2003 News Archive
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
March 13, 2003
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
(to add a news post e-mail [email protected])
Message from the President:
Tuesday night's meeting was a wonder of wonders. It included such a diverse array of accordions I was just in a daze by the time I left. This time, as people arrived, they took out their accordions and started playing the music that we had laid out on the table to share. Suddenly I heard a concertina and then a young high school student with a brand new "birthday" accordion playing away. It was difficult to get the meeting started--I hated to stop the music.
The first order of business was to vote on officers and discuss membership details and upcoming events (see below).
Then, several newcomers demonstrated their squeezeboxes. Dottie Beck talked about concertinas and played her own vintage model with its beautiful harmonic sound. She shared some music that she had written; later we played together and the concertina blended so nicely with the piano accordions.
Next, Sylvia Eberly sang and played her button accordion. Originally from Austria, Sylvia also plays piano accordion and teaches. Jim Briley and Michael Boicourt demonstrated their Louisiana-made Cajun button boxes (accompanied by a triangle), and explained how the instruments work. The music was delightful, and everyone had lots of questions.
The final performance was by Mort Herald, who recently moved to this area from Chicago, where he led a 20-piece accordion band. This was a wonderful demonstration of some classic pieces played on a professional piano accordion. Mort also has written some music books.
Following the individual performances, we broke up into our groups of various levels and played the songs that we were comfortable with.
At our next meeting, Paul Przedpelski, our membership chairman, will present a workshop on the inside of the accordion. I have always been curious about what goes on in there, and I look forward to seeing everyone April 8 at 7:30 pm at Sleepy Hollow Methodist Church.
Take care, Karen Denice Malan-Uribe
NEW OFFICERS
At the March 11 meeting, the group voted to accept the slate of officers presented by the executive committee: Karen Denice Malan-Uribe as president; Mara Cherkasky as secretary-treasurer (she hopes to relinquish the treasurer post to someone else); Paul Przedpelski as membership chairman, and Anne Johnson and Janice Lavoie as events co-chairs.
MEMBERSHIP/DUES
Dues will be $10 for this year (each person is also supposed to put a couple dollars in the basket at each meeting for the church space). Paul passed out membership forms to fill out and return. A form is also included at the end of this email, along with an address for mailing it in with the dues (checks may be written to WMAS). You will then receive a membership card, which also will serve as a receipt of payment. Mara is setting up a WMAS bank account at Chevy Chase Bank, which has free checking on a no-interest account for six months, and then the fee is $5 a month. Paul will be putting together a member directory. We want to build up our membership, so please spread the word.
Nicholas Shelly offered to work on a web site and handle the domain name, host, etc.
Anyone who wants to volunteer for anything or who has ideas for programs or events, please make yourself known!
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 17 (and every Monday), 7:30-10:30 pm: Open mike at Jammin Java, 227 Maple Avenue East, Vienna, Va. (Route 123 East from Route 234 West).
(703) 255-1566, contact Steve Key if you want to play ([email protected]). Dale Wise
is supposed to be on the bill this Monday.
May 17: Picnic at Dale Wise's farm. This will be an all-day event with food, hiking, a massed band, etc. More details will be sent out soon.
Dec. 7: Holiday concert at Sleepy Hollow Church and possibly a WMAS potluck.
************************************************************************************************************************
March 13, 2003
MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
(to add a news post e-mail [email protected])
Message from the President:
Tuesday night's meeting was a wonder of wonders. It included such a diverse array of accordions I was just in a daze by the time I left. This time, as people arrived, they took out their accordions and started playing the music that we had laid out on the table to share. Suddenly I heard a concertina and then a young high school student with a brand new "birthday" accordion playing away. It was difficult to get the meeting started--I hated to stop the music.
The first order of business was to vote on officers and discuss membership details and upcoming events (see below).
Then, several newcomers demonstrated their squeezeboxes. Dottie Beck talked about concertinas and played her own vintage model with its beautiful harmonic sound. She shared some music that she had written; later we played together and the concertina blended so nicely with the piano accordions.
Next, Sylvia Eberly sang and played her button accordion. Originally from Austria, Sylvia also plays piano accordion and teaches. Jim Briley and Michael Boicourt demonstrated their Louisiana-made Cajun button boxes (accompanied by a triangle), and explained how the instruments work. The music was delightful, and everyone had lots of questions.
The final performance was by Mort Herald, who recently moved to this area from Chicago, where he led a 20-piece accordion band. This was a wonderful demonstration of some classic pieces played on a professional piano accordion. Mort also has written some music books.
Following the individual performances, we broke up into our groups of various levels and played the songs that we were comfortable with.
At our next meeting, Paul Przedpelski, our membership chairman, will present a workshop on the inside of the accordion. I have always been curious about what goes on in there, and I look forward to seeing everyone April 8 at 7:30 pm at Sleepy Hollow Methodist Church.
Take care, Karen Denice Malan-Uribe
NEW OFFICERS
At the March 11 meeting, the group voted to accept the slate of officers presented by the executive committee: Karen Denice Malan-Uribe as president; Mara Cherkasky as secretary-treasurer (she hopes to relinquish the treasurer post to someone else); Paul Przedpelski as membership chairman, and Anne Johnson and Janice Lavoie as events co-chairs.
MEMBERSHIP/DUES
Dues will be $10 for this year (each person is also supposed to put a couple dollars in the basket at each meeting for the church space). Paul passed out membership forms to fill out and return. A form is also included at the end of this email, along with an address for mailing it in with the dues (checks may be written to WMAS). You will then receive a membership card, which also will serve as a receipt of payment. Mara is setting up a WMAS bank account at Chevy Chase Bank, which has free checking on a no-interest account for six months, and then the fee is $5 a month. Paul will be putting together a member directory. We want to build up our membership, so please spread the word.
Nicholas Shelly offered to work on a web site and handle the domain name, host, etc.
Anyone who wants to volunteer for anything or who has ideas for programs or events, please make yourself known!
UPCOMING EVENTS
March 17 (and every Monday), 7:30-10:30 pm: Open mike at Jammin Java, 227 Maple Avenue East, Vienna, Va. (Route 123 East from Route 234 West).
(703) 255-1566, contact Steve Key if you want to play ([email protected]). Dale Wise
is supposed to be on the bill this Monday.
May 17: Picnic at Dale Wise's farm. This will be an all-day event with food, hiking, a massed band, etc. More details will be sent out soon.
Dec. 7: Holiday concert at Sleepy Hollow Church and possibly a WMAS potluck.
************************************************************************************************************************
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
March 26, 2003
(to add a news post e-mail [email protected])
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Washington Metropolitan Accordian Society will be Tuesday, April 8, from 7:30 to 9:30 pm at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, 3435 Sleepy Hollow Rd., Falls Church, Va. 22044, (703) 534-6461, (703) 532-4730.
On the agenda: a short business meeting followed by a presentation by Paul Przedpelski on the inside of the accordion, and then time to play music. Bring your instrument, music stand and music to share.
For more information, contact Karen Denice
Phone: (703) 256-0155
Email: [email protected]
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
We are trying to build up our membership. A membership form is at the bottom of this email, and a WMAS flyer is attached. Please pass the flyer on to your friends, and post it in music stores, cafes, community bulletin boards, etc.
