I was introduced to the wonderful world of dulcimers when my mom, dad, brother, and I took a family outing to Music Folk, a music store in Webster Groves, Missouri. Our original motive for going was to buy a couple harmonicas and look around. While my brother and I were looking at the harmonicas with our dad, my mom had wandered into another room. She came back to get me saying, “Sam, you have to see this.” When I entered the room, there were stands with these trapezoid-shaped boxes of wood with strings on them: dulcimers. A man came out from behind the counter and showed my mother and me how to play them. I thought they were the coolest things I had ever seen. I fell in love!

On my eighth birthday during a family party, I heard my brother whisper to my mom, “When are we going to give it to her?” I anxiously wondered what was coming. After dinner, my mom led me into the living room with my eyes covered. When she took her hands off my eyes, everyone shouted, “Surprise!” It was a hammered dulcimer. I was so excited! My uncle told me to play a song. So, I picked up the hammers and while trying to see between all those strings, I picked out “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” At that moment, I knew this was going to be a BIG part or my life.

I was on a waiting list for lessons for awhile – about 6 months – so I just fiddled around with it and picked out songs. Finally, in October, I started lessons on Monday nights up at Music Folk.

I think the first time I played in front of people was at a talent show in 2nd grade. It was nerve-racking, but everyone loved it. One of the good things about the dulcimer is that most people don’t know what you’re playing, so if you mess up, they don’t know it even happened!

My parents and I would go to listen to my teacher and his band play at Imo’s Pizzeria. I remember one evening in particular. At the beginning of the second set, my teacher said, “Now, just to show you how easy this instrument is to play, I’d like to introduce you to my student, Samantha.” He motioned me up to the “stage” and gave me a pair of his hammers. There was a problem, though. I was too short to reach. It took about 5 minutes for them to find something for me to stand on, but some people from the kitchen finally brought in a plastic milk crate for me to stand on. It’s really hard to keep your balance when you’re standing on a milk crate and your knees are shaking!

The band called out, “What should we play?” “Ragtime Annie” was the reply and we played away. The applause was astonishing. I was so overwhelmed with joy; I couldn’t speak – only smile. It was a great experience.

My teacher and his band were playing on stage at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis. I was sitting in the audience with my mom and dad when he called out, “Now, just to show you how easy this really is, I’m going to pick someone out of the audience. How about you?” He pointed to me, and I pretended I had no idea what was going on. “Now, little girl, what’s your name?” I responded, and then proceeded to the stage and stood near the dulcimer. He played a line of a song and then asked me, “Can you play that back for me?” I nodded and did. He played the next line, and I repeated that as well and then broke out into the rest of the song. Everyone was stunned. The prank had obviously gone over well, but he confessed to the set up after I left the stage.

I’ve been in quite a few competitions. My first contest was in Mountain View, Arkansas – the Southern Regional Competition. It was 1996, and I had been playing for 3 years. I played my first 2 songs with an accompanist on guitar and waited to see if I had made the cut – only 5 do. Happily, I received fifth place. In 1998, I got second, as well as 1999. In 1998, I went to Winfield, Kansas for the national competition. That year I made the cut – which is an honor in itself. No trophy, but I tied for fourth place with my dulcimer teacher! In 1999, I won First Place in the Southern Regional competition in April. I then competed in The Great River Road Festival – and also won first place. Then, at the National Competition in September 1999, I won the Third Place trophy. In September 2000, I took Second Place honors. I’m still aiming for that first place honor!

There are lots of folk music festivals every year. These events are always packed with fun. There are so many people there that you may have never considered getting to know, but you find that you share one special thing with every person there – your music. There are vendors and workshops as well as concerts and jam sessions. Some jam sessions last till the wee hours of the morning! It’s great. I love to share music with people because, when you think about it, it’s a universal language. Almost every culture has some type of music, and it’s always fun to share it with others.

I’ve been sharing my music around the St. Louis area: holiday parties, concerts, Masses, the Daniel Boone home, bookstores, the Blue Owl restaurant in Kimmswick, and many more places. I’m always asked, “What do you call that?” But it’s a pleasure to answer because not too many people know what a hammered dulcimer is, and I feel the more people I can tell about it, the better known it will be.

My first CD was officially released on January 30, 2001. I had been working on it for two years, and it was well worth the wait. It is called “Cow Spots”. Quite an odd name? Well, the title is actually named after a song that I wrote and is featured on the CD. I came up with the title when contemplating a name over a frozen cappuccino at Einstein’s Bagels. While we were looking out the window, a car pulled up with purple, cow-spotted seat covers inside. The name stuck. The CD has a lot of different kinds of music on it along with a couple original pieces. I wrote three of the songs, “Cow Spots,” “Bethany’s Winter,“ and “Krooked Sam.” The hammered dulcimer is not the only instrument featured on the recording. Many fine local musicians were playing back up: Rick Thum on guitar, Mike Tiefenbrun on bass, Erica Randolph on flute, Linda Smith on flute and cello, Carole Bryan on dulcimer and banjo, and myself on dulcimer and fiddle. It’s a great mix, and sometimes I listen to it and can’t believe it’s actually me playing!

A CD release party and concert was held at the Sheldon Concert Hall in their Notes From Home series. KDHX Community Radio has my CD in their music library and the DJ’s have been featuring cuts in various programs. I was invited to be on KSDK’s Show Me St. Louis on January 26, 2001 to promote my CD and concert.

Music is a major part of my life, and now that I’m a junior at Washington University in St. Louis, it’s also a “major” part of my education! I’m a student at the Olin School of Business and majoring in accounting, international business, as well as general music. I’m continuing my involvement in folk music with the dulcimer and fiddle, and look forward to new adventures playing traditional music, maybe abroad someday!

A new CD is on the drawing board and I’m squeezing the time into my schedule bit by bit!

I cherish my time making music. It’s like being part of a completely different world – indescribable. Everyone is so welcoming and praising. It’s a place where people might not have anything else in common, but music bonds them together. I would advise everyone to do something music-related. It’s a wonderful experience. But, warning . . .it’s addictive.