The Accordion Pops Orchestra will be celebrating World Accordion Day on May 6, 2018 with a concert in East Brunswick, New Jersey. The concert has particular importance for orchestra member Cody McSherry. As part of the event, Cody will have the distinct honor of performing the world premiere of a new composition by composer Guy Klucevsek.
The piece, entitled “Carousel of Dreams” has special meaning for fourteen year-old Cody. Last year, at the American Accordionists’ Association’s festival, Cody won the Carmen Carrozza Scholarship Competition, Junior Division. One the pieces he performed for the competition was “Evan-essence,” composed by Guy Klucevsek. When Cody chose it for the Carmen Carrozza competition, he secretly hoped that the composer would be there to hear the performance. Unfortunately that coincidence did not occur but a chance meeting was not far off. The next evening Cody was attending another concert at the festival, and by coincidence, seated nearby were Mr. and Mrs. Klucevsek. Mutual friends introduced them. Cody found that not only was Guy a brilliant composer, but also a very warm human being. Guy welcomed Cody’s offer to play “Evan-essence,” for him. A friendship was born.
Guy Klucevsek needs no introduction to readers of the Accordion News. His talents have taken him around the world, from Germany to Tasmania and across the United States. His band, “Accordion Tribe,” travelled around the world composing and performing from 1996 to 2008. He was the 2010 recipient of the 2010 United States Artists Collins Fellowship, a fifty thousand dollar award given annually to “America’s finest artists.” His list of achievements continues on from there.
Cody, not usually a fan of contemporary music, finds Klucevsek’s works to be timeless, and full of surprising dynamic twists and turns, much like the perfect novel. As he studies Klucevsek’s works, they unfold along new and unexpected ways with challenging rhythms and deep melodies. After learning “Evan-essence,” he decided to learn the other two pieces of the “Three Tributes” of which “Evan-essence” is the first. Each of the new pieces soon became one of his favorites.
One morning, not long after meeting Klucevsek, Cody checked his email and found a message from Guy, along with a new, original musical composition. The full title of the piece was “Carousel of Dreams for Cody McSherry.” The piece was challenging and beautiful. Cody was unbelievably thrilled.
Through the kind cooperation of Al Terzo, conductor of the Accordion Pops Orchestra, Cody will debut “Carousel of Dreams” at the Orchestra’s May 6 concert. He will briefly introduce the piece prior to the premiere. Guy Klucevsek plans to be in attendance.
The concert will be held at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center, 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, NJ, 08816 at 3:00 PM. The cost for the concert is a $10.00 donation.
For further information: pat@lmsetch.com
