WMAS NEWS
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WMAS NEWS UPDATE
August 31, 2010

WMAS did not meet in August, but we’ll make up for it next month when we celebrate Oktoberfest on September 19. Please sign up to play a polka or waltz for dancing (that is, something with a steady beat), and please remember we have a 5-minute limit. If you’d like, prepare a second selection; you may have a chance to play again after everyone has had a turn.

Besides the music and dance shoes, please bring Oktoberfest-style refreshments and/or root beer or nonalcoholic beer to share. (Unfortunately alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the church, so we’ll have to pretend.)

Also -- please spread the word about the Oktoberfest. Invite your family and friends, especially the ones who like to dance!

One last thing: we are looking for people to help clean up after the meeting. Please sign up. The church lets us use the space rent-free (we give them only the money collected in the jar on the refreshment table, plus half the income from concerts, which is not very much). It is therefore important that we leave the hall and kitchen perfectly clean when we go home. We are grateful to JoAnn and John Pankow for having taken on kitchen duty, but we can’t leave it all up to them. They could really use some help so they’re not stuck in the church long after everyone else has gone home. Thanks!

Announcements

Mary Tokarski at Wolf Trap

Mary Tokarski will be playing in the pit orchestra at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center on Friday night, Sept. 10, and Saturday, Sept 11. More information is at http://www.wolftrap.org/Home/Find_Performances_and_Events/Performance/10Filene/0910show10.aspx. If any of you can attend this, Mary would be thrilled to see some familiar, smiling faces looking down in the pit!

AAA Fundraiser at the Magnanini Farm Winery in Wallkill, New York

This year’s Valtaro Celebration takes place on Saturday, September 11, noon-5 pm, at the gorgeous Magnanini Farm Winery in Wallkill, NY. The event will feature some fabulous accordionists, including Eddie Monteiro, Mario Tacca, Frank Toscano, Bruce Gassman, and Ray Oreggia – and a wine-tasting reception and full-course Italian dinner. Tickets are $65. This event is a fundraiser for the American Accordionists' Association. A flyer with full details can be found at
http://ameraccord.com/2010/2010Magnanin911.pdf.

Bruce Gassman CD

Bruce Gassman, who played us an unforgettable concert last spring (and taught us to play “Midnight Hour”), has put out a great new CD: Classic Rock Accordion 2 Bruce, vol. 1. Order your copy at accordion2bruce@gmail.com or www.accordion2bruce.com.

Mike Surratt at Blob’s Park

Mike Surratt and the Continentals will be playing Blob’s Park on Sunday afternoon, October 24. Maybe we should get a group together and drive out to Blob’s for some great music and dancing. See www.blobspark.net. More on Mike’s other dates at www.polkasarecool.com.