2018 News Archive
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
January 28, 2018
Poll watchers agreed: WMAS had a free and fair election at its January meeting; the current officers will be staying on for another year, so the transition will be smooth. After that important piece of business, Robert Ford led a play-along of various pieces for which members had distributed sheet music. Thank you, everyone, for your contributions!
In addition, Jim Vandelly and Mara Cherkasky led the group in playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” by ear and in different keys. Peter DiGiovanni taught us a useful bass run for transitioning from the I-chord to the V-chord (such as from C to G) and another for transitioning from the I-chord to the IV-chord (such as from C to F). These runs are easy but make a huge difference in how a piece sounds. We also tried “Yankee Doodle” by ear. Jim was our greeter, too, and played some of our favorites. Thanks, Jim!
WMAS’s February meeting, coming up soon on the 11th, will be our 15th birthday party, our quinceañera. Please sign up to play a dance tune and start thinking about bringing a savory snack to share. We won’t need sweets because we’ll be having birthday cake. Thanks! Besides the dance music we’ll also play together; Joan has offered to furnish some sheet music featuring love songs, in honor of Valentine’s Day. Please bring your instruments.
For the March meeting, on the 18th, Robert Ford has agreed to do a hands-on bellows workshop starting at 3 pm. Yes, that’s right, we will be starting the meeting an hour early because the church will need the space starting at 6 pm and we don’t want to rush. Following the workshop we’ll launch into a play-along featuring Irish music.
We need greeters for both the February and March meetings. Here’s your chance! Please sign up.
**********************************************************************************************************************
January 28, 2018
Poll watchers agreed: WMAS had a free and fair election at its January meeting; the current officers will be staying on for another year, so the transition will be smooth. After that important piece of business, Robert Ford led a play-along of various pieces for which members had distributed sheet music. Thank you, everyone, for your contributions!
In addition, Jim Vandelly and Mara Cherkasky led the group in playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” by ear and in different keys. Peter DiGiovanni taught us a useful bass run for transitioning from the I-chord to the V-chord (such as from C to G) and another for transitioning from the I-chord to the IV-chord (such as from C to F). These runs are easy but make a huge difference in how a piece sounds. We also tried “Yankee Doodle” by ear. Jim was our greeter, too, and played some of our favorites. Thanks, Jim!
WMAS’s February meeting, coming up soon on the 11th, will be our 15th birthday party, our quinceañera. Please sign up to play a dance tune and start thinking about bringing a savory snack to share. We won’t need sweets because we’ll be having birthday cake. Thanks! Besides the dance music we’ll also play together; Joan has offered to furnish some sheet music featuring love songs, in honor of Valentine’s Day. Please bring your instruments.
For the March meeting, on the 18th, Robert Ford has agreed to do a hands-on bellows workshop starting at 3 pm. Yes, that’s right, we will be starting the meeting an hour early because the church will need the space starting at 6 pm and we don’t want to rush. Following the workshop we’ll launch into a play-along featuring Irish music.
We need greeters for both the February and March meetings. Here’s your chance! Please sign up.
**********************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
February 24, 2018
WMAS celebrated its fifteenth birthday with a fun and festive dance party and food extravaganza on Sunday, February 12. The theater set that took up a good portion of the room turned out not to be so bad after all, as it pushed us into a smaller space and made the room more intimate. Maybe that’s why so many people got up and danced to almost every dance tune.
Thanks go to JoAnn Pankow for serving as greeter and also, with her husband John, managing the kitchen; to Ken Kunec for serving as emcee and filling in awkward silences with music and jokes; to Robert Ford for leading the Valentine’s Day-inspired play-along; and to all those who helped set up and clean up, performed for us, danced, provided sheet music and/or dishes to share, and who took part in the celebration. We appreciate all of you!
At our next meeting, on March 18 at 3 PM (!), Mary Kay Stine will greet, Robert Ford will conduct a hands-on bellows workshop, and we’ll follow that with a play-along of Irish music. Please plan to bring your accordion; we look forward to another great, music-filled get-together.
On April 15 we’ll be hosting guest artists Rachel Bell and Karen Axelrod, aka Peregrine Road. Please mark your calendars. They are not to be missed!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A member who lives south of Jessup, Maryland, is wondering if anyone else comes to WMAS meetings from that area and might give her a ride. Please reply to this email if you can help out, and we’ll hook the two of you up. Thanks!
Our membership year starts January 1, so membership dues are payable now. Please see Peter DiGiovanni or Mara Cherkasky at the March meeting to get yourself square. Thanks for that, too!
Our website: www.washingtonaccordions.org
********************************************************************************************************************
February 24, 2018
WMAS celebrated its fifteenth birthday with a fun and festive dance party and food extravaganza on Sunday, February 12. The theater set that took up a good portion of the room turned out not to be so bad after all, as it pushed us into a smaller space and made the room more intimate. Maybe that’s why so many people got up and danced to almost every dance tune.
Thanks go to JoAnn Pankow for serving as greeter and also, with her husband John, managing the kitchen; to Ken Kunec for serving as emcee and filling in awkward silences with music and jokes; to Robert Ford for leading the Valentine’s Day-inspired play-along; and to all those who helped set up and clean up, performed for us, danced, provided sheet music and/or dishes to share, and who took part in the celebration. We appreciate all of you!
At our next meeting, on March 18 at 3 PM (!), Mary Kay Stine will greet, Robert Ford will conduct a hands-on bellows workshop, and we’ll follow that with a play-along of Irish music. Please plan to bring your accordion; we look forward to another great, music-filled get-together.
