Wanda Degen

About Wanda

Wanda Degen began her love affair with the mountain dulcimer as a young woman of 19 years of age. It was love at first sight and sound. She even built her first one! A few years later the autoharp found its way into her heart. She has not only been a student of these two instruments all these many years: from the get-go, Wanda has been a passionate teacher and performer. She teaches workshops at Interlochen and at Elderly Instruments (where she also teaches private lessons) as well as at music festivals and libraries around her home state of Michigan - and beyond. She has performed in various folk and Celtic groups over the years, including Lady of the Lake, The Troublesome Lasses, and - most recently - the duo The Catbird Seat. Wanda finds much joy and purpose in her day job - singing with young children at daycare centers and nursery schools in the Lansing-area. During the long and lonely pandemic summer of 2020, she was inspired by the nocturnal visitors in her backyard garden to write a song, The Skunk at the Feeder. She not only recorded the song (with autoharp & dulcimer backup) - she had it made into a book and a video. Visit wandadegen.com for more information.