Recently, I met Lynn Wadley on a trip to Florida. Lynn is an avid collector of musical instruments. She also teaches herself to play them! This is an amazing hobby/avocation.
She seeks unusual instruments which catch her fancy. Lynn also teaches music.
She seeks unusual instruments which catch her fancy. Lynn also teaches music.
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In the photos above, Lynn is playing a zither (also called an autoharp today) and a mountain dulcimer. Lynn once met Jean Ritchie, the Appalachian dulcimer player and folk singer who made dulcimers famous among the hippies in the late 60's/early 70's. Here she is playing the mountain dulcimer in the traditional way - with a feather!
 This is a more modern dulcimer, made by hand by an expert builder. Lynn plays this one by picking individual notes and strumming chords. The sound from this dulcimer was incredible! |  |
The photo on the right shows Lynn playing a concertina. Lynn explained that learning to play this concertina was challenging. There are buttons on each end and pushing in (on the concertina) makes one note, pulling out makes another note (with the same button or buttons pressed). So it is complicated to play until you become adept at pushing and pulling while pressing buttons to create the proper melody. But, Lynn did manage to learn it and she performed very well.
Finally Lynn performed a song she wrote and a song written by The Berrymans with her guitar. Both were very good.
Finally Lynn performed a song she wrote and a song written by The Berrymans with her guitar. Both were very good.
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