On April 15 we’ll be hosting guest artists Rachel Bell and Karen Axelrod, aka Peregrine Road. Please mark your calendars. They are not to be missed!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A member who lives south of Jessup, Maryland, is wondering if anyone else comes to WMAS meetings from that area and might give her a ride. Please reply to this email if you can help out, and we’ll hook the two of you up. Thanks!
Our membership year starts January 1, so membership dues are payable now. Please see Peter DiGiovanni or Mara Cherkasky at the March meeting to get yourself square. Thanks for that, too!
Our website: www.washingtonaccordions.org
********************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
March 22, 2018
Happy Spring!
Sunday is only a few days ago, but it seems like a far-off memory given yesterday’s snowstorm. (We hope everyone stayed snug and warm!) In any case, turnout at the March 18 meeting was pretty good, considering the competition: the weather outside was gorgeous and by far the best we’d had in weeks. Mary Kay Stine was our greeter (thanks, Mary Kay!), and then Robert Ford took over the program, offering a hands-on workshop on bellows technique. Besides allowing the instrument to produce sound, the bellows are used for expression, accenting -- and also for showing off. As you might have guessed, Robert concentrated on expression and accenting, as they relate to the music itself and not to the performer’s ego. He demonstrated how to use the bellows to make the music come alive, rather than simply to produce notes.
Following the workshop, Robert led the group in a play-along of Irish tunes, in a belated celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. Please remember to keep all your WMAS play-along music in a binder, as we will be using it again.
LOST AND FOUND
Are you missing a blue fleece jacket? It was found hanging on the kitchen door knob at the end of Sunday’s meeting and is now in Peter DiGiovanni’s lost and found. To claim it, please contact Peter at 703-919-5701 or [email protected]
UPCOMING
Riders in the Sky, featuring Joey Miskulin on accordion, will perform at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia on Sunday, March 25 at 7:30pm. Joey is a world-class accordionist, and the entire group puts on an extremely fun show. More info on the show is at https://www.birchmere.com/events/riders-in-the-sky-40th-anniversary/ and on the group, at www.ridersinthesky.com.
Our April meeting, on the 15th, will be a guest-artist concert featuring Rachel Bell and Karen Axelrod (aka “Peregrine Road”). A flyer is attached. Please send it to your family and friends – and, if you live in or near Falls Church, post it on community bulletin boards. Silvia Eberly and students will greet before the concert.
www.washingtonaccordions.org
************************************************************************************************************************
March 22, 2018
Happy Spring!
Sunday is only a few days ago, but it seems like a far-off memory given yesterday’s snowstorm. (We hope everyone stayed snug and warm!) In any case, turnout at the March 18 meeting was pretty good, considering the competition: the weather outside was gorgeous and by far the best we’d had in weeks. Mary Kay Stine was our greeter (thanks, Mary Kay!), and then Robert Ford took over the program, offering a hands-on workshop on bellows technique. Besides allowing the instrument to produce sound, the bellows are used for expression, accenting -- and also for showing off. As you might have guessed, Robert concentrated on expression and accenting, as they relate to the music itself and not to the performer’s ego. He demonstrated how to use the bellows to make the music come alive, rather than simply to produce notes.
Following the workshop, Robert led the group in a play-along of Irish tunes, in a belated celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. Please remember to keep all your WMAS play-along music in a binder, as we will be using it again.
LOST AND FOUND
Are you missing a blue fleece jacket? It was found hanging on the kitchen door knob at the end of Sunday’s meeting and is now in Peter DiGiovanni’s lost and found. To claim it, please contact Peter at 703-919-5701 or [email protected]
UPCOMING
Riders in the Sky, featuring Joey Miskulin on accordion, will perform at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia on Sunday, March 25 at 7:30pm. Joey is a world-class accordionist, and the entire group puts on an extremely fun show. More info on the show is at https://www.birchmere.com/events/riders-in-the-sky-40th-anniversary/ and on the group, at www.ridersinthesky.com.
Our April meeting, on the 15th, will be a guest-artist concert featuring Rachel Bell and Karen Axelrod (aka “Peregrine Road”). A flyer is attached. Please send it to your family and friends – and, if you live in or near Falls Church, post it on community bulletin boards. Silvia Eberly and students will greet before the concert.
www.washingtonaccordions.org
************************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
April 22, 2018
Happy Earth Day!
WMAS was lucky to have a visit from Peregrine Road at our April 15 meeting. The guest-artist duo -- Rachel Bell on accordion and Karen Axelrod on accordion and piano – played dance tunes: a tango by Piazzolla, traditional bourees, waltzes, and contradances. Many pieces were composed by the prolific Rachel, who gives them names that often require some explaining. About 65 people enjoyed the music and the storytelling.
Thanks go to Silvia Eberly and her student, Yunguang Chen, for greeting, to Rachel and Karen for their magical performance, to JoAnn and John for managing the kitchen/refreshments, and to everyone else who helped set up and clean up, managed the name tags, brought snacks to share, and just plain showed up.
At the suggestion of Joe Kulick, our May meeting, on the 20th, will focus on show tunes. Please practice one to play for the group, or bring sheet music for your favorite piece to share in a play-along. Joan and Dan Grauman will be back from Florida, and they’ll compile a few pieces for the play-along as well.
