Seattle Dulcimer

Mountain Dulcimer Lessons and Books Mountain dulcimer teacher Susan Howell spent her childhood years in Marin County and her musical interests developed early. She was a singer in the San Francisco Children’s Opera for 9 years and can still, at the drop of a hat, sing most of the songs from the Broadway musicals of the 50’s and 60’s.  She acquired her first dulcimer in 1976 and attended the second year of the Pacific Rim Dulcimer Festival, known as Kindred Gathering II. She met her husband, Niels Andersen at Kindred Gathering X and they have been "instrumental" in organizing this weekend of dulcimerrie each summer since then. Susan has taught at Appalachian State Dulcimer Playing Workshop (Boone), Claremont Folk Festival, the Harvest Festival of Dulcimers, the Pacific Rim Gathering, and Northwest Folklife. Susan also attends as many music camps as possible and is fond of playing swing tunes from the 1930’s on the guitar and ukulele as well. She and Niels published a book in 1994 entitled Dulcimer Accompaniments For Swing And Other Popular Tunes. In 2002 at the request of her students, Susan put together a collection of her arrangements and called it Favorite Tunes on the Mountain Dulcimer. The mountain dulcimer is also known as the fretted dulcimer, the lap dulcimer and the Appalachian dulcimer.

Mountain Dulcimer Lessons in Seattle

All levels, all styles: traditional folk music, song accompaniment, swing tunes, and more. Students from Seattle, Shoreline, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, or anywhere on the eastside or in the Puget Sound region are welcomed. For lessons held in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle, contact Susan@seattledulcimer.com, or consider Appalachian dulcimer classes at Dusty Strings in Fremont.

Ukulele Lessons in Seattle

Beginning ukulele students are also welcomed. Even if you have never played a string instrument and don't know how to tune it, I will get you started on the right path.

Teaching Style/Philosophy:

I'm flexible. Some people play totally by ear, some prefer TAB or musical notation. I can teach any of these, or a combination. I'm equally at home with the traditional repertoire of the mountain dulcimer and the use of it as an accompaniment instrument.

Call Susan Howell at 206/781-1964 or email Susan@seattledulcimer.com.