concerts at work?

[a non-amos]

It appears we have a new corporate policy.  Jam sessions at lunch are allowed and encouraged.  These are extremely good for morale, better than many concerts at our local venues, and they have been organized by the guy sitting in the next cubicle.  Honest to God, I had no idea he was a concert pianist.  I like his work a lot.

Halfway through the performance I blanked out, and turned brain dead.  Melody was firmly in mind, but what harmonies?  J.S.B. to the rescue.  I made it up on the fly.  Although I am not a master of his work, I can learn from him.

- A

[rogue_mother]

I made it up on the fly. 
- A

If what I learned in music class was true, this is how baroque music was often done -- improvisation layered on a defined continuo. Bach to the future, eh?

[a non-amos]

In my book Bach has never gone out of style, after some 300+ years.  He will continue to be astounding to the end of all days.

Oh, wait . . . that's a week from tomorrow, isn't it?

Music class?  We did not have the cash for that.  We were baroque.

On a tangential topic regarding hamered dulcimer playing, there is a nasty rumor going around that I have been requested to represent the state of Virginia in the Nationals.

This rumor is inaccurate.  Virginia is not a state; it is a commonwealth.

[birdy]

So when are the Nationals?  And where?

[a non-amos]

Damned if I know.  Somewhere in Michigan.  I'm hoping it's not in the winter.  Been there, done that.  That's part of why we moved south.

I hope I can get time off for it, once I find out when and where it is.

As you can tell, I'm rather new at this.  I did not know there was a national competition.

[rogue_mother]

Michigan? I don't think so. Thanks to our friend Google, it appears that the National Hammered Dulcimer Championship is held at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. The 2013 contest will be held the week of September 18-23. This appears to be the principal informational page: Contests. The 2010 National Hammered Dulcimer Champion made this video about his experience. It will give you some idea of what to expect.

[a non-amos]

I will look into this a bit further.  RM, your link does not really state that the nationals are in KS.  Mark Yoder, the national champion, competed in KS and won.  I had already checked the Walnut Valley web site, to no avail.  They do not mention a national competition for hammered dulcimers.  Maybe I might need to send an email to Mark?  He seems like a nice guy (might respond).

It also appears that there are regional competitions.  I do not know where or when they are, but it sounds more reasonable to start at the regional level.  There is no way I could hope to compete at Mark Yoder's level.