Larry Sangals is a new member of the Great Plains Dulcimer Alliance. He attended the Warm-Up Picnic on September 9th and shares his experience with us today: Being new to the dulcimer world, I attended the Wichita GPDA monthly meeting after I had only one lesson from Erin Mae. This meeting inspired me to attempt to attend the upcoming 2017 Warm Up Picnic (WUP). Those at the meeting warmly welcomed me not only at the meeting, but then to also attend the WUP. Gary Bell was then recommended to me to be able to fine tune the workmanship to get my dulcimer better ready to play. I was so thrilled to have an instrument that might even stay tuned and not have any extra noises. The Saturday came to
Every year, since I was a little girl, my family has attended the Walnut Valley Festival, aka "Winfield." And every year, something special happens that inspires and delights me. This year, that special moment came when I met some lovely folks from Iceland camped nearby. "Thor" (a nickname, because none of us Americans could pronounce his full name) and his wife, Hildur, were invited to attend the festival by their friend Sam, a man who grew up in Winfield, KS but has lived in Iceland for the past 40 years. The three of them sing professionally in a choir in Reykjavik, and together with a few other friends, were attending the festival this year. As we began talking, I told them that I play t
