Gary Blair to tour Western USA

You are invited to join in on Sunday, June 15, 2003 between 12 noon - 5 p.m. to celebrate our 4th annual Day of the Accordion at THE CANNERY. This year's event commemorates the 13th anniversary of the accordion being named the official instrument of San Francisco. Tom Torriglia of All Things Accordion, a worldwide source for accordion related products and services, established June as National Accordion Awareness Month in 1990.

This year he has rounded up some of the most talented and innovative accordionists and accordion based ensembles for a tribute to this celebrated instrument on THE CANNERY'S Courtyard stage. In addition, THE CANNERY'S Lark in the Morning Music Shop will be offering 10% off on all accordions through the month of June in honor of this celebration. You are also invited to bring in your old musical instruments to Day of the Accordion to be donated to Bay Area Schools!

One of the featured groups will be The Baguette Quartette. This Quartet is a San Francisco Bay Area group that plays music that was heard in Paris between 1920 and 1940 on street corners, in cafes, and in popular dance halls.

Led by accordionist Odile Lavault, its repertoire consists of valses musettes, tangos, pasos dobles, fox trots, marches and realistic songs. They have recorded three CDs: "L'air de Paris" (1995), "RENDEZ-VOUS" (1998), and "CHEZ MOI" (2001). photo by George Gunnell

Also featured will be the Squeegees are fun to watch and you can also definitely get up and dance. This fun sextet is fronted by accordionists Tom Torriglia and Ruth Peckham and includes Carol-Joy Harris on lead vocalist, Rhian Robinson on clarinet, David Auerbach on Tuba, and Amy Anderson on drums.

The Squeegees' repertoire includes traditional polkas (Beer Barrel Polka, Helena Polka), memorable originals including Accordion Man Polka, Tutti Polka and Polka Jamboree. In 1999, the band released their now classic parody, (Livin') La Vida Polka.

As part of their Legacy in Music Series, Temple Israel Center of White Plains, New York proudly announces The Klezmer All Star Concert on June 8 at 3:00 PM. Guest artists include Alicia Svigals, Ken Maltz, Henry Sapoznik, Sy Kushner, Jeff Warschauer and Marty Confurius.

For ticket information and driving directions call (914) 948-2800. Temple Israel Center is 40 minutes north of Manhattan.

Dan and Kim Christian, along with their daughters Cerissa and Camille, will be doing a Texas/Oklahoma concert tour May 29 through June 10.

Dan and Kim have been teaching accordion for 25 years. They have directed some of the finest accordion orchestras in the country. Kim was the US National Champion in 1984 and received a bronze medal in the Coupe Mondiale. Dan is a 4 time winner of the R.M.A.S. Virtuoso solo. They have performed throughout the US and were also invited to judge and perform at the Beijing International Competition in China.

The concert tour includes performances in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Fort Worth.

Concert Dates are:

• May 29 Austin
• May 31 San Antonio
• June 2 Houston
• June 3 Dallas
• June 6 Oklahoma City
• June 8 Dallas
• June 10 Ft. Worth

Kim and Dan will also be performing at the KIOTAC Festival in Kimberley, Canada July 8, and at the R.M.A.C. Festival in Philipsburg, Montana August 2. Kim and Dan are planning on releasing a new CD this summer entitled Dueling Accordions. They will also be releasing several accordion band arrangements this summer. Please stay tuned for more info.

For information on upcoming concerts and recordings, please contact Dan or Kim at kdchristian@adelphia.net or visit www.accordions.com/christian.

American concert accordionist Henry Doktorski and Slippery Rock University faculty member Warren Davidson performed for a gala fundraising event at the Benedum Theater for the Fine Arts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the Pittsburgh Opera Company on Saturday, May 17, 2003.

The duo, specializing in classical and light classical compositions, performed for a select group of 200 of the major donors for the Pittsburgh Opera. Doktorski said, "It is always a great pleasure for me to work with such a fine violinist as Warren; it is almost as if we have one mind. Merely a glance is sufficient to communicate our musical intentions. We really work together wonderfully as a duet team."

