Roscoe Village

We successfully completed our trip to Dulcimer Days in Historic Roscoe Village, Coshocton, OH.

Angie and I left last Wednesday morning for the 8 hour drive to Columbus, OH where we spent the night at the home of Randy and Dora Clepper. Randy, Mark Wade and I spent most of the day practicing songs which we would perform Saturday night.

Thursday night we headed to Roscoe Village where we stayed in the Village Inn. The canal town of Roscoe Village was at its peak in the mid 1800's and still captures the ancient charm today. Read more about it at www.roscoevillage.com.

I taught a couple of workshops Thursday and was surprised to see my friends Kathy and Glenn there from Indiana, Larry (one of Hannah's students) from Chattanooga, and Lesley, Pauline and Larry whom I met last year in Evart. Lesley is one of Mark Wade's students.

I made so many new friends that I'd miss someone if I started naming names. I can't journal about this trip without mentioning Adam Sutch. He's a great young player that I met, along with his family while teaching workshops. He's very talented and is playing a D600 that is almost as big as he is. I look for great things from the young player in the future.

Shortly after I finished the last workshop Thursday a heavy storm rolled through the village and knocked out power. It would not be restored to our part of the hotel until after 11pm. Randy Clepper had driven over from Columbus so we could practice a little more but it was hot and dark in the hotel so we played outside until darkness and mosquitoes drove us inside. By around 9pm some of the hotel had lights but no air conditioning so we found a large room had a 'hot' jam session with a bunch of other players.

On Saturday I taught another workshop, then judged the open dulcimer and vocal competitions. Saturday night included a concert in which I played a few numbers by myself before being joined by Randy and Mark. It's too bad Bob, the fourth member of Hammeron couldn't be there (he was in india). I felt like we put on a solid show and a rousing standing ovation made us feel great.

I also got to hear Katie Waldren and Candace Kreitlow perform together. They are fantastic! Check out their music at www.katiewaldren.com.

Sunday morning Angie and I had an early breakfast with Randy, Mark and his dad. (We do all we can to force Mark to get up early - it's good for him.) After breakfast I taught another workshop and judged the Mid-Eastern Regional Dulcimer Championships. The judging for these contests follows the same rules as judging for the National Championship in Winfield. I was sequestered along with the other judges in a tiny room where we listened to the contestants via headphones. We were given numbers rather than names for each participant and had to score the performances based on a 100 point scale including:

Arrangement - 40 pts.
Execution - 40 pts.
Show Value - 10 pts.
Overall Impression - 10 pts.

The performers were instructed not to speak and to present two songs in contrasting style. This was my first time to judge such a contest and it is a lot harder than I though it would be. I'll be kinder in thought and word to judges in the future. It all goes by so fast and moments after each contestant plays their last note there is someone there waiting to collect the tally sheets. This isn't how I like to listen to music.

I have now competed in as well as judged these contests and would like to devote a journal entry one day to the whole idea of contesting in music, which in a nutshell I find a little strange.

Sunday evening Angie and I drove as far as Charleston, WV before deciding to finish the trip on Monday. ¶ 10:25 PM