NORTHWEST ACCORDION NEWSnwasnews.com/news/14Fall-NWAS.pdfNorthwest Accordion News Fall Quarter 2014 1 Is your membership renewal due? Check your mailing label. A membership application/renewal

NORTHWEST ACCORDIONNEWS

Clochard Swing The Big Squeeze Overture to Castelfi dardo Shakespeare and the Accordion Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration

VOL. 24 NO. 3Northwest Accordion Society Fall Quarter 2014

Northwest Accordion News

Fall Quarter 2014 1

Is your membership renewal due? Check your mailing label. A membership application/renewal form is included on the last page. Send your renewals or change of address to:

Northwest Accordion Society 5102 NE 121st Ave. #12Vancouver, WA 98682

NORTHWEST ACCORDION SOCIETY

The Northwest Accordion News is a quarterly newsletter published by the Northwest Accordion Society for and by its members. The purpose of the NWAS News is to unite the membership by providing news of its members, and articles that instruct, encourage, and promote the playing of the accordion.

NWAS PUBLICATION PRIORITIES♦ Advertising♦ Original Compositions♦ News from Our Members♦ Instructive/Technical Articles♦ Summaries from Regional Socials and Events♦ Coming Events

Articles will be printed if received prior to the publishing deadline. Should space be an issue, articles will be printed in the order in which they are submitted. All decisions regarding publication will be made by the editors of the NWAS News.

To submit articles for publication, mail them to the Vancouver, WA address listed. It is preferred that articles be submitted via e-mail as attached WORD documents or on a disc. Typed, paper copy needs to be dark and clear to allow scanning and to minimize errors.

Photographs sent for publication will be returned if they are accompanied with a SASE of correct size and adequate postage. Photographs may be sent electronically or on disc.

To reprint articles or photographs from magazines and newspapers, written permission from the publisher is required. Please submit the necessary “permission to print” with material sent.

Views in the articles and information printed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Northwest Accordion Society or its advertisers.

Inquiries, questions, suggestions, etc.Contact Doris Osgood, 3224 B St.,

Forest Grove, OR 97116. (503) 357-0417. E-mail: [email protected]

NWAS News DeadlinesFebruary 1, May 1, August 1, November 1

Northwest Accordion News StaffDoris Osgood................................... (503) 357-0417 [email protected] Ames .................................... (360) 904-1524 [email protected] Halverson (Advertising) ..... (503) 484-5064 [email protected]

NW Accordion Society Offi cers Bonnie Birch, President/Treasurer ................................. (206) 622-4786Doris Osgood, Vice President/Communications ............. (503) 357-0417Judith Ames, Secretary/Technology ............................... (360) 254-5245

Advisory BoardRick Hatley, ..................................................................... (253) 288-0442Dick Myking .................................................................... (253) 537-0136Birgit Ages ...................................................................... (206) 368-9720Cooksie (Kaserzon) Kramer ........................................... (425) 828-9104

Membership:Doris Osgood.................................................................. (503) 357-0417 [email protected] Ames ................................................................... (360) 904-1524 [email protected]

Mail letters & articles to:Northwest Accordion Society

5102 NE 121st Ave. #12, Vancouver, WA 98682

Or e-mail to: [email protected]

ADVERTISINGFull page $110.00Half page $55.00Quarter $30.00Business card $10.00

Prices are PER ISSUE. US Funds

Photo-ready Advertising (with accompanying check) for this publication may be sent to:Northwest Accordion Society

6453 SE Nathan Ct., Hillsboro, OR 97123or e-mail [email protected]


Fall Quarter 20142

Letter from the Editors

Musical Greetings!Summer is here and HOT and Fall is on the way -

with lots of opportunities to play and enjoy music and events!

Once again we have a PACKED Newsletter - We appreciate those who send in their letters, notes and pictures. (We even have an article that was copyrighted in 1914!) Keep submitting your articles!

I have changed my email address - [email protected]. The other still works but I am often battling SPAM and my miss your messages. You may send your articles and photos to this email address. The deadline for the Winter issue is November 1!

The Day of the Accordion is February 28, 2015! Mark your calendar now!Judith Ames([email protected])

Quarterly UpdateTable of Contents2 Letter from the Editors2 Quarterly Update3 Letters to the Editor3 Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration4 Clochard Swing7 Rose City Accordion Club fi lls Silver Falls with Music8 “Johnny V” Carl John Vukonich8 Welcome New Members9 Overture to Castelfi dardo11 Celebrating in Leavenworth 201414 LIAC 2014 Results15 In Remembrance of15 Martin James Tracy16 Keeping Up With Gary Blair18 The Big Squeeze18 Remembering Faithe Deffner20 Boy’s Novel Plan to See Country21 In Remembrance Loretta Calapristi22 Shakespeare and the Accordion22 Dîner en Blanc23 By the Way – 25 Accordion Jam in LaPine26 Seattle Social Report29 Tacoma Accordion Socials30 Sequim Accordion Social July 201432 LIAC photos36 Accordion Events Calendar38 Entertainers in the Northwest

Dear Members,Oktoberfest season is here already. Here in

Forest Grove the bounty from gardens and orchards is abundant. We are so fortunate. I’m sure that our friend, Ron Ostromecki, doesn’t want to turn the pages of the calendar any too soon. Last winter was interminable in Erie, PA.

The Leavenworth Accordion Celebration has come and gone for 2014. We had a wonderful time. Bonnie Birch, Steve Berg, Frank Bruckner, Rod Miller and I put in long hours in preparation and work during our stay in Leavenworth. The volunteers, teachers, and performers all did their part to make the event successful; we thank them all. LIAC strives to celebrate all instruments with bellows and the varied music styles that can be played on them. This year we showcased diatonic, chromatic, piano, and virtual accordions played by some of the best in the world.

Leavenworth came dangerously close to devastating wild fi re only weeks after LIAC. Thankfully, the town has been spared. The fi re season isn’t over so we pray that the community will continue to be protected.

Note that the monthly socials resume in West Seattle September 8. A schedule for the autumn is in this issue indicating featured performers. The “jam” is a segment that was added this last year. So for those attending, be sure to bring your instruments so that you can participate in the group playing.

In this issue we have several remembrance articles. These are the most diffi cult pieces that I must write, especially when I’m well acquainted with the person. All of the people remembered in this issue are important to the accordion community in our region and beyond.

I’ve worked on this magazine for many years and don’t recall ever having the diffi culty that we’re encountering now with getting permission to reprint articles. While it’s true that our publication isn’t seen by thousands of people, it does have a global connection. Printing without permission is not right even if it could make it under the radar of the copyright police. Regrettably, I was turned down by a newspaper and a national magazine since our last issue. That’s why permission from the Statesman Journal in Salem, OR is especially welcome. The publisher was very gracious; I appreciate it very much.

International competitions begin in September


Fall Quarter 2014 3

Deadline for submitting articles, pictures, advertisements, etc.

February 1 (Spring)May 1 (Summer)

August 1(Fall)November 1 (Winter)

in Lithuania and then in Austria in October. We have young representatives from the United States participating. All of us in the Northwest Accordion Society wish them success and great experiences.

When you can, support the advertisers in our magazine with your business. This publication wouldn’t be in the black without their generous support. Our advertisers have been faithful for a long time and we want to show our gratitude by doing business with them. Thanks ALWAYS to our regular contributors; they handle their assignments like professionals. Finally, thanks to Ron Ostromecki, Colleen Halverson and Judith Ames. Nothing would happen without them.

We all are painfully aware of the national and international news. Our world is war torn and weather ravaged. Epidemics have traveled many miles and have affected so many people. We live in very unsettling times. Yet, we can testify to the fact that the accordion has afforded the opportunity to make friends and to bring relief with the music we play. It has expanded our circle of acquaintances and has allowed the opportunity to become acquainted with people and players very different from ourselves. Through our music, let’s continue to do our part to bring peace on earth with goodwill toward all men.

Enjoy the autumn. It’s a wonderful time of year. Encourage the many accordionists participating in the Oktoberfests in the region. There couldn’t be O’fest fun without the accordion!Doris [email protected]

Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration

Thank you, Volunteers for your time, money, and your work to make our music festival a success. From the LIAC staff: Bonnie Birch, Steve Berg, Rick Webber, Frank Bruckner, Rod Miller, and Doris Osgood. See you June 18-21, 2015 in Leavenworth, Washington for the love of the accordion.

Letters to the Editor

Dear NWAS,I look forward to my next copy of “Northwest Ac-

cordion News” and read it cover to cover the minute it is out of the mail box. Thank you for an informative publication that promotes the accordion.Musically Yours, Kathy Breece, Bothell, WA

Dear NWAS,Thank you for including Janet’s obituary & your

added comment in the last edition. For many years our visits to Leavenworth to meet with all of you was the highlight of our lives. I am a fi rm believer that ac-cordion players squeeze more out of life. So all the

Best and Keep on Squeezin’!Sincerely John McCaffrey, Vancouver, BC

Dear NWAS,Thank you for the time and effort to publish the

Northwest Accordion News. Receiving your publica-tion always gives me comfort that there are others out there who enjoy this instrument of ours!!Best Regards,Wil Knoop, Columbia City, ORContinued on page 7


Fall Quarter 20144

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Fall Quarter 20146

Dear NWAS, I especially enjoy the Calendar of Events and

where the bands are playing. (The Polka Mass in Fife is always on my list.)Pat Czakaj, Bothell, WA

Dear NWAS,Thanks for the reminder to renew my member-

ship. It completely slipped my mind. Couldn’t live without the magazine!Cheers,Linda Gunn, Springfi eld, OR

Dear NWAS,Sorry for the late renewal. I missed mailing the

renewal check before I left on my trip to Sweden in May.Arne Holmquist, Kirkland, WA Editor: He mailed his renewal from Sweden!

Dear NWAS,I had a customer from Ilwaco and he had the new

edition of NW Accordion. Woke me up to the fact I hadn’t renewed! Here’s my check to cover now and the future!Lou Traverso, Kent, WA

Dear NWAS,Please cancel. I’m no longer playing my accor-

dion. I have enjoyed the magazine for many years.Norma Lambson Moe, Bellingham, WA

Dear NWAS,You guy s do a great job and put out the best

magazine!Dennis Classick, Rogue River, OR

Note from the editors: We truly appreciate your com-ments and contributions. We try to remind you of your renewals in a timely manner but Judith DOES work full time and your checking your label for the due date is much appreciated.

Letters continued from page 3


Fall Quarter 2014 7

Rose City Accordion Club fi lls Silver Falls with music

Printed with permission, The Statesman Journal, June 16, 2014

Every club needs a clubhouse, a place for far-fl ung members to gather and strengthen shared interests.

For the Rose City Accordion Club, which features accordion lovers from throughout Oregon, what better clubhouse than the great outdoors? This past week, from Sunday to Friday, enthusiasts from as far away as Alaska, Illinois and Maryland came to Silver Falls State Park to celebrate the iconic, yet much-maligned instrument.

“For a lot of people, especially seniors, this is their annual vacation,” said club president Wayne Tiusanen of Canby. “Many people have been coming for years, so (the camp) becomes a kind of extended family reunion.

“They’re here for learning, but they’re also here to see old friends.”

Throughout the park’s conference center deep in the woods, the steady drone of accordion music bounced between the buildings and tree trunks. The simultaneous sound of more than 40 players partak-ing in workshops, rehearsals and unstructured prac-tice spread through the air under a summer forest canopy.

