The Accordion Pops Orchestra, conducted by Al Terzo, presents their next concert on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 5:PM in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the South Presbyterian Church where the concert takes place. The address is 150 West Church Street, Bergenfield, NJ.

The orchestra’s roots can be traced to 1970 when it was organized by the Accordion Teachers Association of New Jersey.  Its first conductor was  Dr. Jacob Neupauer of Philadelphia.  In  1980 the orchestra was reorganized under well-known accordionist and composer Eugene Ettore.  

In 1985 the orchestra was again reorganized under Daniel Desiderio and the name was formally changed to the Accordion Pops Orchestra.  The membership was expanded beyond the original members from New Jersey to include performers from Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, and Rhode Island. Maestro Desiderio retired in 2011 and turned the reins over to the current conductor, Al Terzo.

The orchestra consists entirely of accordions plus percussion instruments.  The accordions are divided into five main sections (first through fifth accordion), each playing different parts.  In addition, there is a bass accordion with special deep reeds and a midi accordion with electronic capabilities to simulate hundreds of other instruments.

There are about 30 members including professionals, teachers, and amateur musicians.  The orchestra performs a repertoire taken from a wide range of music categories, including Broadway, popular music, movie themes, and light classical compositions.  The orchestra performs in concert halls, festivals, playhouses, clubs, churches, and retirement homes.

Conductor Al Terzo is a music teacher, arranger, and conductor.  He has been a member of the orchestra since its inception in 1970. Mr.Terzo is a member of the Music Teachers National Association, the New Jersey Music Teachers Association, and the National Association of Music Educators.  He is a member of the governing board of the American Accordionists’ Association and a founding member of the Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild. He has performed at the Garden State Arts Center and Newark Symphony Hall.  Mr. Terzo currently teaches accordion and piano in New Jersey.

Al shares,”Referring to our new website, several orchestras from around the world have asked for some of our arrangements listed on the repertoire link. Groups from the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Belgium, South Korea, and Malta.”

Future APO concerts include:
July 14, 2023 performance at the AAA Festival in Conshohocken, PA.
For information: www.ameraccord.com

August 26, 2023 at the Bright View Senior Living in Wayne, PA.

For further information on the APO: webmaster@accordionpops.com