The Accordion Pops Orchestra, conducted by Daniel J. Desiderio, presented a wonderful concert June 5, 2010 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
In addition to the Orchestra, the concert featured flautist Andrea Mauer, tenor Rodolfo Veneziano, soprano Elizabeth Patterson, percussionists Michael Beswick and Doris Heck, and the APO Chamber Group with oboist Ross Gombiner, guitarist Matthew Kaplan, soprano Elizabeth Patterson, and accordionist Justin Patterson.
The Accordion Pops Orchestra was organized in 1970 by the Accordion Teachers Association of New Jersey. It is the only professional accordion orchestra of its kind on the East Coast. The 35 member orchestra performed
a repertoire of Classical, Broadway, Latin, Pop, and Ethnic music.
A highlight of the concert came when Maestro Desiderio thrilled the audience by performing solo with the orchestra. He handed the baton to APO Assistant Conductor, Lenny Feldmann, strapped on his accordion, and proceeded to perform the 2nd Movement of his own composition, “Concerto for Accordion and Orchestra”.
This was followed by a terrific rendition of “Andalucia” by Ernesto Lecuona and finally Mr. Desiderio played his famous accordion composition “Mexican Carnival”. Each piece was accompanied by the APO with the orchestra parts arranged by the Maestro himself.
Daniel J. Desiderio is one of the country’s foremost accordion artists. Well known in the accordion field for his compositions and arrangements and has recorded on the Ampco and Cormark labels. He has concertized throughout Europe, appearing at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Copenhagen’s Radio House, Munich’s Congress Hall, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Town Hall and the Academy of Music in Philadelphia.
During his four year military service he was the featured soloist with the Air Force Band and Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC. A former member of the Board of Directors of the AAA, Mr. Desiderio is one of the founders of the Pennsylvania Accordion Teacher’s Association.
In addition to being the conductor of the Accordion Pops Orchestra, he teaches accordion, piano, and organ at his studio in Media, Pennsylvania.
This is the fourth time the APO has been invited to the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia within the past six years to present a fund raising concert for the ALS Hope Foundation.
For more information:webmaster@accordionpops.com
