HOWLAND — Township resident Margie Timko said she has had a dulcimer instrument at her home since the 1980s and had never learned to play it, so when she heard the Dulcimer Society of Trumbull County found a new location for their meetings at the Howland SCOPE Center, she decided to attend a group gathering.

The Dulcimer Society of Trumbull County is a small group of dulcimer players (mountain and hammered), other acoustic instrumentalists and singers who get together 6 to 8 p.m. the second Friday of each month at Howland SCOPE Center to share music.

Instruments that have been played at the meetings include dulcimers (mountain and hammered), autoharps, guitars (6 and 12 strings), recorders, whistles, harmonicas, banjos, mandolins, fiddles, jugs and percussion.

Salem resident Bill Schilling, who also is involved with the Dulci-More, Folk and Traditional Musicians group in Salem, was with the Trumbull County group as they held their first gathering in December at the Howland SCOPE Center.

Warren resident Rosemary Jennings said the musical groups focus on any acoustical instruments.

“Anyone interested we can help them get started. They can come and play or they can come and ask questions or come and sit and listen if they want. We meet to learn, promote the instruments and to play music together,” Jennings said.

Over the years, the Trumbull group has met at Kent State University at Trumbull, Eastside Church of God and the First United Methodist Church in Warren, which closed its doors.

“There are people who have dulcimers who want to learn how to play them. Others come just to listen to us play the music,” Jennings said.

She said the dulcimer has a different diatonic scale than a guitar.

“It is a ‘Do-Re-Mi’ type instrument that is easy to pick up and learn to play. It is a quiet instrument whose sound is calming,” Jennings said.

Schilling, who organized the group, is very active with the Salem-area group that often performs, including on Memorial Day weekend at the Boy Scout Camp in Lisbon.

Jennings said the Trumbull group is much smaller, but once in awhile will perform at a church or an event.

“Now that we are at a new location, we want to get more involved in the community,” she said.

People can bring their own instruments or some will be provided.

Bristol resident Bob Temple, who has been playing for more than 30 years, said he uses an auto harp while his wife plays the dulcimer.

Temple said it would be nice to get new members and be able to have more community events.

Schilling said having more members would allow for performances at festivals.

“It is nice to have local place to come to and play. I want to learn to play. The first time I tried to play it was a long time ago, so this is all new to me,” Timko said.

Jennings and Schilling said the group can provide instruction so everyone learns about the instrument together.

Schilling said with the closing of the previous meeting place at the end of September, members needed to find a new location. The club was at the First United Methodist Church site from 2002 to 2019 and was dormant for a time before that.

For information, call 234-564-3852 or bill@billschilling.org.

In Salem, the Dulci-More: Folk and Traditional Musicians club that formed in January 1993 began as a way for people who enjoy folk-style music to share it with others.

The club meets at 7 p.m. first and third Tuesdays at the First United Methodist Church of Salem, 244 S. Broadway. All levels of acoustic instrumentalists and singers are always welcome at the meetings to jam, learn, listen or perform.

“Most members stay until at least 9 p.m., but many members regularly stay much later. Some come later when they need to. People should feel free to come and go as needed without disturbing the group,” Schilling said.

That group, which has more than 100 members did several concerts in 2019.

Schilling said Dulci-More has averaged over two performances per month for civic groups, nursing homes, churches, schools, coffee houses, festivals and others, including opening for Bill Staines at the Morley Performing Arts Pavilion in Mill Creek Park in summer 1996.

The club has also been involved in an autoharp recording project for the Stephen Foster Museum in Pittsburgh and others.