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Betty
Jo Simon (Overland Park, KS) has been a member
of the orchestra for most of 50 years. She earned her BM degree
in Accordion Performance in 1969 and went on the first two USO tours
which The Accordionaires made for the National Music Council/Department
of Defense to Greenland, Newfoundland and Labrador and two years
later to Germany. After graduation she taught for a while, and then
toured as a soloist with The Fred Waring Pennsylvanians. She is
married, has two married children, and one grandchild. She plays
professionally in the KC area and has a German polka band, the "Alpen
Spielers." Betty Jo has toured with the UMKC Accordion Orchestra
on the last three concert tours to New Zealand, Eastern Europe,
and Italy. In 2000, she performed on Chinese National TV in Beijing
and Shanghai. She was selected to perform the Galla-Rini Concerto
No. 1 on three concerts with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra in
August of 2009. Betty Jo has recorded several CDs.
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Ron
Barrow (Leawood, KS) began playing the accordion
at age 11 when his mother called him in from the sandlot baseball
game to take a "free" musical aptitude test. Music took
control and ruined his left from that moment forward! Forcing
retirement from a certain career as a big league catcher, a jammed
finger nearly caused him to miss the Indiana Accordion Championship
and a trip to the World's Fair in New York City. Moving to KC
in 1967 to study with Professor Joan Sommers at UMKC, he was required
to play in small towns like Flat River, MO and take a USO Tour
to Germany to play in more small towns - Fulda, Kaiserslautern,
Stuttgart, and Ulm. Even his lovely wife, Judy, a Kansas farm
girl and former "Snowball Queen" is a "recovering"
accordionist. While their son managed to skip the affliction,
their three granddaughters may someday "squeeze" an
accordion. Even today, Ron is here playing for you instead of
sailing on beautiful Stockton Lake. Thanks to the accordion, Ron
was the first member of his family to graduate from college earning
a UMKC Bachelor of Music Degree in 1971, adding an MA Education
(UMKC) in 1975, and an MBA (KU) in 1987.
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Joyce
Davis (Kansas City, MO) began the study of
accordion at a young age and earned her Baccalaureate of Music in
Accordion Performance in 1979. After several years of teaching accordion,
she began work with the Internal Revenue Service where she continues
today. Joyce was a wonderful soloist and brings those same skills
to her mastery of the Elektronium or the bass accordion, which she
is now playing, but she has played every other part in the orchestra
at various times. She has made numerous concert tours with the orchestra
in the USA and including those to Australia, New Zealand, and many
different countries throughout Europe. Joyce is a gem to have in
any ensemble, one who is easy-going and who just comes in, sits
down, and plays any part placed before her!
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Kevin
Friedrich (New York, NY) Kevin recently concluded his Presidency
of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes
(CIA), IMC-UNESCO, the international accordion organization which
serves as the umbrella organization for all national accordion organizations.
In recognition of his tremendous dedication to the CIA and the many
accomplishment achieved during his terms in office, Kevin has now
been named as CIA Ambassador. Kevin continues his work as the USA
Manager of Accordions Worldwide, the largest accordion internet
site in the world, travelling to accordion festivals throughout
the world, and recently worked to create an Accordion Museum in
his hometown of Dargaville, New Zealand. He earned his Bachelor
of Music Degree in Accordion Performance at UMKC (1984) before spending
one year in Paris studying with World Accordion Champion Max Bonnay.
Kevin works as a Flight Attendant for Delta Airlines, flying all
over the world, but takes advantage of his flexible schedule and
liberal travel privileges to support various accordion activities
and organizations, including remaining an active alumni member of
the UMKC Accordion Orchestra, a group he has participated in over
the last 30 years.
