Mitzie Collins (born August 29, 1941) is an interpreter of traditional

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and

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vocal and

instrumental music An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer t ...

. She has arranged songs, including Genesee County waltzes. Collins is a player of the dulcimer and other instruments, including the piano, organ, harpsichord, and banjo. As a recording and concert artist, she is best known for playing traditional music for the

hammered dulcimer The hammered dulcimer (also called the hammer dulcimer) is a percussion-string instrument which consists of String (music), strings typically stretched over a trapezoidal resonant sound board (music), sound board. The hammered dulcimer is set bef ...

. She is also one of the directors of the Striking Strings Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble, a large ensemble consisting entirely of hammered dulcimerists, who perform around Western New York. Some of her many albums are ''Ornaments—Music for Christmas'', ''Be Thou My Vision—Favorite Hymns for Dulcimer'' and ''St. Patrick's Day in the Morning—Music of Irish Inspiration''. For ten years, Collins hosted ''Sounds Like Fun'', a children's radio show on

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. Collins is president of Sampler Records Ltd. in

. She is also on the faculty of the

Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. Established in 1921 by celebrated industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman, it was the ...

, and she teaches several classes, including hammered dulcimer classes, at the Eastman Community Music School.

Discography

*''The Leaves of Life'' (1979) (folk songs and children's songs) (vinyl only, not on cd) *''Sounds Like Fun'' (folk songs, games, and poems for children) *''Scotland the Brave'' *''St. Patrick's Day in the Morning'' (with Roxanne Ziegler) *''White Dulcimer Christmas'' *''Nowell'' (with Roxanne Ziegler and Glennda Dove) *''Ornaments'' (with Roxanne Ziegler) *''Rejoice'' (with Roxanne Ziegler and Glennda Dove) *''By Thou My Vision'' (with Esther Kreek, Kinloch Nelson, and Glennda Dove) *''Traditional Irish Music'' (with William Sullivan)

References

External links

Faculty profile (Nazareth College)

Sampler Folk Music

American hammered dulcimer players Old-time musicians Eastman School of Music alumni Living people 1941 births {{US-classical-musician-stub