Washington Old Time Fiddlers Newsletter – District 4

December/January Updates

Greetings, everyone! As we usher in the holiday season, let’s reflect on the wonderful music and camaraderie we’ve shared recently. Thank you all for making each event special with your presence and talent. Here are some highlights and upcoming events to look forward to:

Recent Highlights

Country Meadows and Life Care Performances

  • A huge thank-you to everyone who joined us! At Life Care, we adapted to playing in the Activity Room due to ongoing floor work. Around 40 enthusiastic listeners enjoyed our music. Special thanks to Judi for holding down the fort in the hallway with me—teamwork at its best!

Successful Play-Outs

  • Mountain Glen, La Conner, and Spring Creek: Barry reported a stellar performance with six musicians—Graham, Barry, Rich, David, Mivvi, and Jim—supported by a portable sound system. The show was fast-paced and well-received, with audiences already anticipating our next visit!
  • Mira Vista and Southwest Senior Center: 35 delighted attendees at Mira Vista and a great jam session at the Senior Center with 22 musicians, including five fiddles, two banjos, mandolins, guitars, and vocals. What a vibrant and harmonious sound!

Creekside Performance

  • Last Friday, Ben, Jim, Greg, Forrest, Denise, Rich, Dwight, and Steve entertained 50 attendees. Though we missed our fiddle players, we’re actively working on bringing more into the fold.

    

Exciting Developments

Fiddle Circle Formation

  • Starting this Friday, Barry and Dennis will lead a Fiddle Circle to inspire learning new tunes and backup techniques. This initiative aims to enrich our music repertoire and encourage more students to join. Don’t miss this opportunity to hone your skills!

Christmas Potluck – Save the Date!

  • When: Friday, December 13th, 3:30–9:00 PM (Dinner at 5:00 PM)
  • Where: [Location details, if needed]
  • What to Bring: Potluck dishes to share. Two spiral hams, rolls, and pies will be provided by Diana and the Fiddlers. Let’s celebrate, share delicious food, and enjoy festive music together. Thank you, Diana, and all contributors!

January Fiddle and Guitar Lessons

  • Lessons resume on Friday, January 10th, at 5:00 PM at Mira Vista Senior Center. Barry and Dennis will continue teaching fiddle, and Denise will guide guitar backup skills. Start the new year with new tunes!

Youth Involvement

  • Welcome, Hunter! A budding banjo and guitar player, Hunter is also a photographer. He’ll help us create a slide show for our display table and capture memorable moments. Thank you, Hunter, for joining our efforts to enhance District 4’s presentations.

Reminders

  • Membership Renewal: Renew your 2025 membership online before the December deadline: https://wotfa.org/membership-renewal/.
  • Performance Etiquette:
    • Prepare your songs in advance to maximize mic time.
    • Aim for a 3-minute limit per tune.
    • Announce the name, tune, and key clearly. Great job on this so far—keep it up!

Call for Leadership and Support

It’s election time! We need to fill roles like Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. Sarah may continue, but let’s confirm with her and welcome others interested in helping. We also need volunteers to share the responsibility of transporting sound equipment. A healthy organization thrives on shared efforts, so let’s all pitch in to keep District 4 vibrant and our traditions alive for future generations.

Contact us if you’d like to help:

Thank you for your continued support, whether you’re playing, assisting, or simply cheering us on. Together, we create unforgettable moments of music and fellowship. Wishing you all a joyful December and a bright start to the new year.

Music is life! Let’s keep it going!

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