Tamarack Bowed Psaltry Symphony this past weekend.

[mutepointe]

http://www.westmaninstruments.com/Psalt ... _2012.html

We got to attend the symphony at the invitation of a Mom whose son was performing. They combined a children's beginners group with adults very well, so that Twinkle, Twinkle started out basic but grew and grew and grew until the audience got to sing. They did a moonlight sonota in multiple pieces that pulled this song off like a solotarily piano could never achieve. They even had a guest acoustic guitar, electric bass, harp, and cymbols to pull out the song. There were four different sizes of psaltries and about 50 people playing. They deserved the word Symphony. Blending was their middle name.

[robert schuler]

The bowed psaltery is a fun instrument. I build them... I got 5 keeping watch over my computer. Sometimes when I have trouble working out a tune from a recording the psaltery is just the instrument to figure it out. They sound better played together with other psalteries... Bob.

[mutepointe]

They explained that this symphony of about 50 players has kept growing. They're from as far away states like Kansas, Iowa, and New Jersey. I forget the actual states. Most of the folks were from Beckley, WV and WV in general. The conductor picks a theme every year, someone arranges the parts, sends them out to all the members who practice in their own home and decide amongst themselves what they can/can't achieve and then only a week before the concert meet in Beckley to practice as a group. It's amateur but it's good amateur. You can tell they're in it to have fun.

[Tim2723]

I regret that I didn't get to attend. Donna who runs the psalterstrings site is very dedicated and a dear friend. Oh well, maybe next year. But congrats to her and all those who are working to bring the bowed psaltery to the conscience of the music world.