From the Norwalk Reflector, Norwalk, Ohio - 

Thursday, February 24, 2000

Front of the Reflections page - section B

Saving sweet music - Group preserves musical traditions

By Jonathan Rickard, Reflector Staff Writer

One night each month, the sound of traditional folk music can be heard coming from the Shady Lane complex in Norwalk. The Firelands Dulcimer Club, which is made up of musicians interested in preserving traditional instruments and playing styles, meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Services for Aging offices in the Shady Lane complex.

Most club members play variations of the mountain dulcimer, which is oblong, rests across the legs and is played by plucking. Hammered dulcimers, from which they are derived, originated centuries ago in the Middle East and are trapezoidal in shape and played with spoon-shaped beaters. The musical styles used by the club come from such places as Celtic Europe and Appalachia.

"We play old folk songs," club President Barbara Gregory of Sandusky said.

"Because we send music out to all our members, we stick to music that's in the public domain. We can't play anything current unless one of us writes it or we would be infringing on copyrights."

The club was started about 15 years abo by two women in Huron, Gregory said, but now draws musicians from many parts of northern Ohio.

"Attendance varies with the weather, but some drive more than an hour to attend," Gregory said. "Some of the members have been in continuously since the club began."

The club is one of 22 such organizations in Ohio - more than in any other state, Gregory said. The club maintains a mailing list of about 40 people, Gregory said, and about 15 members generally show up at a meeting to play along.

Some members accompany the dulcimers on guitar, banjo. violin, musical saw, drums and other traditional instruments.

Colleen and Ray Chittum of Rittman drove about an hour and 15 minutes to attend the club's Feb.9 meeting. The couple started playing mountain dulcimers about nine years ago.

"We were looking for a woodworking project and we each built a dulcimer, then we both started playing," Colleen Rittman said. "And we're still building and playing."

Over the years, the couple has built more than 200 musical instruments, selling some and playing others. Colleen Chittum said she enjoys playing hymns and folk, gospel, classical and renaissance music.

"We play a lot of music that has come over to us from the British Isles," she said.

"Dulcimer is a very relaxing, soothing instrument," she said. It's not very difficult to play. Usually when we tell people it's easy, they think they don't have to practice, but that's just not true. But mistakes are not heard as such."

The couple has played with the Firelands club for about six years.

Hank Black of Huron plays guitar and Barbara Gregory of Sandusky plays a musical saw at a Firelands Dulcimer Club meeting at the Services for Aging offices in the Shady Lane complex. - picture by Pat Auckerman/Reflector

Above: Clayton Welch of Ashland plays mountain dulcimer with the group at the Firelands Dulcimer Club's February meeting

Right: Mixing old and new technology, Barbara Gregory uses an electronic tuner with her mountain dulcimer. 

pictures by Pat Auckerman/Reflector

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Want to know more about our club?  dulcimer@barbfeick.com