Ringgold’s Rustic Rhythms preserving music heritage, traditions
Celeste Van Kirk/O-R Rustic Rhythms members Judy Founds, center, and Ashlea Ramaglia rehearse at Ringgold Middle School.
Celeste Van Kirk/O-R Judy Forsythe, right, instructs Ashlea Ramaglia on the hammered dulcimer during a Rustic Rhythms rehearsal.
Sarah Middlemiss, right, and Ashlea Ramaglia play the harp for Rustic Rhythms. Celeste Van Kirk/O-R
When retired U.S. Army and Ringgold School District nurse Kris Patrick was in the former Donora High School band, she played clarinet and remembers those daily after-school practice sessions.
But for the past three years, Patrick has adopted a new instrument and readily admits, laughing, “as I look back, I never practiced this much.”
“Never practiced this much” refers to her hammered dulcimer, which she plays during weekly two-hour, after-school practice sessions every Monday at Ringgold Middle School in Finleyville as a member of Rustic Rhythms, a 3-year old string band club under the supervision of Ringgold Middle School choral teacher Melanie Sandrock.
Patrick’s hammered dulcimer is but one of a number of string instruments, including the mountain dulcimer, bowed psaltery, guitar, mandolin, folk harp, banjo, double bass, upright bass, and marimbula that make up the band. With some 20 members ranging from fourth-graders to high school students to retired adults from the community, Sandrock, who also teaches guitar and Celtic harp, credits RMS principal Mark Alberta with introducing her to the possibility of a string band.
“Mr. Alberta’s son attends Wilson Christian Academy (in West Mifflin),” Sandrock said. “They had a string band, and he heard them at their open house and thought our students would enjoy and benefit from a similar program. He asked if we could do this at Ringgold Middle School, and we introduced the idea to our students, and it took off. It’s been a huge success.
“This music and these instruments are a part of the history of our part of the world. We have to teach our students about the heritage and traditions of these instruments and music to preserve both for future generations.”
Tuition is $10 per week for lessons – “probably the best $10 you could spend in a week,” says Sandrock – and there is always room for another player.
But it’s not all work and no play. Rustic Rhythms has been featured in various area performances, including opening for the Virginia Luthiers, a bluegrass band from Virginia, at a concert in South Park; the middle school Christmas show; Pleasant Hills Farmers Market; area churches, and at a local bookstore fundraiser in which patrons’ donations went to purchase new equipment.
But perhaps the Rustic Rhythms’ biggest achievement occurred in September at the Ligonier Highland Games, where the band received a first-place award with a perfect competition score from Sue Richards, a musician, composer, teacher and program judge from Ashville, N.C.
“Ringgold Middle School is just an amazing program,” Richards said, recalling Rustic Rhythms’ performance.
Summing up the Rustic Rhythms program, Sandrock, in her 40th year in the Ringgold district, said, “They play mountain music, gospel and lots of bluegrass music. They play Scottish and Irish music. To put it simply … they play fun music.”
After retiring as a school nurse, Patrick joined her grandson, Ethan Gamble, in the group.
“My particular hammered dulcimer is called a 16/15 (16 courses of strings on the treble bridge, 15 courses on the bass bridge),” Patrick said, noting there are different hammered dulcimers. “It sits on a wooden stand and is an interesting instrument to learn. Once you learn the location of the notes, it’s easy to play. Learn the scales and one can literally play it almost immediately. I love the way it sounds. It has a magical, captivating sound.”
Patrick added, “We settled on a name for our group due to the nature of the instruments, and the name is a perfect fit. Everyone is enthusiastic and willing to learn. It is definitely a lot of fun, and the kids and adults love this.”
Her grandson, Ethan, an eighth-grader, took a different route to the group. He discovered a dulcimer under his grandmother’s bed and began playing it “until I broke a string,” he chuckled. “Then I found out about the string band, joined, and bought another mountain dulcimer.” He also plays the guitar, piano, and ukulele.
Smaller than the hammered dulcimer, which has 60 to 70 strings, Gamble’s mountain dulcimer has four strings and a different, softer sound.
“I play both,” Gamble added. “I started on the mountain, which sits on one’s lap and is played horizontally, and prefer it.
“I enjoy my instrument and the group, and this group has changed my entire musical experience. I had no idea about this music until I became part of the group, and it has opened my field to different instruments and music. This is old-time Appalachian music and is exciting to play.”
To provide expert instruction for the group, Sandrock enlisted the support of Butler-area mountain music instructor Brett Ridgeway.
“I have worked with other string band clubs, but this group is the most talented and enthusiastic,” Ridgeway said. “They are excited because they are playing instruments other people do not consider cool and because they are keeping traditions alive regarding the hammered dulcimer and mountain dulcimer.
“There are only two true American instruments – the five-string banjo and the mountain dulcimer – which are part of our history and heritage, and the group is working to preserve those traditions.”