Linda Brockinton has been playing music since age eleven. A flute major in college, she became accomplished and played with the Arkansas Symphony, during its inception years of the late 60s. While Linda always dreamed of being a music teacher, she put that dream on the back burner to raise her children. In the late 80s, she took up the mountain dulcimer. Linda had the desire to become proficient enough to teach others how to play.
Linda won the Southern Regional Dulcimer Championship in 1999 and was the first woman to win the National Mountain Dulcimer Championship in 2001. Since then, she has been teaching around the country at dulcimer, folk and Irish festivals. Linda is also available for club workshops.
Linda teaches private flute and dulcimer lessons in her home and is now offering more concentrated periods of teaching, which are one-on-one, for 5 to 10 days. If interested, contact Linda for pricing and scheduling. She prefers the softer side of the dulcimer, with her favorite music being Celtic, hymns and folk/old time. Linda writes many pieces with multi-parts for playing by small, intimate groups. Her preferred style of playing the dulcimer is finger picking. She has written a variety of instructional books for the dulcimer and recorded 8 CDs.
The word dulcimer comes from the Latin words “dulce melos,” which means “sweet sound” Many folks feel the dulcimer is the most peaceful of all instruments.
Linda is also a poet and songwriter. Here are her feelings on music:
THE WONDER OF MUSIC
© Linda Brockinton
A melody swirls in my head
Accompanied with words
And harmonies and phrases,
Music silently heard.
Full of pulses and rhythms
Keeping time with my heart
Drawing from my soul
In the deepest parts.
In my music is hidden
Love, joys and stress
Disappointments, trials,
Sadness and happiness.
For others I begin to play
My emotions concealed
And through the wonder of music
You will feel what I feel.
Here is the wonder of music
I want you to see
The gift that I give you
Is a part of me.