Free Talent Showcase to be held at Pleasant Grove Branch Library
Performance by Dallas’s Three Former Big Squeeze Champs, including Reigning Zydeco Champ Randall Jackson
Austin, Texas – February 25, 2015 – Texas Folklife is pleased to announce its ninth annual Big Squeeze accordion contest for up-and-coming Texas musicians, 21 years of age or younger. The contest is one of the ways in which Texas Folklife carries out its mission to preserve and promote Texas’s diverse cultural heritage. The contest recruits players in all genres of the Lone Star State’s accordion-based music, including German, Czech, and Polish polka; Creole, Cajun, and zydeco; and conjunto, norteño, and Tejano.
The contest takes to the road this spring in order to meet young accordion players in their communities and see them perform in talent showcases. On Saturday, March 21, the Big Squeeze arrives in Dallas to seek out the best young squeezeboxers in the area.
The talent showcase will be held at the Pleasant Grove Branch of the Dallas Public Library, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. It is free and open to the public. Interested players are encouraged to reserve a showcase slot by contacting Texas Folklife, and should arrive by 2:00 p.m. Those who cannot attend the showcase may also mail or e-mail their entries to arrive at Texas Folklife no later than March 30, 2015. The complete contest rules and entry forms are available online at www.texasfolklife.org or by calling (512) 441-9255.
The 2015 Dallas Big Squeeze talent showcase will bring some new features to the annual contest. It will be a first time collaboration between Texas Folklife and the Pleasant Grove Branch Library. It will also be the first time that all three Dallas Big Squeeze champions will perform together in Dallas. After the showcase there will be a free performance by Nachito Morales (Big Squeeze Champ 2012) and the Morales Boys; Michael Ramos Lopez (Big Squeeze Champ 2013); and Randall Jackson (Reigning Big Squeeze Zydeco Champ). It promises to be a conjunto-zydeco blowout!
There will be nine finalists (three from each genre—conjunto, zydeco, and polka) chosen from the field of performers at the showcases, and those who send in their performances to Texas Folklife, by a panel of esteemed music professionals.
Accordionists will be judged on their technical proficiency—skill in playing, and technical and musical accuracy—as well as their song interpretation (stylistic choices, innovation, and originality) and stage presence (level of comfort on stage and attention to personal appearance). The finalists will be announced on April 3.
The finalists will perform at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin on Saturday, April 25, at a free concert and playoff. Three Grand Prize Winners will be selected. There will be one winner for each accordion category—polka, zydeco, and conjunto. All three winners will perform at Texas Folklife’s highly acclaimed annual Accordion Kings & Queens Festival at Houston’s Miller Outdoor Theatre on Saturday, June 6, 2015, with Texas roots music accordion stars and legends.
The three Big Squeeze Grand Prize Winners will receive a prize package valued at more than $4,000, including a cash prize, a brand new Hohner accordion, performance opportunities in Austin and Houston, publicity, professional development, and other professional opportunities.
“We are excited about our Big Squeeze showcase in Dallas this year. Our new collaboration with the Pleasant Grove Branch Library seems to be a perfect fit as they are also a community-focused organization that serves a variety of neighborhoods,” says Executive Director Cristina Ballí. “And we have a fantastic program planned consisting of our three former Dallas Champs. I’m especially keen to hear Randall Jackson—our Reigning Zydeco Champ—perform on his home turf for the first time as a Big Squeeze winner.”
The Big Squeeze is supported by the members and Board of Texas Folklife and by Hohner, Inc.; by grants from Texas Commission on the Arts, the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division, the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board, the Houston Endowment, Texas Gas Service, and the Houston Press. Additional support is provided by regional businesses including Hacienda Records and Frank+Victor Design.
About Texas Folklife:
Texas Folklife is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to presenting and preserving the diverse cultures and living heritage of the Lone Star State. For 30 years, Texas Folklife has honored the authentic cultural traditions passed down within communities, explored their importance in contemporary society, and celebrated them by providing accessible and joyful arts experiences.
www.texasfolklife.org
1317 S. Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78704
T (512) 441-9255 F (512) 441-9222
Pleasant Grove Branch Library
Dallas Public Library
7310 Lake June Road
Dallas, Texas 75217
(214) 670-0965
http://www.dallaslibrary2.org/branch/pleasant.php
Media information: Sheree Scarborough (512) 922-5483 / sheree.scarborough@gmail.com
Big Squeeze information: Tomas Salas (512) 441-9255 / bigsqueeze@texasfolklife.org