Doktorski serves on the faculty of the City Music Center at Duquesne University as instructor of accordion. He is currently completely a mammoth project: recording a double compact disc set of the complete works of the great vaudeville accordionist Guido Deiro. Doktorski has also written a definitive work: "The Classical Squeezebox, a History of the Accordion in Classical Music."

Davidson serves on the faculty of Slippery Rock University as the conductor of the Slippery Rock Symphony Orchestra and also teaches violin and viola. Davidson serves as the concertmaster for the Westmoreland, Altoona and McKeesport Symphony Orchestras. He is also the director of the Westmoreland Youth Symphony.

Inquiries may be sent to webmaster@henrydoktorski.com

The Pauline Oliveros Foundation celebrates the new CD release of "Dreaming Wide Awake" by the New Circle Five on the Deep Listening Label with a party and live performance by New Circle Five at the Tonic in New York City on June 5th.

Spanning three generations, New Circle Five is an acoustic improvising contemporary music ensemble comprised of Pauline Oliveros (accordion - pictured right in a photo by Pieter Kers, 1999), Susie Ibarra (percussion), Monique Buzzarté (trombone), Rosi Hertlein (violin & vocals) and Kristin Norderval (soprano). "

In 1989 John Cage wrote: " Through Pauline Oliveros and Deep Listening I finally know what harmony is....It's about the pleasure of making music."

Pauline Oliveros' life as a composer, performer and humanitarian is about opening her own and others' sensibilities it the many facets of sound. Since the 1960's she has influenced American Music profoundly through her work with improvisation, meditation, electronic music, myth and ritual. Many credit her with being the founder of present day meditative music. All of Oliveros' work emphasizes musicianship, attention strategies, and improvisational skills.

She has been celebrated worldwide. During the 1960's John Rockwell named her work Bye Bye Butterfly as one of the most significant of that decade. In the 70's she represented the US at the World's Fair in Osaka, Japan; during the 80's she was honored with a retrospective at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC

The 1990's began with a letter of distinction from the American Music Center presented at Lincoln Center in New York and in 2000 the 50th anniversary of her work was celebrated with the commissioning and performance of her Lunar Opera: Deep Listening For tunes.

Pauline Oliveros's work is available on numerous recordings produced by companies internationally. Sounding the Margins (as it was) - a forty year retrospective will be released soon in a six CD boxed set from Deep Listening. For concert details e-mail: pof@deeplistening.org

The newly formed Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society have been enjoying numerous activities in the greater Washington DC area.

Dale Wise directed a diverse group of almost 20 accordionists, plus a drummer, in an afternoon concert during a recent WMAS picnic which was attended by about 50 people from the Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society and the Maryland Accordion Society.

This was the first time that members performance for the group with more performances planned in the future.

The WMAS meets the 2nd Tuesday of the Month at the Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, 3435 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church, Virginia.

For further information, please contact Karen Denice e-mail: mexico1968@aol.com phone number: (703) 256-0199 or visit www.washingtonaccordions.org

Rita Davidson, Board Member of the AAA and the ATA of NJ will be featured soloist at the concert. In addition to her full-time responsibilities as a public school music teacher in West Orange, NJ, Rita is busy giving workshops and concerts at many accordion festivals around the country. Last summer she gave a workshop and concert on the Music of Eugene Ettore in the AAA Festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was guest soloist with the Festival Orchestra under the direction of Linda Soley Reed. This past March she performed at the AAMS Festival in King of Prussia Pennsylvania where she gave a workshop and concert. She was also featured with the Westmount Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Dr. ,Fawzi Habboushe. This summer she will perform at the AAA Festival in Philadelphia, PA. In addition to workshops and concerts, Rita has her own Klezmer group which has entertained in the NJ NY area. She can be reached at: Ritabelll@aol. com

Eugene and Lorraine DeBellis would like to invite all former and present students and their families to the celebration.

For further information please call: 973-472-5168 in the AM 973-482-9051 in the PM

The American Accordionists Association 65th Anniversary Festival will pay tribute to past AAA National Champions at their "Salute to the Stars" during the annual Competition and Festival to be held in Philadelphia from July 9-13, 2003.

