WMAS NEWS UPDATE
April 7, 2026
(Visit the NEWS ARCHIVE for past announcements)
(To post a news item, e-mail [email protected])
Dear WMAS members and friends!
Our 23rd birthday celebration on Sunday, March 15, had all the right ingredients: lots of music, dancing, a delicious cake and other treats, and, of course, delightful company. Greeters Yimeng Huang and Mara Cherkasky set the mood with duets from various folk traditions. For the afternoon’s centerpiece: a concert by M&J Volksmusik—Michael and Jessie Leggett—he on Steirische Harmonika (buttonbox) and she on soprano and bass clarinet. Performing a selection of Bavarian polkas, waltzes, and other dance tunes, they explained as they went along that these were examples of authentic volksmusik (folk music), rooted in regional tradition and played on acoustic instruments. Typical Oktoberfest songs like “Roll Out the Barrel” and “Edelweiss,” by contrast, are “volkstudemlich” or folk-like popular entertainment. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not M&J’s focus.
We’ve followed Michael’s music career for a while. He was, as he says, born into the local Bavarian folk community, and learned to play the accordion as a young child. But he soon fell in love with the Steirische Harmonika, and was lucky enough to find Silvia Eberly as a teacher. He and Jessie met in high school band, complementing one another musically and seemingly made for each other.
Check out the short video and photos from the concert on our Facebook page, and take a look at M&J’s page as well.
Following the concert, the duo played, and the rest of us sang, “Happy Birthday,” as WMAS founders Karen Uribe and Mara Cherkasky blew out the candles on the cake. (Anne Johnson, the third founder, now lives in Minnesota.) It’s hard to believe we’re 23 years old!
Gathering again after the break, we strapped on our accordions for Michael’s workshop, which included further discussion of the elements of Bavarian volksmusik and sightreading a few Bavarian tunes. They’re keepers!
April Meeting
The April 19 meeting will be an open mic, so polish up a few pieces to perform for us. We also need a greeter or greeters, to start playing around 3:40-3:45 pm for the enjoyment of people arriving early and setting up the room. Please let us know if that’s something you’d like to do.
Next Zoom Meeting
For our next zoom meeting, we’re looking at April 12 or 26—both are Sundays—at 4pm. Please let us know which of those dates work for you.
Summer Orchestra?
We are considering organizing an orchestra to perform at the June or July meeting—and featuring easier music than we played in the Holiday Concert. Depending on whether Peter DiGiovanni has the time to put together a playlist, would you be interested? Please let us know. We would have short rehearsals at the regularly scheduled meetings, and possibly one other.
Invitation from Don Vierimaa
You are invited to:
America’s 250th and Don Vierimaa’s 88th birthday party!
When: Saturday, April 11, 2026, from noon to 3:30 pm
Where: Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312 (off Witch Hazel Road), 703-642-5173
Traveling north on Braddock Road, cross Little River Turnpike, keep right, take fourth right turn onto Witch Hazel Road.
Parking along the road with a drop-off circle and six handicap spots.
Enter main building and take a left turn down a ramp to the multi-purpose room.
No presents, just your presence. Children are welcome.
Our 23rd birthday celebration on Sunday, March 15, had all the right ingredients: lots of music, dancing, a delicious cake and other treats, and, of course, delightful company. Greeters Yimeng Huang and Mara Cherkasky set the mood with duets from various folk traditions. For the afternoon’s centerpiece: a concert by M&J Volksmusik—Michael and Jessie Leggett—he on Steirische Harmonika (buttonbox) and she on soprano and bass clarinet. Performing a selection of Bavarian polkas, waltzes, and other dance tunes, they explained as they went along that these were examples of authentic volksmusik (folk music), rooted in regional tradition and played on acoustic instruments. Typical Oktoberfest songs like “Roll Out the Barrel” and “Edelweiss,” by contrast, are “volkstudemlich” or folk-like popular entertainment. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not M&J’s focus.
We’ve followed Michael’s music career for a while. He was, as he says, born into the local Bavarian folk community, and learned to play the accordion as a young child. But he soon fell in love with the Steirische Harmonika, and was lucky enough to find Silvia Eberly as a teacher. He and Jessie met in high school band, complementing one another musically and seemingly made for each other.
Check out the short video and photos from the concert on our Facebook page, and take a look at M&J’s page as well.
Following the concert, the duo played, and the rest of us sang, “Happy Birthday,” as WMAS founders Karen Uribe and Mara Cherkasky blew out the candles on the cake. (Anne Johnson, the third founder, now lives in Minnesota.) It’s hard to believe we’re 23 years old!
Gathering again after the break, we strapped on our accordions for Michael’s workshop, which included further discussion of the elements of Bavarian volksmusik and sightreading a few Bavarian tunes. They’re keepers!
April Meeting
The April 19 meeting will be an open mic, so polish up a few pieces to perform for us. We also need a greeter or greeters, to start playing around 3:40-3:45 pm for the enjoyment of people arriving early and setting up the room. Please let us know if that’s something you’d like to do.
Next Zoom Meeting
For our next zoom meeting, we’re looking at April 12 or 26—both are Sundays—at 4pm. Please let us know which of those dates work for you.
Summer Orchestra?
We are considering organizing an orchestra to perform at the June or July meeting—and featuring easier music than we played in the Holiday Concert. Depending on whether Peter DiGiovanni has the time to put together a playlist, would you be interested? Please let us know. We would have short rehearsals at the regularly scheduled meetings, and possibly one other.
Invitation from Don Vierimaa
You are invited to:
America’s 250th and Don Vierimaa’s 88th birthday party!
When: Saturday, April 11, 2026, from noon to 3:30 pm
Where: Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA 22312 (off Witch Hazel Road), 703-642-5173
Traveling north on Braddock Road, cross Little River Turnpike, keep right, take fourth right turn onto Witch Hazel Road.
Parking along the road with a drop-off circle and six handicap spots.
Enter main building and take a left turn down a ramp to the multi-purpose room.
No presents, just your presence. Children are welcome.