Deborah Hamouris

Deborah (DJ to her friends) is a performer, songwriter, teacher, recording artist, choral director, and community music organizer. She teaches mountain dulcimer classes at Berkeley’s Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse; directs the singing group Women & Song; and teaches mountain dulcimer, and songwriting. Deborah founded the Berkeley Dulcimer Gathering at The Freight in 2013, continuing to its 8th annual event in May, 2020. With Steve Eulberg, she co-founded the Berkeley Dulcimer Orchestra in 2014, currently in its 8th season. Musically versatile, she performs as a jazz vocalist as well as a traditionally-influenced songsmith on her dulcimer.

DJ has seven recordings, the most recent being a collaboration with renowned guitarist, Mimi Fox — “1 in 8,” songs written during her year as a breast cancer patient. This music accompanies their theatrical show of the same name, including personal stories from a patient’s perspective. Indian Summer, a book of her original music and arrangements was released in 2019, celebrating her 40th year with the dulcimer.

DJ lives in her Oakland craftsman cottage with Buffalo. When time and the cat permit, she knits.