Your Answers: Playing Music With Other People

Last week I asked you if you had opportunities to play with other people - here are your responses!

Name: Wayne Anderson
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
"Almost every day for at least 30 to 45 min on my own and twice a week with two guitar playing friends and when we can with a small group who own dulcimers in our area. And my Neighbor's cat from time to time."

Name: Blake M.
Location: Richmond, VA
"I play with two groups, one mostly recorders (I play bass viol and sing) and the other two Baroque violins, Baroque flute, harpsichord, and viol."

Name: Yvonne M.
Location: Eldridge,ND
"I have no opportunities to play along with other dulcimers, as I've never found any in my area. I do occasionally play a duo at Church with a friend who is an excellent violinist. I have no local access to a club, jam, and no local festivals. I am only in competition with myself and sometimes that is not all bad:-) We winter in Arizona and there is a small group of string players (no other dulcimers) that I have jammed with - really enjoyed it!"

Name: Larry Griffin
Location: Decatur, AL
"Our club, here in Decatur Alabama, meets every Wednesday morning from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. We play at the 3rd Friday downtown event each month and at the Farmers Market once or twice a month. There are many other opportunities for playing in our area."

Name: Elaine B
Location: Sun City Texas
"We have a mountain dulcimer club with about 25 active players that meets twice a week, plus a smaller group of pickers who meet an additional twice a week. We also do gigs a couple of times a month, primarily at senior centers, assisted living, and memory loss facilities. All this means we can easily play with others 10 - 15 times a month, which really helps keep up the interest."

Name: Janet D.
Location: Ashland, KY
"I play with both the Rail City Dulcimer Club and also with a quartet called The Old Time Dulcimer Quartet. We play mostly in our local area of Boyd and Greenup Counties in Kentucky. Two friends and I also travel to West Virginia for lessons with Dave Haas who is an exceptional dulcimer player."

Name: Chris W.
Location: Rochester NY
"We have a group of elders, most of whom are musical novices, who have gotten together under the sponsorship of Lifespan to learn to play Mountain Dulcimer. We have an excellent teacher who has challenged us to new heights for 3-4 years. Now we are pretty good and have gigs at hospitals and festivals and the like."

Name: Janet K
Location: Ft. Myers, Fl
"The Dulcimers activity is usually church shindigs, the pipes are graduations, parades, funerals, holiday celebrations, numerous different cultures. Of course weekly practices."