WMAS PICNIC
The WMAS picnic is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, from 11 to 4, at Dale Wise's farm north of Charlottesville. Please put the date on your calendar.
More information will be available later.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
To the WMAS Membership,
Your new organization is simply great! We want to offer FREE shipping on all
of our products for as long as you are a member of WMAS. Please see the "Products" attachments, and notice our offer for FREE INSTRUCTION in ACCORDION REPAIR with noted clinician Dale E. Wise, M.M.E.
Thank you,
Todd D. Wise
Accordion Sales Plus Service, LLC
E-mail: [email protected]
ACCORDION FOR SALE
For Sale - Tiger Combo' Cordion
The Tiger Combo' Cordion was built in the 60's by the Deffner Accordion Company. It was an attempt to bring the accordion into the Rock and Roll era. This is more a Collector's item rather than a normal playable accordion. The condition of the accordion is very good. The color is burnt orange, the keyboard has reversed colors (i.e. white keys are black, black keys are white), and the keyboard itself is slanted at a greater angle towards the body. It has 41 treble keys and is 120 bass. Seven treble registers, and two bass registers. The most unusual feature is the treble reed set-up. It has three sets of reeds on the treble side. A low (basson) reed bank, a middle (Clarinet) reed bank, and a second middle reed bank that is tuned five notes higher than the first middle reed bank. If you play a "C" note, the low and first set of middle reeds are playing a "C," while the second set of middle reeds are playing a "G" note. Price is $700. For more info contact me at (703) 642-9792 or email:[email protected]. To learn more about the Tiger, check out http://www.accordions.com/interviews/deffner/index.shtml, and go about 2/3 down the page.
MARYLAND ACCORDION SOCIETY MEETING
The next MAC meeting will be Saturday, April 26, at 2 pm at the Bloomsbury Community Center, 106 Bloomsbury Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228. Call Joe Fertitta for directions at (410) 744-3352.
BALALAIKA ORCHESTRA CONCERT
The Washington Balalaika Society will present a concert Saturday, May 3rd at
7:30 pm in the Ernst Auditorium, Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale, VA. Tickets are available at (202) 244-3669. See www.balalaika.org
for more information.
************************************************************************************************************************
March 26, 2003
(to add a news post e-mail [email protected])
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Washington Metropolitan Accordian Society will be Tuesday, April 8, from 7:30 to 9:30 pm at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, 3435 Sleepy Hollow Rd., Falls Church, Va. 22044, (703) 534-6461, (703) 532-4730.
On the agenda: a short business meeting followed by a presentation by Paul Przedpelski on the inside of the accordion, and then time to play music. Bring your instrument, music stand and music to share.
For more information, contact Karen Denice
Phone: (703) 256-0155
Email: [email protected]
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
We are trying to build up our membership. A membership form is at the bottom of this email, and a WMAS flyer is attached. Please pass the flyer on to your friends, and post it in music stores, cafes, community bulletin boards, etc.
WMAS PICNIC
The WMAS picnic is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, from 11 to 4, at Dale Wise's farm north of Charlottesville. Please put the date on your calendar.
More information will be available later.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
To the WMAS Membership,
Your new organization is simply great! We want to offer FREE shipping on all
of our products for as long as you are a member of WMAS. Please see the "Products" attachments, and notice our offer for FREE INSTRUCTION in ACCORDION REPAIR with noted clinician Dale E. Wise, M.M.E.
Thank you,
Todd D. Wise
Accordion Sales Plus Service, LLC
E-mail: [email protected]
ACCORDION FOR SALE
For Sale - Tiger Combo' Cordion
The Tiger Combo' Cordion was built in the 60's by the Deffner Accordion Company. It was an attempt to bring the accordion into the Rock and Roll era. This is more a Collector's item rather than a normal playable accordion. The condition of the accordion is very good. The color is burnt orange, the keyboard has reversed colors (i.e. white keys are black, black keys are white), and the keyboard itself is slanted at a greater angle towards the body. It has 41 treble keys and is 120 bass. Seven treble registers, and two bass registers. The most unusual feature is the treble reed set-up. It has three sets of reeds on the treble side. A low (basson) reed bank, a middle (Clarinet) reed bank, and a second middle reed bank that is tuned five notes higher than the first middle reed bank. If you play a "C" note, the low and first set of middle reeds are playing a "C," while the second set of middle reeds are playing a "G" note. Price is $700. For more info contact me at (703) 642-9792 or email:[email protected]. To learn more about the Tiger, check out http://www.accordions.com/interviews/deffner/index.shtml, and go about 2/3 down the page.
MARYLAND ACCORDION SOCIETY MEETING
The next MAC meeting will be Saturday, April 26, at 2 pm at the Bloomsbury Community Center, 106 Bloomsbury Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228. Call Joe Fertitta for directions at (410) 744-3352.
BALALAIKA ORCHESTRA CONCERT
The Washington Balalaika Society will present a concert Saturday, May 3rd at
7:30 pm in the Ernst Auditorium, Northern Virginia Community College
Annandale, VA. Tickets are available at (202) 244-3669. See www.balalaika.org
for more information.
************************************************************************************************************************
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
June 24, 2003
(to add a news post e-mail [email protected])
Notes from the President
June 10 Meeting
The approximately 50 people who turned out for our last meeting, June 10, were lucky: in addition to a very informative lecture by Clay Bobrowski on how the accordion works, they had a chance to hear some great music by professional accordionists (and WMAS members) Rose-Marie Coppola and Joe Blumka, accompanied by violinist Michael Komesaruk.
I was amazed by Rose-Marie's stylistic elegance and grace. Clay, too, commented on her soft touch on the keyboard: the notes just sort of floated off. Rose-Marie has been working to overcome a debilitating illness that kept her from playing for months.
Joe Blumka (who is my teacher) also played some incredible music. It seemed as if he and Michael Komesaruk had played together all their lives.
Clay brought several accordions and demonstrated the different sounds they can make. Luis Uribe recorded this presentation, including the many questions it engendered, and the tape will be ready to check out at the next WMAS meeting. The tape of Paul Przedpelski's talk on the inside of the accordion also is available.
On the program for next month's meeting, July 8, is Silvia Eberly and her puppet show, which she accompanies with her accordion.
Other Activities
On Saturday morning, June 14, a few WMAS members got together on the veranda of Jammin' Java coffee house in Vienna, Va. to play their accordions. Other members turned out to provide moral support. Gary Koerner would like to make this a regular event. Please contact him at [email protected] if you are interested in meeting at Jammin' Java on a Saturday morning.
Twelve WMAS members also had a wonderful time June 14 at the Fort Myer Officers Club, where Rose-Marie, Joe and Mike play every Friday and Saturday evening. My favorite of the pieces they played was the Russian tune "Kalinka," and Luis's was "Don't Cry for me Argentina." Silvia even participated in the entertainment: she sang "Wien, du Stadt meiner Traeume" (Vienna, City of My Dreams). If you are interested in going to the Officers Club, Rose-Marie can reserve a table for you. Just call her at (301) 292-2929 and let her know when you are going and how many are in your party. To get there, you enter the gate of Ft. Myer near the Iwo Jima Memorial, tell them where you are going, and show a picture ID. They inspected our car and had us open our hood and trunk when we entered.