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Cathy
Sommers Tiritoglu (Sunnyvale, CA) first joined the orchestra
in 1981 at the ripe age of 10 and played every concert through 1999
as well as performing on the concert tours to England, Scotland
and Wales in 1987, Russia, Estonia, Sweden and Denmark in 1989,
Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1997,
and to Italy in 1999. In 1999, she also won the ATG Virtuoso Championship
and represented the USA in Germany for the Coupe Mondiale. In 2000
she moved out to the San Francisco Bay Area to join the crazy tech
world in Silicon Valley working as a user experience designer on
websites and mobile apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android. This
year marks her 10th wedding anniversary; she and her husband Alp
have two gorgeous boys - Aydin, 7, and Aaron, 5. Even after moving,
she has managed to pop back every once in a while to join the orchestra
on a few spring concerts and several ATG performances. Music continues
to be a strong part of her life and she is continuing the genetic
string through her boys who are currently enrolled in piano lessons.
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Samantha
Jarquio (Independence, MO) began playing the accordion at
age 5. She has studied with Terry Bell and Joan C. Sommers. She
represented the USA at the Coupe Mondiale in Norway in 2006, and
later in Washington, D.C. in 2007. Samantha is currently pursuing
a degree in Landscape Architecture at Kansas State University. She
is planning to study abroad in spring of 2012 at Victoria University
of Wellington in New Zealand. Samantha also plays clarinet and has
been featured as a clarinet soloist with the UMKC Community Accordion
Orchestra.
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Christine
Jarquio (Independence, MO) has played the accordion since
age 6 and studied with Terry Bell and Joan C. Sommers. In October
of 2003, she earned the privilege of representing the United States
at the Coupe Mondiale held in Hungary and Slovakia. Christine received
her B.S. in Vocal Music Education from the University of Missouri
in Columbia (2009). After graduation, she attended Florida State
University, pursuing a Master of Music in Voice Performance. This
past year she has been living in her hometown and accompanying for
Pleasant Lea Middle School (Lee's Summit) and Fort Osage Senior
High (Independence). She has a private music studio, teaching voice,
piano, and accordion.
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Karen
Scovel Boocock (Wichita, KS) arrived at UMKC in 1977. She
writes, "At my first accordion orchestra rehearsal, I couldn't
even follow the music, let alone play anything! But I improved.
Summer times were fun, with opportunities to sing & dance. I
graduated in 1982 with a B.M. In 1984 I moved to OKC and studied
voice. I married Andrew Boocock, my voice teacher's brother in 1987
and we settled in southern California for a couple of years, moving
to Wichita, KS in 1989. I finally returned to the orchestra a few
years ago, which required a lot of practice, but it has been worth
it. The quality of music and level of skills demanded I have carried
into other facets of music, such as singing solos, directing a Christian
singing group, and teaching voice. It has been a real pleasure to
work with such a world-class orchestra director as Joan Sommers,
and to have the opportunity to perform many of her wonderful arrangements." |
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Amy
Hatfield Hayes (Thayer, KS) lives in Thayer, KS with her
two children whom she home-schools. She completed her BM in Accordion
Performance with a minor in Psychology at UMKC. She has traveled
extensively with the orchestra to many competitions and tours abroad.
She is a former Paralegal and now fills her time as a proud mother
of a son and daughter who keep her quite busy with home-schooling
and the multitude of activities that come along. Amy coached and
refereed basketball for 16 years and looks forward to coaching basketball
again next fall after taking a long break. She lived in TX for 12
years but she and her children are now adapting to the small town
life of Thayer (town of 500) raising chickens and gardening with
her folks. Amy helps care for her father who had a stroke 2 years
ago ad is quite proud of his progress. She always has ongoing projects
and enjoys spending time with her extended orchestra family and
friends. She plays both piano and chromatic accordion with ease. |
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Bob
Eichkorn (Topeka, KS) played accordion as a young
student while growing up in Topeka, KS where he continues to live.
