7th Annual Pilot Mountain Bowed Dulcimer Festival!

[Ken Bloom]

I am very happy to announce that we will be having the 7th Annual Pilot Mountain Bowed Dulcimer Festival the second weekend in April, 2011. It will officially go from Friday, April 8 until Sunday April 10. Last year many folks arrived early so we had some activities on Thursday as well.
You can get all the necessary information at http://www.boweddulcimer.com. Just look for the button on the left that says PMBDF 2011. Click on it and it will take you to the registration form and the hotel information.
We always have a jam at the hotel on Friday evening to which anyone who wants to is invited. If you are in the area and are curious about the bowed dulcimer, this is an opportunity to see the instrument in its natural habitat in all its various forms. Hoping to see a lot of new faces there this year. If you have any questions, please ask on this forum or e-mail me directly at kbloom1@triad.rr.com. See you there in April!

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.com

[Robin T]

Tough to turn down an opportunity to see the bowed dulcimer in its natural habitat! Right now, signs point toward my journeying to Pilot Mountain in April.

Robin

[Ken Bloom]

Hi Robin,

Glad we'll be seeing you there. It wouldn't be the same without you. I'll do my best to make it interesting and challenging!

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.com

[jt3d]

From all the email activity I saw this weekend from our Dark Side, looks as though there will be enough early birds to jam on Thursday night at the hotel "lounge" again! I'm looking forward to it - things hindered me last year, but I told my wife I'm making the long (heheh) journey no matter what at least for Thursday and Friday night jams.

[Robin T]

Jim,
Just made my hotel reservation today-- I'm driving down on Thursday. It will be great to see familiar faces and meet new friends!
Most of us are of an age where time flies like an arrow. So, April will be here before we know it.
Robin

[Ken Bloom]

Hi Jim,

Glad to hear that we will be seeing you this time. It should be a lot of fun. I have most of the music already written up! (a first). Some of th emore challenging material will be published at the Yahoo discussion group site before the event so people can get a chance to look at it before hand. This will be the more advanced music. I don't want to frighten the beginners. The beginners material will not be anything like the advanced music.
The jam sessions are always fun. We'll look forward to seeing you there!

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.com

[jt3d]

Hi Robin and Ken,

I'm looking forward to seeing all the new and familar folks! I don't know that I will make the weekend, but I'll definately be at the hotel Thursday and Friday. If anyone needs a BD for the weekend, I'll be more than happy to leave it and pick it back up at Ken's the following week sometime. Kelsey (daughter) has a Junior Olympic Volleyball match in Greenville, SC on Saturday followed by an AAU Basketball tournament in Boone, NC on Sunday. Nothing like being an older (almost 54) parent of an overactive 13 year old girl! I hate I'm miss the weekend festivities for sure.

[Robin T]

Jim,
Boy, will you have an exciting weekend! Both activities help keep you young, so you'll be in good shape until the Monday following, anyway.
Looking forward!
Robin

[Deb]

Thanks to Ken for a great PMBD this past weekend.
It was a great weekend meeting up with friends, playing and being challenged with new music to play. It was great seeing everyone. Missed Patty, Lee, Helen and others who couldn't make it. Classes were great, Saturday night concert wonderful and jams always fun! Looking forward to next year! Debbie R

[Robin T]

It was fun! Can we do it again?

[Ken Bloom]

Hi all,

This is my "after-action report" on the festival. First of all I want to thank all the BDers who came out for this. I was really apprehensive about how many people would show in the troubled times we live in and it was a wonderful feeling to see so many people come out. The other wonderful thing was to see how far so many people had come in their playing! People seem to be moving quicker from flat out beginner to really playing. Having more opportinities to get together with other bowed dulcimer players is, I'm sure, one of the big reasons. (Come to Dulcimerville!)
I really pushed people this year in terms of the technical material I handed out. Lots of shifting positions and playing throughout the entire range of the instrument. I saw some eyes glaze over but I think, all in all, that most people got a real boost in their playing. Many of the first time attendees became aware of the subtly of bowing and what is possible with the bow.
The evening jams were wonderful. The part of those I really appreciated was when small groups would suddenly begin playing a tune and the rest would just join them. The friendly give and take and all the support that newer people got from some of the more experienced was also great to see. From my own selfish perspective, seeing a roomful of instruments that I have built over these years was also a thrill. We had almost the entire history of the modern bowed dulcimer in one room as two people had some very early examples of bowed dulcimers, done before I had all the details worked out.
Ther will be an Eighth Annual Pilot Mountain Bowed dulcimer Festival, most likely the second weekend in April as it was this year. Mark your calenders and come on out!

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.com