On June 21, several of us attended the Maryland Accordion Club (MAC) meeting, which featured a workshop by Mike Surratt on varying the chords in a piece with relative minors, etc. Joe Fertitta, the MAC president, recently underwent heart surgery, but he was able to be to the meeting and looked good. Some of us will be playing in the Catonsville Fourth of July parade, which Joe is organizing. Call me at (703) 671-5395 or Joe at (410) 744-3352 if you would like to participate.
Unfortunately, we have sad news, too: the passing of Peter DiGiovanni's mother only a few days after she attended our June 10 meeting. She was sitting in a wheelchair in the back of the room and was really enjoying the activities of the group. I am touched that she spent that time with us. Please keep Peter in your prayers.
Take care and keep squeezing those boxes!
Karen
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Announcements
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
M ike Rubin ended up with the wrong music stand after the May 17 picnic at Dale Wise's farm and would like to exchange it for his own chrome stand. Please contact him at [email protected].
I f you would like to practice at Jammin' Java on Route 123 in Vienna any Saturday morning, please contact Gary at [email protected].
T he next WMAS meeting is Tuesday, July 8, at 7:30 pm at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, 3435 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church, Va. 22044. Directions are on the Web site.
Check out the WMAS Web site at www.washingtonaccordions.org.
************************************************************************************************************************
June 24, 2003
(to add a news post e-mail [email protected])
Notes from the President
June 10 Meeting
The approximately 50 people who turned out for our last meeting, June 10, were lucky: in addition to a very informative lecture by Clay Bobrowski on how the accordion works, they had a chance to hear some great music by professional accordionists (and WMAS members) Rose-Marie Coppola and Joe Blumka, accompanied by violinist Michael Komesaruk.
I was amazed by Rose-Marie's stylistic elegance and grace. Clay, too, commented on her soft touch on the keyboard: the notes just sort of floated off. Rose-Marie has been working to overcome a debilitating illness that kept her from playing for months.
Joe Blumka (who is my teacher) also played some incredible music. It seemed as if he and Michael Komesaruk had played together all their lives.
Clay brought several accordions and demonstrated the different sounds they can make. Luis Uribe recorded this presentation, including the many questions it engendered, and the tape will be ready to check out at the next WMAS meeting. The tape of Paul Przedpelski's talk on the inside of the accordion also is available.
On the program for next month's meeting, July 8, is Silvia Eberly and her puppet show, which she accompanies with her accordion.
Other Activities
On Saturday morning, June 14, a few WMAS members got together on the veranda of Jammin' Java coffee house in Vienna, Va. to play their accordions. Other members turned out to provide moral support. Gary Koerner would like to make this a regular event. Please contact him at [email protected] if you are interested in meeting at Jammin' Java on a Saturday morning.
Twelve WMAS members also had a wonderful time June 14 at the Fort Myer Officers Club, where Rose-Marie, Joe and Mike play every Friday and Saturday evening. My favorite of the pieces they played was the Russian tune "Kalinka," and Luis's was "Don't Cry for me Argentina." Silvia even participated in the entertainment: she sang "Wien, du Stadt meiner Traeume" (Vienna, City of My Dreams). If you are interested in going to the Officers Club, Rose-Marie can reserve a table for you. Just call her at (301) 292-2929 and let her know when you are going and how many are in your party. To get there, you enter the gate of Ft. Myer near the Iwo Jima Memorial, tell them where you are going, and show a picture ID. They inspected our car and had us open our hood and trunk when we entered.
On June 21, several of us attended the Maryland Accordion Club (MAC) meeting, which featured a workshop by Mike Surratt on varying the chords in a piece with relative minors, etc. Joe Fertitta, the MAC president, recently underwent heart surgery, but he was able to be to the meeting and looked good. Some of us will be playing in the Catonsville Fourth of July parade, which Joe is organizing. Call me at (703) 671-5395 or Joe at (410) 744-3352 if you would like to participate.
Unfortunately, we have sad news, too: the passing of Peter DiGiovanni's mother only a few days after she attended our June 10 meeting. She was sitting in a wheelchair in the back of the room and was really enjoying the activities of the group. I am touched that she spent that time with us. Please keep Peter in your prayers.
Take care and keep squeezing those boxes!
Karen
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Announcements
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
M ike Rubin ended up with the wrong music stand after the May 17 picnic at Dale Wise's farm and would like to exchange it for his own chrome stand. Please contact him at [email protected].
I f you would like to practice at Jammin' Java on Route 123 in Vienna any Saturday morning, please contact Gary at [email protected].
T he next WMAS meeting is Tuesday, July 8, at 7:30 pm at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, 3435 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church, Va. 22044. Directions are on the Web site.
Check out the WMAS Web site at www.washingtonaccordions.org.
************************************************************************************************************************
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
July 17, 2003
(to add a news post e-mail [email protected])
President's Notes from the July 8, 2003, Meeting
Toward the end of the last meeting, on July 8, the church pastor dropped by and said, "It sounds so happy in here." That's a good way to describe a meeting in which Silvia Eberly demonstrated how she introduces the accordion to young children by weaving it into a puppet show that she takes to schools, birthday parties, etc.
After the puppets took their bow, Clay Bobrowski described the Las Vegas accordion convention, where he heard masters such as Art Van Damme, Dick Contino, and Myron Floren. About 500 accordionists participated in the convention, which featured workshops, rather than competitions (the focus of the American Accordionists' Association's annual convention). The Las Vegas event happens about the same time in June every year, so you may want to start planning now to attend next year!
Mara Cherkasky attended a different accordion festival in June--in Chartres, France. The highpoint of the event, she said, was a concert by a pair of young accordionists--one French and one Russian--in the Chartres Cathedral.
A couple of WMAS members said they were planning to attend the AAA festival in Philadelphia July 9-13 and would report on it at the next meeting.
Silvia and I reported on the Fourth of July event in Catonsville, Maryland. It was great. Hot, yes! But, the people loved it, and it was just cool being in the parade. Our float was a trailer decorated with flowerpots and huge posters of accordions and covered with a canopy, and there we sat for about an hour and played a medley of Stars & Stripes, America the Beautiful and Maryland My Maryland over and over again. Other band members were Dale Wise, Mike Rubin, Maryland Accordion Club President Joe Fertitta's grandsons (one with an accordion), Phil from MAC, plus Silvia and I. Dale kept us in time with his whistle, and as we passed the crowds and they heard the music, they started clapping, singing along, smiling and waving at us. I loved it and will have pictures next time.
Coming Up
In August, we'll discuss memorization, and the September meeting will feature Dale Wise with his Accordion Secrets 101. In October, new member Barbara Lockett will discuss the reedless (electronic) accordion, and in November, Mike Surratt will present a workshop on relative major and minor chords, the same one he held for the Maryland group in June.
Just to give you a heads-up, we are starting to collect music for a holiday concert Dec. 7, which Dale Wise has agreed to conduct. Please bring copies of your favorite pieces to the next meeting so we can distribute them and start to rehearse with Dale in September.