“We fi ll the whole camp every year, so basically no one else can use it while we’re here,” Tiusanen said, laughing. “Which is good, because not everyone likes accordion music!”

Brian Money of Victoria, B.C., has attended ac-cordion camps throughout North America, but his favorite is in Silverton.

“It’s the ambiance, the location. It’s not like we’re in a big hotel, we’re out in nature. We can play music and not offend anybody.”

One of the camp’s guest professionals was Murl Sanders, who traveled to Silverton from Seattle.

“I love conducting the orchestra, and I love to teach and I love to play,” he said. “So all of those things I get to do here non-stop. Accordion gatherings are kind of special events, and since everyone here is totally committed to being here it makes it that much more exciting.

“It’s just an accordion love-fest!”What is it about this instrument that speaks to

certain people?“It’s a good way to relax, it’s a good way to meet

people, it’s a good way to have fun, for some maybe it’s a good way to show off a little bit,” said Wayne Nelson of Silverton. “It’s something that nobody can

take away from you.“I sit down to play at night and next thing you

know it’s 4 a.m. It’s good therapy. Most of the accor-dion players I’ve known have grown to be quite old. I’ve often thought that maybe haven prefers a harp, and they don’t want to deal with accordion players any sooner than necessary.

For internationally renowned accordionist Stas Venglevski, a native of the Republic of Moldova Every club needs a clubhouse, a place for far-fl ung mem-bers to gather and strengthen shared interests.

For internationally renowned accordionist Stas Venglevski, a native of the Republic of Moldova in the former Soviet Union, the instrument has been a part of life since age 5.

“The sound! You can’t even describe what hap-pens to kids in my country,” he said. “You love it. It’s like a little seed that popped in my body and I heard sound. In my opinion, accordion above all other instru-ments. It’s like breath.”

Marlene Meissner of Keizer also fell in love with the instrument from an early age.

“I grew up in Mount Angel,” she said, “so the ac-cordion is in my blood. I love it because you wrap your arms around it.

“You play the keys with your right hand and you push the buttons with your left hand, but the trickiest part is the bellows. That’s how you tell your story, with the bellows,” she said, referring to the pleated wind-bag of the instrument.

During an afternoon break in the schedule, Jenny Marquess bided the time by gently playing “Black Hawk Waltz” on a bench outside her cabin. Sunlight fi ltered through the trees as she squeezed the bel-lows, lightly pushing the buttons and keys.

“Listen closely, you might want to dance,” she said before circling the melody back to the song’s fl owing original chords.

Marquess and her mother drove from Madison, Wis., to Silverton for the camp, a journey they’ve made for four years running.

“Even though we’re not from this area, the club is very welcoming, and we have a wonderful time,” she said.

Marquess has a colorful tattoo of an accordion on the outside of her left arm: red, white and black, with green wings sprouting from the keys and buttons. As she played, the tattoo that is placed over the crook of her elbow stretched and contracted in time.

“I’ve liked the accordion a lot since I was a child, because in Wisconsin it’s almost an ambient instru-ment. There are still a lot of polka bands. But I only took it up when my son turned 16, because he wasn’t


Fall Quarter 20148

always home on time. So I had to do something so I wasn’t worried waiting for him!” She said, laughing.

The week culminated in an evening concert in which the campers played a variety of songs con-ducted by Sanders and Venglevski, from traditional Ukrainian anthems to modern Beatles and Coldplay arrangements and original compositions written by the conductors themselves.

Then the conductors took the stage for a profes-sional recital, but without any stuffi ness. Dusk fell and mosquitoes fl itted against the window screens as campers and other accordion lovers gathered around, fi lling the Silver Falls conference hall for a joyous jam session.

“You easily learn that no matter what song you’re playing, no matter what country it came from, for no matter what language they talk or sing in, it makes you realize that people are just people,” Nelson said. “They have the same wants and needs. And you don’t go to war over a G fl at or a B sharp.”

[email protected] or follow at Twitter.com/pattersonphoto

“Johnny V” Carl John Vukonich

“Johnny V” Carl John Vukonich

“Johnny V” Carl John Vukonich, 71, passed away in his home watching “his mountain” on Monday, July 21, 2014.

Johnny was born on Feb. 15, 1943 to the late, John and Eileen (Esterdahl) Vukonich at Seattle, Washington. From an early age, Johnny was per-former. Around the age of 11, he remembers bystand-ers throwing money in his accordion case, while he played outside a bar in Alaska. He would also play for Yugoslavian family parties. Johnny’s dad was a weld-

er and he made sure that he passed the trade down to his son. Upon graduation from Bothell High, he became a member of the Operating Engineers Union, working in Bremerton on heavy machine equipment. Years later a friend taught Johnny how to drive 18 wheelers and he then trucked all over the U.S. and Canada. In 1980, he bought his own truck which he operated. Sometime later, Johnny went to work for Cadman Rock as a heavy duty welder and mechanic. He retired in 1997 due to health concerns and to play his music full time and teach accordion playing. Johnny performed in Vancouver, B.C. throughout Washington State and in Arizona. In 2005, Johnny moved to Cashmere where he would tell you it was the most beautiful place he’d ever been.

Johnny V, as he was known, was a fi ne accor-dion player. Especially after his move to Cashmere, he was well known in Leavenworth, Washington and played regularly in town for Chamber of Commerce and in the local restaurants. He had a unique peppy music style that everyone enjoyed. He talked about his tricked out pick up with fondness and had equal fondness for whatever his latest accordion was. He became ill about a year ago and failed rapidly in the couple of months before his death. His passing leaves a hole in the hearts of all who love the accordion; he will be missed.

Welcome New Members

Larry Dashiell, Blaine, WADeborah Denison, Dupont, WACaryl & Tom Dowell, Sequim, WACory Eberhart, Goldendale, WAGregory Gordon, Portland, ORMax Hoeke, Mercer Island, WAMax Lewis, Seattle, WAGeorge Rozwick, Canby, ORGary & Peggy Thompson, Portland, OR

Remember, you are welcome to give gift memberships! The membership form is on the last page of this publication.

You may request hard copy, PDF (elec-tronic), or both. You may also pay for more than one year at a time, if you like.


Fall Quarter 2014 9

Overture to Castelfi dardoBy Katie Eberhart

“Are you going to Castelfi dardo?” Karl Kment asked when I mentioned that my husband, Chuck, and I were planning a trip to Italy. I must have looked puzzled because Karl explained that Castelfi dardo is a town in Italy where accordions have been made for a very long time.

Chuck and I had been studying maps and train schedules and deciding which famous cities to visit. Castelfi dardo seemed like a possibility, south of Ravenna and Venice, in the Marche Region near the Adriatic port city Ancona.

Later, Karl emailed me that he had contacted the Pigini Accordion Factory in Castelfi dardo to arrange a tour for us.

In mid-May, Chuck and I departed from Seattle on a British Airways nonstop fl ight to London with a con-necting fl ight to Geneva, Switzerland. In Switzerland, we visited Chuck’s cousin who insisted we buy all our train tickets at once rather than as we went. During half an hour with a Swiss Rail travel agent, we were coached on which trains we could just get on and which we had to validate the tickets fi rst. We walked out of the travel agent’s offi ce with a stack of “paper” train tickets, including tickets to Ancona.

A week later, at the Ravenna train station we validated our ticket to Rimini where we would trans-fer to a southbound train to Ancona. A short boxy train, not a streamlined “fast” train, was parked by the platform. A teenage boy punched the button to open one of the carriage doors but the door stayed closed. More people arrived as the scheduled departure time approached, and passed. An elderly woman spoke into her cell phone then turned to us, talking rapidly in Italian and gesturing. Among the words, we heard “kaput”—as in “the train is kaput.” Everyone who had been waiting disappeared down the stairs to the tunnel between platforms. We followed, going back to the station and asking the ticket agent, who spoke English, what we should do. She directed us to the platform for the next train to Rimini that was also a straight-through (but not nonstop) train to Ancona.

She emphasized that we should also validate the Rimini to Ancona tickets before leaving Ravenna. This train arrived on time and we lugged our luggage up steep stairs to a second level where we happily dis-covered that our suitcases fi t under the seats.

Along the Adriatic coast south of Rimini, the train slowed through towns and we glimpsed a sliver of sea at the end of each apartment-lined street. For a while, when the train stopped at the smallest sta-tions, groups of high school students exited. Between towns, the train sped past miles of beaches lined with umbrellas but still too early for summer crowds.

At Ancona, we walked across the street from the train station to a Hertz car rental offi ce and rented a Fiat Panda, dark blue, boxy, and very small. Chuck drove and I read the directions to Numana where we had reservations at a B&B. Still in Ancona though, we missed a turn and for a quarter block were going the wrong way on a one-way street. In Numana, a hilly town at the edge of the sea, we stopped at a neigh-borhood gas station and asked directions to the street Colle Piceno. The station attendant (or owner) and a customer seemed to be arguing about the location of that street. The customer indicated we should follow him as he climbed into a black pickup. At a stop sign at the top of the hill, the driver reached out his win-dow and pointed over the top of the cab. We turned right onto a dead-end street. I got out and showed the name of the street “Colle Piceno” to an elderly man who was working in his garden. He pointed back to the street we had been on and I thought he indi-cated we should turn left somewhere farther along. We missed the turn though and drove downhill to the beach and up another hill where we were surprised to see the same gas station. This time, just past the stop sign at the top of the hill we turned left and found the street with the B&B.

The next morning, Chuck maneuvered the small “Panda” out of the B&B’s equally small courtyard and west toward Castelfi dardo and the Pigini Factory in the village of Acquaviva. I read the directions and watched the GPS dot which represented the move-ment of our car on a map on my electronic tablet.

We found the factory, but a gate blocked the en-trance. We turned around on a side street and when we came back, the gate was open and we turned in and parked.

Inside the building, a dark-haired woman in a business suit introduced herself as Donatello and said that Andrea Naspi would show us around the factory. Andrea had short-sheared hair and the shadow of beard stubble, and wore a dark blue sweater over a white collared shirt. He asked about our interests and what had led us from the USA to Castelfi dardo. I ex-


Fall Quarter 201410

plained that I wished to learn more about how accordi-ons are made and that my accordion teacher had sug-gested we visit the Pigini Factory and Castelfi dardo.

Andrea led us through a door into the factory where he stopped and picked up a rectangular wood-en box that would eventually be inside an accordion. He mentioned that each accordion is assembled from about 4500 parts.

I have played instruments where the function of the parts is obvious—a saxophone has a reed clamped to the mouthpiece, and keys; a mandolin has strings and frets, tuning pegs, and a sound hole. Even a piano seems straightforward when you lift the lid and watch the hammers strike the strings. However, the tone-producing mechanisms of an accordion are hidden.

We followed Andrea to the back of the factory and outside where, he explained, each accordion begins. A forklift was extended upward, lifting lumber to (or from) a high shelf.

Back inside the factory, Andrea opened a cabinet and took out a box which looked like a large, two-level harmonica (should such an instrument even exist). This hardwood box—a reed box—had a double layer of chambers, and reeds made of metal with thin leath-er fl aps. He blew through an opening at the treble end, creating a high tone, then through the bass end, producing a rich low tone, and demonstrating how tones are produced by airfl ow from the bellows.

Continuing through the factory, Andrea explained the work being done at several stages of assembly. At one long white table, a man was fi tting a grill onto a keyboard, putting the two parts together then remov-ing the grill and fi ling the edge to adjust the fi t.

At another table, steel strands—like the erect spines of an outraged porcupine—protruded from the bass end of an accordion. A man was arranging these identical-looking wires into position to attach to the bass buttons.