Bob, in fact, was enrolled in the very first class of accordion
degree students in the Conservatory of Music but was called into
US Military service during his first semester of study. He
has retired after 41 years in Document Management Sales and Service,
using Microfilm and Imaging Systems for Storage and Retrieval of
Vital and Business Records in Northeast Kansas. |
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Mickey
Eichkorn (Topeka, KS) also played accordion as a
young student while growing up in Topeka, KS. Mickey is a
retired Registered Nurse who graduated from Stormont-Vail School
of Nursing in 1964. Both Mickey and her husband Bob
Eichkorn played in the original Mid-America Accordion
Symphony Orchestra in the years 1958-1960 that was based in Kansas
City. They came back to the accordion to play in the
accordion orchestra for the celebration of Joan’s 40th year
at the Conservatory. Soon after last year’s concert,
and with considerable encouragement, they decided to make the long
drive from Topeka every Thursday evening to attend rehearsals of
the orchestra and once again enjoy the music of an accordion orchestra.
They have three sons and five grandchildren. |
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Cathy
Sue Weiss (Kansas City, MO) originally from New York, started
playing the accordion when she was 7 years old. She won several
competitions, including that of the 1973 NY State Championship.
Cathy moved to KC in 1977 to complete her BM degree in Accordion
Performance at UMKC. Since that time she has continued to play with
the UMKC groups and has traveled worldwide with them. She resides
in the Brookside area with her several dogs and cats, all adopted
through rescue work. Weekends during the summer are spent on her
boat at Stockton Lake. She enjoys cooking and entertaining her friends
and treasures the time that she can spend with them. Cathy has played
in over 30 Spring Concerts with the UMKC Accordion Orchestra. Currently
she is a sales manager for Pitney Bowes. She would like to give
a note of thanks to her parents, who are in the audience today:
Kay, for making her practice instead of washing dishes after dinner,
and Hans, who has one arm longer than the other from carrying the
accordion all over the place. They have allowed her to make music
a very big part of her life. |
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Jeff
Lisenby (Nashville, TN) grew up in Kansas City, MO and earned
degrees at UMKC. He was conductor/keyboardist/accordionist for:
RING OF FIRE on Broadway, He was keyboardist for: Tennessee Repertory
Theatre's GREASE, A CHORUS LINE, and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, performed
with the touring shows of :WICKED, JERSEY BOYS, LITTLE HOUSE ON
THE PRAIRIE, CHICAGO, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, and CITY OF ANGELS. As
a freelance musician, he has toured with the: Mills Brothers, Boots
Randolph, and Brenda Lee, and has accompanied: Luciano Pavarotti,
Lee Greenwood, Donna Summer, Tricia Yearwood, and Mel Tormé,
among many others. He was twice bronze-medalist in the international
classical accordion championships (Coupe Mondiale), and silver medalist
in the entertainment division. Besides being a music instructor
at Belmont University in Nashville, TN since 1993, Jeff is also
blessed to play on numerous recordings, and is the musical director
for several of Oceania cruise line's productions shows, which provides
many opportunities for travel all over the world. |
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Amy
Jo Sawyer (O'Fallon, IL) has performed with the UMKC Orchestra
on four international tours. She wrote original compositions for
the orchestra's performances including "Latin Impressions"
(Russia/Baltic), "Opus 5-6-4" (Australia/New Zealand),
and "Carnival" (Italy). She has known Joan since they
were both contestants in the Coupe Mondiale held in Switzerland
in 1956. Amy Jo has performed with the St. Louis Symphony, presented
concerts in the US and abroad, and has distinguished herself as
a composer for the accordion. Joan asked her to write a new composition
for the 50th Anniversary Concert of the UMKC Accordion Orchestra.
"Recuerdos" (Memories) is the new original piece for orchestra
dedicate to Joan and the many wonderful years she has conducted
the UMKC Accordion Orchestra. |
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Sherry
Carroll (Independence, MO) has played with the orchestra
for almost 20 years and has traveled internationally with the group.
She is a Registered Nurse at Children's Mercy Hospital, loves spending
time with her husband Brad and two active teenage girls, Shannon
and Molly. She loves to travel, spend time at the lake, and is an
active member of her church. |
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Ed
Blasco (Lenexa, KS) has been involved in music all of his
life. He spent 30 years in all phases of the piano and organ business
as salesman, teacher, manager, store owner, concert artist and executive
with Yamaha. He also has consulted for the Yamaha and Roland Corporations.