UPCOMING
The Washington Balalaika Society will be presenting its spring concert twice during the first weekend of June: at 3 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2018, at the Wakefield High School Theater, 1325 South Dinwiddie Street, Arlington VA, and at 8 pm on Saturday, June 2, at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. The 55-plus-member WBS Orchestra is the largest orchestra of its kind in the U.S. According to Peter DiGiovanni, “We are well rehearsed and we sound great.” You can find more info at http://www.balalaika.org.For $18 group-rate tickets contact Peter at 703-919-5701 or [email protected].
Check out the WMAS website, www.washingtonaccordions.org
*********************************************************************************************************************
April 22, 2018
Happy Earth Day!
WMAS was lucky to have a visit from Peregrine Road at our April 15 meeting. The guest-artist duo -- Rachel Bell on accordion and Karen Axelrod on accordion and piano – played dance tunes: a tango by Piazzolla, traditional bourees, waltzes, and contradances. Many pieces were composed by the prolific Rachel, who gives them names that often require some explaining. About 65 people enjoyed the music and the storytelling.
Thanks go to Silvia Eberly and her student, Yunguang Chen, for greeting, to Rachel and Karen for their magical performance, to JoAnn and John for managing the kitchen/refreshments, and to everyone else who helped set up and clean up, managed the name tags, brought snacks to share, and just plain showed up.
At the suggestion of Joe Kulick, our May meeting, on the 20th, will focus on show tunes. Please practice one to play for the group, or bring sheet music for your favorite piece to share in a play-along. Joan and Dan Grauman will be back from Florida, and they’ll compile a few pieces for the play-along as well.
UPCOMING
The Washington Balalaika Society will be presenting its spring concert twice during the first weekend of June: at 3 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2018, at the Wakefield High School Theater, 1325 South Dinwiddie Street, Arlington VA, and at 8 pm on Saturday, June 2, at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. The 55-plus-member WBS Orchestra is the largest orchestra of its kind in the U.S. According to Peter DiGiovanni, “We are well rehearsed and we sound great.” You can find more info at http://www.balalaika.org.For $18 group-rate tickets contact Peter at 703-919-5701 or [email protected].
Check out the WMAS website, www.washingtonaccordions.org
*********************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
May 29, 2018
It was good to see everyone at our May meeting, on the 20th! Joan and Dan Grauman were there, finally back from Florida and now with us for the rest of the year. Joan made up for lost time by serving as our greeter, announcing details about the upcoming American Accordionists’ Association festival in Alexandria (see below), and leading a play-along of show and movie tunes, with sheet music provided by participants. Please be sure to keep the music in your club binder so we can play it another time.
Thanks to everyone who shared music, food, and their presence! Thanks also for your help setting up and cleaning up, and special thanks to John and JoAnn Pankow for managing the kitchen month after month.
Our next meeting, on June 10, is right around the corner; that’s what happens when we try to dodge Mothers Day and Fathers Day! This will be our annual spring concert! Please sign up for a 5-minute slot by emailing [email protected]. Also, because we forgot to ask whether anyone had prepared a show tune to perform at the May meeting (and we know at least one person did), we’d like to offer apologies and ask you to play the piece in June, along with whatever else you might have been planning.
We look forward to seeing everyone then!
UPCOMING
The Washington Balalaika Society will be presenting its spring concert twice during the first weekend of June: at 3 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2018, at the Wakefield High School Theater, 1325 South Dinwiddie Street, Arlington VA, and at 8 pm on Saturday, June 2, at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. The 55-plus-member WBS Orchestra is the largest orchestra of its kind in the U.S. According to Peter DiGiovanni, “We are well rehearsed and we sound great.” You can find more info at http://www.balalaika.org. For $18 group-rate tickets contact Peter at 703-919-5701 or [email protected].
The 80th Anniversary AAA Festival will take place July 11-15 at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, 625 First Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. Some of the festival’s highlights are an After Hours Club hosted by Joan & Dan Grauman on Wednesday at 9 pm (Bring your accordion and sign up for a 10- minute slot to play! Can’t come Wednesday? There’s an After Hours Club Thursday night, too!); a Thursday luncheon with entertainment by Trifilio Tango Trio; a Thursday Pasta Night with entertainment by Joe Cerrito, Cody McSherry, and Ray Oreggia; a Thursday evening concert featuring the Joe Natoli Quartet and more; a Friday evening Gala Concert featuring Stas Venglevski, Grayson Masefield, Mary Tokarski, and others; and a Saturday evening Gala Banquet with a performance by the Festival Orchestra, conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers, and the presentation of the AAA Lifetime Achievement Award to Washington, DC’s own Lou Coppola. Of course, the days will also be filled with competitions, workshops, exhibits, and much more. Don’t miss out on the fun!
If you’d like to play in the AAA Festival Orchestra, please register online as soon as possible at http://www.ameraccord.com/festival.php.
You’ll find more information and registration/hotel details at the same site.
Please check out the WMAS website, www.washingtonaccordions.org
******************************************************************************************************************
May 29, 2018
It was good to see everyone at our May meeting, on the 20th! Joan and Dan Grauman were there, finally back from Florida and now with us for the rest of the year. Joan made up for lost time by serving as our greeter, announcing details about the upcoming American Accordionists’ Association festival in Alexandria (see below), and leading a play-along of show and movie tunes, with sheet music provided by participants. Please be sure to keep the music in your club binder so we can play it another time.
Thanks to everyone who shared music, food, and their presence! Thanks also for your help setting up and cleaning up, and special thanks to John and JoAnn Pankow for managing the kitchen month after month.