Near the end of the tour, we looked into a room with buffi ng machines and exhaust hoses where each accordion receives its fi nal fi nish. The room reminded me of an automobile painting shop that was clean and ready for the next job.

At another closed door, Andrea knocked lightly and then pushed the door open. We glimpsed a small room where a man worked with the concentration of a piano tuner. He looked up from an accordion with the reeds exposed. Andrea explained that he is the one who does the fi nal tuning, listening to each tone and adjusting the pitch by precisely scraping each reed.

The era of international outsourcing hasn’t ar-rived at the Pigini Factory. Not only are accordions

assembled there but nearly all of the parts are also made there.

Andrea said that only a few parts are made ‘out-side’.

“Where is ‘outside’?” I asked. Andrea replied that the parts they ship in are also

made in Castelfi dardo.We exited the factory, returning to the waiting

area and Andrea asked me if I would like to try an ac-cordion.

At my last accordion lesson, Karl explained that, when you tour an accordion factory, at some point someone will hand you an accordion “to try”. It would be best, he said, if I had a piece memorized.

Only a year into playing accordion, I am just getting used to the idea of memorizing. Undoubtedly, memorizing is a good exercise for the brain, but the last music I memorized was to play on saxophone at a Solo & Ensemble contest more than forty years ago.

Karl suggested I memorize O Sole Mio, a piece I had been learning but had not mastered. I spent hours the week before we departed for Europe, play-ing O Sole Mio with different strategies (slower, faster, repeating eight-bar sections in various patterns) until Chuck was calling “Uncle” as also (I imagine) were the next door neighbors. When we left for the airport, I still had not completely memorized O Sole Mio but I had tucked a copy of the music into my luggage.

Of course, I would like to try an accordion. Andrea handed me a model, I believe he called

it a “concept model”—the Caruso, an accordion not available for purchase in the US. I unfolded O Sole Mio and placed it on the music stand.

The Caruso had a wonderful sound, was easy to play, and remarkably light. I doubt it weighed more than my smaller accordion yet it was a full-size in-strument with numerous bass registers and a lot of treble voices.

After leaving the Pigini Factory in the village of Acquaviva, Chuck and I followed the signs to Castelfi dardo, past farms and through roundabouts, until we were climbing hills toward the old town center. Not knowing the distances, we parked in the fi rst park-ing lot we found and walked, up and up, on narrow one-way streets, the midday sun hot and getting hot-ter. Finally, we came to what we thought was the top of the hill where we looked over an ancient stone wall at the distant view of farms and villages—a wall that I expect played a role in the Battle of Castelfi dardo in 1860. We had been following signs to the accordion museum, the Museo di Fisarmonicas, which directed us to a stone plaza with a cathedral and old buildings housing government offi ces but we did not fi nd the museum. We continued walking uphill along nar-


Fall Quarter 2014 11

row streets, fi nally arriving at the actual top of the hill where there was a smaller plaza with a huge concrete water tower. We turned back. This time at the large plaza, we found the museum on an alley that dipped below the street level. We peered through the glass doors and knocked. An old man came to the door and said we couldn’t come in because they were closing in fi ve minutes, at noon, for lunch and wouldn’t reopen until 3:30.

Chuck and I didn’t visit the accordion museum in Castelfi dardo and, walking back to where we had parked, we followed the wrong street and for a few minutes thought we had lost the “Panda”—but we backtracked and eventually found the car, and found our way back to Numana where we ate lunch in an outdoor cafe at the edge of the Adriatic.

In a twenty or thirty minute tour, clearly you can’t see everything, and it might be diffi cult to even know what you are seeing. We didn’t see every step in as-sembling an accordion but we did observe the exact-ness and care that goes into the Pigini accordions. Although, somewhere in the factory there were jigs and power tools, we saw only stages of hand assem-bly. On a table where a button accordion was being assembled, hand tools were scattered—pliers, screw-drivers, a hammer, wire cutters—tools with an obvious familiarity, like my grandfather used or that my mom still keeps handy.

Recently, Karl mentioned that the accordion is the only instrument on which one person can play an overture.

Writing this, I have been considering how an “overture” is an introduction to a larger composition. Traveling to a new place or learning to play a new instrument can also be an introduction, or overture, which may lead in unexpected directions, as did Karl’s question: “Are you going to Castelfi dardo?”

Now the question I ask myself is “Are you going back to Castelfi dardo?” I’d like to think the answer is yes. In Castelfi dardo, there is the Accordion Museum and, every September, the International Accordion Festival. The Marche Region is certainly intriguing, the food is delicious, and I know now that we should have stayed for two weeks, not two days.

Celebrating in Leavenworth 2014By Doris Osgood

I have participated in the Leavenworth Inter-national Accordion Celebration for 20 consecutive years! It was the 21st accordion festival this year; the fi rst was held in August that fi rst year in the midst of devastating wild fi re. Thankfully there was no fi re in June (though the region was plagued with wildfi re a few weeks later) and the conditions for our event were absolutely perfect.

My perspective of the event is from the center of town at the gazebo. This year there were some highlights from my vantage point. The free entertain-ment downtown at the gazebo and the grange was likely the best ever. Space doesn’t allow listing all of the performers here but Sam Thomas, Naomi Harris, and the Crazy Czech Accordion Trio highlighted the exceptionally high quality artistry provided by young players. Naomi wowed the audience and gave evi-dence of the music that she would play during the competition for the Leavenworth Open. Individuals shared that Sam had never played as beautifully as he did at the grange. He knocked himself out at the gazebo too; everyone was thrilled to see him back on stage.

In my mind, the young Czech’s that we’d been corresponding with would likely not be able to manage the expense of traveling to Seattle. Though it was a fabulous idea, I was a doubter… Yet, COME they did!!

Jan Marhoul, Marie Cejnova , and Michael Karban traveled to the U.S. with their oversized Pigini instru-ments. They are classically trained young players but at the gazebo, they put on an audience friendly show. They played, sang, and danced to the delight of those gathered. Their charming broken English, fantastic musicianship, and fresh faced appearance were a delight. The three went on to perform exceptionally well in the competitions and were excited to be part of all of the activities. Coordinating their transportation and lodging was interesting. Most of you realize that Sea Tac airport is about 2 ½ hours from Leavenworth


Fall Quarter 201412

in the best of conditions. Bonnie Birch and Dick Volin worked hard to make all of that happen. The Czech’s had a wonderful time and their parting words to me at the gazebo on our fi nal Sunday afternoon program was that they hope to be with us next year. We hope so too!

It was a pleasure to have Rick Hatley able to help at the competition table and to participate in the mass ensemble at the gazebo on Friday and Saturday. Dr. Jim O’Brien led the group each day under Rick’s watchful eye. Several years ago, Rick prepared book-lets of simple, old time music which allowed people to play together. “Ear” players watch the chord changes; it goes quite well. Many people come to Leavenworth just for the opportunity to play with the group.

People stopped by the gazebo to tell me that the workshop experience was worth the trip to Leav-enworth. I’ve long felt that way. There were classes covering many topics of interest and all were very well attended. Learning is an important part of the accor-dion celebration. In my mind, that’s the purpose of the competitions also.

Rod Miller worked hard to ensure that the com-petition piece of this event went smoothly. Though new unexpected issues arise each year, the competi-tions displayed some of the fi nest accordion artistry in the Pacifi c Northwest. The young players and those more young at heart played well. There were 19 young people under of the age of 18 receiving bursary awards. The cash gifts were provided by very gener-ous donors. It is a pleasure to read the letters from the young players and to encourage them with the gift. As most know, participating in accordion activities is very costly. Many of the young people travel long distances for lessons and/or are using SKYPE for their instruction.

The concert stage at the festhalle provided excel-lent entertainment for 3 nights. The fi rst was the more ethnic night with diatonic and button box accordion. We also had a chromatic accordion and yodeling! We learned that the leader of the conjunto group, Juan Barco, was inducted into the Tejano Music Hall of Fame earlier this year. Thursday, the legendary Tony Lovello took to the stage. His vaudeville style program preceded the Americana program by the Spokane

Accordion Ensemble. Under the direction of Bev Fess, with Rick Webber as emcee, the group played outstanding arrangements for their night’s theme. Sam Thomas played solo during their rendition of Rhapsody in Blue; a favorite of mine… Saturday night we had “Mr. Smooth” and “Mr. Wild and Crazy”…. None in the northwest would challenge the fact that Andy Mirkovich is one of the fi nest musicians known. He knows his audience and plays his unique arrange-ments in a very personal way. Cory Pesaturo is over the top! Cory is an incredible musician and is able to play just about any music style on anybody’s instru-ment. Which he did! Nightly there was an ensemble of players organized by Bonnie Birch. Everyone enjoyed their music and some took advantage of the opportu-nity for dancing.

Saturday’s parade is always a highlight for the weekend. Rod Miller takes charge of the group at the festhalle and marches them down to the gazebo while playing Happy Wanderer. The crowd at the gazebo demanded an extra round of the Beer Barrel and also sang Edelweiss. It’s short and sweet! Rod quickly moved from parademeister to competition chairman to fi nish the afternoon’s work at the festhalle.

So, so many people are responsible for making the accordion celebration a success. Many are out of sight, volunteering at the grange, gazebo, and fest-halle. We had visitors and participants from Canada and as far away as Texas. The Czech’s get the prize for traveling the longest distance, I’m sure. Without our volunteers and participants, there wouldn’t be an event. The Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration Committee is grateful for all who gave their time, money, and labor. Plans have begun for next year’s celebration. Bonnie Birch is beginning the process of setting the performers for 2015 and 2016. Availability and cost determine what we can do. We hope to have some things nailed down in time for the winter issue of the magazine.

LIAC 2014 is but a memory. Mark your calendars for next year; I hope that you will be able to join us June 18 – 21, 2015 for the love of the accordion.



Leavenworth International Accordion CelebrationThank you to our Sponsors

Virtuoso Sponsors - $2000 or moreNorthwest Accordion Society

Projekt Bayern - www.projektbayern.com

Major Sponsors - $500 or moreAndreas Keller/Heidi Forchemer - www.andreaskellerrestuarant.com

Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce - www.leavenworth.orgPetosa Accordions - www.petosa.com

(In addition Co-Sponsoring Tony Lovello)Tempo Trend Music - www.tempotrend.ca

Drs. Jim and Shirley O’Brien*Peggy and Gary Thompson*

Business SponsorsBavarian Village Business Association - bavarianvillagebusinessassoc.org

Das Copy Shoppe - dascopyshoppe.comThe Taffy Shoppe - www.leavenworthtaffyshop.com

Accordion Players, Accordion Clubs, Friends of the Accordion

Katherine Allen*Al Aman*

Bonnie Birch*Paul Bria/Tualatin Valley Accordionists*

James R. Brylski*Eugene Deda

Five Valley Accordion Association*John R. Giuliani Sr. Scholarship Fund*

Andy Mirkovich*Karen Halgren*

Colleen Halverson*Hugo’s Accordion Band*

Carolyn McCauley*Rod Miller*

Northwest Accordionaires Band*Northwest Accordion Society - Day of the Ac-

cordion*Northwest Accordion Society - Forest Grove

Socials*Northwest Accordion Society - Seattle Monday

Night Socials*Northwest Accordion Teachers Association*

Robynne Snow*Spokane Inland NW Accordion Club*

Jim Tobler*Randall Tron*

Lois Yale*

* These people donated to our Bursary Fund! A special THANK YOU to them!


