What's New
(updated June 29, 2010):

NEW OLD-TIME FIDDLE STYLE BOOK/CD SET AVAILABLE NOW!
Ken's collection of 35 Traditional Appalachian Tunes, complete with written music, bowing systems and recordings of each tune at three speeds, this collection is great for anyone who wants to learn old-time fiddle style music. While the book is geared toward fiddlers, the recorded tunes are a great resource for learning on any instrument. For more information and to order your copy, visit the Books page in the Merchandise section.

Helicon fans:
Tickets not used due to weather at last year's Winter Solstice Concert may be used for the 25th Winter Solstice Concert in December of 2010. If you chose this option, please keep your ticket - we do also have records of who purchased tickets

NEW TUNE ARRANGEMENTS.
Check this periodically as I post tunes from time to time usually as PDFs and midi files. Please take a look and download them if you would like.

NEW FIDDLE TUNES CD AVAILABLE NOW.
The response has been great to this project. I have recorded 35 old time tunes played very slowly and simply, then at a modest tempo (typically with chords, drones and other ornamentations), and finally up-to-tempo. Included on the double-CD are PDFs of the tunes, with bowings (and the chord progressions). I also add comments concerning stylistic issues. A detailed description of old-time playing technique is also provided. Please go to the new page devoted to this project!

LESSONS, DISTANCE LESSONS and STRUCTURED JAM.
I currently have about 70 active fiddle and hammered dulcimer students. I also decided that I can start up distance lessons again for both fiddle and dulcimer. Please go to the lessons page. I can easily record MP3s and Windows Media files directly to my computer. Email me if you are interested. Due to the high demand of lessons, I have put structured jams on hold. I still hope to get them going again eventually.

FIVE instructional CDs are available
(see INSTRUCTION CDs page). In general, the volume II series use more advanced tunes and some slightly more advanced techniques. Still, there should be plenty there for advanced beginners right on up to the most experienced players. So far, about 1500 copies of the CDs have sold. I've written out many of the tunes with full arrangements (see (TUNE ARRANGEMENTS page for periodic updates). For the Christmas arranging CD, I have included full arrangements on the CD as PDFs and Word files. Click here for more information.

JOURNEY TO THE HEARTLAND (Maggie's Music MM231) has been reviewed by The Washington Post, Sing Out, Dirty Linen, Celtic Beat, the Potomac Valley Fiddleclub and many others. See my merchandise page for ordering information, and listen to selected tracks on my sound samples page. I play fiddle and dulcimer on this recording of Appalachian, French Canadian, Scottish/Irish music and originals.My friends, musicians Robin Bullock, Laura Risk, Elke Baker, and Paddy League join me on the recording. I am thrilled to join the Maggie's Music roster. Maggie's Music is an award winning independent label with over 50 recordings distributed world wide (www.maggiesmusic.com).

"NO EXCUSES, JUST PLAY" T-shirts.
Collected from many years of teaching, just as a joke, I asked Cindy Ribet to design a t-shirt of excuses. Much to my surprise, they have been extremely popular. I have them in 5 colors and all sizes. Look at the merchandise page.

BACK-UP AND APPLIED CHORD THEORY BOOK.
I have written about 70% of it but I have put this on the back of the back-burner.

WEEKLONG WORKSHOP AT SANDBRIDGE, VA
in late September and early October was expanded to two weeks. Contact me if you are interested in future ones.

MONTHLY JAMS.
My monthly "structured jams" for advanced beginners and intermediates are on hold until further notice.

Credit card purchases available through PAY PAL on the "Merchandise" page.

Samples and full MP3s (and youtube video links) are available on the "Merchandise" page.


"Without a doubt, Ken Kolodner is one of the hammer dulcimer's top exponents, playing with a dexterity which would stun many a would-be hammerer." —Folk Tales Magazine

"When Ken Kolodner plays the hammered dulcimer, something special happens; he makes it sing...inspiring...a tremendous musician..." —Irish Edition

Ken performing "Columbito Tecumano" (with dampers), October, 2007 in Sandbridge, VA

As a major part of the rebirth of the hammered dulcimer in the US, Ken is recognized as one of "one of today's most accomplished, musical hammered dulcimer artists... A hammered dulcimer player of great taste and sophistication," (Elderly). Viewed by many players as one of the most influential player in the United States, Ken is widely known for an expressive and improvisational style and for creative ensemble playing. has been described as "nothing short of astonishing" (The Connection), "outstanding" (The New York Times), "marvelous" (The Washington Post) and "virtuosic" (Audio) and "stunning in its musicality" (Dulcimer Player News) and "not to be missed" (USA TODAY). And Folk Tales Magazine writes, "�without a doubt, Ken Kolodner is one of the hammered dulcimer's top exponents, playing with a dexterity which would stun many a would-be hammerer." His extensive repertoire ranges from traditional music of Ireland, Quebec and Appalachia to music from over 20 countries from around the world. With Helicon (with Chris Norman and Robin Bullock) and Greenfire (with Laura Risk) and in solo performance, with Baltimore as his home base, Ken has toured extensively throughout North America and Europe and has taught at countless festivals and music camps. Adding to his recognition as a hammered player, in more recent years, Ken has become very widely regarded as an accomplished Old-time fiddler.

He has been featured in nationally broadcast concerts on NPR, All Things Considered, German National Radio, on the CBC, and on the Voice of America. His credits include 10 recordings with total sales over 100,000 copies, 5 instructional recordings for hammered dulcimer, one instructional recording for old time fiddle, three books, an Emmy-nominated CBS-TV Christmas special as featured soloist, a 1997 recording with sales of over 50,000 (Walking Stones) which also hit the top of the World Music charts and was a top seller for BMG in their Classical/World Music category, a 2000 recording with Helicon that won an “Indie” for Best Seasonal Recording and a 2005 recording on Maggie's Music called Journey to the Heartland.

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