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American
violinist Abraham McWilliams is quickly gaining a reputation across Europe
for his unique musical voice and creative repertoire. After winning several
competitions in the United States and finishing his studies at the new England
conservatory in Boston, he moved to Vienna, Austria to study at the prestigious
University for Music and Performing Arts with professors Michael Frischenschlager
and Boris Kuschnir. He now resides in London where he is completing his
studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as a student of Boris
Brovtsyn. He has performed in venues across Europe, the USA, and Canada, notably in the Moritzburg festival, Germany where he received the audience prize, Christopher summer festival in Vilnius Lithuania, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Boston symphony hall, Prague Smetana hall, Dresden Frauenkirche, Vienna's Haydn-Saal. Along with his duo with international prize winning accordionist Martynas Levickis, he is equally at home in both jazz and folk music, as well as being a passionate supporter of classical-contemporary composers. In summer 2012 Abe performed the world premiere of Ruta Vitkauskaite's 'Kazritsa' in the Christopher summer festival (www.kristupofestivaliai.lt) in Vilnius, Lithuania, and is currently developing a project of Lithuanian folk music with his duo partner Martynas. The 2012/13 season has seen him perform as lead violinist alongside Sasha Siem in the premiere of her song cycle 'Most of the boys' at the Royal opera house, Feburary 2013, London's Royal festival hall, the Barbican hall, Southbank Centre London, and Ronnie Scott's jazz club. upcoming appearances include Music at Plush festival, Dorset, Spitalfields Summer festival London, Voksenasen Festival Oslo, and the university of new Hampshire celebrity series. |
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Polyphonia,
50 young musicians from the French island of La Réunion in the Indian
Ocean. is representative of the great variety of cultures in the French
overseas territories. The orchestra features accordions, accompanied by
violins, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, keyboard and vocals. Its
extensive repertoire includes classical music and jazz, film scores, and
folk music POLYPHONIA orchestra is an ensemble of musician students which has something of a family. Its diversity and plurality make it representative of our island: indeed Réunion is the name of our island because it gathers many ethnics who live together. Young and not so young musicians meet in the orchestra to share their common passion: music. They all do the same sacrifice, devoting all their week-ends and part of their school holidays to rehearsing. But far from being a burden, this leads to beautiful concerts, loud applause from enthusiast audiences and the joy of achieving it, of playing a repertory wide enough so that everybody can enjoy it and dream with it. Besides, they can also participate in international competitions or go touring abroad, which is enriching and tremendous for them. To put it in a nutshell, POLYPHONIA helps them to blossom. It is an experience different from everyday life which develops in them values such as togetherness, friendship and sensibility. This musical training ensemble has been improving every year, bettering and extending their repertory, entertaining their audiences with original pieces of music of a wide diversity. The 40 student musicians who make up this amazing instrumental ensemble are from 13 to 20 years old. They come from different musical public or private schools or associations coming from 14 towns on the island where they keep improving their musical practises. Our Orchestra was founded in 1986 and has been progressing since then. Today it is a philharmonic ensemble. It is composed of 50 musicians. They have made several tours in foreign countries such as Mauritius Island, South Africa, Germany, the Czech Republic, Australia, New Zealand and in France . This
group is directed by Pierre VARO, accordion teacher, with the help of
Jean-Claude ATGER, flute and saxophone teacher. |
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His
artistry, dazzling technical command, and sensitivity have brought Stanislav,
"Stas," Venglevski, a native of the Republic of Moldova, part
of the former Soviet Union, increasing acclaim as a virtuoso of the Bayan.
A two-time first prize winner of Bayan competition in the Republic of Moldova,
Stas is a graduate of the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow where he received
his Masters Degree in Music under the tutelage of the famed Russian Bayanist,
Friedrich Lips. In 1992 he immigrated to the United States. A Past President of the ATG, and current Board of Director, Stas is an Accordionist, a Musician, an Arranger, an Entertainer, a composer and a Teacher. Stas' repertoire includes his original compositions, a broad range of classical, contemporary and ethnic music. He has toured extensively as a soloist throughout the former Soviet Union, Canada, Europe, and the United States, including numerous performances with Doc Severinsen, Steve Allen and with Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home Companion Show. Additionally, he has performed with symphony orchestras throughout the United States. He performed the world premiere of Concerto No. 2 by Anthony Galla-Rini and also the world premiere of Bayan and Beyond, composed for Stas by Dan Lawitts. He is a regular participant the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's Arts in Community Education Program (ACE); has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra; has done television commercials and performed in theater productions; produced numerous recordings including a transcription of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite for Bayan as well as one of original compositions. He has published several books of original compositions. Stas founded Accordion XXI Century Series in 2010 so that the Midwest audiences can experience the amazing range of the Accordion and Bayan by bringing gifted artists from all over the world. In a concert setting, these gifted musicians share their skills and cultures to provide the audience with a unique musical experience. The performances feature the Accordion or Bayan in solo presentation and, when possible, in concert with other instruments. The brilliant artistry and musical virtuosity of Stas afford an expanded dimension in music and an innovative musical adventure to the audience. |
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Joe
makes his home in central Ohio with his wife JoAnn and has been a performer
and advocate of the accordion since the age of seven. Joe started his studies
with prominent Ohio accordion teacher, the late Mickey Bisilia of Youngstown,
Ohio. Under Mickeys tutelage, Joe won his age division in the American
Accordionists Association national competitions each year until finally
capturing its coveted Open Virtuoso national title at the age of 18 in Washington,
D.C.. Later that year (1972), Joe became the AAA United States representative
in the Coupe Mondiale world accordion competition held in Caracas, Venezuela,
where he was chosen first runner up, missing the world title by 17 hundredths
of a point. Joe also released an album for Giulietti Accordion Corporation
that year under the Neofonic label entitled Accordion Masterworks presents
Joseph Natoli and Richard Romiti, which includes many unique solo and duet
arrangements and original compositions for the free bass accordion. More recently, Joe was the winner in the first Roland US V-Accordion national competition (held in Los Angeles in September 2008). Joe subsequently represented Roland US in the Roland International V-Accordion competition held in Rome, Italy in Nov 2008. From January 2009 to June 2010, Joe became a product specialist, performing artist and clinician for Roland Corporation on the V-Accordion. Since Joe possesses Bachelors and Masters degrees in music composition from the University of Toronto, he tries to use his orchestrational knowledge to exploit all the best coloristic and orchestrational possibilities on the FR7X. Joes arrangements traverse a diverse set of musical styles (including classical, light classical, jazz, and ethnic). Joes approach to the FR7X is to use the best orchestration possible to enhance the composition, often including accordion sounds, orchestral and percussion sounds, or all in combination. |
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Elena
and Gregory Fainshtein are a married couple of over 25 years, whose encounter
and life journey can be attributed fully to the music they have been playing
together, on their button accordions - their Bayan since they were teenagers.
