For promotional photos of Neal, click here.
Biography
Neal Hellman, nationally acclaimed performer and teacher of the mountain dulcimer, has been active in performing, writing, teaching, and recording acoustic music for the past 25 years throughout the United States, Europe and New Zealand.
Neal’s latest recording, Emma’s Waltz, is a colorful dance through traditional and contemporary acoustic music styles. Featuring seventeen different musicians playing compositions from Ireland, Scotland, Finland, America and France.
Neal's other recordings include: Autumn In the Valley, Dream of the Manatee (with Joe Weed) and Oktober County , all on the Gourd Music label. Dirty Linen wrote of Oktober County “the material is first-rate and the musicianship is flawless;” and the Santa Cruz Sentinel said Dream of the Manatee is “just plain beautiful music. The San Jose Mercury wrote “Autumn In the Valley is well-played and impeccable engineered."
In collaboration with Joe Weed, Neal wrote the score for Princess Furball, a children's video by Weston Woods which won a 1993 American Library Association Commendation.
He is the author of many books on the Appalachian dulcimer, including Celtic Songs & Slow Airs for Mountain Dulcimer, The Dulcimer Chord Book, The Hal Leonard Dulcimer Method, Beatles Dulcimer Book and The Music of the Shakers For Mountain Dulcimer on Mel Bay and Hal Leonard Publications.
As founder, director and one of the primary artists of the Gourd Music record label, Neal has produced over thirty five albums, including Simple Gifts, Tree of Life, The Fairie Round, Tender Shepherd, The World Turned Upside Down and Celtic Sessions, creating a uniquely distinctive sound, featuring a variety of acoustic instrumental ensembles, rich in texture and tonal color. Gourd recordings were acclaimed by InMusic, the Schwann Catalog's journal of new releases, as “on the forefront of the new acoustic music movement ... well written, expertly performed, masterfully produced, and carefully manufactured.”
As a teacher, Neal is regularly paid the greatest compliment possible: his festival workshops are invariably crowded with students, old and new, who appreciate his clear instructional style, varied and original repertoire, and enthusiasm for his instrument.
Click to hear a clip of Durango.
Click to hear a clip of Bianco Fiore.
Click to hear a clip of Canarios.
Click to hear a clip of Emma's Waltz.
1) Swedish & Finnish Music on the Dulcimer: (Intermediate-Advanced).
The Swedish compositions will be in D-A-C and the melody will be played on one string. However they will require an ability to execute hammers, pull offs, and slides quickly and succinctly.We will explore the traditional Swedish pipe tune Sackpiplat, a contemporary Swedish tune Konvulsionslaten by Anders Norudde.
From Finland we will learn a polka Finnish Polka (D-A-D but the tune is in Bm)and a waltz: Emma’s Waltz (D-A-D capo on 1st. fret).These have a wonderful feel to them a represent quite a departure from the traditional Irish and American tunes.
2) Celtic Ballads For The Dulcimer: (Intermediate) Though its not a traditional Irish instrument the Mt Dulcimer lends itself perfectly to Irish music. In this workshop the student will learn how to utilize the dulcimer in a classic Irish ballad such as A Stór Mo Chroí and Ye Banks & Braes.
Playing the melody of each composition will be illustrated as well. Utilizing chords to both back up the voice as well as to add tone coloring and texture will also be emphasized.
3) Shaker Music for the Dulcimer: (Intermediate) The American Shakers made music an integral part of their daily lives and worship, from lively dance tunes and marches to reverent hymns. Selections include pieces as played on dulcimer from the albums Simple Gifts and Tree of Life: Love is Little, Tree of Life, Back Manner Tunes, I Will Walk With My Children, etc. The wonderful thing about Shaker music is that it has roots both in Europe (Celtic, English, Scottish) and Appalachia. The technique involved in arranging and playing these compositions will be covered as well as the repertoire.
Note: I teach two differant Shaker workshops: Workshop I - Instrumental Shaker Music. Workshop II - Songs of the Shakers.
4) Aeolian Mode for Beginners: (Beginner) Students will tune to the Aeolian mode of D (C-A-D- where D is the bass string). This is both a simple and rewarding workshop. Students will be taught basic melodies as well as how to utilize the dulcimer to back up the voice. Selections include The Moon Shines Bright, The Cuckoo, Goddesses, and Nonesuch.
5) Contemporary Dulcimer Technique: (Intermediate-Advanced)
Neal will illustrate his style of dulcimer technique by teaching some of his own compositions he has written for the dulcimer.
In this workshop we will explore changing modes and keys without retuning as well as hammers, pulls, slides and other embellishments.
The student will learn how to play in G, Em, Bm, D and Am all in the D-A-D tuning. Utilizing the dulcimer as a percussive instrument will be taught as well. Neal will also illustrate the styles of Joni Mitchell and Richard Fariña.
6) Italian Music For The Dulcimer: (Intermediate) Ancient and Renaissance music of Italy for the dulcimer. Slow Airs, Laudas (Church Music of the 12th Century) and dance tunes. Selections include dance music such as El Tutu and Bianca Fiore and slow airs such as Lauda di Maria Maddelena and Lauda di Molino.
7) Funky Fifties Dulcimer: (Intermediate) In this workshop the student will learn the “funky-fifties-flemenco” strum, which will enable them to have big fun playing the classic fifties and sixties ballads.
A basic fifties chord progression will be illustrated as well. Tunes include Last Kiss, Dream, Dream Dream, Runaway, Save the Last Dance for Me as well as as some selections by The Beatles.
Last Update: August, 2008