Meanwhile, continue bringing your accordions, music and ideas to each meeting. Everyone should be able to find a group to play with.
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Karen
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The West Coast group Those Darn Accordions will play at IOTA in (8232 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia, (703) 522-8340) on September 1. Details will be posted on the Web site.
DC Music Schedule
Wayne Kahn, at [email protected], writes a weekly email letter that contains extensive music listings (folk, blues, Cajun, rock, etc.) for the DC area. Email him if you would like to be added to his mailing list. Also check out his Web site, www.rightonrhythm.com for more info and links to many venues.
Online Accordion Discussion Group
AccordionFreedomForum is a yahoo discussion group you may want to join. Go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AccordionFreedomForum/ and click "Join This Group."
Saturday Practices
If you would like to practice at Jammin' Java on Route 123 in Vienna any Saturday morning, please contact Gary at (703) 938-3193 or [email protected].
WMAS Web Site
The Webmaster apologizes for the glitches you may have seen lately on the site (www.washingtonaccordions.org). She is slowly mastering the software and finally figured out today how to upload images (hooray!). So check out the new listings on the site and send us your additions, comments, etc.
************************************************************************************************************************
July 17, 2003
(to add a news post e-mail [email protected])
President's Notes from the July 8, 2003, Meeting
Toward the end of the last meeting, on July 8, the church pastor dropped by and said, "It sounds so happy in here." That's a good way to describe a meeting in which Silvia Eberly demonstrated how she introduces the accordion to young children by weaving it into a puppet show that she takes to schools, birthday parties, etc.
After the puppets took their bow, Clay Bobrowski described the Las Vegas accordion convention, where he heard masters such as Art Van Damme, Dick Contino, and Myron Floren. About 500 accordionists participated in the convention, which featured workshops, rather than competitions (the focus of the American Accordionists' Association's annual convention). The Las Vegas event happens about the same time in June every year, so you may want to start planning now to attend next year!
Mara Cherkasky attended a different accordion festival in June--in Chartres, France. The highpoint of the event, she said, was a concert by a pair of young accordionists--one French and one Russian--in the Chartres Cathedral.
A couple of WMAS members said they were planning to attend the AAA festival in Philadelphia July 9-13 and would report on it at the next meeting.
Silvia and I reported on the Fourth of July event in Catonsville, Maryland. It was great. Hot, yes! But, the people loved it, and it was just cool being in the parade. Our float was a trailer decorated with flowerpots and huge posters of accordions and covered with a canopy, and there we sat for about an hour and played a medley of Stars & Stripes, America the Beautiful and Maryland My Maryland over and over again. Other band members were Dale Wise, Mike Rubin, Maryland Accordion Club President Joe Fertitta's grandsons (one with an accordion), Phil from MAC, plus Silvia and I. Dale kept us in time with his whistle, and as we passed the crowds and they heard the music, they started clapping, singing along, smiling and waving at us. I loved it and will have pictures next time.
Coming Up
In August, we'll discuss memorization, and the September meeting will feature Dale Wise with his Accordion Secrets 101. In October, new member Barbara Lockett will discuss the reedless (electronic) accordion, and in November, Mike Surratt will present a workshop on relative major and minor chords, the same one he held for the Maryland group in June.
Just to give you a heads-up, we are starting to collect music for a holiday concert Dec. 7, which Dale Wise has agreed to conduct. Please bring copies of your favorite pieces to the next meeting so we can distribute them and start to rehearse with Dale in September.
Meanwhile, continue bringing your accordions, music and ideas to each meeting. Everyone should be able to find a group to play with.
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Karen
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The West Coast group Those Darn Accordions will play at IOTA in (8232 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia, (703) 522-8340) on September 1. Details will be posted on the Web site.
DC Music Schedule
Wayne Kahn, at [email protected], writes a weekly email letter that contains extensive music listings (folk, blues, Cajun, rock, etc.) for the DC area. Email him if you would like to be added to his mailing list. Also check out his Web site, www.rightonrhythm.com for more info and links to many venues.
Online Accordion Discussion Group
AccordionFreedomForum is a yahoo discussion group you may want to join. Go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AccordionFreedomForum/ and click "Join This Group."
Saturday Practices
If you would like to practice at Jammin' Java on Route 123 in Vienna any Saturday morning, please contact Gary at (703) 938-3193 or [email protected].
WMAS Web Site
The Webmaster apologizes for the glitches you may have seen lately on the site (www.washingtonaccordions.org). She is slowly mastering the software and finally figured out today how to upload images (hooray!). So check out the new listings on the site and send us your additions, comments, etc.
************************************************************************************************************************
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
August 18, 2003
Notes from the President
WMAS continues to grow--I am happy to report that we now have almost 40 members! Meetings also continue to be well attended and full of excitement.
The last meeting, on August 12, started with performances by an assortment of soloists. The first was a newcomer: 7-year-old Elise Malouf, who is only in her second month of lessons with Silvia Ebery but already plays very confidently. She was a hard act to follow. Michael B. Rubin played next--after announcing that he'd had only three lessons in his life--a medley of Yiddish songs. Professional clown Carol Collins (aka Bingo the Clown) also demonstrated her craft, and Silvia played a Cajun song on her Austrian buttonbox and sang it in German!
The topic of the evening was memorization. I presented a memory-building exercise called the "Brain Chain" from Mort Herold's book "You Can Have Near Perfect Memory." Mort is a professional memory specialist and also a great accordionist who once ran his own music school in Chicago. He played at one of our meetings earlier this year and sent me the materials for the August 12 program. His current book project covers memorizing music.
In addition, Mara summarized materials presented by Helmi Harrington in her "How to Memorize Music" workshop at the AAA convention in Philadelphia, and several other people offered suggestions for ways of memorizing music. We'll post more information about this topic on the Web site, www.washingtonaccordions.org.
Upcoming Events
In September we are looking forward to a workshop by Dale Wise called "Accordion Secrets 101." We will also be practicing for the December 7 holiday concert, which Dale will be conducting. At its meeting last Thursday, the executive committee decided the concert would last about an hour, starting at 4 pm, and include several pieces by the full group (or those who wish to participate), plus selections by soloists or small groups. If you would like to take part in any capacity, please let me know. We will not sell tickets for the event but will be asking for a donation of $5 at the door, and a potluck for musicians and audience members will follow.
Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to seeing Those Darn Accordions September 1 at IOTA in Clarendon, and am hoping that some of you will join me. Various WMAS members are playing around town, so be sure to check the calendar on the Web site.
Dale Wise's accordion repair workshop has been set for November 15-16 at Dale's farm in Burr Hill, Virginia, near Fredericksburg. The workshop will run from 10 am until 4 pm on Saturday, and then from 1 to 5:30 pm on Sunday. I have secured a group rate of $69 at the Holiday Inn Select in Fredericksburg for the night of the 15th (the rate applies if we use 10 rooms; otherwise it will be $89). Please make your own reservation, using the code WMA, by calling 1-800-682-1049.
Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Karen
MESSAGE FROM NICHOLAS SHELLY
(Nicholas, who originally designed the WMAS Web site, graduated from high school this past spring and entered the Air Force Academy in June. He was finally able to access his email and sent the following greeting today.)
My accordion is at a friend's house here in Colorado Springs and I plan on getting it on Labor Day weekend and then will begin to brush off the dust. From the experience I had playing the piano and accordion, I made the Academy's Drum and Bugle Corps playing the xylophone. We practice around three hours every day and most Saturdays 9:00 - 4:00. Very demanding but definitely rewarding. We travel all over and will even be in Maryland (Fed-Ex Field) to play Navy in October. I'm glad to see that the Web page is in good hands and that information is staying up-to-date. I look forward to coming home and catching up with the accordion club!
Yours truly,
Nicholas
Announcement
Accordionists Needed
BLASKAPELLE 'ALTE KAMERADEN' BAVARIAN BAND has openings for 2 accordionists/alternate accordionists for the upcoming Octoberfest season. Our previous accordionist moved back to Wisconsin.
We are part of the City of Fairfax Band and are semi-professional (some paid
performances, some "public service").
Rehearsals every Wednesday evening at Fairfax High School, band room wing, Room K-22
August rehearsals 7:30 - 9:30 pm
School year rehearsals 7:00 - 7:45 pm
For audition information, call me at (703) 978-8642 or email me at [email protected].
-- Sam Laudenslager, Kapellmeister, "Alte Kameraden"
************************************************************************************************************************
August 18, 2003
Notes from the President
WMAS continues to grow--I am happy to report that we now have almost 40 members! Meetings also continue to be well attended and full of excitement.
The last meeting, on August 12, started with performances by an assortment of soloists. The first was a newcomer: 7-year-old Elise Malouf, who is only in her second month of lessons with Silvia Ebery but already plays very confidently. She was a hard act to follow. Michael B. Rubin played next--after announcing that he'd had only three lessons in his life--a medley of Yiddish songs. Professional clown Carol Collins (aka Bingo the Clown) also demonstrated her craft, and Silvia played a Cajun song on her Austrian buttonbox and sang it in German!
The topic of the evening was memorization. I presented a memory-building exercise called the "Brain Chain" from Mort Herold's book "You Can Have Near Perfect Memory." Mort is a professional memory specialist and also a great accordionist who once ran his own music school in Chicago. He played at one of our meetings earlier this year and sent me the materials for the August 12 program. His current book project covers memorizing music.
In addition, Mara summarized materials presented by Helmi Harrington in her "How to Memorize Music" workshop at the AAA convention in Philadelphia, and several other people offered suggestions for ways of memorizing music. We'll post more information about this topic on the Web site, www.washingtonaccordions.org.
Upcoming Events
In September we are looking forward to a workshop by Dale Wise called "Accordion Secrets 101." We will also be practicing for the December 7 holiday concert, which Dale will be conducting. At its meeting last Thursday, the executive committee decided the concert would last about an hour, starting at 4 pm, and include several pieces by the full group (or those who wish to participate), plus selections by soloists or small groups. If you would like to take part in any capacity, please let me know. We will not sell tickets for the event but will be asking for a donation of $5 at the door, and a potluck for musicians and audience members will follow.
Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to seeing Those Darn Accordions September 1 at IOTA in Clarendon, and am hoping that some of you will join me. Various WMAS members are playing around town, so be sure to check the calendar on the Web site.
Dale Wise's accordion repair workshop has been set for November 15-16 at Dale's farm in Burr Hill, Virginia, near Fredericksburg. The workshop will run from 10 am until 4 pm on Saturday, and then from 1 to 5:30 pm on Sunday. I have secured a group rate of $69 at the Holiday Inn Select in Fredericksburg for the night of the 15th (the rate applies if we use 10 rooms; otherwise it will be $89). Please make your own reservation, using the code WMA, by calling 1-800-682-1049.
Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Karen
MESSAGE FROM NICHOLAS SHELLY
(Nicholas, who originally designed the WMAS Web site, graduated from high school this past spring and entered the Air Force Academy in June. He was finally able to access his email and sent the following greeting today.)
My accordion is at a friend's house here in Colorado Springs and I plan on getting it on Labor Day weekend and then will begin to brush off the dust. From the experience I had playing the piano and accordion, I made the Academy's Drum and Bugle Corps playing the xylophone. We practice around three hours every day and most Saturdays 9:00 - 4:00. Very demanding but definitely rewarding. We travel all over and will even be in Maryland (Fed-Ex Field) to play Navy in October. I'm glad to see that the Web page is in good hands and that information is staying up-to-date. I look forward to coming home and catching up with the accordion club!
Yours truly,
Nicholas
Announcement
Accordionists Needed
BLASKAPELLE 'ALTE KAMERADEN' BAVARIAN BAND has openings for 2 accordionists/alternate accordionists for the upcoming Octoberfest season. Our previous accordionist moved back to Wisconsin.
We are part of the City of Fairfax Band and are semi-professional (some paid
performances, some "public service").
Rehearsals every Wednesday evening at Fairfax High School, band room wing, Room K-22
August rehearsals 7:30 - 9:30 pm
School year rehearsals 7:00 - 7:45 pm
For audition information, call me at (703) 978-8642 or email me at [email protected].
-- Sam Laudenslager, Kapellmeister, "Alte Kameraden"
************************************************************************************************************************
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
September 14, 2003
Notes from the President
We had a great turnout on Tuesday night, September 9--about 35 people. Thanks to those who brought friends and neighbors. We continue growing, laughing, dancing and, of course, playing accordion music. It is such a joy!
The program of the evening, Dale Wise's "Accordion Secrets 101," was full of useful and wide-ranging tips on preventive maintenance, small repairs, and performance technique. For example, he recommended that if you're going to buy a luggage cart, make sure it has large wheels--at least 5 inches--so your instrument gets as smooth a ride as possible. Dale also shared his beeswax recipe, and suggested ways to steer clear of the old oom-pah-pah bass technique, which he believes is to blame for all the accordion jokes.
The program was taped for those who missed it, but you might also want to buy Dale's "Accordion Secrets 101" video, which covers everything he presented at the meeting and more. (For more information, email [email protected] or see www.accordionplus.com.) In addition, Dale has invited us to an accordion repair workshop at his farm near Fredericksburg, Va., the weekend of November 15-16. The workshop is free, although it does involve an overnight stay at a nearby hotel. We have two slots left, so hurry and sign up if you are interested. For more information, click here.
Dale also showed a film of Guido Deiro performing during the 1930s (or possibly earlier). Guido was the brother of the better known Pietro Deiro, and the two are contenders for the title "First Piano Accordionist in the United States." In any case, the film was impressive.
Following the workshop, a new WMAS member, David Lovins, played a few tunes on his beautiful SANO and also talked about relearning the instrument after letting it sit in the closet for several years. It was enlightening to hear this, as my story is similar. All of us "closet accordionists" should take hope.
