Instructors / performers for 2003 - Dulcimers in Duluth : Hammered and Mountain, store, lessons, performances in Minnesota and Wisconsin

Mike Anderson

Mike Anderson is a fantastic mountain dulcimer player from Jacksonville, IL. He has performed and taught at numerous large dulcimer festivals including Mountain Dulcimer Week at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC. Mike has several mountain dulcimer recordings available as well as a video. He is also an outstanding storyteller and has competed and won at several storytelling contests. He is a fun-filled elementary teacher and has developed a workshop on making dulcimer-like instruments out of junk (tin cans).

Quotes about Mike Anderson

The combination of music, storytelling and humor has made Mike Anderson one of the most sought-after performers from the Atlantic coast to Canada to the Gulf and all points in between.

Mike plays guitar, banjo, jaw harp, noseflute, bones, and more. He is best known as an outstanding mountain dulcimer player - one of the very best in the state and indeed the entire Midwest.

The combination of music, storytelling, humor, and educational background has made Anderson one of the most sought after performers and speakers in the Midwest. Mike Anderson is a driving force on the Illinois folk scene and is one of the people we can thank for keeping traditional music and storytelling alive.

Mike's easy ability to make everyone smile makes him a big hit. It's amazing to see a room full of people, people of all ages, having so much fun. His skill in reaching a whole audience is a talent, if not pure magic.

--Jenny Hamblin, Lafayette Natural History Museum, Lafayette, LA

Mike's on the web at www.dulcimerguy.com.

Rick Thum

Rick Thum is from near St. Louis, MO. He will instruct hammered dulcimer classes at Dulcimer Day in Duluth II. He will teach beginning and intermediate levels and will also lead a slow jam for people with all instruments to learn to jam together. Rick will perform in the lunch concert and the evening concert. Rick's interest in traditional music was sparked when he bought a hammered dulcimer on a whim and found himself in a three-piece folk band. In 1991 Rick became co-owner of a large Midwestern acoustic instrument shop. He placed first at the 1994 Southwest Regional Dulcimer Contest and third in the 1995 National Championship in Winfield, Kansas. At the prestigious Evart Dulcimer Funfest, the oldest and largest dulcimer fest in the nation, Rick was voted Best Performer and Favorite Teacher in 1995, '96, and '97. Rick travels extensively to dulcimer festivals throughout the nation. This last year he taught and performed at SamFest (TX), Swannano Gathering (NC), Great River Road Festival (IL), Kentucky Music Week (KY) among several other festivals. He has produced his own cd and has written a hammered dulcimer fiddle tune book. He is also a builder of hammered dulcimers. Visit Rick at his website is www.rthum.com.

Katie Waldren

Katie Waldren is from near Blue Mound, WI. Katie will teach mountain and hammered dulcimer classes and will be a part of the lunchtime concert at Dulcimer Day in Duluth II. Katie Waldren's music is enjoyed by audiences of all ages. She is a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, author, and recording artist focusing on the lap and hammered dulcimers. Her repertoire includes "Appalachianized" Celtic / British Isles folk songs, as well as contemporary American folk, and original material. She shares her passion for the dulcimer by teaching workshops at the national and local levels, and performs solo and as a partner in Heartwood, a duo that combines the lap and hammered dulcimers with Celtic harp, guitar, and vocals. Katie helped coordinate the 3 rd Annual Folklore Village Dulcimer Workshop and Concert held November 16, 2002. Read more at www.katiewaldren.com.