The AAA Master Class and Concert Series (The Seminars) will take place on July 27, 28 and 29, 2018 at the Tenri Cultural Institute, 43A West 13th Street, in New York City. Master classes are at 3:PM. Concerts at 7:PM. Dr. Schimmel will be the moderator and curator.

The 2018 Seminars will cover a wide range of topics and will focus greatly on new methods of teaching – Earteach, Eyeteach and Duplex learning, as well as the study of various method books that have disappeared on the market. The aim is to re-discover some of the rich tradition and culture that may have been lost or discarded. There will also be an Accordio/Dalcrose segment using Movement and Eurythmics. Also, A Seminar on What it takes to survive as as a New York Accordionist – appliable to any career planning anywhere.

On November 3,2017, Dr. Schimmel premiered his “Green Jackets for Accordion and Baroque Flute” at Congregation Kol Ami. Denise Koncelik performed on Baroque Flute. On November 5, his “Bactoblues” was performed by Bactopus – at St Peter’s Church. On November 14, he was soloist with the New York University Orchestra in a performance of “The Forest” by David Byrne (of The Talking Heads fame).

On November 22, he gave a full length concert at the historic Century Club, an exclusive club that dates back to the early to mid 19th century, that has formed a community of artists, writers and amateurs for the purpose of stimulating robust discussion. Dr. Schimmel performed selections from his CD, “The Theater of the Accordion” and other selections as well a talks between the selections.

On November 11, he had the honor of serving on the distinguished panel of jurors in the Young Concert Artists’ Competition. Hanzhi Wang was among the four winners. She is the first accordionist in the YCA history to win in the competition.

Dr. Wlliam Schimmel is a virtuoso accordionist, author, philosopher and composer. He is one of the principle architects in the tango revival in America, the resurgence of the accordion and the philosophy of Musical Reality (composition with pre-existing music).

He received his diploma from the Neupauer Conservatory of Music and his BM, MS and DMA degrees from the Juilliard School. He has taught at the Juilliard School , Brooklyn College CUNY, Upsala College, New School University, Neupauer Conservatory (dean) and has lectured on accordion related subjects at Princeton , Columbia , Brandeis, University of Missouri , Duke University, Manhattan School of Music, the Graduate Center CUNY, Santa Clara University, The Janacek Conservatory in Ostrava, Czech Republic and at Microsoft.

Dr.Schimmel has performed with virtually every major symphony orchestra in America (and the Kirov ) including a longstanding relationship with the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as many chamber music groups in New York including Ensemble Sospeso and the Odeon Jazz Ensemble. Pop star colleagues range from Sting to Tom Waits, who has made the legendary statement: “Bill Schimmel doesn’t play the accordion, he is the accordion”.

He is founder of the Tango Project, which, in addition to his hit recordings with them, has appeared with Al Pacino in the film: Scent of a Woman, for which Pacino won an Oscar. The Tango Project also won the Stereo Review Album of the Year Award, received a Grammy nomination and rose to number I on the Billboard Classical Charts. He can be heard in other films including True Lies, Kun Dun and many others including films that he both scored and performed and a series of films for the Nature Conservancy which have won numerous prizes in documentary categories.

He is an authority of the music of Kurt Weill, having recorded all of Weill’s music that employs the accordion.He is a prolific composer with many commissions from concert music to Broadway and off-Broadway. He has written countless accordion pieces for himself and others including a test piece for the Coupe Mondiale, the accordions’ most prestigious world competition. His “Portrait No I” for orchestra was conducted by the late Leopold Stockowski.

Dr. Schimmel’s theatre works in collaboration with Micki Goodman have made accordion history.He heads the Neupauer Conservatory Order of the Shield program, a private studies program for gifted students on a graduate and post graduate level. he conducts a successful three day master class and concert series sponsored by the American Accordionists’ Association (where he is distinguished lecturer in residence).

The Confederations International of Accordionists have awarded Dr. Schimmel the distinguished Merit Award for the AAA Master Class and Concert Series as well as his contribution to the international accordion scene. He received the American Accordionists’ Association Distinguished Service Award for Fifty Years of Accordion activity and his work as Lecturer in Residence. He is listed in Who’s Who in America and Great Minds of the 21st Century.

Dr. Schimmel, and his wife, choreographer, director, filmmaker Micki Goodman co-founded and co- directs the Institute for Private Studies, a pluralistic think-tank. They have a 29 year old son, Michael, an accordionist and visual artist—and a Special Olympics gold medal winner.

For further information: accordionbill@gmail.com