Our next meeting, on June 10, is right around the corner; that’s what happens when we try to dodge Mothers Day and Fathers Day! This will be our annual spring concert! Please sign up for a 5-minute slot by emailing [email protected]. Also, because we forgot to ask whether anyone had prepared a show tune to perform at the May meeting (and we know at least one person did), we’d like to offer apologies and ask you to play the piece in June, along with whatever else you might have been planning.
We look forward to seeing everyone then!
UPCOMING
The Washington Balalaika Society will be presenting its spring concert twice during the first weekend of June: at 3 pm on Sunday, June 3, 2018, at the Wakefield High School Theater, 1325 South Dinwiddie Street, Arlington VA, and at 8 pm on Saturday, June 2, at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. The 55-plus-member WBS Orchestra is the largest orchestra of its kind in the U.S. According to Peter DiGiovanni, “We are well rehearsed and we sound great.” You can find more info at http://www.balalaika.org. For $18 group-rate tickets contact Peter at 703-919-5701 or [email protected].
The 80th Anniversary AAA Festival will take place July 11-15 at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, 625 First Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. Some of the festival’s highlights are an After Hours Club hosted by Joan & Dan Grauman on Wednesday at 9 pm (Bring your accordion and sign up for a 10- minute slot to play! Can’t come Wednesday? There’s an After Hours Club Thursday night, too!); a Thursday luncheon with entertainment by Trifilio Tango Trio; a Thursday Pasta Night with entertainment by Joe Cerrito, Cody McSherry, and Ray Oreggia; a Thursday evening concert featuring the Joe Natoli Quartet and more; a Friday evening Gala Concert featuring Stas Venglevski, Grayson Masefield, Mary Tokarski, and others; and a Saturday evening Gala Banquet with a performance by the Festival Orchestra, conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers, and the presentation of the AAA Lifetime Achievement Award to Washington, DC’s own Lou Coppola. Of course, the days will also be filled with competitions, workshops, exhibits, and much more. Don’t miss out on the fun!
If you’d like to play in the AAA Festival Orchestra, please register online as soon as possible at http://www.ameraccord.com/festival.php.
You’ll find more information and registration/hotel details at the same site.
Please check out the WMAS website, www.washingtonaccordions.org
******************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
July 2, 2018
We hope everyone is surviving the heat!
Our June meeting a few weeks ago, the annual member concert, was a big success! A record number of people signed up to play, and the lineup included beginners, pros, and everyone in between, playing a huge range of styles. Ken Kunec was back as emcee, holding the event together and providing us with a lot of laughs – and also some groans. Silvia Eberly and her student Yunguang Chen set the mood, greeting people as they arrived and filling the room with music right from the start. Joan Grauman has put up a collage of photos of the concert performers, with a few words about our upcoming guest artist concert, on www.accordionusa.com. Scroll almost all of the way down to find it.
Kudos to all who help make our club such a fun and nurturing setting for accordionists and those who love the instrument!
Please remember we will not be meeting in July, but instead you should attend the American Accordionists’ Association festival in Alexandria July 11-15. Registration is still open; see http://ameraccord.com/festival.php. The next WMAS meeting will be August 12.
This week, if you can stand to be outdoors, don’t miss the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which this year is featuring Catalonia and Armenia. The diatonic accordion is popular in the Pyrenees region of Catalonia, so if you go you will have an opportunity to hear some unfamiliar music played on our favorite instrument. Even without accordions, the festival is always a great time – and it’s all free! It’s on the National Mall, in front of the American History Museum, July 4-8.
And at 6 pm on Monday, July 9, Multi World Champion winner Grayson Masefield will perform at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, to promote the AAA festival starting a few days later. Free!
Meanwhile, here’s some summer reading – suggested by Mike Rubin:
https://www.facebook.com/seandietrichwashere/posts/10155728753872947
**********************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
August 25, 2018
Not everyone goes on vacation in August! We had a pretty good turnout at the August 12 meeting, which was opened by our greeter, Robert Ford. We always expect a lot from Robert, and his wonderful mini-concert put everyone in a good frame of mind for the somewhat mind-intensive workshop that was to follow.
In “Really Listening to Music – Improve Your Musical Ear,” Peter DiGiovanni explained how we can learn music as a language by listening for the basic elements that make up the songs we hear: scales, intervals, and chords. He provided numerous examples of how these elements are combined in familiar melodies, spending extra time on “Do-Re-Mi,” which is a wonderful music lesson in itself! In addition, Peter provided many suggestions for improving our musical listening skills, including:
Dan Grauman was kind enough to record Peter’s presentation and upload it to a nonpublic account here: https://youtu.be/OObxG1h886Y. Please do not distribute this outside of WMAS.
Feel free to contact Peter at [email protected] with any questions or constructive feedback.
Next Month
We’re very excited to be welcoming Will Holshouser as our guest artist on September 16 at 4 pm. Will is an amazing accordionist who also composes for a wide variety of musical contexts. You may have heard him on NPR’s Fresh Air. He leads his own groups and has played with artists including Regina Carter, David Krakauer, Andy Statman, Suzanne Vega, Eric Vloeimans, the New York City Ballet, the New York City Opera, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. He has recorded three CDs of his music with his own trio, as well as albums with Musette Explosion and Han Bennink & Michael Moore. In addition, Will has appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Vienna Akkordeon Festival, and American Accordionists’ Association Festival. Originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts, he now lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife and daughter. You can learn more at http://www.willholshouser.com.