Out of the music industry for twelve years, Ed is currently Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer of George King Bio-Medical,
Inc. Ed recorded an album about 5 years ago tiled "Finally"
on the Roland Atelier home organ. He is playing a Roland Digital
Accordion today. Both he and his wife, Kathy, performed with The
Accordionaires during its USO Tour of Germany in 1969. |
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Mary
Ann Covone (Western Springs, IL) a suburb of Chicago, with
her 15 year old daughter, Anne Marie. She graduated from UMKC in
1981 with a BM degree in Accordion Performance. After teaching and
performing in the Chicago area for ten years, Mary Ann attended
The John Marshall Law School where she graduated cum laude in 1991.
She currently practices law full time in the Chicago area focusing
on personal injury litigation, probate, guardianship and estate
planning and litigation. In the fall, while continuing to practice
law, Mary Ann plans to enroll at Loyola University in Chicago to
pursue a Masters Degree in Pastoral Studies. Obtaining that degree
will be the initial step to beginning a third (and final?) career
in Ministry in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. |
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Donna
Dee Ray (Ormond Beach, FL) formerly Donna Dee Anderson,
studied with Joan Cochran Sommers from the age of six. While in
high school, she was concertmaster for the Accordion Symphony at
the UMKC Conservatory of Music. Donna was the MO State Accordion
Champion twice. At age 17 she won first place in the American Accordionists
Association (AAA) Virtuoso Division. The following year she began
a five-year stint touring with The Fred Waring Pennsylvanians playing
Cordovox in the orchestra. It was there that she met her husband
Dennis Ray, a singer with the group. Donna Dee and Dennis performed
as a musical duo for many years and also as a family act with their
three children. When their children grew up, Donna Dee became an
elementary school music teacher enabling her to continue the joy
of teaching music to children. She also directs extra-curricular
Chorus, Chime Choir and Percussion ensembles at her school. Donna
has been a presenter, clinician, and guest conductor for county
and state music festivals throughout Florida. Through a rigorous
multi-evaluation process, Donna earned the distinction of National
Board Certification the first that it was open to Music Teachers
in 2002. |
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Liz
Finch (Studio City, CA) Originally from Gladstone, MO, Liz
lives in Los Angeles, CA where she has enjoyed a career as a music
copyist and orchestrator for composers such as John Williams, Hans
Zimmer, and Johnny Mandel, to name a few. She holds a Bachelor of
Music degree from UMKC and a Masters of Arts in Music Theory and
Composition from the University of Wyoming. Liz has made many memorable
concert tours with the UMKC accordionists throughout the world over
a long period of time. In fact, both she and her sister, Mary, traveled
on the concert tours to Russia/Scandinavia and to Australia/New
Zealand. Mary studied accordion, too, as a young girl. |
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Jackie
Doyel (Shawnee, KS) while a student at UMKC, played in the
orchestra from 1988 - 1991. She has participated during various
years since then. After graduation, she got married and worked as
a producer and announcer at a Kansas City radio station. She and
her husband lived in China for two years, studying Chinese at the
university in Shanghai. They then moved to Washington, D.C., where
she continued to work in the radio business as a political talk
show host, producer and reporter for a nationwide radio network.
They moved back to KC several years later and their children were
born here: Nathan, Lauren, Rebekah, and Lydia - whom they adopted
from China. Now she stays busy with all of their activities, being
the coordinator for an American Heritage Girls scout troop, volunteering,
starting a jewelry business, and running marathons and triathlons.
(You must ask her why she and her husband went to live in China!)
