The AAA is proud to present the following guest artists at the 2025 AAA Festival July 10-13, 2025 in West Conshohocken, PA. 

Mary Ann Covone holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accordion Performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music where she studied with Professor Joan Cochran Sommers. After graduating from the university, Mary Ann spent several years performing and teaching in the Chicago area before entering law school. After a 30+ year career as an attorney, four years ago, Mary Ann returned to the accordion and embarked on a new journey in music performing, teaching, and conducting. In 2020, she founded the Chicagoland Accordion Academy in Western Springs, Illinois, where students of all ages learn the foundation of good accordion technique applicable to any style of music they choose to play.

Mary Ann conducts her Academy Accordion Orchestra, and they perform quite regularly in the Chicago area. She also travels to Kansas City, Missouri on a regular basis to play in the UMKC Community Accordion Ensemble under the direction of Joan Cochran Sommers. Mary Ann is the immediate past president of the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International and an active member of Sigma Alpha Iota, a professional sorority for women in the field of music.

Dallas Vietty’s unique style comes from his background in the American jazz tradition, as well as study and immersion in the European swing tradition of Django Reinhardt (Gypsy Jazz) and with French accordionists including Frédéric Déschamps, Jacques Mornet and Natalie Bouchiex. Dallas remains very active teaching, giving workshops and performing on the East Coast and in California.

Dallas has performed at festivals including Musikfest, TEDx Philly, the Djangoary Festival, on Broadway as the accordionist in Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, for Djangofest Northwest, Dizzy’s Club at NY’s Lincoln Center, in New Orleans, in France, and two tours of Switzerland with Grammy winning clarinetist Linus Wyrsch. His pleasant style and excellent skills delight audiences everywhere!

Well known as the accordionist in the celebrated bands “Slavic Soul Party,” “Yale Strom and Hot Pstromi,” and the “Eva Salina and Peter Stan Duo,” Peter Stan is truly delighted to be performing for and mingling with a group of accordionists at our AAA Festival! Peter was born in Banat on the border of Serbia and Romania into a family of Balkan musicians. He studied accordion with his father and at the Queensboro Institute of Music. He continued his studies in the USA with Jacob Neupauer and Stanley & Joanna Darrow.

Peter has performed with Harold Seletsky and Valerie Capers in a Jewish and Jazz Concert in Carnegie Hall, on Garrison Keillor’s radio show, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and in festivals in Europe. With his accordion, he has toured the USA, Africa, Serbia, Germany France, Hong Kong, Portugal, and other countries. He has appeared in several movies playing his accordion, including “On the QT,” starring James Earl Jones and Sam Ball.

Felipe Hostins, Brazilian composer, accordionist, multi-instrumentalist, fuses jazz, Brazilian folk, and classical music to create a distinctive sound. He discovered his passion for music at age three, influenced by his grandfather, and later moved to NYC to launch an international career. Felipe’s versatility has led to collaborations with many renowned artists. His musical output includes featured composer and performer on the album CHAMA by Cyro Baptista, performer and co-composer of the album IMIGRA in partnership with Ian Ruas, among others.

Felipe was a finalist in the 2nd Premio da Musica Instrumental competition in Brazil in 2024. Felipe is co-creator of the musical duo Forropera with Chrystal E. Williams. Blending Brazilian folk and classical music, the duo aims to promote unity, peace and understanding through music. Forropera’s Carnegie Hall debut in March 2024 featured a world premiere composed for the duo by John Glover and Kelley Rourke.

Joanna Arnold Darrow began studying the accordion at age 8 with Stanley Darrow. During her studies at Acme Accordion School, she covered a broad spectrum of musical training, specializing in music of the baroque period and chamber music. While Joanna is the personal protégé of Stanley Darrow, she also studied with Guy Klucevsek, Dr. Edwin Avril, and Betty Jo Simon. She has concertized throughout Europe as soloist and duo partner of Stanley Darrow.

Performing in conjunction with bassoon, harp, harpsichord, strings, and more, she has brought capabilities of the accordion to the attention of professional musicians. She performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra in performances of the David Argento Tango and “The Godfather” series. Joanna is on the Board of Directors of the American Accordionists’ Association (AAA), the Accordionists and Teachers Guild (ATG), and the A World of Accordions Museum (AWAM). She is Director of The American Accordion Musicological Society (AAMS), Acme Accordion School, and the Westmont Philharmonia Accordion Orchestra. Joanna is an adjunct accordion instructor for Rowan University, and is dedicated to the advancement of accordion education and original accordion literature. 

Dee Langley specializes in both solo and ensemble works for the accordion, having appeared with the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Guthrie Theater, Duluth Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Sinfonia, Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra, Nautilus Music Theater, Ethnic Dance Theatre, Dolina Polish Folk Dancers, and Theater Latte Da.

Ms. Langley is the winner of the 2012 Minnesota Emerging Composer Award (Orkestar Bez Ime – World Music) and the 2011-2012 McKnight Fellowship for Performing Musicians. In 2019, Dee was honored by the American Accordion Musicological Society for her lifelong dedication and service to the accordion as a performer, educator, director, and composer.