Upper Potomic Dulcimer Festival

I have mentioned in the last few days that a mini-vacation this weekend might include trips to the Irish Spring Festival or the Maple Syrup Festival. If you are in the Eastern Panhandle, why not opt to attend the dulcimer festival held in Shephersdtown, WV?

The Upper Potomac Dulcimer Fest was started in 1988 to gather some of the finest and most inventive players of the hammered dulcimer together to share ideas, techniques and repertoire and to teach new players on the instrument.

Now in it's 22nd year, Upper Potomac has two hammered dulcimer festivals, and three other music weekends which attract a wide variety of musicians. Browse our web pages linked from here to find out about more about each of these special weekends. Located back in the heart of historic Shepherdstown at the Shepherd University Student center, the area churches and the War Memorial Building (aka Men's Club), the festival combines small town ambiance with convenient class sites..

The Spring Music Weekend offers three levels of dulcimer classes along with a variety of classes for other instruments following a specific theme which changes each year. Past weekends have included a Civil War Theme, England and Scotland… last year (2009) they had guests from Mexico, Dulcemelos, Alejandra Barrientos and Héctor Larrios; as well as Ensemble Typmanon including Karen Ashbrook Paul Oorts and Nick Blanton, playing music from France; and Ken Kolodner and Christie Burns teaching a classes with a lively American repertoire. Students choose a single class for a total of 12 hours of instruction during the weekend.