Beginning Mountain dulcimer and old time banjo workshops coming soon!

Beginning Mountain Dulcimer and Old Time Banjo Workshops

with

Mary Z. and Bob Cox

Time: Saturday, October 7, 2006 from 10:00 AM--12:00 Noon (Mountain Dulcimer) and 1:30--3:30 PM (Old Time Banjo)

Place: Craft Square Cabin # 1 at the Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs, Florida (on the Suwannee River) http://www.floridastateparks.org/stephenfoster

Registration: Call the Craft Square at 386-397-1920
to register and pay class fee.

Come to the workshops and stay on for the Cracker Coffeehouse that evening. Don’t miss out on all the fun—sign up soon!

Mountain Dulcimer 101

Have a mountain dulcimer and want to get started? Here’s a two hour introduction to Appalachian
style playing with the 2006 Uncle Dave Macon Days mountain dulcimer champ.
Come tuned in DAD and be ready to have some fun learning to play a simple first tune to get you started.
This is a fun instrument and easy to play—especially if you have ever played another instrument.
Limited to 12 students. $20 10:00 AM-12:00 Noon

Old Time Banjo 101

Here’s a two hour “hands on” workshop to the old time banjo. If you have a functional five string banjo and want to get started on a frailing motion with your right hand and begin a simple old time tune with your left—this is the workshop for you. If you are a beginner, but still need help with the basics—this is for you too. J Please come with your banjo tuned in open G. (gDGBD) and ready to have some fun. Limited to 12 students. $20

1:30-3:30 PM

Short Bio

Mary Z. Cox – is a banjoholic with 12 banjos. When forced to stop buying banjos, Mary entered clawhammer contests and won two top-notch banjos in one year as prizes. She’s been playing since she was 12 and is a past Florida champion. She has recorded five CDs, has written four banjo tab books, and has been published in Banjo Newsletter. Today, Mary plays concerts, teaches at camps, and records with family and friends. She enjoys introducing students of all ages to new tunes, techniques, and the banjo life.

Mary Z. is also a dulcimaniac with 7 mountain dulcimers, a past Florida Mountain dulcimer champion, as well as the first place winner in the 2006 Uncle Dave Macon Days in Tennessee. Her “Dulcimer Fandango” CD is a park favorite in the Stephen Foster gift shop.

Galax dulcimer

And here's a photo of my Galax style dulcimer, Lil Tater. Speaking of Galax style, Phyllis Gaskins has out a new CD and I am really enjoying her playing and singing,

Lucky dulcimer

Many of you know that I have been mostly playing my Modern Mountain Dulcimer and my Goncala Alves Simmerman at festivals and workshops the last couple of years and they are really lovely dulcimers and I enjoy playing them. But Betty Schneider asked me a few months ago, "Don't you ever play your Blue Lion anymore?" Her comment prompted me to pull it out from underneath the bed an begin playing it again. I'd forgotten how pretty its tone rings. Then I packed it in the RV to go to Tennessee and played it in the Uncle Dave Macon Days contest and won. Actually, its the very same dulcimer I won first place in the Florida championships in 2003. Must be my lucky dulcimer. :) Of course, I had the lucky entry number too--number 13! :)