They both graduated from the Belarusian State Academy of Music in the
former USSR and are classically trained. Their music, as their lives,
has journeyed with them from the Soviet Union, to the State of Israel,
and for the past decade, the United States. Dallas, Texas is their home
now. Their style is varied, from classical, Russian folk music, to mussette
and polka. |
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Mirco
Patarini was born in Spoleto (Italy). In 1978 he began to study music at
the CDMI (Italian Musical Didactic Centre) in Spoleto. At this time the
study of accordion was not included in the courses of the Italian Conservatory.
In the month of October of the same year he began to participate in national
competitions, and he was judged first in competitions in Ancona, Pescara
and Recanati. In 1980 he started to study the free bass accordion and in
1981 was judged first at the Italian pre-championship of Castelfidardo,
which gave him the right to take part to the 30th CMA Trophee Mondiale of
the accordion, where he was the youngest participant. Between 1983 and 1985 he won the Italian pre-championship another 3 times; so he could participate in the Trophee Mondiale of Caracas (Venezuela), Caldas de Rahina (Portugal) and finally at La Caux-de-Fonds (Switzerland) where he obtained first place and the title of Champion of the world at the age of 18. In
1988 he began to collaborate with the firm Farfisa-Bontempi
as musical adviser and here he started his evolution through the world
of electronics music. At the same time, he began his collaboration with
the firm Menghini, a society that built the famous accordions
Scandalli, Paolo Soprani and Menghini.
The purpose of this collaboration was the development of new musical instruments
and the care of sound quality and of mechanical working. |
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John Simkus is a well known jazz accordionist who has performed all over the USA and Europe, at festivals and workshops. He often performs duets with Stas Venglevski. Their group is known as Stas Sera. He also plays bass accordion in accordion orchestras at festivals throughout the USA. |
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Nick Ballarini accordionist, pianist, and bandleader is one of the world's most versatile musicians. Nick plays for weddings, corporate events and jazz festivals as a pianist and bandleader, as well as playing his accordion at Irish, French, Italian and German themed events. |
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Soundscape is the name of a Trio consisting of Larry Miller, Madalynn Neu and John Neu. They are based in Denver, Colorado. The group formed in 2000 by a chance meeting. Larry was an Accordion Major at the University of Denver under Robert Davine from 1967 to 1971. John and Madalynn studied with the studios of Vince Geraci in Chicago. Each of the members had stopped playing for about 25 to 30 years but now that their kids are grown decided to rekindle their musical interests. John also currently serves as the Treasurer of the ATG. We are delighted to welcome the Soundscape Trip back to ATG this year! |
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The Accordion XXI Century Ensemble was created by, and is under the tutelage of Conductor Stas Venglevski, former ATG President and current Board of Director. We are excited to welcome them to the ATG Festival for the first time, where they will present a full Matinee Concert. Standing Left to Right are Stas Venglevski (Founder/Director), Judy Moriarity (bayan), John Simkus (bass accordion), Shirl Barry (accordion) and Richard Moriarity (percussion.) Seated L to R are Jean Urry & Sandy Bednarek (accordions.) |
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The University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC) Chamber Accordion Ensemble comprises CIA Vice President and well known accordion celebrity and former ATG President Joan Cochran Sommers, ATG President Betty Jo Simon, ATG Board of Director and Past President Kevin Friedrich, UMKC Alumni Amy Hayes, Ron Barrow and former ATG Treasurer Joyce Davis. All players are UMKC Alumni and former members of the renowned UMKC Accordion Orchestra. In addition to their performance, members will also support the ATG Board of Directors and Friends orchestra as well as the ATG Festival Orchestra. |
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More guests to be announced soon! Please check back. | ||||||||
Lisle, (Chicago) Illinois July 17-21, 2013 |
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