Oh, my gig! Over the last few months, the Dulcimer Club has been in high demand!
We have performed for the residents of Paddock Ridge Senior Living, Brookdale Assisted Living, the Christian Women’s Club, the Scandinavian American Club, and Ocala Senior Living, all within the last two months, and some have been repeat invitations to perform.
We enjoy sharing our music, and our very talented gig master, Pat Gift, tailors it for every occasion. Our club plays a wide range of music and enjoys learning new songs. To schedule Dulcimer Club to play at one of your meetings or events, contact Patricia Gift at 717-798-4085 or pamgift@earthlink.net.
The club continues to grow, reaching 30 members.
Sylvie Huyskens, our first Canadian member, had enjoyed playing the piano but no longer could. When she attended the most recent Club Fair, she tried the dulcimer at our club’s table and was pleasantly surprised to find that she played without any problems. She said, “It’s so lovely to be playing an instrument again!”
Lynne Shineman has owned her vintage cherrywood, teardrop-shaped dulcimer for 30 years. It was crafted by JR Beall, a very well-known luthier. She just started playing two months ago, as she is now retired and has the time to enjoy music. Lynne is a former high school art instructor and occasionally exhibits her art at the Brick City Center for the Arts in Ocala.
Cyndee Schuab was happy to find a dulcimer club here and joined even though she didn’t own a dulcimer. On her first visit, she was given a loaner dulcimer to try, and she was hooked. It was an easy decision due to the combination of seasoned and beginner players creating beautiful and peaceful music together. Cyndee said, “It’s the people who make this group successful. They are warm and friendly, and you feel welcomed by the ambiance the group creates as soon as you walk through the door.” She recently realized that her hammered dulcimer had become too big and heavy to transport, which was the main reason she bought a brand-new McSpadden Appalachian Mountain dulcimer. Cyndee’s inspiration for dulcimer music began after watching world-class performer and instructor Bing Futch, a renowned dulcimer musician, perform at a Celtic music festival. Cyndee also plays the alto saxophone and the hammered dulcimer at home.
Have a listen; the Dulcimer Club meets Tuesdays from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the Arbor Activity Center Music Room. Most visitors who attend our weekly practices comment that they enjoy our lively banter as well as our music.
Author: Sharon Bruno
