Wonderful Learning at Swannanoa

Nathaniel is halfway through Dulcimer Week at the Swannanoa Gathering at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC. The Gathering consists of an entire week of classes, jams and concerts on a mountain farm college campus, with an abundance of delightful spots for practicing and jamming. Nathaniel, who has gotten to attend through a Youth Scholarship, is taking all of his classes from 2006 National Mountain Dulcimer Champion, Jeff Hames, and the morning "experienced skills" class only has one other student. Tonight, Nathaniel will play "Black Mountain Rag" during the Open Stage performance.

Yesterday, Nathaniel and his dad visited a great dulcimer shop, Song of the Wood, in Black Mountain, NC, which is only 6 miles from the campus. The folks who run the shop are wonderfully friendly and helpful, Nathaniel had a fine time playing several different McSpadden dulcimers while he was in the shop. He also picked up a cherry capo to match the head on his new dulcimer.

New Bag of Tricks

To many, Nathaniel's brand new dulcimer (which he saved for and bought on his own) might just look like one more dulcimer. But for Nathaniel it opens brand new opportunities because of the notes he can hit with the 1 1/2 and 8 1/2 frets that were added to this spruce and cherry McSpadden. Nathaniel ordered his new dulcimer from Jeff Hames, who Nathaniel will be learning from all week at the Swannanoa Gathering in Asheville, NC.

House Concert Videos

Today Nathaniel performed a 10-song set as part of a house concert in his hometown. Below are videos of a couple of his songs - Wayfaring Stranger and Dueling Banjos. While Wayfaring is often played pretty and sort of sad sounding, Nathaniel believes it should have a more rugged character, and that is reflected in his version. He learned Dueling Banjos from Jeff Hames.

Michigan Travels

Nathaniel just got home from a family trip to Michigan, where he enjoyed a few opportunities to play his dulcimer. First, he and his family visited North & South Mountain Dulcimers, a wonderful home-based dulcimer shop in rural western Michigan that carries a fabulous selection of McSpadden dulcimers. Nathaniel and his dad spent a bit of time jamming on the back porch with Ray Spyker, who, along with his wife Mary Ellen, owns North & South Mountain Dulcimers. Nathaniel got to play a beautiful Schnaufer 6. The business is called North & South Mountain Dulcimers, by the way, because the Spykers spend half their year in Michigan and half in Florida.

Later in the trip, Nathaniel and his dad did two dulcimer programs in Muskegon, MI - one for a nursing home and one for a luncheon at the church that Nathaniel's Great Aunt and Uncle are members of.

4th Grade Class Program

Nathaniel and his dad strummed old-time tunes while Nathaniel's sister Sarah worked on a corn-husk doll as part of a living history day put on by the 1860s Civilian Society of Georgia at Hazel Grove Elementary School. Both of the school's 4th Grade classes sat together to watch the combined program, which also included a bit of dulcimer history and discussion about corn-husk doll making. Nathaniel's dad was surprised and encouraged by the a large number of questions from the class. The mother of one of the students commented that she thinks the boys especially enjoyed having a part of the program come from a boy who was about their age. Photo by Denise Weimer.

Open Stage at the Cumberland Gap Dulcimer Gathering

Here's Nathaniel's version of John Stinson, played at the Cumberland Gap Dulcimer Gathering (which, by the way, is a very fun gathering). The arrangement certainly was influenced by the Grand Finale of the final night concert at last year's fall festival at Unicoi, but it is played the way Nathaniel likes it best.

On the Air

Nathaniel recently played in front of a radio microphone for the first time as to help record a promo for the Mountain Laurel Festival, a spring festival that his held in his hometown every year. The radio spot, which includes a couple of Nathaniel's songs, highlights an aspect of the festival that features demonstrating artists and musicians. Nathaniel will join a group of bluegrass pickers on the day of the festival.

