# General Mandolin Topics > Jams, Workshops, Camps, Places To Meet Others >  Nashville Mandolin Orchestra?

## fiddledoc

Anyone in the Nashville area inerested in an amature mandolin orchestra? All skill levels welcome. We are putting out feelers and thinking of hosting.

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## meghory

yes!

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## Big Joe

I cannot see this post without thinking of my dear friends from the Nashville Mandolin Orchestra who are no longer able to be with us completely. First, Bob Alekno.  What a guy and a great musician.  One of the finest men you could ever meet.  He met his untimely demise on his way home from performing with the NMO at the Opryland Hotel close to Christmas time.  He is certainly missed.

Then there is Charlie Derrington.  One of the founding members and no longer with us either.  I think all know how I feel about Charlie.  He is missed every day.  There is a large photo of Charlie in our shop as a memorial to him.  Our shop is dedicated to him.  

Finally, our friend Butch.  We are certainly pulling for him to beat this thing that has ravaged him for the last year or so.  I got my first Gilchrist mandolin from Butch many years ago.  I hope and pray we will not be memorializing him in the foreseeable future.  Too many young bright musicians have gone in the past few years and we want Butch with us for some time.

The original (I think it was called the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble) was a great group of musicians who played some incredible music.  If you get a chance to hear any of thier projects, you will be amazed.

Now that all that is said, I hope we do get a Mandolin Orchestra in the Nashville area and I am happy to help in any way that I can.  It is a great idea...especially one that amatuers can be a part of.

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## nashvillebill

I'm very interested! I was just thinking about doing this and was searching for "Mandolin orchestra Nashville" on google. I think it would be a blast!

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## fiddledoc

Stilll trying to figure this out. Looks like there may be 5 or 6 interested so far. We are kind of looking for someone to lead it, if anyone is capable and interested.

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## bgjunkie

I would be interested in know more about this endeavor as well.

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## nashvillebill

> Stilll trying to figure this out. Looks like there may be 5 or 6 interested so far. We are kind of looking for someone to lead it, if anyone is capable and interested.


What, in your opinion, would qualify as "capable"?

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## Big Joe

I'm not interested in leading it, but I would be happy to let our facility be used for practice, whatever.  We just LOVE mandolins at our place  :Smile:  .

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## Brett Moore

Absolutely count me in!  I'm majoring in mandolin at Belmont right now!

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## Khmando

I know this thread is a couple of years old, but I would be really interested in this. I play octave mandolin as well as regular mandolin.

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