DCBU is happy to announce the recipient of the Orrin Star Scholarship for 2025: It is Reed Alexander of Baltimore, Maryland. Reed is a 4th-grader who has been learning banjo from Alex Laquement — and already has the performance bug from singing on stage at the invitation of the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys. With his family, Reed’s been attending the Charm City Bluegrass Festival from his earliest years. With a current focus on clawhammer style, Reed is intent on learning and playing songs from the whole range of bluegrass and old-time styles. We wish Reed happy picking and some special licks at his school’s talent show this spring!

The Orrin Star Scholarship honors the memory and generosity of a remarkable man, who lived in the DC area for most of his career and who was a friend to many in the bluegrass community. Orrin gained notoriety as a champion flat-picker and went on to enrich many of our lives with the warmth and humor of his performing and teaching.

Applications for the $500 award are accepted every year, beginning in the fall. Look for the announcement on the home page. Meanwhile, the program description is at https://dcbu.org/the-orrin-star-scholarship-program/

On the 3rd Sunday of each month from 5-7 pm, the DC Bluegrass Union will host our Old School Open Mic (OSOM) at Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts Road, Leesburg, VA.

One important aspect of DCBU’s mission is to promote music education. We offer an instructor directory so students can locate teachers in their local area for in-person instruction. Additionally, since so many great musicians teach online classes, we’re now posting information for instructors wherever they are located. To sign-up as an instructor fill out the form by selecting the link below. Your submission will be reviewed and added to our directory within a few days.