Several accordion ensembles from the Chicagoland Accordion Academy will perform a program at A World of Accordions Museum in Superior, WI. on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Founder Mary Ann Covone shares, “The children will perform about a 15 minute program at the museum including a piece written for them by Stas Venglevski that they absolutely love – “Ducklings At Breakfast.” It was the hardest music they ever attempted, and they mastered it beautifully. Leah Stephens and Mayra Martinez work with the children at our Chicagoland Accordion Academy Studio. (See photo above)
Founder of Chicagoland Accordion Academy: Mary Ann Covone
The beginner adult group (see photo) is often joined by some of our more advanced players to cover bass accordion and help in other ways. Only a couple are attending the museum event, so the advanced group will help them out playing the Sinatra Medley and a beautiful 4 part hymn, “Beams of Gentle Light.”
Below is a photo of our advanced group. We have a great program this year. Our highlight is a four movement piece by Ian Watson entitled “Seaside Sketches.” We will include Bach for the first time and our program includes some entertainment favorites like “Tico Tico,” “Casey Jones,” a Frank Sinatra Medley (arranged by Al Terzo) and “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.”
The Chicagoland Accordion Academy (CAA) is a community-based music school dedicated to teaching and promoting the accordion in the Chicago area. It was founded by Mary Ann Covone, a classically trained accordionist who earned her Bachelor of Music in Accordion Performance from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and studied with the renowned Joan Cochran Sommers.
Covone continues to perform widely and has played with groups like the West Suburban Orchestra and the Loyola University Orchestra in Shostakovich works
November 2024 Chicagoland Accordion Academy perform “Concert Samba” Ron Dake- soloist on saxophone and Jose Martinez featured on drums.
The academy celebrates Chicago’s historic accordion culture, which thrived in the mid-20th century when accordion bands and competitions were common. CAA aims to revive that tradition by offering group and private lessons, ensemble opportunities, and community performances.
“Brazilian Holiday” by Amy Jo Sawyer was performed at the 2025 ATG Festival.
Classes are geared primarily toward adult students, ranging from beginners to advanced players, and cover fundamentals like bellows technique, reading music, rhythm, theory, and arranging. Courses include Accordion 1 (beginner), Accordion 2 (continuing level), Intermediate Accordion, and an online Music Theory I for Accordionists Course.
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The Academy also organizes concerts and events. For example, in November 2025 it hosted a program featuring original compositions by accordionists Amy Jo Sawyer and Stas Venglevski, performed by Academy members at the Highlands Presbyterian Church in La Grange Highlands, Illinois
For further information: maryann@chicagolandaccordionacademy.com
