Ninth annual competition invites young Accordion Players to Showcase their talent and to compete for one of three titles of the Big Squeeze Grand Prize Winner

Free Talent Showcase to be held at the La Joya Independent School District Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 7

Austin, Texas – January 26, 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, February 7, the Big Squeeze arrives in the Rio Grande Valley hosted by the La Joya Independent School District. The talent showcase will be held at the Performing Arts Center on the grounds of La Joya High School from 10:00 a.m. until noon (mariachi practice room.)

It is free and open to the public. Interested players are encouraged to reserve a showcase slot by contacting Texas Folklife. 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.

Saturday afternoon following the showcase, La Joya ISD will present their spring conjunto festival from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door and will be $6.00 each. The Conjunto Festival will feature La Joya High School Conjunto “Los Diamantes,” J.V. Conjunto “Acordeones de Oro,” Palmview High School Conjunto “La Tradicion & the Silver Bullet Band,” and Juarez Lincoln High School Conjunto “Sol.”

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 to be kicking off our 2015 Big Squeeze season in La Joya,’” says Executive Director Cristina Ballí. “The Rio Grande Valley is home to a strong and vibrant conjunto community, and has contributed many contestants and Grand Prize Winners to the Big Squeeze contest over the years. We are truly gratified and humbled to play a role in preserving this traditional music of Texas.”

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, and Texas Gas Service. 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

La Joya Independent School District Performing Arts Center
La Joya High School
604 North Coyote Avenue
La Joya, Texas 78560
(956) 580-5100
LJHS Fine Arts Department for information about the Conjunto Festival: (956) 580-5160

Media information: Sheree Scarborough (512) 922-5483 / sheree.scarborough@gmail.com
Big Squeeze information: Tomas Salas (512) 441-9255 / bigsqueeze@texasfolklife.org