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Michele
Boddicker Scheffler (Ashland, OR) grew up in a musical home
with her mother, Arlene Boddicker, who was a very well-known teacher
of accordion in Cedar Rapids, IA. Her father, Gerald, served as
the manager of their extremely successful music school and Michele
most assuredly learned many of their secrets. She came to UMKC to
study and toured with the Accordionaires as well as the UMKC Accordion
Orchestra to many competitions and concert tours throughout the
world. She now teaches in the Northwest where she and her husband
have resided for several years. Michele, like her mother and father
- who both served as Presidents of the ATG - likes to work with
the ATG in making its projects successful. She also performs with
various musical groups in her region of Ashland. |
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Phillip
Hodges (Independence, MO) started playing the accordion
at the age of 6 with Terry Bell at United Teachers of Music. In
high school he began playing in the UMKC orchestra. Phillip earned
his B.B. degree at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO in music,
mathematics and secondary education. Currently, he is teaching math
at Fort Osage High School in Independence, MO. He and his wife have
a 5 year old daughter who keeps them busy with soccer practice and
games. Phillip also plays percussion as well as the accordion. |
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Suzanne
Boucard (Overland Park, KS) says her life is filled with
many rich musical experiences. After her 1969 USO Tour with the
Accordionaires as their vocalist, music continued to be a major
part of her life. She studied Voice Performance at the UMKC Conservatory
of Music and Dance with Dr. Paul Sommers. Her professional musical
performances include opera, musical theatre, solo and ensemble recitals,
and other various types of stage performances. Additional music
experience includes private vocal coaching, piano instruction, and
directing musical productions. She has also served as an adjudicator
for vocal competitions. It was an honor for her to have been selected
as the first vocal coach for the Fine Arts Options Program in the
Kansas City School District. This program was a prelude to the Magnet
School Program for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. Today, Suzanne
is the president of an executive recruiting firm she and her husband,
Henri, founded 25 years ago. She is the mother of three and the
proud grandmother of six. Suzanne continues to sing, compose music,
and maintain her support of young musicians and the Performing Arts.
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Benjamin
Shellhaas received his B.M. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
(2005), where he studied percussion performance with Anthony Falcone
and Al Rometo, and received his M.M. from the University of Kansas-Lawrence
(2008), where he studied percussion performance with Kevin Bobo,
Cody Loucks, Christopher McLaurin, and Dr Julius Zilinskas. Other
areas of training include the Duff Timpani Master Class (2009),
Leigh Stevens Intensive Marimba Seminar (2002), and the Seattle
Drum School of Music (2000, 2001). Shellhaas held a Graduate Teaching
Assistantship in the Jazz Department at the University of Kansas
and was Assistant Drumline Instructor for the Marching Jayhawks.
He has performed with a wide range of ensembles and artists such
as the Turtle Island String Quartet, University of Kansas Faculty
Chamber Ensemble, Monday Night Big Band, Lincoln Municipal Band,
Kevin Bobo, Chris Merz, and with Gordon Stout on the 2007 Kansas/Missouri
Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion. The orchestral groups
he has performed with include the Kansas City Civic Symphony, Hastings
Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony where he performed on both drumset
and concert percussion. Shellhaas is currently a substitute and
extra musician for the Lincoln Symphony. Shellhaas is currently
serving as Lecturer of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
as the director of the percussion section for the Pride of
All Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band and is an adjunct percussion
instructor at the University of Concordia in Seward, Nebraska. Shellhaas
has been teaching privately since 1995 |
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Evan
Maslak from Kansas City is currently a freshman percussion
performance major. At UMKC he has played with the 3:30 Jazz Combo,
the Percussion Ensemble, and the Wind Symphony. In addition, he
teaches 10 students at the Keith Larson Percussion Studios in Olathe.
This will be his first time performing with our UMKC accordion groups,
although Keith and Brenda Larson, owners of the studio where he
teaches, have played with the UMKC Accordion Orchestra both here
and on tour. |
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Brian
Steever is a jazz drummer from Jefferson City, MO
and has just completed his sophomore year in the jazz performance
program at UMKC, studying with Bobby Watson, Brandon Draper, and
Gerald Spaits. Kansas City has been treating him well as he has
been able to play around town with several local legends including
Bobby Watson, Mark Lowrey, David Basse, Megan Birdsall, Clint Ashlock,
Pat Conway, and Hermon Mehari in a trio called Tri-Dimensional,
to name a few. He has also had the opportunity to study classical
percussion with Dr. James Snell and Dr. Nick Petrella. Keep your
ears open and catch him playing around town. Brian played with the
Accordion Orchestra last year, too, on its Annual Concert. |
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