Larry Hypes, Contributing writer
CHRISTIANSBURG – It was pickin’ time last week as the young string performers of the Montgomery Junior Appalachian Musicians (MJAM) finished the spring 2026 semester with a lively concert at the Presbyterian Church on Main Street in Christiansburg.
“This year was an excellent one and we learned a lot about individual playing as well as how to perform in a group setting,” noted MJAM director and multi-instrumentalist Jason Dilg. “We made good progress in spite of having a rough winter which sometimes interrupted our schedule as well as some holidays which fell on Monday. We have ‘after school classes’ on the same schedule as Montgomery County Public Schools.”
An audience of some 75 family members and friends enjoyed a variety of instrumentals, traditional mountain square dancing, and refreshments following the recital. Alternating sections of fiddles, guitars, banjos, bass and dulcimer allowed the almost 30 children (grades 4 – 8 at local public and home school groups) to showcase their talents.
Instructors Ginger Wagner – who also called the square dance – along with Tim Thornton, Gina Dilg, Sean Bemis, Shannon Bell and enrichment teacher Liza Thomas took part along with the students. MJAM Board members Craig Whetten, Sharon Chickering, Charlotte McKee, Stephen Boyle, Jean Haskell, Thornton and Wagner were recognized for their efforts. Board member Judy Ridinger assisted with the reception and did an auction of a quilt designed by the children as one of their enrichment activities.
From “Cindy” to “John Henry” to “Cripple Creek” and several numbers in between, the students performed in fine fashion and several also began to sing along with the music while they played on several of the numbers, keeping alive yet another regional tradition.
In addition to playing music, one half of each Monday session included cultural enrichment related to the New River Valley and the Appalachian region. Thomas announced this was her last semester with enrichment, as she has secured a full-time position at Virginia Tech.
Jason Dilg shared some notable numbers regarding practice time.
“Students who logged at least three days of 15 minutes or more each week got a prize sponsored by The Floyd Country Store, where, incidentally, several of these children and our instructors have had the privilege of playing for live audiences. Overall, we counted 232 extra practice hours, with the top five having at least 157 hours. Jane, Hannah and Grant Whetten were all winners and Willa Sage Bell-Bemis, as well as one other student, were among those who earned a prize.”
Jason and Ethan Skaggs teamed up to do master of ceremonies work for a portion of the show. Ginger Wagner led a traditional “Play Party” with an introduction by Jason Dilg as all students and instructors took part in a lively group ensemble.
“We raised an additional $1,300 in prize donors, raffle participant and auction bidding support,” said Dilg. “Kamala Bauers got the handmade quilt, Alyssa Archer the Adirondack chair, and Kelly Tickle Saddler the MJAM-made quilt which was auctioned by Judy Ridinger. This really helps to keep Appalachian music alive and well in the NRV.”
The Montgomery MJAM group also received funding help from a grant awarded by the philanthropic arm of International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), both the Blacksburg and Christiansburg Kiwanis, Thai This (Radford) sponsored snacks, National Bank of Blacksburg, RRR Pallet Furniture (donation of Adirondack chair for raffle), and Lone Oak Family Farm from Craig County which donated a farm basket with meat and eggs for the Shawsville fundraiser. Several of our board members and friends helped us throughout the year and we thank everyone for supporting these young musicians.”