Fall Quarter 201414

EDMONTON, ALBERTA September 12, 13, and 14th

St. John’s Cultural Centre

10611 – 110 Avenue

Friday night cabaret Workshops

Dinner/Concert with entertainment by Michael Bridge

Sunday afternoon accordion orchestras For further details please see our website www.edmontonaccordion.com or email [email protected]

LIAC 2014 ResultsDiatonic1. Martin Hergt2. Ed Sapala3. David Emter

Bands1. Crazy Czechs2. Portatos3. Miss Chords

March1. Greg Gordon2. Bruce Bakker3. Herbert Hinterberger

Classical (Youth)1. Holden Tubbs2. Anthony Kuzmenko3. Emil Haroldsen

Classical Open1. Jan Marhoul2. Michal Karban3. Marie Cejnova

Leavenworth Open1. Naomi Harris2. Michal Karban3. Robert DeGoede

Variety II1. Terry Ranstad2. Eileen Webber3. Greg Gordon

Variety III1. Corrie Sams2. Jack Donahue3. Diane Guffi n

Variety IV1. Holden Tubbs2. Marie Cejnova3. Austin Hampshire

Variety V1. Anthony Kusmenkov2. Emil Haroldsen3. Lisa Niccum

Variety VI1. Kailyn Crossman2. Zachariah Harnett3. Rebecca Brandao

Duets (Adult)1. Cejnova/Karban2. Tapio/Miller3. Hinterberger/Bakker



In Remembrance ofMartin James Tracy

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Martin on July 1, 2014. He struggled for over a year with Lou Gehrig’s disease. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Lisa, his 4 stepsons, and many in the accordion commu-nity. Martin was born 1946, in Providence, Rhode Island.

At an early age he became a ballet dancer and landed his fi rst job at Radio City Music Hall, in Ravel’s Bolero. He later studied and taught at the New England Conservatory of Music. He danced the King and I with Yule Brenner, and Beverly Sills, at Wolftrap, in Vienna, Virginia. He danced many forms of music including, Scottish, English Country, jazz, ethnic, modern, and Morris dancing. He later became a state championship ballroom dancer and won more than 30 awards and danced in many countries. He joined the Aman Folk Dance Ensemble in 1985 and danced at the opening of Epcot Center following a show with Dick Van Dyke.

Martin was also in the Army Security Agency (CIA) in Vietnam, as an interpreter in the Radio Re-search Aviation division. After his missions in Vietnam, he was stationed in Japan where he lived for 5 years. Martin was fl uent in Japanese, German, Spanish, Swedish, Vietnamese, and Esperonto.

After leaving Japan, he taught anatomy, kinesiol-ogy, and dance at UCLA, and during this time also learned Karate and Kung Fu, with Chuck Norris.

He later worked for NASA and developed a controlled chair for the Space Shuttle and at the same time started his own software company, where he

developed a heart valve for open heart surgeries and worked to develop other medical software.

Martin

Seattle Monday Night Accordion Socials – 2014 dates

Date/Time: 2nd Monday of the month music: 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. - - be there early

All Socials are held at the Senior Center of West Seattle in 2014

Senior Center of West Seattle (SC-WS)

4217 S.W. Oregon Street Seattle, WA 98116

Phone: (206) 932-4044Cost: $5

Contact: John Giuliani (425) 255-2121 Contact: Birgit Ages (206) 368-9720

Backup: Bonnie Birch (206) 622-4786

September 8th Italian Theme

Philip and BirgitJohn GuillianiBonnie BirchLenny Luzzi

October 13th Dick Volin

“The Ted Lunka Polka Band”Bonnie Birch Trio November 10th Tim Hunt Band

Dick Myking December 8th

Murl Allen Sanders

“All Socials are followed by a Round Robin at the end, please bring your

accordion, Let’s Jam!”

joined Cooksie Kramer’s band, The Northwest Ac-cordionaires in 2003, and his wife Lisa joined a year later. They enjoyed spending time each year at the Leavenworth Accordion Festival, which was also their wedding anniversary.

Martin built his own home in Snohomish, Wash-ington where he died.

We will greatly miss him! His memorial will be on August 16, 2:00 pm at the community where he lived in Snohomish.


Fall Quarter 201416

Keeping Up With Gary Blair

Our favorite Scot has been very busy the last few months. In June, he traveled to Normandy with his brothers; it was the fi rst time they’d been “on holiday” together since 1975.

A photo with the 4 taken in 1971 was replicated in 2014. (Colin, Gary, Malcom, Jamie) It was especially

meaningful to the brothers Blair. Their father, Jimmy Blair, won the Croix de Guerre.

In July, Gary traveled to Tarrytown, NY for the

AAA convention. From there he was on to California to visit with GTAC Vice President, Karl Wucherer in Oakdale. He enjoyed playing for a great crowd at the

Good Time Accordion Club in Escalon. Then he was on to the ATG convention in San Francisco. Gary performed in concert, hosted a workshop and headed up a jam session. Before leaving California he visited Etienne Ozorak in Sacramento. He used to play in the famous Bobby Brown Band in Toronto; he is a “great accordion player”. After a couple of weeks in Cali-fornia, he headed to Oregon for a brief visit with his American “parents”, Geoff and Joyce Levear. The Le-vears reside on the Oregon coast during the summer; a few hours southwest of their long time residence in Portland. Gary enjoyed his R and R there; Paul and Judy Bria traveled down to Newport to visit with him too “for a tune and great laughs”.

Gary’s U.S. visit was bittersweet. He lost three dear friends during his travels. As we all know, that’s life…



Calling all Accordion Players,Amateur and Professional,

to join our NW accordion orchestra.

Call Cooksie Kramer 425-828-9104

Please check your mailing label for your dues due date! We appreciate timely membership renewals!


Fall Quarter 201418

The Big Squeeze(Summarized from Listen: Life with Classical Music)

By Amanda MacBlane

A classical music enthusiast shared an article recently that caught his eye. The lead photo was of a young accordion Lithuanian accordionist who has made inroads in the classical music arena. The article started with, “In his July 2013 blog post “Weirder still… what’s this at the top of the classical charts?” Norman Lebrecht likens the success of Lithuanian ac-cordionist Martynas’s Decca debut to a British man’s winning Wimbledon. That is: it was bound to happen sometime!

MacBlane continues, “Indeed, we’ve seen two decades worth of press proclaiming the resurgence of the accordion after acts like the Pogues, They Might Be Giants, and Bruce Springsteen rescued the instru-ment from the square, Lawrence Welkian stigma that had plagued it in the United States since the advent of the Fender Stratocaster. With the rise of world music, the Piazzolla phenomenon and a new batch of conservatory-trained musicians who refuse to be con-tained by genre, it was only a matter of time before the accordion came knocking at the classical door.”

She continued saying that Martynas can dazzle listeners with Mozart, Beethoven, and Verdi and also jams with Beyoncé and Katy Perry. In his fi rst tour of the U.S. in 2014 he was the opening act for pony tailed arena violinist David Garrett.

There are other classical accordionists making inroads in the public’s conscientiousness. French born Richard Galliano produced an all Bach album in 2010 that became France’s best-selling classical album of the year. Another Baltic accordionist has been making waves with her purely classical transcriptions and rep-ertoire written exclusively for accordion. The stunning young Latvian, Ksenija Sidorova is a product of Owen Murray’s accordion program at the Royal Academy of Music in London – as is Martynas. Sidorova fi rst pursed a disciplined Soviet training in accordion despite her mother’s thinking that the instrument was vulgar. She says, “Every time you walk out onto the stage you have to prove that this instrument deserves to be where it is.”

Even at the low point of the instrument’s popular-ity in the United States during the 1960’s and ‘70’s, new groups included the instrument for the “weird sounds” it could produce. American accordionist, Wil-liam Schimmel of New York confessed that he hid the fact that he played accordion when he entered Juil-lard’s composition program in the mi d ‘60’s. Schimmel has many credits on the accordion since those days.

He thinks that young people today don’t have to be apologetic. We live in a time when people like what they like!

The accordion’s image hasn’t been a problem in Europe. Though it is principally regarded as a com-mon folk instrument there, over fi fty academies in the Schengen Area offer graduate level accordion studies. Only a handful of schools offer an accordion major; the University of Missouri Kansas City being the only one to offer a D.M.A. in accordion performance.

Peter Soave, acclaimed Piazzolla interpreter, says that the neither the instrument nor the repertoire keep the accordion out of hallowed musical arenas. The players themselves are responsible. He says,” There is so much ignorance – not just by the public but by the players… We have classical accordion-ists, but how many classical accordionists are on the level of an Emmanuel Ax or any one of three hundred pianists that we could mention right now?” He con-tinued, “ I am so humbled when I catch an interview with Andras Schiff or Jeremy Denk about what they’re working on, what they’re discovering and what they’ve reworking. Unfortunately, I don’t see any of my col-leagues speaking this language. So the accordion is detached from the classical world by its players.”

Soave believes that there is no place for the ac-cordion in American conservatories now. Though it’s detrimental to the quality of playing, he believes that there simply isn’t the infrastructure, the demand or the social safety net to support a large number of profes-sional accordionists in the United States.

Peter concluded by saying that he hopes that the success of Martynas, Sirodova, and Galliano will attract more players to the instrument who can hit the sweet spot of erudition and expression that he admires in other classical musicians. “The accordion today is no longer shocking – it’s even sexy. My only regret is that I wish we could have had a few more Piazzollas.”

Remembering Faithe Deffner1931 – 2014

Likely one of the most infl uential individuals in the accordion world, AAA President Emerita, Faithe Deffner, passed away June 3, 2014 in Florida. Her very long and storied career cov-ers decades. She and her late husband, Ernest, were involved in teaching, publishing, accordion manufacturing, and networking. For a complete biography and list of her accomplishments, refer to www.accordions.com/fdeffner.



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Fall Quarter 201420

Boy’s Novel Plan to See CountryCyclist Entertainer Pays His Way with His Wit and Musical Talent. New York Times, Oct. 4, 1914, p. 92

Tiring one day of his labors as a blacksmith’s helper in Portland, Ore., John E. Norman decided that he would quit work and go down the Pacifi c Coast to visit an uncle in San Diego. He decided on a two-months’ vacation, with his accordion (an Italian piano-accordion) as a bread-winner, and left Portland for the south. He had a good time, travel-ing 2,813 miles – paid his way by playing his accordion and was back home with a trifl e more money than he had when he started, better health than he had ever enjoyed before, and a lot of experience.

Bitten by the wanderlust, a few months later – he left Portland on Oct. 29, 1911 – went to east Oregon and for

seven months worked on his grandmother’s horse ranch. Then left for New York and New England by bike to visit relatives, reaching Brooklyn on Sept. 18. This month he starts south as far as Florida and thence will pedal his way by the southern route across the continent to California, where he expects to take in the California Exposition. He will then go back to Oregon and settle down, for he will then be 26 years old.

There is nothing of record breaking in this trip as he travels for fun and pure enjoyment cartooning paper, and pencils and pens – for he has picked up quick cartooning as a means of adding to his income – picture postcards of himself – another article that helps pay expenses – his diary, and a “sealbook,” in which he gets the signatures and seals which he gets the signature and seals of mayors, police, and other offi cials as proof of the fact that he has visited all the places he says he has.

While on his way east he met and became quite well acquainted with Lawson and Hansen, the two Brooklyn boys who are making a motor cycle (sic) trip, from Brook-lyn to San Francisco. They, too, had found the delights of a wandering life. The Brooklyn lads were in splendid trim physically, and he was able to give them some good advice as to how to get along, and especially as to how to cross the Rockies at Buffalo Pass, at an altitude of 11,300 feet, which was the route he took.