In the last part of the meeting, we began to practice for the Christmas concert, under Dale's direction. We are using music from Barbara Lockett's old Palmer-Hughes Christmas book and as a group will perform the following six pieces, all in four or five parts: Silent Night; Joy to the World; It Came upon a Midnight Clear; Hark, the Herald Angels Sing; Angels We Have Heard on High; and Jingle Bells. In addition to the group performance, we hope to have six to eight soloists or groups perform. Please let us know if you would like to play and what piece, so we don't have duplications.
Also, if you would like copies of the music, just let us know by replying to this update; I can fax it to you or meet you at the church. Some of the parts are more difficult than others, so we can discuss which one you should play, or which group needs help.
EXTRA PRACTICE TIME!!
I have secured the church's adult classroom for extra practice time on October 7, November 4 and December 2 (all Tuesdays) at 7:30 pm. PLEASE contact me if you are interested in meeting at the church for these extra practices. I would REALLY like to practice with someone. We could also meet at my house, but parking there is a bit of a problem. My phone is (703) 671-5395; email [email protected].
Take care, everyone, and keep squeezing,
Karen
************************************************************************************************************************
September 14, 2003
Notes from the President
We had a great turnout on Tuesday night, September 9--about 35 people. Thanks to those who brought friends and neighbors. We continue growing, laughing, dancing and, of course, playing accordion music. It is such a joy!
The program of the evening, Dale Wise's "Accordion Secrets 101," was full of useful and wide-ranging tips on preventive maintenance, small repairs, and performance technique. For example, he recommended that if you're going to buy a luggage cart, make sure it has large wheels--at least 5 inches--so your instrument gets as smooth a ride as possible. Dale also shared his beeswax recipe, and suggested ways to steer clear of the old oom-pah-pah bass technique, which he believes is to blame for all the accordion jokes.
The program was taped for those who missed it, but you might also want to buy Dale's "Accordion Secrets 101" video, which covers everything he presented at the meeting and more. (For more information, email [email protected] or see www.accordionplus.com.) In addition, Dale has invited us to an accordion repair workshop at his farm near Fredericksburg, Va., the weekend of November 15-16. The workshop is free, although it does involve an overnight stay at a nearby hotel. We have two slots left, so hurry and sign up if you are interested. For more information, click here.
Dale also showed a film of Guido Deiro performing during the 1930s (or possibly earlier). Guido was the brother of the better known Pietro Deiro, and the two are contenders for the title "First Piano Accordionist in the United States." In any case, the film was impressive.
Following the workshop, a new WMAS member, David Lovins, played a few tunes on his beautiful SANO and also talked about relearning the instrument after letting it sit in the closet for several years. It was enlightening to hear this, as my story is similar. All of us "closet accordionists" should take hope.
In the last part of the meeting, we began to practice for the Christmas concert, under Dale's direction. We are using music from Barbara Lockett's old Palmer-Hughes Christmas book and as a group will perform the following six pieces, all in four or five parts: Silent Night; Joy to the World; It Came upon a Midnight Clear; Hark, the Herald Angels Sing; Angels We Have Heard on High; and Jingle Bells. In addition to the group performance, we hope to have six to eight soloists or groups perform. Please let us know if you would like to play and what piece, so we don't have duplications.
Also, if you would like copies of the music, just let us know by replying to this update; I can fax it to you or meet you at the church. Some of the parts are more difficult than others, so we can discuss which one you should play, or which group needs help.
EXTRA PRACTICE TIME!!
I have secured the church's adult classroom for extra practice time on October 7, November 4 and December 2 (all Tuesdays) at 7:30 pm. PLEASE contact me if you are interested in meeting at the church for these extra practices. I would REALLY like to practice with someone. We could also meet at my house, but parking there is a bit of a problem. My phone is (703) 671-5395; email [email protected].
Take care, everyone, and keep squeezing,
Karen
************************************************************************************************************************
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
October 19, 2003
Notes from the President
Last week's meeting, Oct. 14, was great fun. Barbara Lockett demonstrated some of the 200 or so sounds her Petosa electronic accordion can make, and Clay Bobrowski joined her in several pieces with his midi Petosa. Clay used his instrument as a traditional accordion, and Barbara used the piano, trumpet and string sounds available on the reedless. Afterwards, club members were invited to try out the reedless to get a feel for how it plays. The instrument's capability was astonishing, and I look forward to Barbara's playing it in the Dec. 7 holiday concert.
Speaking of which, we also rehearsed with Dale Wise for Dec. 7 and, surprisingly, sounded very good. Even when we didn't get it quite right, Dale made us--and our little audience--laugh. I am looking forward to the concert; it promises to be a lot of fun.
The next meeting, on Nov. 11, will be the last one before the concert, so I hope everyone will make an effort to be there; I would like to run through everything, including the solos and small groups. I also encourage everyone to come to the extra rehearsals on Nov. 4 and Dec. 2. A draft program is below. Does anyone else want to play a solo? We'll have some flyers at the next meeting for people to take and post on community bulletin boards around the area. Any ideas for publicizing this event are welcome.
The other part of the program for next month's meeting will be Mike Surratt on how to embellish a song with relative major and minor chords. Mike will not be arriving until about 8:30, so we will rehearse at least some of the concert starting at 7:30, before his presentation.
One other reminder: eight people (Barbara L., Lora B., Peter D., Silvia E., Pedro R., Phil L., Mara and Karen) have signed up for Dale's accordion repair workshop on Nov. 15-16. Please confirm that you will be attending, or let us know if we've left your name off the list.
Take care, everyone, and keep squeezing,
Karen
Draft WMAS Holiday Concert Program
Introduction - Karen Uribe
Welcome to the church - Pastor Pam
(Dale introduces the songs)
WMAS Orchestra - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
WMAS Combo - What Child Is This
SOLO - Paul Przedpelski
WMAS Orchestra - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
SOLO - Silvia Eberly - German Carol
WMAS Orchestra - Angels We Have Heard On High
WMAS COMBO -Three Kings
SOLO - Joan Grauman
WMAS Orchestra - Jingle Bells
SOLO - Michael B. Rubin - Hanukka medley
WMAS Orchestra - Silent Night
SOLO - David Lovins - I'll Be Home For Christmas
WMAS Orchestra - Joy To The World
************************************************************************************************************************
October 19, 2003
Notes from the President
Last week's meeting, Oct. 14, was great fun. Barbara Lockett demonstrated some of the 200 or so sounds her Petosa electronic accordion can make, and Clay Bobrowski joined her in several pieces with his midi Petosa. Clay used his instrument as a traditional accordion, and Barbara used the piano, trumpet and string sounds available on the reedless. Afterwards, club members were invited to try out the reedless to get a feel for how it plays. The instrument's capability was astonishing, and I look forward to Barbara's playing it in the Dec. 7 holiday concert.
Speaking of which, we also rehearsed with Dale Wise for Dec. 7 and, surprisingly, sounded very good. Even when we didn't get it quite right, Dale made us--and our little audience--laugh. I am looking forward to the concert; it promises to be a lot of fun.
The next meeting, on Nov. 11, will be the last one before the concert, so I hope everyone will make an effort to be there; I would like to run through everything, including the solos and small groups. I also encourage everyone to come to the extra rehearsals on Nov. 4 and Dec. 2. A draft program is below. Does anyone else want to play a solo? We'll have some flyers at the next meeting for people to take and post on community bulletin boards around the area. Any ideas for publicizing this event are welcome.