A flyer for the concert is attached. Please forward it to your family and friends, or print it out and post it. Thanks! We look forward to seeing you on September 16.
Miscellaneous
Mike Rubin would like to announce that he’s joined the Edelweiss Band. You can learn more about the band, see a photo of it, and read Mike’s resume, at http://www.theedelweissband.com/
***********************************************************************************************************************
August 25, 2018
Not everyone goes on vacation in August! We had a pretty good turnout at the August 12 meeting, which was opened by our greeter, Robert Ford. We always expect a lot from Robert, and his wonderful mini-concert put everyone in a good frame of mind for the somewhat mind-intensive workshop that was to follow.
In “Really Listening to Music – Improve Your Musical Ear,” Peter DiGiovanni explained how we can learn music as a language by listening for the basic elements that make up the songs we hear: scales, intervals, and chords. He provided numerous examples of how these elements are combined in familiar melodies, spending extra time on “Do-Re-Mi,” which is a wonderful music lesson in itself! In addition, Peter provided many suggestions for improving our musical listening skills, including:
- Listen for scales and arpeggios in melodies.
- Listen to the bass; it provides clues to where the harmony is going.
- The melody and the harmony go together. The notes in the melody are generally from the scale related to the harmony. The longer notes in the melody are generally from the chord of the harmony.
- Keep track of the home key and recognize when the musical journey returns to it.
- Learn the Circle of Fifths like the back of your hand. After all, it is the foundation of the Stradella bass. Most songs have harmonies whose patterns can be recognizable as simple transition from one pitch to its neighbor on the Circle.
- Notes off the scale of the harmony sound dissonant.
- Learn what each of the 12 intervals sound like. Find them in songs that are familiar to you to help recognize them.
- Trust you ear; it is better than you think.
- Study lots of songs. See how scales and chords are used, and where they appear on the Circle of Fifths.
- Music is relative. Every note relates to the ones before and after it. The same patterns hold true in every key.
- Do something every day to improve listening skills. The more time you spend at it, the faster the results (like learning any language).
- Consider on-line ear training programs; many are free. Key words = ear training, relative pitch.
- Consider purchasing educational materials to enhance your musical knowledge and appreciation. A particularly good one is Professor Robert Greenberg’s courses sold by The Teaching Company, at
- https://www.thegreatcourses.com/category/music.html?CFM=mega_menu
- Practice listening to simple tunes with only a few chords. You can graduate to more complex music later. Go on YouTube and search for Lindesnes Trekkspillklubb. Listen to their music. Try to play it by ear, taking one phrase at a time: first melody, then add the harmony. Use a slow-downer program (which holds notes to their original pitch) to give your brain more time to figure things out. Warning: listening to this group could be habit forming! Here’s a link:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oVhrpjL6G8&start_radio=1&list=RD3oVhrpjL6G8
Dan Grauman was kind enough to record Peter’s presentation and upload it to a nonpublic account here: https://youtu.be/OObxG1h886Y. Please do not distribute this outside of WMAS.
Feel free to contact Peter at [email protected] with any questions or constructive feedback.
Next Month
We’re very excited to be welcoming Will Holshouser as our guest artist on September 16 at 4 pm. Will is an amazing accordionist who also composes for a wide variety of musical contexts. You may have heard him on NPR’s Fresh Air. He leads his own groups and has played with artists including Regina Carter, David Krakauer, Andy Statman, Suzanne Vega, Eric Vloeimans, the New York City Ballet, the New York City Opera, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. He has recorded three CDs of his music with his own trio, as well as albums with Musette Explosion and Han Bennink & Michael Moore. In addition, Will has appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Vienna Akkordeon Festival, and American Accordionists’ Association Festival. Originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts, he now lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife and daughter. You can learn more at http://www.willholshouser.com.
A flyer for the concert is attached. Please forward it to your family and friends, or print it out and post it. Thanks! We look forward to seeing you on September 16.
Miscellaneous
Mike Rubin would like to announce that he’s joined the Edelweiss Band. You can learn more about the band, see a photo of it, and read Mike’s resume, at http://www.theedelweissband.com/
***********************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
September 30, 2018
Will Holshouser, our guest artist at the September 16 meeting, is proof that the accordion has a beautiful future. The fact that many people in our club were unfamiliar with his work made the concert an even bigger success, as part of our mission is to spread the word.
Will performed mostly his own compositions, which he described as having been influenced variously by Chamamé (example at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tlE_MmLfkw), French musette (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDFi99hYA58), Gregorian chants (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC6OKIYXBxQ), or sacred harp (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WtyZotP1tY). But he also played a selection by Washington’s own Duke Ellington, one by the French musette accordionist Gus Viseur, and a Cajun two-step.
If you were unfortunate enough to miss this event, you can hear Will online at http://www.willholshouser.com/ and also on youTube.
Silvia Eberly did the honors as greeter. We are grateful that she showed up, with her accordion, just in time! Thanks, Silvia! And thanks to everyone else who made the day a success.
Next Month
We will be holding our annual Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 21, at 4 pm at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, our usual location. Yimeng Huang and her ensemble will be the greeters, and the rest is up to us. Please sign up to play a polka or waltz, and please also plan to bring a German-style dish to share. (We’ll make up for the lack of beer – there is none in heaven, or at the church – with lots of good food.) Joan will lead us through some favorite tunes, as well, so please bring your accordion, Oktoberfest music, and music stand. Let us know if you don’t have the sheet music that we’ve distributed in the past, and we’ll send you a PDF.
