On March 13, our local area (plus others who came from all over the US!) was treated to a delightful concert by two very gifted musicians: Stas Venglevski, on bayan, and Misha Litvin, on domra.

To watch either of these performers is amazing as their fingers fly flawlessly over buttons and strings, but together they create magic as they add a little fun and great facial expressions to their always beautiful musical selections.

Stas and Misha are as comfortable with Baroque music as they are with Tchaikovsky, Johann Strauss, Jr. and their beloved Russian folk songs. Their program also included several of Stas Venglevski’s beautiful and intricate compositions.

I had wanted to bring these two musicians to Maryland for many years now, and the day finally came. Friday evenings are no fun in our area of almost nonstop rush-hour traffic, but we had a large audience with many notable guests. Linda Soley Reed, the president of the American Accordionists’ Association, and Marilyn O’Neil, president of the Connecticut Accordion Association, drove seven hours from Connecticut to attend this concert. Sharon and Gus Greyhosky, good friends and accordionists from San Francisco, flew in to be with all of us.

Then we had the presidents of local accordion and balalaika societies and their musical groups. Jan Bohm, president of the Washington Balalaika Society (WBS), was there with their small ensemble, Russkie Musikanti. Karen Malan-Uribe, president of the Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society (WMAS) and Joe Fertitta, president of the Maryland Accordion Club (MAC) were present along with the Potomac Ensemble, the small group of accordionists from WMAS directed by Joan Grauman.

The entire Governing Board of WMAS was there: Karen Malan-Uribe, Joan Grauman, Mara Cherkasky, Lee Paulson and Peter DiGiovanni. Also in attendance were Manny Bobenrieth, accordionist with the US Army Strolling Strings, Lou Coppola, retired accordionist with the US Air Force Strolling Strings, and Frank Busso, Jr., the current accordionist with the US Air Force Strolling Strings.

Several of those present are on the Governing Board of the Amercan Accordionists’ Association: Manny Bobenrieth, Frank Busso, Jr., Joan Grauman, Marilyn O’Neil, and Linda Soley Reed.

It was a magical evening and Stas and Misha received more than one well-deserved standing ovation!