On July 20, AAA Board member Dr. William Schimmel will perform as soloist in two works at the Washington Square Music Festival in Greenwich Village, New York. Established in 1953, it is New York’s oldest music festival.

William Schimmel will open the program with his new rendition of Von Suppe’s “Poet and Peasant Overture” complete with Latin rhythms, Latvian folklore, Bollywood and other world music references. He will close the program with Offenbach’s “Orpheus in the Underworld” – also a new rendition. Both pieces are scored by Dr. Schimmel for accordion solo with alto and tenor sax, trumpet, trombone, cello and bass.

Dr. Schimmel will also accompany singer Laila Salins in music by Cole Porter and Frederick Hollinder. The artistic director is Lutz Rath. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information – www.washingtonsquaremusicfestival.org.

William Schimmel is a virtuoso accordionist, author, philosopher and composer. He is one of the principle architects in the tango revival in America, the resurgence of the accordion and the philosophy of Musical Reality (composition with pre-existing music). He received his diploma from the Neupauer Conservatory of Music and his BM, MS and DMA degrees from the Juilliard School. He has taught at the Juilliard School , Brooklyn College CUNY, Upsala College, New School University, Neupauer Conservatory (dean) and has lectured on accordion related subjects at Princeton , Columbia , Brandeis, University of Missouri , Duke University, Manhattan School of Music, the Graduate Center CUNY, Santa Clara University, The Janacek Conservatory in Ostrava, Czech Republic and at Microsoft.

He now heads the Neupauer Conservatory Order of the Shield program, a private studies program for gifted students on a graduate and post graduate level. He conducts a successful three day master class and concert series sponsored by the American Accordionists’ Association.

The Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes has awarded Dr. Schimmel the distinguished Merit Award for the AAA Master Class and Concert Series as well as his contribution to the international accordion scene. He received the American Accordionists’ Association Distinguished Service Award for Fifty Years of Accordion activity and his work as Lecturer in Residence. He is listed in Who’s Who in America and Great Minds of the 21st Century