Prairieland Dulcimer Strings

If you're interested in music, if you like to play or if you want to learn to play the mountain dulcimer, please join us. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month at Atonement Lutheran Church, 2800 West Jefferson, Springfield. We also perform occasionally around town, including gigs at Oak Ridge Cemetery and the Senate chamber in the Old State Capitol. Tentative meeting dates for 2006 are:

Jam Schedule for 2007
 
Jan. 4   Feb. 1   March 1   
April 5   May 3   June 7   
July 5   Aug. 2   Sept. 6   
Oct. 4   Nov. 1   Dec. 6

We spend the first hour learning songs, and the second playing tunes suggested by members. We play the common dulcimer jam tunes, gospel and folk hymns, old-time fiddle tunes, Celtic and American folk songs, waltzes, Broadway show tunes and Tin Pan Alley standards - and anything else that any of us suggest! Most of us are beginners intermediate-level players, and brand-new beginners are welcome.

For updates to the schedule, please e-mail Pete Ellertsen at <pellertsen@sci.edu>. You can help us publicize the Prairieland Dulcimers, too: Click here for a flyer you can print out and post to a bulletin board near you. And click here for a PSA or public service announcement, you can copy, paste and tailor for publicity purposes.

• The original webpage for the Prairieland Dulcimer Strings, "the central Illinois jam session," is maintained by Jimmy and Joyce Cary at http://userweb.eosinc.com/prairieland/. Be sure to visit it to learn more about the Prairieland Strings ... and about what Jimmy and Joyce have in the way of dulcimers and supplies at Prairieland Ventures Co.
• Most of us have been mentored by central Illinois' very own dulcimer and noseflute virtuoso Mike Anderson of Jacksonville, who gives lessons several times a year at Dickson Mounds State Park and occasionally in Springfield. Visit Mike's webpage at http://www.dulcimerguy.com/ to find out when he's going to be in town.
• Our club received a major boost in February 2005 when Stephen Seifert of Nashville, Tenn., conducted a workshop for us in a laundry- and poolroom at Springfield College in Illinois. We're learning tunes now from his tablature book "Join the Jam," which helps us master a steady, rhythmic strum. For more information, visit his website at http://www.stephenseifert.com/index.html.
• If you're interested in the traditional style of playing the Appalachian dulcimer, visit my Pick'n Noter website at http://www.sci.edu/classes/ellertsen/dulcimer.html. For links to a variety of sources on dulcimer history, folk music, tablature, sheet music and oddities too varied to summarize, go to http://www.sci.edu/classes/ellertsen/dulcilinks.html.

Atonement Lutheran Church is at 2800 West Jefferson Avenue, on the left about a quarter mile west of Veterans Parkway on Illinois Route 97-125. Turn left at the first break in the median past the parkway; there's a florist's on the parking lot downill to the left and a short driveway leading up to the church parking lot on the right after you make the turn. The older part of the building is one story, and the new sanctuary is a taller structure behind it. There's a Swedish-looking bell tower in front of the older part of the church, where we meet.

• From the east: Take the Clear Lake-Madison Avenue connector from I-72 through town to West Jefferson. Continue on Jefferson past Veterans Parkway.
• From the north: From I-55, take Business Loop 55 (Peoria Road) to Veterans Parkway. Go west on Veterans part Ill. Rte. 29 to West Jefferson (Ill. 97-125). Turn right onto Jefferson westbound.
• From the south and west: From I-72, take Veterans Parkway north to Jefferson, turn left (west) onto Jefferson (Ill. 97-125) and turn left at the first turnoff. From Beardstown or Petersburg, take Ill. 97-125 eastbound to the outskirts of Springfield. The church will be on your right about halfway down the hill overlooking Veterans Parkway.

The contents of this page reflect the work and opinions of the faculty member who constructed it and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Springfield College in Illinois.