The other part of the program for next month's meeting will be Mike Surratt on how to embellish a song with relative major and minor chords. Mike will not be arriving until about 8:30, so we will rehearse at least some of the concert starting at 7:30, before his presentation.
One other reminder: eight people (Barbara L., Lora B., Peter D., Silvia E., Pedro R., Phil L., Mara and Karen) have signed up for Dale's accordion repair workshop on Nov. 15-16. Please confirm that you will be attending, or let us know if we've left your name off the list.
Take care, everyone, and keep squeezing,
Karen
Draft WMAS Holiday Concert Program
Introduction - Karen Uribe
Welcome to the church - Pastor Pam
(Dale introduces the songs)
WMAS Orchestra - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
WMAS Combo - What Child Is This
SOLO - Paul Przedpelski
WMAS Orchestra - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
SOLO - Silvia Eberly - German Carol
WMAS Orchestra - Angels We Have Heard On High
WMAS COMBO -Three Kings
SOLO - Joan Grauman
WMAS Orchestra - Jingle Bells
SOLO - Michael B. Rubin - Hanukka medley
WMAS Orchestra - Silent Night
SOLO - David Lovins - I'll Be Home For Christmas
WMAS Orchestra - Joy To The World
************************************************************************************************************************
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
November 18, 2003
Notes from the President
I am happy to report that, when we rehearsed at last week's meeting (November 11), we looked and sounded like a real orchestra. The meeting opened with a little entertainment by Elise Maloof and another of Silvia Eberly's young students, and it was wonderful to see how relaxed and confident they were. Of course, it's great to see kids choosing the accordion; we need to figure out how to recruit more young musicians like these. They made a great audience, as well, as they stuck around for part of our rehearsal, cheering us on.
It continues to be a pleasure working with Dale Wise, the conductor for the December 7 concert --and, in general, our mentor. Dale's school band experience certainly has come in handy; he knows how to get his way with us through humor.
Following the rehearsal, Mike Surratt demonstrated one of the ways he varies his music: by inserting relative major and minor chords. This is a very useful technique to learn. Mike also entertained us with stories about his early performing career playing music in bars. Apparently he was impressed with our accordion orchestra because he mentioned after the meeting that he might like to arrange a Christmas song in parts for our 2004 holiday concert. His advice for this year: memorize Silent Night so we all can keep our eyes on Dale.
Besides Mike, we were happy to have the president of the Maryland Accordion Club (MAC), Joe Fertitta, with us. MAC is planning to hold a holiday concert at its December 20 meeting, and we will probably organize a group to go up there, so let me know if you plan on attending. Check out the calendar on the WMAS Web site (www.washingtonaccordions.org) for more details about the MAC meeting.
Meanwhile, PRACTICE, MEMORIZE and ENJOY getting ready for the holiday concert. A concert poster/flyer is attached ; I encourage you to print it out and post it wherever you think people will see it, and/or distribute it to your friends and family. (If you have trouble with the file, let us know; we can send you a PDF.)
Also, don't forget to bring a dish to pass at the potluck dinner following the concert. It would be great if we musicians could focus on main dishes! Please plan to arrive at the church that day no later than 3:30, earlier if you can help with setup.
Remember that there is one last extra practice, without Dale, on Tuesday, December 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the church.
Some photos of Dale's accordion repair workshop will be posted soon on the Web site. At the workshop we worked on new member Elizabeth Nelson's accordion, which had lost many of its reeds into the bellows. Dale had us resetting the reeds, applying beeswax around them, "ironing" the beewax, and affixing new leathers. By Sunday evening, amazingly, the instrument was playable again. I know that at least some people who attended the workshop were eager to go home and try out their new skills; in any case, the whole weekend was a lot of fun.
Take Care,
Karen
WMAS President
************************************************************************************************************************
November 18, 2003
Notes from the President
I am happy to report that, when we rehearsed at last week's meeting (November 11), we looked and sounded like a real orchestra. The meeting opened with a little entertainment by Elise Maloof and another of Silvia Eberly's young students, and it was wonderful to see how relaxed and confident they were. Of course, it's great to see kids choosing the accordion; we need to figure out how to recruit more young musicians like these. They made a great audience, as well, as they stuck around for part of our rehearsal, cheering us on.
It continues to be a pleasure working with Dale Wise, the conductor for the December 7 concert --and, in general, our mentor. Dale's school band experience certainly has come in handy; he knows how to get his way with us through humor.
Following the rehearsal, Mike Surratt demonstrated one of the ways he varies his music: by inserting relative major and minor chords. This is a very useful technique to learn. Mike also entertained us with stories about his early performing career playing music in bars. Apparently he was impressed with our accordion orchestra because he mentioned after the meeting that he might like to arrange a Christmas song in parts for our 2004 holiday concert. His advice for this year: memorize Silent Night so we all can keep our eyes on Dale.
Besides Mike, we were happy to have the president of the Maryland Accordion Club (MAC), Joe Fertitta, with us. MAC is planning to hold a holiday concert at its December 20 meeting, and we will probably organize a group to go up there, so let me know if you plan on attending. Check out the calendar on the WMAS Web site (www.washingtonaccordions.org) for more details about the MAC meeting.
Meanwhile, PRACTICE, MEMORIZE and ENJOY getting ready for the holiday concert. A concert poster/flyer is attached ; I encourage you to print it out and post it wherever you think people will see it, and/or distribute it to your friends and family. (If you have trouble with the file, let us know; we can send you a PDF.)
Also, don't forget to bring a dish to pass at the potluck dinner following the concert. It would be great if we musicians could focus on main dishes! Please plan to arrive at the church that day no later than 3:30, earlier if you can help with setup.
Remember that there is one last extra practice, without Dale, on Tuesday, December 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the church.
Some photos of Dale's accordion repair workshop will be posted soon on the Web site. At the workshop we worked on new member Elizabeth Nelson's accordion, which had lost many of its reeds into the bellows. Dale had us resetting the reeds, applying beeswax around them, "ironing" the beewax, and affixing new leathers. By Sunday evening, amazingly, the instrument was playable again. I know that at least some people who attended the workshop were eager to go home and try out their new skills; in any case, the whole weekend was a lot of fun.
Take Care,
Karen
WMAS President
************************************************************************************************************************
WMAS NEWS UPDATE
December 15, 2003
Notes from the President
Well, it’s been a marvelous first year for WMAS, and our two events this month have really put us on the map. The Dec. 7 concert was a great success, as well as a lot of fun for both musicians and audience. About 150 people came to hear us, and we were in wonderful form – no matter how we sounded during some of the rehearsals.The best compliment was from a gentleman in the audience who said to me afterwards: "If I had been listening on the radio, I would have thought it was an orchestra, the accordions blended so well."
Dale Wise conducted with authority and provided some humor in his introductions of the various soloists and duos. Just before the concert, we presented him with a commemorative gift: a baton and a handmade stand for it (made by Clay Bobrowski). The plaque on the stand read: "Dale Wise, with chords of thanks and a big squeeze. WMAS 12/7/03." We’re extremely grateful for everything Dale has done for our group. (Please see below for Dale’s announcement about an event he’s hosting this Wednesday, the 17th.)
