Old Fashioned Christmas Concert and Caroling


Event Details

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Perkasie Mennonite Church and Patchwork Coffeehouse invite you to an Old-Fashioned Christmas on Sunday, December 16, at 3 pm. Music by the Tom and Betty Druckenmiller with Norm Williams; the Dulcimer Boys and the Kreider Family. Rob Yoder will lead the audience in a Christmas caroling. A prelude of holiday instrumental selections on classic guitar by Bert Coffman will begin at 2:40 pm.

Tom and Betty Druckenmiller play old-time music – the dance tunes, fiddle music and parlor songs that people used to entertain themselves and their neighbors before the time of recorded music or radio. Norm Williams is a performer/teacher of the mountain dulcimer who also plays guitar, banjo, ukulele, native flute and vocals. Old-Time Appalachian fiddle and gospel songs and tunes as well as other folk styles influence his playing and singing. He recently released his 1st solo recording entitled “…a wayfarer; songs of hope and encouragement.” All three have extensive performing and teaching backgrounds and they are co-chairs of the Maidencreek Old-Time Music Festival and Norm is co-chair of the Pocono Dulcimer Club Winter Dulcimer Festival. All three have taught at the Augusta Heritage Workshops in Elkins West Virginia and privately and Tom and Betty teach at Meadowood Music in Blandon PA. Tom produces and hosts In The Tradition on WDIY-FM in Allentown and the weekly nationally syndicated program The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.

The Kreider Family is from Lehigh county formed by Niko Kreider on cello and lead vocals, and backed by his parents Jay and Kim on mandolin, banjo, guitar, bass, and harmony vocals. Niko has been playing classical cello for over ten years, and began playing bluegrass and old-time music in high school. The addition of cello into traditional music is what gives the group its distinctive sound. Some of the biggest musical influences include Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Tony Rice, and Crooked Still. Niko is currently studying at WVU, and is learning from some of the best musicians in West Virginia.

The Dulcimer Boys are Norm Williams (vocals, mountain dulcimer, banjo, guitar, and ukulele), Cliff Cole (hammered dulcimer, guitar, and percussion), and Rob Yoder (vocals, guitar, concertina, mountain dulcimer, and bodhrán). Norm, a member of the Old-Time and Gospel group, Wayfarers & Company, joins two members of the traditional music group DayBreak to form this harmonious offshoot.

Bert Coffman has been performing folk, country, gospel, popular and original music on multiple stringed instruments for more years than he cares to remember. He has played at Patchwork Coffeehouse as a member of Unsafe At Any Speed quartet and more recently the Brush Brothers trio. This afternoon he will be playing familiar holiday instrumental selections on classic guitar.

A free-will offering will benefit the ministries of Perkasie Mennonite Church. You can also drop off donations of non-perishable food to be donated to Pennridge FISH, our local food pantry.

Enjoy coffee and homemade cookies with us following the concert.

Christmas concert flyer