WMAS NEWS UPDATE
January 6, 2020
(Visit the NEWS ARCHIVE for past announcements)
(To post a news item, e-mail mcherkasky@verizon.net)
MEETING NOTES
WMAS performed another successful Holiday Concert on December 15, conducted for the first time by our president Peter DiGiovanni, who also composed one of the offerings and arranged most of the others. It was quite amazing to experience the progress the orchestra made in only a matter of weeks, from receiving the somewhat complicated music in mid-October and rehearsing it for the first time in early November to playing it for an audience a month later.
Thanks to all who helped organize the concert and potluck! At the risk of leaving someone out we’d like to express special gratitude to Peter for all his work with the orchestra; to JoAnn and John Pankow for managing the potluck; to Ken Kunec for emceeing; to Janice Lavoie for greeting; to Silvia Eberly, Jim Vandelly and the others who played during the break before dinner; to Clare Cherkasky for working the door; to the orchestra members who worked so hard and sounded so good; to Dan Grauman for video-recording the orchestra; and to everyone else who helped set up and clean up, who performed, who brought food, and who were part of the audience.
At our first 2020 meeting, on January 26, we will discuss the concert/potluck and what went right or wrong. Please write down your thoughts now while you can still remember the event and bring your notes with you – along with your accordion, binder, and stand. We’ll be starting the year with a play-along (more on this below), after the discussion and the election of 2020 officers. Nominating Committee Chair Karen Uribe’s slate of candidates looks identical to last year’s, as all three elected officers have agreed to continue: Peter DiGiovanni as president, Robert Ford as vice-president, and Mara Cherkasky as secretary-treasurer. This slate does not preclude others from running, however. If you’d like to be considered for one of the offices, please make yourself known.
As usual, the January 26 meeting will take place at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, 3435 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church, Virginia. Directions and other information are at www.washingtonaccordions.org.
We still need a greeter, and please bring snacks to share.
MORE ON THE PLAY-ALONG:
Peter will be uploading some sheet music to washingtonaccordions.org and will notify members in a week or so that it’s ready to download, print, and bring to the meeting.
After each play-along, please organize your music in a three-ring binder, so that you will have it for the next play-along. If you’ve brought music, please bring any extra copies to the next play-along for those who missed receiving it.
As a reminder, here are the guidelines for good play-along music:
NOTICES
Did you take photos at the Holiday Concert? Do any of them show Jim Vandelly playing Amazing Grace at the beginning of the concert, or of the audience singing along? This was part of the tribute to Davita Hays, and Jim would like to have a picture or two if you have some. Thanks!
In addition, Jim is interested in selling his Sonart accordion, but it’s available to WMAS members only for $5,000. You can see a photo of the instrument, along with contact information, at https://www.washingtonaccordions.org/classified-ads.html
Mike Rubin lost his eyeglasses at the Holiday Concert. The front part is brown with black or yellow, and they have black temples (the part that goes over the ear). If you remember seeing them, please let us know. Thanks!
The video of the orchestra's performance is at https://youtu.be/ttVL8LRLIoE. Individuals may request their performances on a case by case basis.
Finally, we’re happy to announce that WMAS will welcome back Stas Venglevski as our guest artist on March 15, so please mark your calendars. You can download a flyer to send to friends and family at https://www.washingtonaccordions.org/calendar.html
TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Our membership year starts January 1, so membership dues are payable now. Please see Peter DiGiovanni at the January meeting to get yourself square, or mail a check (for $20 for an individual or $30 for a family) to Mara Cherkasky, 603 Rock Creek Church Road NW, Washington DC 20010.
Check out the WMAS website: www.washingtonaccordions.org
Our mailing address is:
accordionsociety@verizon.net or peter@musicisforever.com
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
WMAS performed another successful Holiday Concert on December 15, conducted for the first time by our president Peter DiGiovanni, who also composed one of the offerings and arranged most of the others. It was quite amazing to experience the progress the orchestra made in only a matter of weeks, from receiving the somewhat complicated music in mid-October and rehearsing it for the first time in early November to playing it for an audience a month later.
