The American Accordionists’ Association presents the 2012 AAA Festival from July 11-15th, 2012, featuring world renowned accordionist and conductor, Stas Venglevski, at the Sheraton City Center Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. Wonderful workshops, performances, competitions, youth programs and exhibits are scheduled throughout the weekend. Come and join us for a celebration of the accordion surrounded by the celebrated Baltimore city attractions!
The AAA Festival will present another great event! New this year is the Junior Festival Orchestra under the direction of Mary Tokarski. This event is designed for those young people who are not quite ready to participate in the Festival Orchestra or who have never had the experience of performing with other accordionists. Mary has selected some fun pieces, and rehearsals will be scheduled to avoid competition schedule conflicts. Interested participants should contact Mary at mary.tokarski@comcast.net.
Another new addition is the “Finale” workshop which will be a hands-on workshop with the basics of learning this music writing program. AAA member, Don Gerundo, will conduct the workshop with support materials supplied by the people at Finale.
Additional Workshop Presenters Include:
Linda Ann Warren….”Music 2 My Ears: Do You Hear What I Hear?”
Dr. Robert Young McMahan….”Accordions in the Movies”
Mary Kathryn Archuleta….”Opening Doors to the Wonderful World of the Accordion”
Marion Jacobson, PhD…..”Squeeze This” Meet the Author
Dallas Vietty….”Swing Musette and Gypsy Jazz for the American Piano Accordionist”
Mary Tokarski ….”Playing Together”
Gabe Hall-Rodrigues….”Jazz Licks”
Click here to view the festival flyer:
http://ameraccord.com/artwork/2012FestivalDownloads/AAA_AD_2012-web.pdf
Click here to view the full Workshop Schedule:
http://ameraccord.com/artwork/2012FestivalDownloads/Workshops 2012.pdf
Back by popular demand will be the Youth Outreach Jazz Ensemble with select young musicians from the Baltimore school system partnered with ambitious young accordionists. Both the Junior Festival Orchestra and the Youth Outreach Jazz Ensemble will perform at the Awards Concert on Saturday afternoon, July 14th. If you want to participate in the great (and fun) Jazz Ensemble program, contact Marilyn O’Neil (Marilyn@ctaccordion.com) or Mary Tokarski (mary.tokarski@comcast.net) for the Junior Festival Orchestra. All of these events are included in the registration.
The Festival will also see the return of the Digital Entertainment category and inclusion of the Coupe Mondiale qualification categories, so be sure to visit www.ameraccord.com for the PDF files to download all Festival application forms.
Thursday night will feature an Italian Cabaret night. Enjoy a delicious Italian dinner while being entertained by wonderful accordion music by the Potomac Ensemble conducted by Joan Grauman. Enjoy singers, Joy Bechtler, soprano, and Joe McKesson, tenor and Dr. Robert Young McMahan, as well as entertainment by Cody McSherry, and siblings, Amanda and Michael Parziale, voice and accordion playing and singing your favorite Italian songs!
The Friday Luncheon will feature music by Frank Petrilli and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues, Joe Zale and Vladimir Mollov with his wife Annie Mollova (accordion & violin).
Friday’s Gala Concert includes Tatiana Semichastnaya, Vladimir Mollov accompanied by renowned Balkan drummer Emily Geller (daughter of AAA Board member Joan Grauman). Dr. Robert Young McMahan will perform with Bill Trigg, percussionist and TCNJ Faculty member.They will perform “Novelty” for accordion and percussion composed by Dr. McMahan. It is an atonal parody of the accordion novelty genre.
The AAA Festival’s guest artist – virtuoso accordionist Stas Venglevski. Stas delights all with his friendly and humorous manner, educating and entertaining at the same time. Truly a unique experience you will want to see and hear him perform on Friday Night Gala Concert.
The Saturday Gala Banquet will begin with the magnificent music of the United States Army Strolling Strings with AAA’s own Manny Bobenrieth on accordion at the helm, and will feature the Festival Orchestra conducted by Stas Venglevski, with Mary Tokarski as soloist. Please indicate on your registration form if you would like to participate in the Festival Orchestra.
Plan this summer around the festival’s exciting days of Workshops, Exhibits, Cabaret, Luncheon Concert, Gala Concert, and Festival Orchestras. The event will be held at the Sheraton City Center in Baltimore. It is surrounded by shops, restaurants, and in walking distance of the famous Baltimore Inner Harbor, National Aquarium, Maryland Science Center and numerous other attractions.
Come to Baltimore for this educational and entertaining festival! Please refer to the AAA Website and the USA News for updates on the festival. For further information email: aaa1938@aol.com
