Home, Sunnyside Retirement Community, The Springs Retirement Community in Hot Springs, and Brookdale Senior Living, strains of familiar tunes and hymns are often heard. Tom and Jan Scanlan, have entertained in these venues for literally hundreds of hours over the years. They are greeted enthusiastically, and the question each time at the end is “When will you be back?”
Sometimes they are joined by other club members and players, and make special appearances from time to time to celebrate birthdays or other special occasions.
In addition to their regular circuit in the retirement communities, they make an annual appearance at the Maple Sugar Festival in Highland Co., in March and at the Hands and Harvest Festival in Highland Co. in October each year.
Jan and Tom include music related stops in their travels, including several areas that claim they are the home to Old Joe Clark of the old time tune. However, Kentucky may have the most authentic claim; they have his statue and plaque to prove it!
“Heartstrings”
Some of our northern-most club members are the “Heartstrings”
Club members Vicky Germroth, Arna Zulauf, Irene Mertens, Ann Grisdale and Sally Walters gather to play as “Heartstrings”. This year they played at the Greenfield Nursing Home in Strasburg in February, April and May. They took our Limberjack (Jig Doll) and the residents loved it! They also attended the Poconos Dulcimer Festival in Stroudsburg, PA in April. In October, Tom and Jan Scanlan joined the group as they played at Brookdale Senior Living in Harrisonburg. Last December Heartstrings played Christmas music at the “Merriment in Middletown” event and at Bellegrove Plantation in Middletown and are scheduled to perform at both places again this December.
“The Pride”
The Pride of the Blue Ridge – Blue Lions!
Batesville Market, December 1, 2019
The Pride performed at the Batesville Market (read more here) the afternoon of December 1. It was a fun venue and lovely market!
The Pride also will play at the Augusta County Library in Fishersville on December 11.
Homecoming Sunday at Holy Cross Episcopal Church
On September 15, 2019 in Batesville, several dulcimer players joined Renée Willis in providing the prelude for the special Homecoming service. Every pew was filled, and the tables overflowed with food at the fellowship meal! What a lovely historic place to gather for worship!
“Joyful Noise”
Christmas Carols at BRC, December 3, 2019
Our “Birthday Gal” is in the middle.
Harrisonburg Baptist Church 150th Year Anniversary Celebration
On September 29, the Joyful Noise, the Tuesday Morning Maple Terrace dulcimer players, joined Wally Holthaus in celebrating the Harrisonburg Baptist Church’s 150th Anniversary. What a great service, fun day, and wonderful food! We played some multi-part hymns in the gazebo during the noon meal.
Vespers at BRC’s Lantz Chapel
August 18 turned out to be one of our most exciting programs ever, in a totally unexpected way! As the Joyful Noise (the Tuesday Morning Maple Terrace dulcimer players) were preparing to begin the Sunday Evening Vesper program, the storm that had been rumbling outside erupted in a loud clap of thunder and …. the power went out! Thanks to the help of some of the audience who provided light for the players with their cellphones, we were able to complete the program in almost complete darkness.
When we left, the rain had stopped, and a rainbow appeared over the chapel. We took that as a sign that all was well.