Editor’s note: Special thanks to John Nantz for submit-ting this article and to John Weiss for the photo.



In RemembranceLoretta Calapristi

March 22, 1933 – June 13, 2014

Loretta R. (Callegari) Calapristi was born in New York City on March 22, 1933. Loretta attended Upper

Darby High School in 1949 where she met her future hus-band, Frank. Their friendship blossomed into something more starting with a chance meeting at a dance hosted by Pennsylva-nia Military College, where Frank was a cadet. Frank and Loretta started dating and they were mar-ried in September, 1954. Upon Frank’s graduation and offi cer commission into the U.S. Army in 1955, they moved to Fort Benning, GA. Frank and Loretta moved

back to Philadelphia upon completion of Frank’s military service, and Loretta found employment with the US Chamber of Commerce’s “Nations Business” magazine. Frank started a career with General Elec-tric in Philadelphia, which turned out to be a wonderful opportunity for Frank and Loretta to move to a number of interesting locations throughout the country.

In 1978 the family moved to Richland, WA, where Frank and Loretta worked for Rockwell International at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Loretta was a secretary for the Engineering department. Frank and Loretta explored the Pacifi c Northwest and took many trips along the west coast. One of their favorite places to visit was Leavenworth, WA. They spent many weekends there enjoying the Bavarian theme, partici-pating in “Art in the Park” and living in their cabin on the Wenatchee River.

In 1996, Frank joined Loretta in retirement and they moved to Leavenworth where they built their retirement home. Loretta participated in many festi-val activities and accompanied Frank when he was a strolling accordionist or entertaining the customers at King Ludwig’s restaurant or other locations. Lo-retta could always be counted on getting the crowd engaged and making sure that everyone had a great

time and were entertained. Prior to her illness, Loretta was a member of the Autumn Leaf Festival Associa-tion, the Royal Bavarians, and Projekt Bayern. She was the life of the party, had a smile for everyone, and genuinely was interested in everyone she met. Loretta will always be remembered for her pleasant smile, exuberant personality, and her ability to get along with everyone. Her husband Frank called her “My Miss Congeniality”. Every step along the way in their 60 year marriage, they made lifelong friends and left last-ing Impressions among those who came to know her.

Surrounded by her family, the loving wife of our friend, Frank Calapristi, died June 14 after a long ill-ness.

AUTUMN ACCORDION SOCIAL

FOREST GROVE, ORSunday, October 26, 2014

1:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Forest Grove Senior and Community Center

2037 Douglas StreetForest Grove, OR

Admission: adults $5.00Hosted by Doris Osgood

And the Tualatin Valley Accordionists For the Northwest Accordion Society

Listeners Always Welcome!

You are invited to bring your accordion and your friends to an afternoon of accordion music. We sign in to play and perform in the order in which we register. Young players are always guaranteed a slot and could change the order. Prepare knowing that our guests have come for the program. Play 2 of your favorite selections or one lengthy piece. There will be a 50/50 drawing benefi ting our scholarship fund, light refreshments, and visiting. Remember to join us, just for the fun of it! For information contact Doris Osgood at 503-357-

0417. [email protected]

Accordion Socials in Forest Grove are always the 4th Sundays in April and October.


Fall Quarter 201422

Dîner en Blanc

Greg Meier playing accordion once owned by Dick Kokich.

Launched with just a handful of friends by François Pasquier over 25 years ago, Paris’ Dîner en Blanc attracts 15,000 annually with the largest gathering in Paris. Montreal is a close 2nd. The most prestigious sites are used: Chateau de Versailles, La Place de L’Etoile, Le Louvre Pyramid etc. all at the same time! The event requires elegant white dress, a picnic basket laden with fi ne china, and “quality” menu items. There are white tablecloths, white tables, and two white chairs. Guests must reach the venue via public transit; it’s billed as a “green” event.

The event is a photo op for sure. But, fi rst and foremost it’s a social gathering of friends. The elegant dinner is for members only. To attend, a member must issue an invitation.

July 26, the Diner En Blanc was held in Portland, Oregon. Accordionists Greg Meier, Phil Hall, and Paul Smith provided strolling entertainment for the guests. They were well received and are booked for next summer’s dinner on the Tillacum Bridge in Portland, Portland’s newest bridge crossing the Willamette River.

Shakespeare and the AccordionA message from Whidbey Island

August 4, 2014By David Locke

Yes, it’s true! The accordion has achieved another milestone on its perpetual journey toward cultural respectability.

Though described in the national press as “a remote island off the coast of Seattle,” Whidbey Island proves to be nothing short of a cultural mecca. Now the South Whidbey Shakespeare Festival, consisting of an all-star cast of locals, has introduced our beloved instrument to the immortal canon of the bard. How is this possible, one might ask?

This year’s season presents two plays, “Richard III,” and “The Taming of the Shrew.” Both are performed in a circus tent on warm summer evenings, and are free to the public, though a collection is accepted afterward with which to pay the players.

“The Taming of the Shrew,” directed by Jackie Apodaca, of Ashland Oregon, is set in a western frontier town. The timeless lines of Shakespeare are all the more hilarious when heard with a western drawl.

Much of the action occurs in the local pub, where the band consists of a piano, banjo, washboard, and accordion. We found a book of favorites from the 1890”s, and play a lively repertoire of “Good Old Summer Time,” “Meet me in St. Louis, Louis,” “Ta-ra-ra-boomdeay,” “O My Darlin” Clementine,” “Bill Bailey,” “Hello Ma Baby,” etc. etc. etc. These favorites often elicit spontaneous sing-alongs by the exuberant audience.

For a suitably over-ripe sounding instrument, I am using my Giullietti musette, from about 1985.

I just wanted all of you to know, the accordion takes us not only around the world, but even back in time, and into the high-brow realms of great art!

For those planning a Whidbey Island getaway, the Shakespeare Festival continues each weekend through September 6th. Come and see us!



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By the Way – From Doris Osgood

Naomi Harris (14), Mary Tokarski (AAA organizer), Nathan Chapeton (13). Nathan also qualifi ed for the Coupe Mondiale.

Congratulations Naomi Harris! Naomi may have been the youngest, or at least one of the youngest, to have won the Leavenworth Open at the Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration in June. The fourteen year old from Spokane has worked very hard this year and her efforts are paying off. She participated in the competition at the AAA convention

in Tarrytown, NY July 9 – 13. Winning in three categories for players up to age 15 (Open solo, Open pop, Open ethnic) she qualifi ed to compete at the Coupe Mondial in Austria this October. For several months, Naomi has planned to compete in the Trophée Mondiale in Lithuania Sept 23 – 28. Another trip to Europe the following month isn’t part of her plan at this time. The Northwest Accordion Society wishes Naomi success and a great experience in Lithuania.

The Rose City Accordion Club Camp at Silver Falls, OR was a success! The camp organizers are pleased to announce that Stas Venglevski and Murl Allen Sanders have confi rmed their return for camp in 2015. Stay tuned for camp details.

July 20, 2014, the Guinness World Record for the largest accordion ensemble was smashed! A Guinness offi cial certifi ed that 1,361 accordionists assembled in China beating the old record of 1,137 participants at the Panonika Harmonika Festival in Slovenia, August 8, 2011. It was a very long wait for everyone involved. Each player entered the area separately so that the count could be accurate. The Guinness offi cial was fl uent in Chinese, which proved helpful in communicating to the large crowd


Fall Quarter 201424

of spectators and participants. There were great cheers in the square when the record setting group was offi cially announced. For more information and photographs, visit http://accordions.com/china/hohner/2014/20july.htm

Labeled the boy wonder at age 9, Horace Lazzari is still playing at age 89! He recently dazzled a large audience in Walla Walla when he played for the Center at the Park fund raiser. A very nice article was written about the event and it went further to give a biography of Horace. Regrettably, the Walla Walla Union Bulletin would not give permission to reprint the article. I was very disappointed. According to the article, Horace has had some health issues that prevent his playing as much as he once did. It was gratifying to know that he is still playing.

Katie Eberhart contributed a piece about her travels to Castelfi dardo in this issue. She began playing accordion in 2013 when her sister loaned her an accordion and some music. In 2014 she joined the Accordion Club of Central Oregon and began studying accordion with Karl Kment. Katie’s essays and poems have appeared in Cirque Journal and other publications. Katie lives in Bend where she blogs about nature, literature, and sometimes travel at solsticelight.wordpress.com.

Michael Bridge writes, “1, 2, 3... Yahooooo!! The Calgary Stampede 2014 had plenty of accordion music in the air. Michael was very proud to be the winner of the Stampede Talent Search in 2013, and had the opportunity this year to perform on the Stampede Float in the parade for a live audience of 300,000 in addition to a TV audience. He was happy to have accordion airtime on both the radio and TV news, perform at the Talent Search’s Finals as a returning champion,

and play over 30 different venues for tens of thousands over the three weeks leading up to Stampede. This season also featured the inaugural performance of the Michael Bridge Band, and they’re excited to start touring next year!”

At his other home, in Toronto, Michael’s trio, ‘Virtuosi 3’ (accordion, clarinet, guitar/vocals), has some exciting new music videos on YouTube. Their mission is to perform a classy and technologically advanced show with improvisation and arrangements that cover classical, pop, rock, folk, polka, and jazz. Finally, Michael is entering his fourth year of studies at the University of Toronto, where he is completing a bachelor’s degree in accordion performance. You can always fi nd out the latest news and performance dates at www.MichaelBridgeMusic.com

Corky Bennett writes, “I am pleased to announce the launching of a new division of CB Productions, “Brumble Publications.” I have built a website, www.brumblepublications.com, where you can view my fi ction, non-fi ction, and music instruction books. I have a total of seven books available at this time, with plenty more to come, over time.

My three volume series, “What Your Music Teacher Should Have Taught You,” is a series which every aspiring musician should study, regardless of instrument. It is the perfect primer, should the student wish to take up any instrument. Even professionals can learn from this series. In addition, I also have an adult learn-at-home accordion method book.

I also penned “Murder at the Polo Lounge,” a short-story crime novel. Non-fi ction releases include “The Beauty of Imperfection, the Dick Contino Story,” and “The Life & Times of Leighton Wiley Brumble,” (my real name).

So please check out the site and take advantage of these fi ne books. Navigation is a breeze and payment/shipping is simple through Amazon.com. They’ll probably even give you a price break!

Of course, I am still performing and you can always view my schedule at www.corkybennett.com. Also, be sure to make your reservations for my annual Reno show October 11th. Details and ticketing info are on the website. We were sold out for this show last year so please make your reservation early.

Along with Stas Venglevski, Jianan Tian from China performed at the 8th Victoria International Accordion



Festival in July. The 20 year old Chinese virtuoso went on to perform in Seattle, Portland, Eugene, Medford and Cotati before returning home. Aleks Milojevic arranged the west coast tour and provided her transportation for the varying venues. Several of us attended her Portland area concert. Jianan shared the stage with Alicia Baker who played many audience favorites prior to the Baroque/Classical program from Jianan. Never have you heard complex Baroque and Classical music played with such skill. My husband, who has an affi nity for classical and romantic period music LOVED the performance. He commented, “I didn’t know that music like that could be played on the accordion.” Jianan played a Pigini free-bass bayan. It sounded huge! Without question, the label virtuoso used in the Portland newspaper was appropriate. We’ll be hearing more from her, I’m sure.

