Mary Ann Covone and Beth Sennett to Perform the World Premiere of Gary Daverne’s “Novelette”, an AAA Commission for accordion and flute

We are so delighted to be featuring Mary Ann Covone as our guest conductor for the 2025 AAA Festival Orchestra this summer!! Not only is this gifted musician conducting the orchestra, she is also performing several pieces with her duet partner, on flute, Beth Sennett. They will be performing a world premiere, “Novelette” an AAA commissioned piece, by the celebrated conductor and composer from Auckland, New Zealand, Gary Daverne.

Mary Ann describes Gary’s piece:
“Beth and I are delighted to present the World Premiere of “Novelette”, written for accordion and flute by Gary Daverne of New Zealand. After a brief rhythmic introduction, both the flute and accordion articulate a lovely 8 bar melody which sets the tone for the entire four-minute piece. The fast-paced eight-note melody, to me, feels like it could depict an afternoon in New York City with much automobile and pedestrian traffic hurrying to their destinations. The slow melodic section in the middle might depict a few quieter moments of strolling through Central Park. I do not know if this is what Gary envisioned as he wrote Novelette, but if one uses their imagination, this scene could easily be real. Whatever one might envision, the listener will be delighted to hear the contrasting rhythms and beautiful melodies throughout the piece.”

Gary Daverne:

Gary Daverne was born in 1939 in Auckland, New Zealand and was educated at Auckland University and Auckland Teachers Training College. He started his musical career in brass bands as a euphonium player, later changing to clarinet, playing in symphony orchestras, jazz combos and top New Zealand rock bands during the 1960s. He started playing piano seriously at age 21 and became a top line jazz and rock/pop pianist. He also doubled on alto and tenor saxophones.

He moved to London in the late 1960s and studied musical composition and conducting, achieving a Fellowship at Trinity College. Upon his return to New Zealand, Daverne worked for Television New Zealand as a highly regarded music director, arranger and conductor on many top television shows. He founded the Auckland Symphony Orchestra in 1975 and was resident conductor/music director until 2010 when he was appointed Music Director Emeritus.

Gary Daverne’s awards and achievements are too numerous to mention in this article. One achievement truly stands out: he is New Zealand’s most prolific and successful composer and arranger of music for the accordion! His arrangements and compositions for solo accordion and accordion orchestras are used extensively around the world. Daverne conducted the AAA Festival Orchestra in Buffalo, New York in 2006. I am happy to report that this kind, gregarious, brilliant man is alive and well and resides in Auckland, New Zealand. Recent picture:

Mary Ann Covone:

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 thirty-plus year career as an attorney, four years ago, Mary Ann returned to the accordion and has 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 (ATG) and an active member of Sigma Alpha Iota, and international professional sorority for women in the field of music.

Johanna Beth Sennett:

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Johanna Beth Sennett began her flute studies with Shaul Ben-Meir of the Detroit Symphony. She graduated with “Special Distinction” in flute performance from Northwestern University’s School of Music. Further training includes studies in Paris with Michel Debost of the Paris Conservatoire and the National Orchestra de Paris. Beth concluded her studies with renowned British flutist, Geoffrey Gilbert, whose students included James Galway and William Bennett.

Beth has performed extensively as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral flutist and commercial recording flutist, including regular substitute performances with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Flint Symphony and the Michigan Opera Theater Orchestra. She, her husband and three children now reside in the Chicago area where Beth performs and teaches private lessons and master classes.