BIOGRAPHY

Originally from northeastern New Jersey, Robert Wadsworth has lived in central Virginia since 1984. He has had a life-long avocational interest in music, and has been playing acoustic guitar since adolescence. Hiis musical training began at age 7, and he has received formal instruction in piano, cello, guitar, and pipe organ,

Bob began playing the hammered dulcimer in 1998, and it quickly became his instrument of choice. Although he has taken workshops from many nationally-known hammered dulcimer players, he is primarily self-taught on the instrument. He has played regularly in old-time fiddle-tune jam sessions since starting the instrument, helping him to acquire speed and fluidity early in his development as a player. After acquiring a larger, chromatic instrument, he began working up an eclectic repertoire of solo arrangements, and he is continually adding to that repertoire. Because he has not modeled his playing after any other one hammered dulcimer player, he has developed an individual style on the instrument which is varied, harmonically rich, musical, and sometimes evocative of other instruments. In addition to hammered dulcimer, he plays acoustic guitar and bowed psaltery on recordings and in public performances.

When not pursuing musical interests, Bob maintains a full-time "day job:" private practice as a clinical psychologist (click on www.meridianhelp.com). His wife, Mary Ellen, is a soprano with the Richmond Symphony Chorus (click on www.richmondsymphony.com/chorus.asp), and when her time permits, he accompanies and harmonizes with her on covers of contemporary folk songs. His daughter is a dedicated elementary school teacher and marathon runner, and his son is a talented young music composer who is achieving considerable early career success and recognition (click on www.zacharywadsworth.com).