The weather might still be summer-like, but the Holiday Concert is right around the corner. We’ll soon be sending out sheet music to those who sign up to play in the orchestra; please consider joining us. There’s room for beginners to experts!
NEWS from Trifilio Tango Trio
We have completed our third album, and we are so happy to invite you to join us for its celebration.
Trifilio Tango Trio
BIENVENIDOS AL RING CD Release Concert
Friday, November 2nd at 7:00
Embassy of Argentina
Buy Tickets Here
We'll share our BRAND-NEW tangos from the new album, recorded in Argentina 2018. We'll also perform new arrangements of classic tangos that we've never performed!
This is TTT's last concert in 2018 and the last one in the Embassy of Argentina for this season, so we hope to see all of our friends and fans there. Tickets are already going fast, so don't delay!
Tickets include general admission, a signed CD, and a glass of wine with TTT following the concert- come celebrate with us.
Emmanuel Trifilio, bandoneon
Devree Lewis, cello
Cristian Perez, guitar
AMP for Sale
Tini-Titan II with 10” or 12” speaker - $200. It has a great sound for the accordion.
Call Clay Bobrowski at 703-850-5200 or email [email protected] if you want to come and take a look – it’s in Falls Church.
Check out our website at www.washingtonaccordions.org.
*********************************************************************************************************************
September 30, 2018
Will Holshouser, our guest artist at the September 16 meeting, is proof that the accordion has a beautiful future. The fact that many people in our club were unfamiliar with his work made the concert an even bigger success, as part of our mission is to spread the word.
Will performed mostly his own compositions, which he described as having been influenced variously by Chamamé (example at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tlE_MmLfkw), French musette (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDFi99hYA58), Gregorian chants (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC6OKIYXBxQ), or sacred harp (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WtyZotP1tY). But he also played a selection by Washington’s own Duke Ellington, one by the French musette accordionist Gus Viseur, and a Cajun two-step.
If you were unfortunate enough to miss this event, you can hear Will online at http://www.willholshouser.com/ and also on youTube.
Silvia Eberly did the honors as greeter. We are grateful that she showed up, with her accordion, just in time! Thanks, Silvia! And thanks to everyone else who made the day a success.
Next Month
We will be holding our annual Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 21, at 4 pm at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, our usual location. Yimeng Huang and her ensemble will be the greeters, and the rest is up to us. Please sign up to play a polka or waltz, and please also plan to bring a German-style dish to share. (We’ll make up for the lack of beer – there is none in heaven, or at the church – with lots of good food.) Joan will lead us through some favorite tunes, as well, so please bring your accordion, Oktoberfest music, and music stand. Let us know if you don’t have the sheet music that we’ve distributed in the past, and we’ll send you a PDF.
The weather might still be summer-like, but the Holiday Concert is right around the corner. We’ll soon be sending out sheet music to those who sign up to play in the orchestra; please consider joining us. There’s room for beginners to experts!
NEWS from Trifilio Tango Trio
We have completed our third album, and we are so happy to invite you to join us for its celebration.
Trifilio Tango Trio
BIENVENIDOS AL RING CD Release Concert
Friday, November 2nd at 7:00
Embassy of Argentina
Buy Tickets Here
We'll share our BRAND-NEW tangos from the new album, recorded in Argentina 2018. We'll also perform new arrangements of classic tangos that we've never performed!
This is TTT's last concert in 2018 and the last one in the Embassy of Argentina for this season, so we hope to see all of our friends and fans there. Tickets are already going fast, so don't delay!
Tickets include general admission, a signed CD, and a glass of wine with TTT following the concert- come celebrate with us.
Emmanuel Trifilio, bandoneon
Devree Lewis, cello
Cristian Perez, guitar
AMP for Sale
Tini-Titan II with 10” or 12” speaker - $200. It has a great sound for the accordion.
Call Clay Bobrowski at 703-850-5200 or email [email protected] if you want to come and take a look – it’s in Falls Church.
Check out our website at www.washingtonaccordions.org.
*********************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
October 31, 2018
Happy wee hours of Halloween! WMAS’s annual Oktoberfest took place at the last meeting, on October 21, and it was festive! Greeter Yimeng Huang started off the afternoon, warming up the room as people settled in at their tables. Ken Kunec did the honors as emcee, starting us off with some jokes and a song he swore is a favorite in the Munich beer halls: “Hey Baby, Won’t You Be My Girl.” Karen Uribe was next up, with the “Chicken Dance,” drawing a large group of people onto the floor to shake their wings and tail feathers. Joyce Day taught a schottische, and the circle got so big that it had to split up. And so it proceeded, with lots of waltzes and polkas, lots of dancing, and lots of eating. During the break we sang “Happy Birthday” to long-time members Lee and Ron Paulson, and then Joan Grauman led a play-along of traditional Oktoberfest pieces.
Thanks go to everyone who contributed to a successful afternoon! We will do it again next year, and now it’s time to move on to the next holiday.
Coming Up
The first rehearsal for the Holiday Concert is at 4 pm this Sunday, November 4, at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, the same place we always meet (directions at www.washingtonaccordions.org). Please bring your music, music stand, and your accordion. If you haven’t yet signed up to participate, please contact Joan asap ([email protected]) so she can get the sheet music to you.
We will also be rehearsing during our regular November meeting, on Sunday, November 11, at 4 pm. Before the rehearsal, Ken Kunec will be leading an accordion-accompanied sing-along, so bring your best voice and be prepared for some laughs. Yes, this will be Veterans Day and the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day (the end of World War I), but it was the only day available to us, and we will figure out some way to mark the centennial. We hope you can make it!