In addition there will be a Polka Fest Competition offering $1500.00 First prize, $500.00 Second Prize and $250.00 Third Prize.

The festival will also feature current CIA World Accordion Champion and winner of the newly established International Competition for Piano Accordion - Alexander Poeluev.

Scottish accordionist Gary Blair will tour the west coast of the USA from May 30th to June 21st. During the tour he will again be one of the teachers at this years Rose City Accordion Club Camp in Silver Falls, Oregon (from June 1st to 5th).

Concerts will be held in Portland (June 8th), Seattle (9th), California (10th and 11th) and San Francisco (12th).

From June 16th to 21st Gary will be adjudicating, teaching and performing at the Leavenworth International Accordion celebration in Washington state. For further tour details e-mail: gary.blair@ntlworld.com

The Fourth Annual Las Vegas International Accordion Convention will be held Sunday June 22 through Wednesday June 25 at the Plaza Hotel. This years event includes Special Appearances by accordion legends Myron Floren, Dick Contino, and Art Van Damme and starring Pete Barbutti, Don Lipovac and Kenny Kotwitz.

Also appearing will be several famous European Artists including recent Trophee Mondiale Champion Mario Pietrodarchi (right), Jean-Marc Fabbiano, Mirco Patarini and Jazz great Renzo Ruggieri. Plus Many more artists and clinicians.

The Plaza Hotel has lowered the room rate for this special event to only $30 per night per room. Call the Plaza Hotel by June 6 to receive this special accordion convention rate. Call the Plaza toll free in the USA 1-800-634-6575 and international 1+(702) 275-2110 and tell them you are with the Las Vegas International Accordion Convention.

The registration deadline for the Las Vegas International Accordion Convention has been extended to June 16. Good seating is still available.

You may register on line at www.AccordionStars.com or phone convention headquarters toll free at 1-800-472-1695 (outside the USA 1-(801-486-1695) or write; Las Vegas International Accordion Convention 2330 South Main Street #15, Salt Lake City, UT 84115.

The Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International will hold its annual competition and Festival from June 25-29th, 2003 at the Chicago Sheraton NW.

Among the guests this year will be former US Champion Jeff Lisenby and Jazz legend Frank Marocco.

There will be numerous performance opportunities with guests being invited to be part of the ATG International Festival Orchestra under the direction of New Zealander Gary Daverne, conductor of the Concord Symphony Orchestra Janet Millard, LA Jazz Legend Frank Marocco and also ATG President Joan C. Sommers. Peformances will be held at both the ATG Convention and a special guest appearance at the Arlington Race Track.

For full details on the special guests or performing in the Festival Orchestra, please visit: www.accordions.com/atg

Accordionist Murl Allen Sanders will be featured in the world premiere performance of his accordion Concerto on Wednesday June 6, 2003 at 8:00 PM at Meany Theater for the performing Arts, University of Washington in Seattle.

The 2002-2003 concert season of the Orchestra Seattle concludes in epic fashion with two concertos (one a world premiere), five soloists, and a stunning but seldom performed choral work.

Noted Seattle accordionist Murl Allen Sanders has written a delightful concerto that he will premiere on this program. George Shangrow and Orchestra Seattle will also be joined by Ronald Patterson, professor of violin at the University of Washington, and violist Roxanna Patterson for Mozart's lovely Sinfonia concertante.

The Seattle Chamber Singers are featured in a lovely Brahms motet as well as Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona nobis pacem, the composer's plea for peace at a time when England was on the brink of war.

The full program is:

• JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897) Schaffe in Mir Gott, Op. 29 No.2
• RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Dona nobis pacem
• WOLFGANG AMADÈ MOZART (1756-1791) Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K.364
• MURL ALLEN SANDERS (1950*) Accordion Concerto - OSSCS commission — World Premiere

Artists include Murl Allen Sanders, accordion, Duo Patterson, violin and viola, Catherine Haight, soprano Brian Box, baritone and the Orchestra Seattle and the Seattle Chamber Singers under the direction of George Shangrow.

