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Q. What is Expedition Dulcimer?
A. Expedition Dulcimer, presented by Bing & Jae Futch, is a national workshop series for mountain dulcimer players at the intermediate and advanced skill levels. Explore extraordinary venues across the country, enjoy specially curated workshops, and enjoy on-site accommodations and delectable meals. Immerse in classes covering technical exercises, repertoire-building, and improvisation. Embrace unique themes in each location, blending education, adventure, and personal growth. The next Expedition Dulcimer event will take place at Stone Mountain Manor from March 28, 2024 through March 31, 2024, in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
Q. What are your definitions of intermediate and advanced?
A. For Expedition Dulcimer, we classify participants into two skill levels: intermediate and advanced.
Intermediate Level Participants:
Intermediate players have established a strong foundation in music fundamentals. They feel confident while strumming, utilizing chords, and reading tablature. Whether playing from memory or sheet music, they're prepared to delve into more intricate rhythmic patterns, diverse chord progressions, and embellishments like hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. Intermediate players are also ready to tackle the challenge of playing in various keys and arranging songs creatively.
Advanced Level Participants:
Advanced players have progressed beyond the basics. They possess a solid grasp of note and chord names, allowing them to navigate complex musical arrangements with expressive flair. Beyond mastering traditional techniques, advanced players are adept at using tools like capos and exploring alternative tunings to achieve distinctive results in their performances. Their comfort level enables them to approach musical pieces with an elevated level of sophistication and creativity.
In our workshop series, we maintain smaller class sizes to ensure that each student receives focused attention. This approach maximizes knowledge retention and provides a conducive environment for both intermediate and advanced participants to flourish in their musical journey.
Q. What's included with my registration?
A. Your registration includes on-site lodging, all meals, and all workshop sessions, performances, jams, and special programs.
Q. Can I pick my room?
A. Certainly! Room assignments are first-come, first-served. Each location will be different.
Q. If I just pay the deposit, when is the balance due?
A. The balance should be paid in full by March 1st, 2024.
Q. Can you accommodate special dietary requests?
A. Yes! We will survey all registrants prior to curating the menu.
Q. Will there be free time to explore and relax?
A. Absolutely, in fact it's built right into the schedule.
Q. What is your Covid policy?
A. At Expedition Dulcimer, we are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and are committed to following all local, state, and federal guidelines and recommendations to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
We strongly encourage all eligible attendees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before attending the event. Masks will not be required.
Q. Can I get a private room?
A. Yes! Using the drop-down menu for registration, you can select Private room or Shared room (with another registrant or partner.)
Q. Where/When is the next Expedition Dulcimer going to be?
A. We are currently exploring sites (and finding some wild places) and looking at many different parts of the country. Subscribe to this page to get updates as they are made available. The plan is to do five expeditions each year in distinctly different regions of the United States.
