JCCFS: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background in your medium. How did you get started? 

TS: Music’s been my passion since childhood. I started off with piano, then explored flute, ukulele, guitar, and pennywhistle. Around 35 years ago, the hammered dulcimer took center stage in my solo performances. My 26-year teaching journey spans 5th grade, high school English, and K-12 music. I’ve crafted 15 CDs with Pine Wind Music and collaborating with parks for unique store offerings. Rooted in practical music theory, I believe in the accessible magic of scales and chords. Music, for me, is an expressive tapestry—nature, spirituality (as a Christian), emotions, narratives, and individuality. The hammered dulcimer’s versatility, whether in a group or solo setting, resonates as a profound musical expression.

JCCFS: What can students expect to leave your class with?

TS: A ‘comfort zone’ of actual playing that includes some great tunes, some simple arrangements, some piano-like arranging patterns, some good ‘body language’ practices, some new personal dreams for music-making, and a solid foundation of knowledge of how music works on the dulcimer.

JCCFS: Tell us more about your class’s specific technique or process.

TS: I build a beginner-friendly foundation using visually intuitive shapes for scales and chords. My method employs a separated-hands technique, transitioning from single notes to harmonies effortlessly. I teach creating engaging patterns with hammers, encouraging playful exploration. Familiar tunes enhance musical enjoyment throughout the learning journey.

JCCFS: What do you enjoy most about teaching?

TS: To see someone light up with a realization that they’ve crossed a threshold into a new accomplishment, especially in the areas of technique and expression that thrills their own soul!

JCCFS: What attracted you to the Folk School? What are you most excited about for your first time teaching here? 

TS: I’d heard wonderful things about the school for several decades and had planned to contact people about coming, but never got around to it until they contacted me last year.

JCCFS: Where do you draw inspiration from for your work? 

TS: Nature, the Appalachians, old shape-note hymns, Classical music, the feeling I get when something I play actually thrills my own soul in one way or another, and I hope that others can receive that same thrill in some way.

JCCFS: What’s one thing you’ve made recently that you are proud of, and why? 

TS: Recorded tracks in my studio or at Spruce Knob, WV, that can be shared with others.

JCCFS: What tips would you give an aspiring dulcimer player? Anything you wish you knew as a student? 

TS: On the dulcimer, find the shapes and patterns and how they relate to the combinations of sounds.

JCCFS: Where can folks find you if they want to stay up to date on your work?

TS: timothyseaman.com; Youtube @timothyseaman; Facebook timothy.seaman.9 

JCCFS: Anything else we should know about your, your class, or your practice? 

TS: I’m comfortable with noise, reveling in dynamic play and urging students to explore it. I highlight two playing styles: performing for a group or creating within a personal space that others can share in.