Stephen Seifert
Stephen Seifert’s teaching and playing has made him a favorite with dulcimer players all over the country since 1991. In that time, he’s been a featured performer at hundreds of dulcimer festivals and other music events.
Stephen was dulcimer soloist with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and was featured on their Warner Classical recording of Conni Ellisor and David Schnaufer’s Blackberry Winter, a concerto for mountain dulcimer and string orchestra. The piece continues to be in regular rotation on many classical stations around the U.S.
Workshops
1. Old Irish Favorites
Irish music works beautifully on the mountain dulcimer. We’ve got just the right notes, and the instrument naturally fits the keys and modes this music requires. We’ll work through two or three slower melodies. Along the way, I’ll show you a variety of right- and left-hand techniques to help you get it all sounding more authentic.
2. German Folk Music Favorites
These are well-known songs with beautiful and playable melodies. Besides helping you get them down, I’m going to show some tricks I’ve gleaned from studying this music, tricks to make the simple much more interesting. Tunes may include “Kein schöner Land,” “Im schönsten Wiesengrunde,” “Und jetzt gang i ans Peters Brünnele,” “Nun will der Lenz uns grüßen,” and “Tief im Böhmerwald.”
3. English Folk Ballads
These are some seriously beautiful melodies. I’ll share with you a few tunes I picked up from English books and recordings over the years. Fingerpicking techniques, too. Tunes may include “Lark in the Morning,” “All Things are Quite Silent,” “The Basket of Eggs,” and “The Blacksmith.”