Thanks to all who helped organize the concert and potluck! At the risk of leaving someone out we’d like to express special gratitude to Peter for all his work with the orchestra; to JoAnn and John Pankow for managing the potluck; to Ken Kunec for emceeing; to Janice Lavoie for greeting; to Silvia Eberly, Jim Vandelly and the others who played during the break before dinner; to Clare Cherkasky for working the door; to the orchestra members who worked so hard and sounded so good; to Dan Grauman for video-recording the orchestra; and to everyone else who helped set up and clean up, who performed, who brought food, and who were part of the audience.
At our first 2020 meeting, on January 26, we will discuss the concert/potluck and what went right or wrong. Please write down your thoughts now while you can still remember the event and bring your notes with you – along with your accordion, binder, and stand. We’ll be starting the year with a play-along (more on this below), after the discussion and the election of 2020 officers. Nominating Committee Chair Karen Uribe’s slate of candidates looks identical to last year’s, as all three elected officers have agreed to continue: Peter DiGiovanni as president, Robert Ford as vice-president, and Mara Cherkasky as secretary-treasurer. This slate does not preclude others from running, however. If you’d like to be considered for one of the offices, please make yourself known.
As usual, the January 26 meeting will take place at Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, 3435 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church, Virginia. Directions and other information are at www.washingtonaccordions.org.
We still need a greeter, and please bring snacks to share.
MORE ON THE PLAY-ALONG:
Peter will be uploading some sheet music to washingtonaccordions.org and will notify members in a week or so that it’s ready to download, print, and bring to the meeting.
After each play-along, please organize your music in a three-ring binder, so that you will have it for the next play-along. If you’ve brought music, please bring any extra copies to the next play-along for those who missed receiving it.
As a reminder, here are the guidelines for good play-along music:
- Fake book (aka lead sheet) format preferred – easier to sight-read
- Relatively simple - no complex extended chords, no virtuosic passages
- Sight-readable on first reading by the majority of our players
- Melodic in nature
- Easily grasped rhythms
- Simpler key signatures
- No page turns – one page preferable, 2 pages max
- Multiple parts okay but each should meet the guidelines - may include right-hand-only part(s)
- Bring 20 copies the first time, and 6 for newcomers at subsequent play-alongs.
NOTICES
Did you take photos at the Holiday Concert? Do any of them show Jim Vandelly playing Amazing Grace at the beginning of the concert, or of the audience singing along? This was part of the tribute to Davita Hays, and Jim would like to have a picture or two if you have some. Thanks!
In addition, Jim is interested in selling his Sonart accordion, but it’s available to WMAS members only for $5,000. You can see a photo of the instrument, along with contact information, at https://www.washingtonaccordions.org/classified-ads.html
Mike Rubin lost his eyeglasses at the Holiday Concert. The front part is brown with black or yellow, and they have black temples (the part that goes over the ear). If you remember seeing them, please let us know. Thanks!
The video of the orchestra's performance is at https://youtu.be/ttVL8LRLIoE. Individuals may request their performances on a case by case basis.
Finally, we’re happy to announce that WMAS will welcome back Stas Venglevski as our guest artist on March 15, so please mark your calendars. You can download a flyer to send to friends and family at https://www.washingtonaccordions.org/calendar.html
TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Our membership year starts January 1, so membership dues are payable now. Please see Peter DiGiovanni at the January meeting to get yourself square, or mail a check (for $20 for an individual or $30 for a family) to Mara Cherkasky, 603 Rock Creek Church Road NW, Washington DC 20010.
Check out the WMAS website: www.washingtonaccordions.org
Our mailing address is:
accordionsociety@verizon.net or peter@musicisforever.com
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.