Our 2009 event, ‘Accordion Renaissance’ marked the 69th anniversary of the ATG (Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International) festivals. What a celebration we had at the Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall of America! It was a rewarding event full of friends, new and old from around the United States and Canada.

“Accordion Renaissance” opened Thursday evening with Orkestar Bez Ime, one of the leading Balkan Dance Bands in the USA. Their repertoire included music from Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Hungary, Greece and other Balkan and Eastern European countries. The stage was outfitted with light columns and sound system for their unique and energetic performance.

The six-member group used the accordion as the backbone of the ensemble to provide a cohesive and rich musical experience presenting a rare American experience into the land of odd and complex meters including 7/8, 13/8 and 22/16. Instrumentation included violin, clarinet, accordion (me, Dee Langley), guitar/mandolin, double bass, vocals and hand percussion.

The ATG Friday banquet entertainment was provided by Dan Turpening who left us feeling all warm and cozy to begin the Friday night concert. The atmosphere turned sizzling as former National Champion Jeff Lisenby took the stage with his vocalist Abby Burke. A favorite moment from their performance was a song Abby sang specifically for ATG Board member, Norman Seaton. Oh my! Norman became famous for the rest of the weekend – I think he stopped blushing by Sunday.

The Friday night concert was well rounded with performances by Canadian favorite, John Scaffeo, ATG Executive Secretary, Joanna Arnold Darrow, and Roland guest artist, Don McMahon.

One event holds brightest in my memory – our Gala Banquet and Concert on Saturday night with featured performers CIA World Champions Alexander Savastien (2007) and “Skeets” Langley (1963) and the ATG Festival Orchestra under the baton of James Touchi-Peters.

Also performing on that concert was my own classical trio, Wild Hollow (free bass accordion, violin and clarinet), and soloist Amy Jo Sawyer. Altogether a most remarkable and memorable musical evening!

“Skeets” performed during our candlelight gourmet Gala Banquet with a quartet that included accordion, clarinet, violin and double bass, their performance described as “breathtaking” and “ethereal”, certainly one the ATG can be proud of hosting.

On the concert that followed Alexander left no doubt why he was the 2007 Coupe Mondiale World Champion. He amazed the audiences with his vibrant technique and with his very warm and friendly stage presence. At the end of the evening both champions joined ATG members and guests in the ATG Hospitality Suite where they talked about their memories of winning the Coupe Mondiale.

Another prominent guest at the ATG Hospitality Suite that evening was ATG Festival Orchestra guest conductor James Touchi-Peters, Conductor Emeritus of the Minnesota Philharmonic. As a Symphony Conductor, this was Mr. Touchi-Peters’ first foray into the world of the accordion orchestra; his rehearsals were fun and informative and we saw a very special glimpse into the world of other instruments through his tutelage. After the concert James declared our “Rhapsody in Blue” was the finest he had conducted, he was very proud.

In addition to exceptional concerts, the ATG hosted workshops that included topics and demonstrations by Dr. Helmi Harrington, Musik Garten (Joanna Arnold Darrow), Orkestar Bez Ime, Alexander Savastien, Don McMahon, Michelle Boddicker Scheffler, Jeff Lisenby, Stan Darrow, and Dan Newton.

There were two ongoing events throughout the weekend; one was the documentation of interviews with accordion teachers who serve on the Board of Directors regarding Accordion Pedagogy by the ATG. The other event were interviews by Dr. Marion Jacobson, an ethnomusicologist and accordion lover, who was gathering information from attendees regarding her ”cultural biography” of the piano accordion in America. The University of Illinois Press will publish Dr. Jacobson’s book.

A visit to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota would not be complete without an experience with the Mississippi River. The ATG Sunday sightseeing took us to the Science Museum of Minnesota to view the artifacts from the sunken RMS Titanic, enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the SMM Exhibits Shop and then relax during a sunset dinner cruise down the Mighty Mississippi River on a Riverboat. What a fantastic end to a fantastic festival!

Lastly, there are no words that can express the depth of my gratitude to the many volunteers, including Donna Connor, Randy McPeck, Russ Hammond, Anne Gibertson-Seeling, the ATG Officers and ATG Board of Directors, for donating time, services and the support that made this 69th annual ATG event such a success. Thank You!