Sergei Teleshev hosted Jianan at a beautiful winery in Eugene the evening after she played in Portland. He has a very busy schedule. If things work out in our favor… he will play at the autumn accordion social in Forest Grove. A trip to the east coast and his wife’s pending delivery around the time of the social complicate the plan a bit. Babies come when they’re ready and we can’t change that! Sergei wants to come; let’s hope that everything will fall into place to allow his coming.

We just learned that Jim Rice of Walla Walla passed away unexpectedly August, 6, 2013. Jim was an accomplished accordionist and loved the instrument dearly. He had just retired as librarian at the Community College in Walla Walla and had planned to teach accordion. A few years ago, Jim played duets

in concert with Horace Lazzari in Leavenworth. His tombstone reads, with a book in one corner and an accordion in the other. Jim was 59.

Remember to submit your articles and other information to our magazine address: NWAS News 5102 NE 121st Ave Unit 12, Vancouver, WA 98682

Check the web site, www.nwasnews.com for current events and updates.

Accordion Jam in LaPineHosted by Colleen Halverson

Dog REALLY wants to play accordion with Dick Carlson and Colleen Halverson

If I can’t play the accordion,

maybe I can BE one!


Fall Quarter 201426

Seattle Social ReportBy Marjorie Rombauer

May 12, 2014Norwegian music was featured, tonight, hon-

oring 17te Mai (May 17th), NorwegianConstitution Day.

The evening began with Scandinavian music by our Scandinavian duo, Bjarne and Swenson (Richard playing well chosen sounds on his Roland electronic accordion). They began

with Ni-delven, Soren-sons Rein-lander, Lok-keren and Rora-spol, a

waltz with a lovely bounce. With Richard switch-ing from strings to piano, they played Ola Stam-pen Reinlander and Innharalds Pols, ending with Kristania Vals. They play very well together, and Richard demonstrated a growing command of the Roland.

Next was the Mother and Daughter duo, Ione and Brenda Bard, celebrating the music composed by local Norwegian accordionists. First they played Nordsjo Valsen, in honor of Jonas Ja-cobsen, then a polka by Carl Lind, “Keep off My Toes.” Next, Gammal Vals #1, by Leroy Larson (who was actually a West Seattleite); Schott’s pÌa Smogen polka by Walter Erickson (a great writer of Nordic music for accordion); Olav Inda’s I Pol-katakt oppi Alen ei nutt; and Paul Karlsen’s Ham-bo. Ione noted that Karlsen, en route to the Unit-ed States, jumped ship and sailed to many places

with his accordion on his back, fi nally settling in Ballard. They concluded with Soprani, an accordi-on march. Ione and Brenda play with enthusiasm and obviously enjoy playing with each other. They play different kinds of accordions – Vulcan and Petosa – with nice contrasting sounds, which just adds to the enjoyment of their music.

Another duo of a different kind followed, Juanita Holmes playing the violin, and Har-old Nygard playing the accordion. They played beautiful duet arrangements, beginning with “Sunshine and the Fjord,” by Toralf Tollefson; “Lilia’s Waltz” by Malin Johansson (dedicated to a daughter who had just graduated from high school); and “A Summer Day in Fredricksted,” another waltz. Einar Tapio joined them and the three played a complicated waltz by Arnstein Johansen with a lot of energy. Juanita and Har-old concluded with “Beautiful Country,” a waltz composed by a fi ddler – a lovely melody with very pleasing harmony. All, was a special treat.

Einar Tapio concluded the program with his always entertaining mastery of Scandinavian music: “Linda’s Polka,” by G. Henningsen and “The Unnoticed” a waltz by A. Sørensen. Then he played Brita, a Reinlender by P. Bolstad from the West coast of Norway. It included bellow shaking, which I don’t recall hearing in Norwegian music before. Then he favored us with Vals I C, the fi rst waltz he learned, – lyrical with many runs, a bold second theme and a “mysterious” sound third theme. Next he played two numbers by Arnstein Johansen, Vals Pikant, a musette, and a polka, Fredag den 13de (Friday the 13th), which includ-ed all the types of runs for which Einar is noted.

June 9, 2014Tonight was Cooksie Kramer and North-



west Accordionaires night, featuring Cooksie, her students and members of the Accordionaires as well as the band itself.

Cooksie began the program herself, with Jim Lofgren. They played an attention-getting waltz, a dramatic arrangement of “Nightingale,” and “Valse Musette.”

Then two of Cooksie’s students performed, Rebecca Bandao playing “Under Paris Skies,” and Daniel Houshyari playing El Companis-simo, “Please Be Mine,” and “Jupiter and Mars.” Unfortunately, I failed to take their pictures. I hope they will return to play again so I can be camera -ready at that time.

Next, band mem-bers played solos. Ray Kujawa, a fi ne ac-cordionist, played Ger-man music on a button box, which he has now mastered. Next, Paula Wallennius played “Finnish Waltz” a number in a haunting minor, and “Jealousy Tango.” Greg Perry followed with a fantastic “Bistro Fado,” the main theme from Midnight in Paris,” and then “Bel Viso.” Linda John played a lovely Italian num-ber that was a favorite of her immigrant Italian father, and “Domino.” Ray Kujawa played again, but on a piano accordion this time. But this accor-dion was different – made of wood and (including

keys) a mellow wood color, small, and with treble keys only to C and bass to E. He played “Maple Leaf Rag.” A fi ne sounding instrument!

Clayton Murray, the band’s tuba player, also a fi ne pianist and accordionist, surprised by playing a bandoneon, a different form of accordi-on, not diatonic, square, with standard bass loca-tions but not as many. He played “Capatine” and

Paula Wallennius

Greg Perry

Linda John


Fall Quarter 201428

“When You’re Not Here.” Finally, a former band member, David Locke, played some fascinating Brazilian music, Sonorous, Rosa, and Brasier Into. David moved to Whidbey Island but returns to Seattle to play for us from time to time when we are lucky.

The featured soloist with the band this evening was singer Tova Dodge, a Soprano Supreme, who sang from “Carmen,” (with a full orchestral back-ground provided by the band) and “So in Love.” Tova studied at the Manhattan School of Music and has sung in many venues. Formerly of Philadelphia, she now lives with her family in her mother’s home on Mercer Island. Her mother, incidentally, is band

Clayton Murray

David Locke

member Marla Donaldson. In the picture of Tova appearing with this report, Marla appears in the background.

Then the band played its annual Social concert, including “American Patrol,” Hungarian Dances Nos. 4 and 5”, Comparasita, an enchant-ing arrangement of “Changing Times,” and Myron Florens’ “Dakota Polka” and other numbers that I failed to note as I sat back and just listened. Un-der Cooksie’s direction, they played the excellent arrangements with energy and fi nesse. Members of the band who participated, in addition to those mentioned above as soloists, included Dierdre Curle, Marla Donaldson, and Lionel Kramer on drums.

Regular Seattle Accordion Social meetings will not be held in July and August

Band Members Dierdra Curle, Ray Kujawa and Linda John

Band members Marla Donaldson, Paula Wallennius and Greg Perry.



Tacoma Accordion SocialsSubmitted by Eloise Adair

April 10, 2014 (this one was missing from the Summer issue)

It was nice to have April with sunny days after having so much rain in March, over nine inches. We had 37 in attendance and our fi rst performer was Bob Westlund. He played “Heartaches by the Dozen”, “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You”, “Have You Ever Been Lonely”, “Cinco Robles” and “Seven Spanish Angels”. Dick Myking was up next playing “Down by the Old Mill Stream”, “Ruby”, “Champagne Polka”, “Frank’s Polka”, “Janet’s Waltz” and “It Is No Secret”. Sheila Findlay was next playing “Cry in the Chapel”, “Dark Town Strutter’s Ball” and Emperor’s Waltz”.

Lynn Swanson was our next accordionist playing “Three Coins in the Fountain”, “Telephone Polka”, “Donkey Serenade” and “I Can’t Get You out of My Heart”. David Emter was next playing his button box accordions. He played “Mine Hut Waltz”, “Uncle John’s Waltz” “OK Polka” and “You Are in My Heart Waltz”. It was nice to see Rick Hatley playing his accordion again. He played “Bella Mia”, “May Waltz” “Mountain Flower Waltz” “Dear Waltz” and “Blue Spanish Eyes”.

Our M C Randall Tron was up next. He played “Yellow Bird”, “Red, Red Robin” and “In The Mood”. Our singer Diane Drews was next singing “Moon River”. Everyone enjoyed Tom Demski playing his bellow shakes. He played “Dark Eyes”, “Hey Look Me Over”, “76 Trombones” and “The Thunderer”.

12 June 2014 It rained most of the day but we still had a good

meeting. Richard and Linda Bishop were the fi rst to play. Richard played his accordion and Linda on guitar. Linda and Richard’s daughter Carma Waters sang on some of the songs. They began with “Children All over the World”, then “Pure White Snow”, “Give .Said the Little Stream”, “Five Hundred Miles” and “Freight Train”. Randall Tron asked Eloise Adair to play his accordion next. She played “Lordags Vals” and “Livet I Finnsskogarna”. She didn’t fi nish the second piece because the straps slid off her shoulders.

Randall Tron was up next to play. He started with ‘Sentintal Journey”, then “This Land is Your Land” “Elmer’s Tune” “Please Redeem Me” “Just Because” and “Spanish Eyes”. Diane Crews was next singing “Fly Me to the Moon” Our next accordionist was Lyle Schaefer. He played “Walk the Black Forrest”, “Canadian Song”, “Mexicali Rose”, “Blue Skirt Waltz”

and “Ain’t She Sweet”. Randall was up again playing “My Happiness”,

“Closer Walk”, “Foreign Car” and” “Amazing Grace”. After a little break Lyle was back playing “In Brazil”, “Girl From Ipanema”, “Never on Sunday”, “Let Me Call You Sweetheart”, “Baby Face”, “Edelweiss”, “Waltz Across Texas”, “Hemando’s Hideaway” and “Four Leaf Clover”.

10 July 2014 We had beautiful weather this month for our

picnic so we had 40 attending the picnic at 5 :30 and then at 7 p.m. we had 56 for our program. Linda and Richard Bishop were the fi rst to perform, playing “You’re a Grand Old Flag”, “Scarborough Fair”, “Golden Star Waltz” and “Wumschitel Polka”. Next up was Lynn Swanson and she played “Yankee Doodle”, “It’s a Grand Old Flag” and “America the Beautiful”. Michael Barbarossa stood up playing “Pretty Pearl Polka”, “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and “City Hall Polka”.

Ray Benz performed next playing” The Thunderer March”. Then Dick Myking had two of his students play. Mary Allman played “Over the Waves” and “Danube Waves”. Then Grace Hugdahl joined her and they played two duets, “Echo Waltz” and “Vive L’ Amour”. Grace then played “Fascination” and “Santa Lucia”. The next person up was Nancy Behan playing “Deep Purple” and “Tico Tico”.

Ray Benz came back and played another march “Old Comrades March”. It was time for our singer Diane Crews and she sang “Blue Bijon”. It was good to have Richard Svensson from Seattle play for us. He played “Lokkeren”, “La Paloma”, “Tic Toc Polka” and “Hey, Hey We Got Pancakes”. Then Michael Barbarossa ended our program with “Sharpshooter’s March” and “Gypsy”.

