Ma-K, one more little remembrance, following the discussion back-along in the thread, about letting kids handle the dulcimer/dulcimore... Several teachers have told me they do this, but one was outstanding. She worked with autistic and otherwise-disturbed children, and so did very, very simple games and songs with them; even so, she could get only about half of them to take part in any activity. One day she brought her new dulcimer in for the first time, played for them for awhile, then left it lying on a bench against the wall while she got the kids on the floor for a game. As the game went on, she noticed a little boy, the least cooperative of the whole group, bent over the dulcimer with ear down close to the strings, strumming softly and smiling. She continued the game, and in a little while the boy, eyes shining, walked over and got into the ring!

She wondered at this, and every day repeated her routine of playing the dulcimer, then leaving it on the bench. And one by one, each of the kids who never wanted to take part in anything, day by day each slipped over to the instrument and had his/her turn... they all reacted differently, of course, but she was sure that for most of them, that experience and success with strumming the dulcimer (maybe playing a tune that only that child knew!)was an important turning point in their lives.

I guess any instrument would work this wonder, but I think that we'd be less happy about leaving an expensive guitar or violin or cello on that bench; also, it's so easy to make a recognizable tune on the dulcimer- that's what thrilled these children- "I-I--I PLAYED A TUNE!" Jean