The next rehearsals will be Sunday, December 2, at 4 pm, and Sunday, December 16, at 1:45 pm. This last rehearsal is mandatory, and you also MUST participate in at least one other rehearsal (but preferably all the rehearsals). We say this every year, but we’ll say it again: practicing the music on your own is not enough. You also need to learn to follow the conductor and to play the music with the group—a completely different situation from playing alone at home.
So we trust we’ll see you this Sunday. Please let us know if you’re coming, at [email protected].
Washington Balalaika Society Concert November 18
The Washington Balalaika Society will be presenting its fall concert at 3 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2018, at the Kenmore Theatre for the Performing Arts, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington, Va. (It will perform the same program at 8 pm on Saturday, November 17, at the Fitzgerald Theater in Rockville, Md.). The 60-member WBS Orchestra is the largest Russian folk orchestra in the U.S. It and its fabulous soloists are well rehearsed and sound great. You can find more info at http://www.balalaika.org/
For $18 specially priced tickets contact Peter DiGiovanni at 703-919-5701 or [email protected]
*********************************************************************************************************************
October 31, 2018
Happy wee hours of Halloween! WMAS’s annual Oktoberfest took place at the last meeting, on October 21, and it was festive! Greeter Yimeng Huang started off the afternoon, warming up the room as people settled in at their tables. Ken Kunec did the honors as emcee, starting us off with some jokes and a song he swore is a favorite in the Munich beer halls: “Hey Baby, Won’t You Be My Girl.” Karen Uribe was next up, with the “Chicken Dance,” drawing a large group of people onto the floor to shake their wings and tail feathers. Joyce Day taught a schottische, and the circle got so big that it had to split up. And so it proceeded, with lots of waltzes and polkas, lots of dancing, and lots of eating. During the break we sang “Happy Birthday” to long-time members Lee and Ron Paulson, and then Joan Grauman led a play-along of traditional Oktoberfest pieces.
Thanks go to everyone who contributed to a successful afternoon! We will do it again next year, and now it’s time to move on to the next holiday.
Coming Up
The first rehearsal for the Holiday Concert is at 4 pm this Sunday, November 4, at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, the same place we always meet (directions at www.washingtonaccordions.org). Please bring your music, music stand, and your accordion. If you haven’t yet signed up to participate, please contact Joan asap ([email protected]) so she can get the sheet music to you.
We will also be rehearsing during our regular November meeting, on Sunday, November 11, at 4 pm. Before the rehearsal, Ken Kunec will be leading an accordion-accompanied sing-along, so bring your best voice and be prepared for some laughs. Yes, this will be Veterans Day and the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day (the end of World War I), but it was the only day available to us, and we will figure out some way to mark the centennial. We hope you can make it!
The next rehearsals will be Sunday, December 2, at 4 pm, and Sunday, December 16, at 1:45 pm. This last rehearsal is mandatory, and you also MUST participate in at least one other rehearsal (but preferably all the rehearsals). We say this every year, but we’ll say it again: practicing the music on your own is not enough. You also need to learn to follow the conductor and to play the music with the group—a completely different situation from playing alone at home.
So we trust we’ll see you this Sunday. Please let us know if you’re coming, at [email protected].
Washington Balalaika Society Concert November 18
The Washington Balalaika Society will be presenting its fall concert at 3 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2018, at the Kenmore Theatre for the Performing Arts, 200 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington, Va. (It will perform the same program at 8 pm on Saturday, November 17, at the Fitzgerald Theater in Rockville, Md.). The 60-member WBS Orchestra is the largest Russian folk orchestra in the U.S. It and its fabulous soloists are well rehearsed and sound great. You can find more info at http://www.balalaika.org/
For $18 specially priced tickets contact Peter DiGiovanni at 703-919-5701 or [email protected]
*********************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
November 17, 2018
Ken Kunec’s singalong at the November 11 meeting was so much fun that Joan Grauman, who claims not to like to sing, was moved to shout, “We have the best accordion club!” Of course, we knew that, but this meeting provided more evidence than most. The offerings ranged from “America the Beautiful” in honor of the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, to the irreverent “Ghost Chickens in the Sky,” to the rousing “Cielito Lindo,” with backup vocals provided by Luis Uribe and Robert Ford. If you missed the real thing but have access to Facebook, please check out the photos and short video on our page.
Getting the meeting started was Jerry Jacoby, an old friend who now lives in Minnesota but was out east for a visit. It was great to have him back!
The second half of the meeting was a rehearsal for the Holiday Concert. A large group turned out, and we sounded pretty good for it being just our second rehearsal -- but of course we have to sound great after only four. Please practice with the MP3s!! Remember, we will rehearse again on Sunday, December 2, at 4 pm, at Sleepy Hollow Church, and again on December 16, at 1:45 pm. The concert itself starts at 4 pm on the 16th, and a potluck follows. If you’d like to sign up to play a solo (or duo, trio, etc.), please let us know. Depending on how many sign up, some people will be asked to perform during the potluck so we can keep the music flowing throughout the event.
A concert flyer is attached, in both PDF and JPG formats. Please send it to your friends and family, and post it on your Facebook page or anywhere else people will see it. Thanks!
