Jay Landers played the accordion for the August 9th Annual Polka Mass, part of the polka mass series at Grace Lutheran Church in Springfield, IL.
The origin of the mass goes back to a Catholic Priest in Minnesota in the 1970’s. Father Frank Perkovich is the Catholic Priest who popularized the polka mass concept of the Roman Catholic worship service. With his Slovenian-Croatian ethnic origin, he utilized folk music and adapted hymn lyrics in English.
His first polka mass was May 5,1973 in the Resurrection Church in Eveleth, Minnesota in the heart of Minnesota’s Iron Range where Ironworld USA is located. Father Frank has been inducted into the Ironworld USA Polka Hall of Fame, 1991 and the Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame, 1992. His polka mass was celebrated on the high altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican for Pope John Paul II in 1983.
The polka mass concept at Grace Lutheran Church includes some of the music created by Father Frank, and it digresses into adapting hymn lyrics to be sung to those popular polka melodies. Otherwise, the service in Springfield is a traditional Lutheran service with all the standard liturgical elements.
This service was introduced to Grace Lutheran Church and Springfield by Theron Strike, Music Director of the church, in 2002. It’s now become a long-running annual series in August as part of the church’s contemporary service schedule conducted at 5 PM on Saturdays.
Jay performed Prelude music to the service followed by the Offertory and Communion during the service. Some of the “traditional” hymns that were sung to “non-traditional melodies” included: “Faith of Our Fathers” – sung to “Blue Skirt Waltz”,“Bless the Lord” – sung to the “Lichtensteiner Polka”,“He Lives” and “Amazing Grace” – can be sung to “The Happy Wanderer”,“Come Now and Worship” – sung to the chorus of “Beer Barrel Polka”.
Jay’ solo selections in the service included:
“I Don’t Care Polka” by Guido Deiro, “Bel Viso Polka” by Pietro Frosini,”Rhapsody Polka” by Pietro Deiro, “Hoop De Doo Polka”,”Tom’s Polka” by Helene Criscio, “Pennsylvania” and “Beer Barrel Polkas Medley”,”Serenade of the Rose” waltz arr. by Gary Dahl,”Hi Lili Hi Lo” waltz arr. by Ron Ostromecki plus more.
Jay began accordion lessons in January, 1958, in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Jay has performed the accordion parts for “Cabaret”, “Fiddler on the Roof”, “The Baker’s Wife” and “Spitfire Grill” in productions by Music Theatre Louisville, Springfield (IL) Muni Opera, Springfield Theatre Centre and Millikin University (Decatur, IL).
Jay continues to have an interesting and varied career.Presently,he teaches public speaking at Lincoln College. Most of Jay’s 38-year career has been in the non-profit sector, starting with 23 years in public radio FM station management at 4 state universities; a community arts organization; 2 national voluntary health organizations and he is currently Director of Development for Brother James Court. Jay plays a 2-hour program at Brother James Court every month for their birthday party after regular business hours.
Jay and his wife, Pat who plays tin whistle and sings, have performed authentic Celtic music since 1983 as a duo called Donnybrook. Jay and Pat made a CD in 2008, called “Smiling Eyes” dedicated to their late son, Ryan. Jay recorded a solo CD in 2003. A Celtic CD will be available soon.
For further information: Jay Landers jllanders5214@msn.com
