John Reischman and Joe K. Walsh: “Opus 38”

Peghead Nation mandolin instructors play a David Grisman tune on mandola and mandocello, in the Peghead Parlor at Wintergrass 2026.

By: Dan Gabel

April 6, 2026

The Wintergrass Music Festival in Bellevue, Washington, took place in February, and Peghead Nation sponsored the extensive Workshop program and enjoyed a weekend of great performances, workshops, and musical hangs. We hosted the Peghead Parlor on Friday and Saturday nights in the Peghead Nation suite, where we had some magical showcase performances by some of the Peghead Nation instructors who performed at Wintergrass throughout the weekend.

In this video, Peghead Nation mandolin instructors John Reichman and Joe K. Walsh play a mandola and mandocello duet on David Grisman’s powerful “Opus 38.” John is playing a 1924 Gibson H5 mandola signed by Lloyd Loar (and loaned to John by Mark Demaray), and Joe is playing a beautiful mandocello made by Fletcher Brock.

This year’s Wintergrass festival included Peghead Nation instructors performing and teaching throughout the weekend, among them John Reischman, Bruce Molsky, Joe K. Walsh, Grant Gordy, and Brittany Haas. Also on the jam-packed performance schedule were New Dangerfield, Missy Raines & Allegheny, The Fretless, Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms Country Band, Väsen, Jordan Tice Trio, Squirrel Butter, Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore, Same Street Band with Darol Anger, and many more artists. Put it on your schedule for next year!

We’ll have more Peghead Parlor moments in a bit, from Grant and Joe, John Reischman and Joe, Bruce Molsky, who played a great set on fiddle, banjo, and guitar. And Never Come Down, who teach a new Three-Part Vocal Harmony Session on Peghead Nation, joined us in the suite for a great late-night set as well, and we’ll share some songs from that. Stay tuned!

To learn mandolin from Joe, enroll in his Advancing Mandolinist, Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Favorites, Octave Mandolin, Swing and Jazz Mandolin, or Improvising for Mandolin and Fiddle courses today! Use promo code JoeLand to get your first month free!

To learn mandolin from John, enroll in his Melodic Mandolin Tunes and Old-Time Mandolin courses, and use promo code JohnLand at checkout and get your first month free!