14 August 2014 We have been having beautiful summer weather

so we had good attendance for our social, there were 45 so we had 10 accordionists. Mimi Emerson was fi rst playing her new chromatic accordion. She told and showed us some now things on her accordion and then played “June Waltz”, “Cory’s Waltz” and “My Father’s Waltz”. Cathy Cowley was up next with a quartet. She introduced us to her sister Jeanie Hartl and husband Dick Hartl from Colorado and Dick Myking. The quartet played “Happy Wanderer”, “Five Foot Two”, “San Antonio Rose”, “Down Yonder” and “Just Because”.

It was good to hear Wilbur Wybenga again.

Continued on page 30


Fall Quarter 201430

He played “Yellow Bird”, “Bernice Waltz” and “Bella Mia” It was nice to hear Michael Barbarossa again since he will be leaving our area to go to college in another state. He played “La Donna E Mobile”, “At the Mountain Lake” and “Red Raven Polka”. Next we had Richard Svensson play his button box accordion playing “Tic Toe Polka”, “La Paloma: and “Lokkeren”

David Emter played his button box and began with “Hlad’s Waltz”, “Cattle Call Waltz” and “My Waltz”. Then we had a piano accordion played by Eloise Adair playing “Carnival of Venice”, it had a two-page bellow shake. It was followed “Pietro’s Return March”. Diane Crews sang “Sentimental Journey” and we had a few minutes left so Michael Barbarossa played “Pennsylvania Polka”.

Sequim Accordion Social July 2014By Ilse Osier

Even though it was the same day and time of the fi nal for the Soccer World Championship game, our faithful accordion fans showed up for this social. We had 57 visitors, a good number.

Like always, our fi rst player was Caryl Dowell. Caryl has only been playing her accordion for about 1 year and she played a waltz by Frosini without notes. I was totally impressed. Her next selection was the “Prisoners Chorus” from Verdi’s Nabucco. Great job Caryl.

Ralph Klein, who lives in Bremerton, played a Polka, Waltz and “Let’s Have a Party”. He also plays without notes.

Helen Bucher is our sing-along lady. She comes up with timely songs and we all get the song sheets to sing along. It is a wonderful way to get the audience involved. This time Helen chose “God Bless America”, “You’re a Grand Old Flag”, “This Land is Your Land” and “In the Good Old Summertime.” Well it was summer in Sequim, very warm and just so lovely.

Steve and Jeannie Berg, who started theses social years ago invite someone to be the featured player. This time it was Paul LaMarche. Paul plays a Roland accordion and he gave quite an interesting performance. Paul loves music arranged by Frank Morocco and started out playing “Memories of Paris”,” Stormy Weather”, “Twilight Time”, “Midnight in Moscow” (my favorite), “Fascination” by Mancini, “Misty”, “Nature Boy”, “Smoke gets in Your Eyes”, and “At the Mountain Lake” (printed in the NW Accordion Newsletter in 2012). For our German crowd he played “Linda’s Bavarian Bouquet.” He ended his

performance with two other German pieces. I did not get the names written down.

We had our 20 minute refreshment break. Visitors bring snacks and Jeannie does such a lovely job setting it all up and she also provides coffee and juices. This is very appreciated by everyone.

Break over and our next player was Jim Giarde who is also from Bremerton. Jim entertained us with “Saturday Waltz” and “Kristiana Waltz.”

Next a duet by Elsy Laresser and Susan Kidd. Elsy and her husband are no longer snow birds but are back here in Sequim full time. Susan and her husband are still snowbirds in Arizona, so we don’t hear her very often. Elsy and Susan played “Estudiantina.” (Oh, how I love that waltz), “Tango de la Rosa” with all those fl ats in the fi rst part, “Midnight Tango” and “Por una Cabeza” from the fi lm Scent of a Woman.

Elsy Laresser just stayed in her seat and gave us a wonderful performance of two French Musettes, “Pigalle” and “Retour des Hirondelles.” She is an artist on her chromatic accordion and I always am in awe of her triplets. She is a pro.

Elsy Laresser and Ilse Osier were next and we played two duets, “The Whistle Waltz” and a medley of Viennese songs, waltzes and marches.

Ilse Osier ended up playing only one piece because of time constraint and I chose “Kufstein Lied.” Too bad I can’t yodel along with it.

We had another snowbird visitor Bob Jagiello who played Blue Skirt Waltz, Beer Barrel Polka and a Serbian Soldier Song.

Finally Jeannie and Steve Berg decided to entertain us too. Jeannie on her new Petosa accordion and Steve plays the baritone horn. The played a “Fruehlings Einzug”, a march, “Seemann” and “Liechtensteiner Polka.”

Then Ilse Osier joined Jeannie Berg in playing “Am Zugersee” and Steve and Jeannie ended the program with a polka, “Anneliese.”

It was another very successful Sunday afternoon. If you ever are north on the Olympic Peninsula on the 2nd Sunday of the uneven month, do join us. Next social September.

Tacoma Socials continued from page 29

The Day of the AccordionSaturday, February 28, 2015

Crossroads Bellevue Food Court15600 NE 8th, Bellevue, WA

more information will be on www.nwasnews.com



T h e C h e s t e r P i e t k a Scholarships are available for young accordionists. Young people ages 18 and under, taking lessons from a recognized teacher, or wishing to do so, may submit a written request for scholarship funds for the purpose of taking lessons. Requests are to be submitted to Doris Osgood, 3224 B St., Forest Grove, OR 97116 or e-mail [email protected].

In addition to giving personal information, students are to share their age, interest and their goals for playing the accordion. These scholarships are open to the young people within the Pacifi c Northwest, not just the greater Portland area.

Northwest Accordion Society,On behalf of Zabella Tuscany and my-

self, we wish to sincerly thank NWAS for awarding Bella a Chester Pietka Scholarship.

She is really enjoying her lessons with Yev at “Able to Play” Studio via Skype.Yours truly,Ginger Purdy


Fall Quarter 201432

LIAC photosBy Griff Ziegler

Awards



Concerts


Fall Quarter 201434

More Concerts and fun at the Festhalle



Grange, Workshops, Gazebo and More!


Fall Quarter 201436

Accordion Events CalendarBy Doris Osgood

[email protected]

NORTHWEST ACCORDION SOCIETY SOCIALS SEATTLE, WA2nd Monday monthly: West Seattle Senior Center Socials Resume Sept. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 10, Dec. 8. Contact: John Giuliani 425-255-2121 or Birgit Ages 206-368-9720 Back up contact: Bonnie Birch 206-622-4786. Music 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM.

NORTHWEST ACCORDION SOCIETY SOCIALSTACOMA, WA2nd Thursday monthly: Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Dec. 11 Lutheran Church 121st & Park Ave. across from PLU Library 7:00 – 9:30 PMcontact: Dick Myking 253-537-0136

NORTHWEST ACCORDION SOCIETY SOCIALSFOREST GROVE, OR4th Sundays April and October. Forest Grove Community Center, 2037 Douglas St. Forest Grove, OR. 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM. Contact: Doris Osgood 503-357-0417.October 26, 2014

ACCORDION CLUB OF CENTRAL OREGONBEND, OR2ND Saturday Monthly, noon – 2 PM Aspen Ridge Retirement Home 1010 NW Purcell Blvd, Bend Members provide entertainment one Sunday monthly also. Contacts: Lillian Jones, 541-536-1531 [email protected] or Karl Kment, 541-548-0495 [email protected]

ACCORDION CLUB OF ROSEBURGROSEBURG, OR3rd Monday monthly 6:30, 553 Little Valley Rd. RoseburgPres. Karen Cordell 553 Little Valley Rd. Roseburg, OR 97471 541-784-1911 [email protected]

ACCORDION CLUB OF VANCOUVERVANCOUVER, B.C.www.meetup.com/Accordion-Club-of-Vancouvercontact: Haike Kingma, [email protected]

ACCORDION INTERNATIONAL MUSIC SOCIETYSANTA BARBARA, CA2nd Sunday monthly 1 – 3 PM Vale Verde Retirement Theatre 900 Calle de los Amigos, Santa Barbara, CAAIMS P.O. Box 4511 Santa Barbara, CA 93140Info: Heinz Trick 805-685-2260www.santabarbaraaccordions.com

BROOKINGS ACCORDION CLUBBROOKINGS, OR4th Sat. monthly 2-4 PM, Evergreen Federal S&L, 850 Chetco Ave. Brookings, OR, Pres. Cami Meccia 541-469-807

EASTSIDE JAZZBellevue, WA3rd Tuesday monthly, Courtyard Marriott Hotel, 7:30 PM beginning January 2012. Contact: Cooksie Kramer 425-828-9104

EMERALD VALLEY ACCORDION CLUBEUGENE, OR1st Monday monthly: 7:00 – 9:30 PM Veterans’ Memorial Bldg. 1626 Willamette St. Secretary Linda Gunn 541-726-6330 [email protected] V.P. Lou Marzano Social time 6 PM, business 6:45 PM

FAIRBANKS ACCORDION CLUBFAIRBANKS, AKMondays weekly 6 – 8 PM Pioneers Home, open to all free reed instruments. Contact: Christine Upton 907-457-3392

FIVE VALLEY ACCORDION ASSOCIATION MONTANA 5VAA Jams are 1- 5 PmSept. 14 Eagles, HamiltonSept 18 Rustin Hut, FlorenceOct. 12 Sunrise Saloon, MissoulaOct. 26 Eagles, HamiltonNov. 23 Sunrise Saloon, MissoulaDec. 14 Rustic Hut, Florence (Christmas party)Jan. 11 Eagles, HamiltonJan. 25 Rustic Hut, FlorenceFeb. 8 Sunrise Saloon, MissoulaPres. Helen Brady [email protected] – NW Accordion AssociationSept. 21 Eagles, KalispellOct. 5 Elks, PolsonOct. 19 Eagles, KalispellNov. 2 Elks, PolsonNov. 16 Eagles, KalispellDec. 7 Elks, PolsonDec. 21 Eagles, KalispellContact: Ralph Salomon 406-675-0178 all NWAA Jams 2 – 5:30 PMMontana – Great Falls Accordion PlayersSept. 21 B.E. ComOct. 19 EaglesNov. 9 ElksDec. 14 Elks



Jan. 18 B.E ComJams are 1 PM – 5 PMContact Pat Sharp for info: 406-452-4546

GEM STATE ACCORDION CLUBIDAHOCaldwell Library Community Rm Caldwell, ID 3rd Saturday monthly 1 – 4 PMfor information contact: Dianne Lansing [email protected]

HUGO’S ACCORDION BANDMT. VERNON, WA2nd and 4th Monday monthly 2:00 - 4:00 PM Director,Leif Holmes. President, Duane Stowe 16580 Peterson Rd Burlington, WA 98233 360-757-4826 [email protected]

HOUSTON BAY AREA ACCORDION CLUBHOUSTON, TX2ND Wednesday monthly 5 – 9 PM Joe Brikha, Pres [email protected] www.bayareaaccordionclub.com

MEDFORD ACCORDION CLUBMEDFORD, OR4th Monday monthly 7 - 9 PM: Central Point Senior Center 123 N. 2nd St, Central Point, OR Jeannette Dewey, Pres. 1029 SE Rogue Dr. Grants Pass, OR 97526 541-471-7455

OKANAGAN ACCORDION CLUBKELOWNA, BCTuesdays weekly Sept. – May, Senior Center on RichterInfo contact: Rod Miller 250-317-9088, Lela Bourne [email protected]