Accordionist Murl Allen Sanders is a modern accordionist and recording artist who plays pop, rock, zydeco, country, jazz, blues and various ethnic styles on piano accordion. His versatility has led him to be in demand as a freelance artist in numerous bands and studio work for Muzak, TV and radio commercials as well as sideman work on many CD projects in the Pacific Northwest. Mr. Sanders also leads his own band, does solo work, composes, teaches and arranges music, sings, plays piano, harmonica, Hammond B-3 and electronic keyboards. He has worked with such diverse national artists as Chuck Berry, Etta James, Leslie Gore, Peter Duchin, Theodore Bikel and a host of regional luminaries including Michael Tomlinson, Papaya, Kelly Harland, Nadine Shanti, Michael Powers, Jim Valley, Susan Pascal, Danny Deardorff, Tickle Tune Typhoon, Magical Strings, Renee Redeker and Leon Lishner, among others.

Mr. Sanders' latest recording is Can You Dance To It, featuring his accordion and original tunes in a lively danceable mix of styles he calls "zyfusico" including pop, zydeco, rock, country and blues influences. His unique, readily identifiable style on accordion sets him apart from all other modern players currently working.

Mr. Sanders' earliest accordion influence was Stan Boreson, a local children's television personality, accordionist and comedian in the late 50's and early 60's still working in Seattle who inspired hundreds of kids to play accordion. The Lawrence Welk Show also imprinted accordion music in his brain at an early age (some may be unwilling to admit this, but Myron Floren was his hero when he was six). Aside from his first basics instructor, Leo Furman, he had only one truly influential accordion teacher, Doug Middendorf in Seattle. However, his musical education has included (and still includes) many wonderful and inspirational teachers: John Wittwer, Jerome Gray, George Peckham, Terry Moore, Dave Peck and Barbara Lundquist most notably.

Mr. Sanders has a B.A. in music education from the University of Washington. His other important early influences were the Brazilian accordionist Sivuca, and jazz accordionists Art Van Damme, Leon Sash and Tommy Gumina. Many of his musical influences are not accordionists, most notably pianists Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, organists Billy Preston, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Mcgriff, Richard "Groove" Holmes and Jack McDuff, saxophonists John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and many others, guitarists B.B. King, Freddy King, and Eric Clapton. Other important accordion influences through the years have been Astor Piazzola, the Argentine bandoneon player, Ken Olendorf, a local jazz player, zydeco/cajun players like Clifton Chenier and Bruce Daigrepont, celtic and European players like Maria Kaliniemi, Joe Derrane, Ivo Papasov's band, Phil Cunningham, various Brazilian and African accordionists, Los Lobos, Flaco Jiminez and Klezmer music all have played a role in expanding his accordion consciousness and style.

Tickets: Reserved Seating, $25 & $18 general, $20 & $14 senior & student, one youth 7-17 admitted free with each paid adult. For tickets and information please call 206-682-5208, or visit our Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers website at www.osscs.org Laurie Medill
206.682.5208 or medill@osscs.org

Italian manufacturers Master and Ranco announce the release of limited edition instruments in two models of super-professional accordions in honor of the teacher Guido Deiro (authorization granted by Family Deiro).

The limited edition includes 99 pieces for each model (www.rancoaccordions.it/deiro.html) and in our web site you can see these accordions and book the instrument so you can have a super-professional accordion and also an instrument for collection.

The people buying these accordions will be part of a group of 99 persons in the world who are owner of a rare accordion in this collectors series, making it an accordion who they predict will increase the value over time.

For further information, please visit: www.mastersound.it or www.rancoaccordions.it

Accordionist Benjamin Ickies will appear on June 21, 2003 at 10:30 at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City as the Benjamin Ickies Preservation Society (Rock accordion Variety Show).

The Bowery Poetry Club is located at 308 Bowery (b/w Houston and Bleecker) in New York.

Benjamin is a student of well known accordionist Dr. William Schimmel, and appears regularly in the New York area.

For further information, please contact Camille Acey e-mail: bipsband@yahoo.com or phone 646-541-7781.