Immediately after we took our final bow – to a standing ovation(!) – we were treated to more great music. Merv Conn stepped out of the audience, strapped on his accordion and took up where the concert left off. Merv’s been playing in the D.C. area for the greater part of a century (he said 70 years, but I think it’s more like 80!) and was the premiere teacher here for many, many years. He and others kept the music flowing before, during and after the potluck, and Mike Rubin supplied some vaudevillian touches and also demonstrated his skill at the tango and polka.
From the concert proceeds (a $5 donation), we were able to present the church with $143 for its new chair fund, and we added the same amount to our treasury.
Please check out the concert photos on the Web site. We're expecting to post more, so check back soon, and send us any photos you might have taken.2003 Dec Holiday Concert
Two days after the concert, at our regular meeting on Dec. 9 , Jim Vandelly dazzled us with his bayan demonstration. The bayan is the Russian version of the accordion, a chromatic button accordion with free bass. The right-hand, ergonomic button arrangement allows chords to be played more easily and at greater speed than on the piano accordion, but, even so, Jim said he’d spent up to a year learning some of the passages he demonstrated for us. If you missed the meeting, you can catch Jim’s workshop at the American Accordion Musicological Society's annual festival and symposium in Wayne, Pa., the first weekend in March (more information on the Web site – see the calendar).
Also at the meeting we discussed possibly restaging the concert so we can record it, and we discussed having WMAS t-shirts made. Joan Grauman showed examples of what she could offer us, and we’ll be putting together an order form in the next few weeks to see if there is enough interest. Joan and her husband Dan run a business called SqueezinArt -- "Unique Gifts for Accordionists"; see www.squeezinart.com for more information.
Joan’s also a musician of note – she played a couple of eastern European pieces in the Dec. 7 concert, and, at the Jan. 13 WMAS meeting, she’ll be presenting a workshop on introducing emotion into your playing.
Best wishes for happy holidays and a great start to the new year. I’m looking forward to seeing you in 2004.
Karen
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Maryland Accordion Club Meeting
Saturday, Dec. 20, 2-5 pm
Bloomsbury Community Center - 2nd floor auditorium
106 Bloomsbury Avenue
Catonsville, MD 21228
The meeting will feature a holiday concert.
Bring your accordion, music stand and band music
For more information or directions, call Joe Fertitta at (410) 744-3352.
DALE WISE'S HOLIDAY ACCORDION PARTY
To: ALL THOSE YOUNG AND OLD WHO LOVE THE ACCORDION
Re: ACCORDION PARTY TIME
Two bands, soloists, and more!
Where: Oakton United Methodist Church Large Social Hall (downstairs/elevator access)
2951 Chain Bridge Rd. (Rte. 123)
Oakton, VA 22124
When: December 17 (Wednesday)
7:30 P.M.
With: Refreshments!
To your good health through the accordion,
Todd & Dale & DeAnn Wise
P.S. ". . . . I wanna be there when the band starts playin'."
ACCORDION SALES PLUS SERVICE
10161 Palmer Drive / Oakton, Virginia 22124
VM: 703-356-8440
December 15, 2003
Notes from the President
Well, it’s been a marvelous first year for WMAS, and our two events this month have really put us on the map. The Dec. 7 concert was a great success, as well as a lot of fun for both musicians and audience. About 150 people came to hear us, and we were in wonderful form – no matter how we sounded during some of the rehearsals.The best compliment was from a gentleman in the audience who said to me afterwards: "If I had been listening on the radio, I would have thought it was an orchestra, the accordions blended so well."
Dale Wise conducted with authority and provided some humor in his introductions of the various soloists and duos. Just before the concert, we presented him with a commemorative gift: a baton and a handmade stand for it (made by Clay Bobrowski). The plaque on the stand read: "Dale Wise, with chords of thanks and a big squeeze. WMAS 12/7/03." We’re extremely grateful for everything Dale has done for our group. (Please see below for Dale’s announcement about an event he’s hosting this Wednesday, the 17th.)
Immediately after we took our final bow – to a standing ovation(!) – we were treated to more great music. Merv Conn stepped out of the audience, strapped on his accordion and took up where the concert left off. Merv’s been playing in the D.C. area for the greater part of a century (he said 70 years, but I think it’s more like 80!) and was the premiere teacher here for many, many years. He and others kept the music flowing before, during and after the potluck, and Mike Rubin supplied some vaudevillian touches and also demonstrated his skill at the tango and polka.
From the concert proceeds (a $5 donation), we were able to present the church with $143 for its new chair fund, and we added the same amount to our treasury.
Please check out the concert photos on the Web site. We're expecting to post more, so check back soon, and send us any photos you might have taken.2003 Dec Holiday Concert
Two days after the concert, at our regular meeting on Dec. 9 , Jim Vandelly dazzled us with his bayan demonstration. The bayan is the Russian version of the accordion, a chromatic button accordion with free bass. The right-hand, ergonomic button arrangement allows chords to be played more easily and at greater speed than on the piano accordion, but, even so, Jim said he’d spent up to a year learning some of the passages he demonstrated for us. If you missed the meeting, you can catch Jim’s workshop at the American Accordion Musicological Society's annual festival and symposium in Wayne, Pa., the first weekend in March (more information on the Web site – see the calendar).
Also at the meeting we discussed possibly restaging the concert so we can record it, and we discussed having WMAS t-shirts made. Joan Grauman showed examples of what she could offer us, and we’ll be putting together an order form in the next few weeks to see if there is enough interest. Joan and her husband Dan run a business called SqueezinArt -- "Unique Gifts for Accordionists"; see www.squeezinart.com for more information.
Joan’s also a musician of note – she played a couple of eastern European pieces in the Dec. 7 concert, and, at the Jan. 13 WMAS meeting, she’ll be presenting a workshop on introducing emotion into your playing.
Best wishes for happy holidays and a great start to the new year. I’m looking forward to seeing you in 2004.
Karen
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Maryland Accordion Club Meeting
Saturday, Dec. 20, 2-5 pm
Bloomsbury Community Center - 2nd floor auditorium
106 Bloomsbury Avenue
Catonsville, MD 21228
The meeting will feature a holiday concert.
Bring your accordion, music stand and band music
For more information or directions, call Joe Fertitta at (410) 744-3352.
DALE WISE'S HOLIDAY ACCORDION PARTY
To: ALL THOSE YOUNG AND OLD WHO LOVE THE ACCORDION
Re: ACCORDION PARTY TIME
Two bands, soloists, and more!
Where: Oakton United Methodist Church Large Social Hall (downstairs/elevator access)
2951 Chain Bridge Rd. (Rte. 123)
Oakton, VA 22124
When: December 17 (Wednesday)
7:30 P.M.
With: Refreshments!
To your good health through the accordion,
Todd & Dale & DeAnn Wise
P.S. ". . . . I wanna be there when the band starts playin'."
ACCORDION SALES PLUS SERVICE
10161 Palmer Drive / Oakton, Virginia 22124
VM: 703-356-8440