Video 1: This is rare video of the great classical accordionist, Carmen Carrozza, introducing accordion legends like Charles Magnante, Eugene Ettore , Charles Nunzio and more…

Video 2: Carmen Carrozza performs “Malaguena”, Lecuona, 1995

Video 4: Carmen Carrozza 1996: “Omaggio Pietro”, FrosiniCarmen Carrozza, a legendary USA concert accordion virtuoso, performs for a crowd in Philadelphia USA in 1996. Carmen was a student & prodigy of Pietro Deiro, the “Daddy of the Accordion”. This composition is dedicated to Deiro, by Pietro Frosini, another great contemporary.

Carmen Carrozza passed away on June 17, 2013. On that day, the accordion world lost a great musician and friend who educated, entertained and inspired generations of accordionists. Let’s celebrate his 101st birthday by learning about his remarkable life:

Legendary USA concert accordion virtuoso, Carmen Carrozza, was born in a small town Solano in Calabria, Italy on July 20, 1921. Carrozza emigrated to the USA with his family when he was nine years old. The family settled in the town of Chappaqua in Westchester, NY, where Carrozza soon began studying music, becoming proficient on the violin, piano and accordion. It wasn’t long before his love for the accordion became obvious and he found himself concentrating solely on mastering this instrument and master it he did! Although the piano accordion was developed around the turn of the century in 1909, it was stated by one of Carrozza’s early professors that “the accordion wasn’t given birth until the young Carrozza placed his hands on the instrument.”

In 1937, he graduated from the Pietro Deiro Accordion Conservatory in Greenwich Village, NYC where he was awarded the highest honors and a gold medal for his performance. He furthered his studies at the New York Academy of Music specializing in theory, harmony, counterpoint and composition. Carrozza’s professional debut took place in 1947 at the Philadelphia Academy of Music launching what was to be one of the greatest careers of the century.

He went on to triumph with appearances throughout the concert halls in the United States ? (Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, Times Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center Music Hall, Philadelphia Academy of Music, just to name a few) Canada, and Europe – (France, Germany, England, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Italy). Carrozza was presented with a gold medal by the E.A.L., an agency of the Italian Government, after an outstanding performance at the Theatro di Pavia.

Carrozza was the first accordionist invited to perform as featured soloist with major symphony orchestras: The Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler premiering Paul Creston’s Concerto for Accordion and Orchestra; National Symphony and New York Philharmonic under the direction of Andre Kostelznetz, premiering Alan Hovanhess’ Rubaiyat; Cincinnati Orchestra, under the direction of Thomas Schippers; The Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Pops Orchestra, The United States Navy Band, and the list goes on and on. A legendary composer, arranger and world renown concert artist and educator, Carrozza was a true inspiration to humanity.

Carmen and his close friend, renowned composer, Eugene Ettore, were known as ‘The Concert Duo” and presented many virtuoso duet performances throughout the years all over the country.

Carrozza retired from touring in the 1980s, but in the summer of 1994 he was called back to the road, playing three weeks of festivals with Jörgen Sundeqvist in Sweden. He was surprised they knew so much about him. Carmen said, ”They had music I wrote when I was knee-high and recordings I had forgotten about myself.”

Carrozza’s success on the concert stage was matched only by his contribution to the development of accordion literature. In this area, he collaborated with outstanding American composers: Robert Russell Bennett, Henry Cowell, Paul Creston, Alan Havanhess, George Kleinsinger, Otto Leuing, Paul Pisk, Wallingord Riegger, Elie Seigmeister, William Grant Still, Carlos Surinach, Virgil Thompson, & Russian composer, Alexander Tcherepnin.

Carrozza considered solo concerts in Town Hall, New York City, as one of the high points in his career. At these concerts, he performed and premiered all original accordion works by the forementioned composers. It was a milestone in the history of the accordion. His performances of the works of these composers opened a new field for the generations of accordionists to follow and gives to composers a new instrument to use as a vehicle of musical expression. Concert accordionists of the future owe a debt of gratitude to Maestro Carrozza for paving the way for them to the concert platform.
Throughout the years Carrozza received numerous awards and honorees from many different organizations, associations and clubs.

On March 17, 2002 Maestro Carrozza was honored by the American Accordionists Association and was the first recipient presented with the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award”. Shortly after this gala event, The Carmen Carrozza Scholarship Fund, (a fund for the advancement of promising young accordionists and the commissioning of new works for the accordion) began in the spring of 2002.

Carrozza was president of the AAA three times:1965-66, 1977-78, 1989-91 and an active governing board member of the American Accordion Association (AAA), a national organization dedicated to the development of the accordion. He continued to promote the accordion through educational workshops at schools, universities and private music studios.

The Carmen Carrozza Scholarship Fund was founded in 2002 with a $2,000 donation by long-time AAA sponsor, the late Steve Stolaruk. The purpose of the fund is to grant a music scholarship to deserving young accordionists who participate in the Carmen Carrozza Scholarship Solo competition at the AAA Festival. In 2020, Gia Ciccone and Nathan Chapeton were recipients.

Much has been written about the unique artistry of Maestro Carrozza and much more surely will be written in the future, but one critic apparently established for all times Carrozza’s esteemed position in the world of the concert accordionist when he proclaimed, “the violin has its Pagannini, the piano its Chopin – the accordion its Carrozza”

Carmen’s musical tradition and talent continues in his family. His nephew, Dr. Joseph Ciccone is the current President of the American Accordionists’ Association (AAA). Joe’s daughter, Carmen’s great niece, Gia Ciccone, is a talented award winning accordionist whose first teacher was Carmen Carrozza.

For information about the 2018 Carmen Carrozza Scholarship Dinner: http://www.ameraccord.com/carrozzascholarship2018.php

Please read this article to learn about the Carrozza family musical legacy, “The Accordion. A Bridge from One Generation to Another – Carmen Carrozza” from Oct. 1, 2012: http://www.accordionusa.com/?d=01-Oct-2012&lang=en#art1182

If anyone would like to share their personal experiences knowing Carmen, or have photos/videos, please all info to Ritabelll@aol.com
This information will be greatly appreciated.

Photo up: Carmen Carrozza and his nephew, AAA President Dr. Joseph Ciccone
Photo Down Top: Joe Ciccone, Carmen Carrozza, Cousin Dominick, Cousin John on drums
Photo Down Bottom: Joe Ciccone with Hudson Valley Accordion Ensemble