UPCOMING EVENT
Cody McSherry will be performing at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage on Tuesday, November 20 at 6 pm! More here: http://wwwkennedy-center.org/Video/Performance/67482
Happy Thanksgiving, and see you soon!
www.washingtonaccordions.org
********************************************************************************************************************
November 17, 2018
Ken Kunec’s singalong at the November 11 meeting was so much fun that Joan Grauman, who claims not to like to sing, was moved to shout, “We have the best accordion club!” Of course, we knew that, but this meeting provided more evidence than most. The offerings ranged from “America the Beautiful” in honor of the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, to the irreverent “Ghost Chickens in the Sky,” to the rousing “Cielito Lindo,” with backup vocals provided by Luis Uribe and Robert Ford. If you missed the real thing but have access to Facebook, please check out the photos and short video on our page.
Getting the meeting started was Jerry Jacoby, an old friend who now lives in Minnesota but was out east for a visit. It was great to have him back!
The second half of the meeting was a rehearsal for the Holiday Concert. A large group turned out, and we sounded pretty good for it being just our second rehearsal -- but of course we have to sound great after only four. Please practice with the MP3s!! Remember, we will rehearse again on Sunday, December 2, at 4 pm, at Sleepy Hollow Church, and again on December 16, at 1:45 pm. The concert itself starts at 4 pm on the 16th, and a potluck follows. If you’d like to sign up to play a solo (or duo, trio, etc.), please let us know. Depending on how many sign up, some people will be asked to perform during the potluck so we can keep the music flowing throughout the event.
A concert flyer is attached, in both PDF and JPG formats. Please send it to your friends and family, and post it on your Facebook page or anywhere else people will see it. Thanks!
UPCOMING EVENT
Cody McSherry will be performing at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage on Tuesday, November 20 at 6 pm! More here: http://wwwkennedy-center.org/Video/Performance/67482
Happy Thanksgiving, and see you soon!
www.washingtonaccordions.org
********************************************************************************************************************
Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society Update
December 29, 2018
Happy New Year!
Another fun and successful Holiday Concert/Potluck, our 16th, is behind us, and 2018 is history as well. Looking forward to 2019, we will gather on January 13 for a play-along and election of officers. Karen Uribe’s nominating committee has put forth a slate of officers – Peter DiGiovanni, president, Robert Ford, vice president, and Mara Cherkasky, secretary/treasurer – all incumbents who have all agreed to continue their service – but if you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for one of these offices, please let us know as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, HUGE THANKS to everyone who participated in the December 16 Concert/Potluck: in the orchestra (we sounded great!!), in setup and cleanup, in entertaining before and after the concert – and by bringing food, family, and friends, and being part of the audience. Special thanks to Joan Grauman for herding cats, i.e. rehearsing and conducting the orchestra; and to Ken Kunec for emceeing/filling in gaps/keeping people laughing/playing “Marvelous Little Toy.”
Our meeting schedule for the first half of the year is posted to www.washingtonaccordions.org, so please check it out.
Next WMAS meeting:
Sunday, January 13, 4 pm
Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church
3435 Sleepy Hollow Road
Falls Church, Virginia
Getting Rid of Paper Sheet Music
In case you were wondering about Karen Uribe’s use of an iPad instead of sheet music, she’s provided a description.
“I have an iPad that is about 5 by 8 inches. I downloaded the app forScore for $9.99. I emailed myself Dan’s Christmas music. And on the email in the top right corner I chose the forScore icon and it instantly downloaded the music into the app.
“I spent Thanksgiving vacation watching you tube videos about how to use forScore.
“I ordered a page turner called iRig BlueTurn for $70 and an iPad holder clamp for $30. I bought them as a package. I love BlueTurn, which operates with BlueTooth. The clamp fits on my regular stand.
“This is not a new concept. Lots of accordionists are using it. Hope you take a chance.”
December 29, 2018
Happy New Year!
Another fun and successful Holiday Concert/Potluck, our 16th, is behind us, and 2018 is history as well. Looking forward to 2019, we will gather on January 13 for a play-along and election of officers. Karen Uribe’s nominating committee has put forth a slate of officers – Peter DiGiovanni, president, Robert Ford, vice president, and Mara Cherkasky, secretary/treasurer – all incumbents who have all agreed to continue their service – but if you would like to nominate yourself or someone else for one of these offices, please let us know as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, HUGE THANKS to everyone who participated in the December 16 Concert/Potluck: in the orchestra (we sounded great!!), in setup and cleanup, in entertaining before and after the concert – and by bringing food, family, and friends, and being part of the audience. Special thanks to Joan Grauman for herding cats, i.e. rehearsing and conducting the orchestra; and to Ken Kunec for emceeing/filling in gaps/keeping people laughing/playing “Marvelous Little Toy.”
Our meeting schedule for the first half of the year is posted to www.washingtonaccordions.org, so please check it out.
Next WMAS meeting:
Sunday, January 13, 4 pm
Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church
3435 Sleepy Hollow Road
Falls Church, Virginia
Getting Rid of Paper Sheet Music
In case you were wondering about Karen Uribe’s use of an iPad instead of sheet music, she’s provided a description.
“I have an iPad that is about 5 by 8 inches. I downloaded the app forScore for $9.99. I emailed myself Dan’s Christmas music. And on the email in the top right corner I chose the forScore icon and it instantly downloaded the music into the app.
“I spent Thanksgiving vacation watching you tube videos about how to use forScore.
“I ordered a page turner called iRig BlueTurn for $70 and an iPad holder clamp for $30. I bought them as a package. I love BlueTurn, which operates with BlueTooth. The clamp fits on my regular stand.
“This is not a new concept. Lots of accordionists are using it. Hope you take a chance.”