ROGUE RIVER ACCORDION CLUBROGUE RIVER, OR2nd Friday monthly. 4 – 6 PM Council Chambers Rogue River City Hall, 133 Broadway St. Rogue River, OR. Pres. Margot Turrell 206 Creekside Grants Pass, OR 97526 541-479-9409 [email protected]

ROSE CITY ACCORDION CLUBPORTLAND, OR3rd Saturday monthly. 1 – 5 PM Milwaukie Public Safety Bldg, SE 32nd & Harrison, Milwaukie, OR. Pres. Wayne Tiusanen [email protected]

SEQUIM ACCORDION SOCIALSEQUIM, WA2nd Sunday, Odd numbered months, 1:00 – 4:00 PM Sequim Senior Center 921 E. Hammond St; next meeting January 11 contact: Jeannie Berg-

[email protected] 360-683-5620

SIERRA NEVADA ACCORDIONSRENO, NVJohn Covarelli, Pres. 775-848-3777, [email protected]

SPOKANE ACCORDION ENSEMBLESPOKANE, WA weekly rehearsals 6- 9 PM Eileen Webber, Pres. 509-290-6858 [email protected]

TUALATIN VALLEY ACCORDIONISTS FOREST GROVE, OR1st Sat. monthly 10 AM – 1 PM Forest Grove Library Pacifi c Ave. Contact: Paul and Judy Bria 503-591-0504 [email protected]

YUMA ACCORDION CLUBYuma, AZevery Tuesday, November - March at the Yuma Food Bank at 2404 E 24th Street, Yuma, AZPresident, Coreen Bergholm @ [email protected] or Ginger Purdy @ [email protected]

VERNON ACCORDION CLUBMondays weekly 7 - 9 PM , Halina Centre Vernon, BC Sept - 1st week Dec, Jan. - JuneContact: Nyla 250-546-3192 [email protected]

VICTORIA ACCORDION CLUBVICTORIA, B.C. CANADA1st Sunday Monthly 2:30 PM, Victoria Edelweiss Club108 Niagra St., James Bay District Victoria, BCContact: John 250-386-7282 or 250-477-3098

BUTTON BOX CAMPS JULY AND SEPTfor information contact: Joseph Smiell Jr. 812 Bantry Way Benica, CA 94510 - camps held at Heildman Lodge, Norden, CA near Donner Pass ACCORDION EXTRAVAGANZA EDMONTON, ALBERTA September 12 – 14, 2014www.edmontonaccordion.com

ALPENFEST Sept. 25 - 28 2014 Wallowa County, OR, Oregon’s Little Switzerland Enterprise, P.O. Box 301 Joseph, OR 97846 Details: oregonalpenfest.com or 541-432-0209. Cell 541-398-1096TROPHEE MONDIALSeptember 23 – 28, 2014Lithuania

Continued on Page 39


Fall Quarter 201438

Entertainers in the NorthwestSubmit your public performance schedules to Doris Osgood 3224 B St

Forest Grove, OR 97116 [email protected]

Alpiners USA www.alpinerusa.com with Joe Domitrowich

Juan Barco – BandContact: 23091 23rd Ave. W. Brier, WA 98036425-775-8150; cell 206-356-1878

Corky BennettWednesdays at Polo Lounge, Fridays w/ 9th St. Band Reno Senior Center, Saturdays at Bavarian Worldwebsite: www.corkybennett.comemail: [email protected]: 775-351-6750 cell: 775-287-2050

Bonnie Birchwebsite: bonniebirch.com For scheduling information: write 1107 1st Ave. #1003 Seattle, WA 98101. 206-622-4786, email: [email protected]

Chuck BergerAccordion Repair and Public PerformanceFor information call: [email protected]

Michael BridgeSept. 12-14: Edmonton Accordion Extravaganza Concert and workshops - with Alicia BakerSept.18: Hart House, University of Toronto - concert with Ladom EnsembleSept. 19: Montreal concert with Ladon EnsembleSept. 30: Walter Hall, University of Toronto - Accordion Prof. Joseph Macerollo’s 70th Birthday CelebrationNov.7-9: Wurstfest, New Braunfels TX - solo and with the Alex Meixner BandNov. 16-18: Michigan Accordion Society - concert and workshopswww.michaelbridgemusic.com/[email protected]

Charlie BrownContact: [email protected] hm 253-857-6557 cell 253-376-5487

Frank CalapristiWinter schedule at King Ludwig’s, Wed, Thurs. Sun. nights; tour groups as needed For scheduling information write PO Box 1057 Leavenworth, WA 98826 [email protected]

Gary DahlFor scheduling information write 509 Valley Ave. NE #5 Puyallup, WA 98372Phone/fax [email protected]; www.accordions.com/garydahl; www.beltuna.com

Tom Demski (Mr. Flash)For scheduling information write: 518 9th St. SW Puyallup, WA 98371 [email protected]

Folk Voice BandFor scheduling: Birgit Ages 206-368-9720 [email protected]; http://folkvoiceband.com

Laura Gardner/Phoenix Undergroundcontact: [email protected]

Happy Hans’ Music Hans Rainer, Jr. Sept.19 – 21 O’fest Monroe, WASept. 26 – 28 O’fest Renton, WAOct. 3,4,10,11,17,18 O’fest Leavenworth, WAOct. 8 Nile Shrine Center Mountlake Terrace, WAOct. 24 O’fest Maple ValleyOct. 25 German House Seattle 7 – 11 PMNov. 1, 22, Dec. 6, 20 Berliner Pub Renton 6 – 10 PMFor scheduling information write Hans Rainer, JR 24613 231st Ave. SE Maple Valley, WA 98038 425-413-6562 [email protected] WWW.HAPPYHANSMUSIC.COM

Lynn HaldemanLeader of Haldeman’s OOM-PAH BoysDer Rheinlander Restaurant Portland, ORWed, Thurs, Sat, Sun. 5 PM – 9 PMContact: Lynn Haldeman 1200 NE 199th Ave. Portland, OR 97230 503-328-6099 [email protected]

Greg MeierSept 11 – 14 O’fest Mt Angel, ORSept. 19 – 21 O’fest Oaks Park Portland, ORSept. 26 – 29 Oahu, HawaiiOct. 3 – 5 Probst Portland, ORFor scheduling information write: 38572 Park Ave. Sandy, OR 97055 503-668-7002. Fax 503-668-1058 [email protected]

Andy MirkovichSept. 20 Andy Mirkovich Trio @ Center Court Bellevue Sq. 4:30 – 8:30 PMSept. 26 O’fest St. Dunstan’s Shoreline 6 – 8 PMOct. 4 O’fest Whistle Stop Restaurant Renton 7 – 10 PMOct. 11 St. Martin of Tours Polka Mass Fife, WA 5 PMFull schedule private engagementsMaster Classes by appointment: 425-451-1256

Murl Allen SandersDec. 8 NWAS Social West SeattleJune 7 – 12, 2015 RCAC Camp, Silverfalls, ORFull schedule private engagements, regular



performances in synagogue and church, composing, and teaching.www.murlallensanders.com For scheduling information write: [email protected] PO Box 30553 Seattle, WA 98113, 206-781-8196

Lyle Schaefer Sept. 20 O’fest Monroe, WAFor scheduling information write: 9028-60th Ave East, Puyallup, WA 98371-6299 253-848-0778

Sam’s Variety GemsSam Pecorilla: home 541-847-2282, cell 541-321-9088

Smilin’ ScandinaviansSept. 20 O’fest Austria Club Alki Masonic Center West Seattle 7:30 PM – 12 AMOct. 12 Lyden Music Festival 5 – 8 PMNov. 2 Swedish Club Seattle Pancake Breakfast 11:45 AM – 1:15 PMDec. 13 Dakota Club Renton VFW 7 – 11 PMDec. 18 – 19 Lights of Christmas Tinhorn Town Stanwood 5:15 – 5:45, 6:15 – 6:45, 7:15 – 7:45, 8:15 – 8:45, 9:15 – 9:45 PMFor scheduling information contact: Toby Hanson11123 216th St. E Graham, WA 98338 253-875-8580 [email protected]://smilinscandivanians.com

Joe SzaboFri – Sat. 6:30 – 9:30 PM Nonna Emilia’s RistoranteAloha, ORFor scheduling information: 13484 SW Devonshire Dr. Beaverton, OR 97005 [email protected]

Syl’s Ya Sure Ya Betcha Band (WA)Syl’s Arizona Dance Band and Polka BandSept. 13 Dakota Club Renton Sept. 27 O’fest Bruno’s European Restaurant Tacoma 4:30 – 10 PMSept. 28 Bruno’s O’fest 3 – 7 PMOct. 10 - 11 O’fest Deming, WA 1 – 6 PMOct. 25 O’fest Tempe, AZFull schedule in Mesa and Apache Junction, AZNovember - April(Jan. - April, Nov. Arizona Schedule, 480-357-2585)For scheduling: Sylvia Jorgensen, WA contact: 253-845-9321, cell [email protected], www.fjordsong.com

SVEA TrioSvea Trio- Richard Svensson and Bjarne Jacobsen206-523-3245, [email protected] www.winwins.com/sveatrio/

Trio VoronezhWith Sergei TeleshevApril 12, 2015 Hesston, KShttp://triovoronezh.com/TrioVoronezh/Concerts.html

67th COUPE MONDIALE October 27 – November 2, 2014 Salzburg, Austria

RCAC ACCORDION CAMP- SILVER FALLS CONFERENCE CENTER June 7 - 12, 2015 near Sublimity, OR. Camp treasurer: Marlene Meissner 503-463-9909 [email protected]

LEAVENWORTH INTERNATIONAL ACCORDION CELEBRATION June 18- 21, 2015 Leavenworth, WA. www.accordioncelebration.org www.nwasnews.com VICTORIA ACCORDION FESTIVALVictoria, British Columbia July 2015 www.bcaccordion.ca 1-778-433-8700

FAIRBANKS SUMMER ARTS FESTIVALJuly , 2015 on the campus of U. of Alaska Fairbanks. www.fsaf.org contact 907-474-8869

ACCORDION CELEBRATION – Historic Wallace Wallace, ID August 2015 www.allaceIdahoChamber.com

COTATI ACCORDION FESTIVALCotati, CA August, 2015 www.cotatifest.com 707-664-04444INTERNATIONAL ACCORDION CONVENTIONLas Vegas, NV, June 22 - 25, 2015 at the Gold Coast Hotel, Las VegasUSA: 1-800-472-1695 outside USA: [email protected]

Diane Youngwww.accordionmusictricities.comFor scheduling information: [email protected]

NW AccordionairesContact: Cooksie Kramer 425-828-9104

Most of our professional players keep their current and updated performance schedules on their web sites. Advance scheduling is diffi cult and often fl uid. Consult the contact information and web addresses for up to date information. Support them when you can.

Calendar continued from Page 37

Deadline for submitting articles, pictures, advertisements, etc.

February 1 (Spring)May 1 (Summer)

August 1(Fall)November 1 (Winter)

e-mail to [email protected]


Fall Quarter 201440

Membership ApplicationAll funds in U.S. Currency

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All funds in U.S. Currency

Northwest Accordion Society

5102 NE 121st Ave. Unit 12Vancouver, WA 98682

www.nwasnews.com

Northwest Accordion Society5102 NE 121st Ave., Unit 12Vancouver, WA 98682-6164

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

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NORTHWEST ACCORDION SOCIETY Membership

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Documents

NORTHWEST ACCORDION NEWSnwasnews.com/news/14Fall-NWAS.pdfNorthwest Accordion News Fall Quarter 2014 1 Is your membership renewal due? Check your mailing label. A membership application/renewal