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NHCDS Annual Acoustic Music Retreat
December 30, 2022 - December 31, 2022
Please join NHCDS for the return of our Annual Dulcimer Retreat! This year, the retreat will be held on December 30th and 31st at the First Presbyterian Church of Sugar Land (502 Eldridge Rd. Sugarland TX 77478). We will have multiple rooms available for both slow and fast jamming or lessons. Please note that all instruments are welcome at all jam sessions. In addition to jamming, we will also have door prizes; a silent auction of a dulcimer, a mandolin, a homemade banjo, and an autoharp; a swap meet room; a square dance; and a couple of chances for people to showcase their individual talents! There are also nearby hotels for out-of-towners. NHCDS recommends Springhill Suites, 13434 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, 77478 and the Drury Inn and Suites, 13770 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land. Doors open at 9:00 each day and the cost is $10 per person or $20 for the entire family for the whole weekend.
Pre-register today by clicking on the button above and filling in the form. We will e-mail you updates as we get closer to the event! If you are interested in volunteering or leading a jam session, please e-mail info@nhcds.org and we’ll get you signed up!
Click here for a printable flyer with information about the event!
Our final schedule is below. There are some descriptions of the various jams below the schedule.
Friday December 30th
8:00 a.m. - Registration Opens
9:00 a.m. - Welcome Jam
10:00 a.m. - Mountain Dulcimer Jam & Pickin Stick Jam
11:00 a.m. - Hammered Dulcimer Jam
12:00 p.m. - Lunch in the Kitchen
1:00 p.m. - Ukulele Jam & "Fiddles from Scratch" workshop
2:00 p.m. - Beginner Slow Jam & Mandolin Jam
3:00 p.m. - ABC Jam
4:00 p.m. - Kitchen Sink Jam & Autoharp Jam
5:00 p.m. - Dinner on your own
7:00 p.m. - Evening Open Mic Concert
9:00 p.m. - Open Jamming
Saturday December 31st
8:00 a.m. - Breakfast on your own
9:00 a.m. - Irish Jam & Mandolin Jam
10:00 a.m. - Ukulele Jam
11:00 a.m. - Fiddle Jam
12:00 p.m. - Lunch in the Kitchen
1:00 p.m. - Cajun Jam
2:00 p.m. - Gospel Jam
3:00 p.m. - "Your Speed Jam"
4:00 p.m. - Square Dance
5:00 p.m. - Dinner on your own
7:00 p.m. - Evening Talent Showcase
9:00 p.m. - Open Jamming
Instrument Jams – Jam sessions that are titled with an instrument (ex: Fiddle, Mandolin, Ukulele, Dulcimer, etc) are simply led by someone playing that instrument. All are welcome to come and play along with music favored by that instrument.
Genre Jams – Jam sessions that are titled with a genre of music (ex: Cajun, Gospel, Irish) will focus on pieces in that genre of music.
Fiddles from Scratch – Ever wanted to learn how to play fiddle? This will be a workshop where Steve Bing will give some beginner lessons on playing fiddles. Fiddles can be provided for those who want to try it out!
ABC Jam – Test your knowledge of old time tunes! Tunes in this circle jam will be called out in alphabetical order.
Kitchen Sink Jam – Everything is an instrument and everyone is welcome! Bring keys, spoons, kitchen sinks, or anything you’d like to try out as an instrument.
Your Speed Jam – Have a tune that you want to try but need to play it faster/slower than it’s usually played? Come to this jam and a jam leader will play at whatever speed you’d like.
The current list of attendees is below. We hope to see you there!