Dulcimer Jamboree

Nathaniel and his dad just returned from the Dulcimer Jamboree in Mountain View, AR. The Jamboree, which takes place at the Ozark Folk Center, draws mountain and hammered dulcimer players from all over the nation and includes three days of outstanding workshops and concerts and the South Regional Dulcimer Championship. Nathaniel competed for the first time during this year's jamboree and placed third in competition, which is sponsored by the Dulcimer Shoppe and McSpadden Dulcimers in Mountain View. He played "Black Mountain Rag" and "How Great Thou Art" in the first round and "Spanish Fandango" and "Wayfaring Stranger" in the final round.

Jamming at Shooting Creek Cabin

Nathaniel, his dad and a friend, Calvin, spent Friday playing old-time music on the porch of an 18th century cabin on the side of Black Mountain as part of a living history day at the Foxfire Museum. Nathaniel and his dad played dulcimers and a birdhouse banjo. Calvin played his guitar and banjo. The cabin, one of several historic buildings on the Foxfire property, was relocated from the North Carolina mountains, presumably from the banks of Shooting Creek.

Warren A. May Dulcimers

While visiting his Grandma over Easter weekend, Nathaniel got to visit Warren A. May's dulcimer shop in Berea, Kentucky. Nathaniel enjoyed playing several fiddle tunes and hymns with Mr. May, who has been building dulcimers for more than 30 years and who also makes beautiful furniture.

Recording & Performing

Friday was a big dulcimer day for Nathaniel. Early in the day, he and his dad were filmed explaining and demonstrating basic dulcimer playing techniques. The video segment, which will be added to this blog after it is edited, is part of a series of videos about various arts that is being produced by the Georgia Heritage Arts Center. Nathaniel's sister, Sarah, also did a segment about pressed flower art. Later in the day, Nathaniel's family traveled to Red Top Mountain State Park to attend one day of a weekend dulcimer festival. At the festival, called Spring Thing, Nathaniel enjoyed some fine jamming time and played two songs during the Open Mic time.

Dulcimer Day

Today was Dulcimer Day for Nathaniel. Maybe you don't know this already but Nathaniel learns from home. Some have termed today as "delight directed learning". I have to think that today was delightful for Nathaniel. He stayed on course, a lesson in itself, by working on his competition pieces, playing with one string in the traditional sense, studying songs that he wants to know and visiting a few websites. Something that he does every day is teaching his 4-year-old brother Asher. Asher played Bile Dem Cabbage pretty well today.

Dulcimer & Fish

It's neat how when Dad and I go on fishing trips for his work how the dulcimer fits in, whether it be going to a dulcimer festival along the way or playing along with the writers' guitars, or telling people what that thing is that you play on your lap.

Nathaniel

Nathaniel On Stage

Nathaniel was recently afforded the wonderful opportunity to play a four-song set at First United Methodist Church of Canton prior to Joe Collins, the 2007 Mountain Dulcimer National Champion, taking the stage. The concert followed a day of Joe Collins-led workshops at the church. The event was hosted by the Hilltop Strummers. Nathaniel led off with "I'll Fly Away."

Dulcimer Surprises

Nathaniel and his dad just returned from the Southern Strings Dulcimer Festival in Hattiesburg, MS - a weekend that was full of surprises and excitement for Nathaniel. The biggest surprise came after the Friday morning jam when Jeff Hames handed Nathaniel a spruce and walnut McSpadden Dulcimer. Jeff, who is the 2006 National Dulcimer Champion and Nathaniel's favorite musician, had hand picked the instrument for its tone from the Dulcimer Shoppe in Mountain View, Arkansas, where McSpadden Dulcimers are made. Immediately after, Nathaniel got to sit with Jeff and work on songs. Another surprise came Saturday night, when Jeff performed for more than 250 festival attendees. When he introduced Black Mountain Rag, Nathaniel's favorite song to play, Jeff said that it was for Nathaniel. After the concert, he invited Nathaniel and his dad back to his camper to jam a while before heading back toward Georgia. The festival included good workshops and plenty of jamming time.