Video: “Spring Blizzard” performed by the composer, Emmanuel Gasser

Emmanuel Gasser from Ontario,Canada won 1st Prize in the Elsie M. Bennett Composition Competition sponsored by the American Accordionists’ Association held at the 2016 AAA Festival in Buffalo, New York, July 6-10, 2016. The general purpose of the composition competition is to add to the solo concert repertoire of the acoustic accordion.

Emmanuel shares his thoughts on his great accomplishment: “Winning 1st prize with my first free bass composition “Spring Blizzard” means A LOT to me. It is very encouraging that I, as a young composer, can write a piece that gets appreciated by the judges of the competition and the audience.

All the compliments that I have received regarding this composition have encouraged me even more to develop my skills as a composer. My wish is to strike anyone with musical sensitivity with my compositions.”

Emmanuel’s description of his composition: “Spring Blizzard” is in Scherzo form with a fast first part in F minor written for freebass that invokes the feel of a snowstorm with glowing technical passages. The second part is introduced with a cadenza that serves both as divider and connector that resolves to a more hopeful and positive waltz theme written for stradella representing Spring. 

An embellished version of the “Spring” theme follows. The first half of this variation although being in 3/4 has a march-like feel, that is metaphorical for the strength of life that overpowers the dead of Winter. The second half of the “Spring” variation, written for free bass, is dreamy and “twitter-pated”.

The listener is ready for a happy-ending but Old Man Winter wishes to show himself one more time and sneaks into the scene with another modulating cadenza followed by the animated, blizzardy first theme and concluded with a virtuosic Coda.”

Award winning accordionist, Emmanuel Gasser, nineteen years old, lives on a beautiful dairy farm in St. Charles, Ontario, Canada. He is recognized one of the top accordionists in North America winning numerous trophies and awards in many North American and International competitions, as well as representing Canada at the Coupe Mondiale, Klingenthal Germany, IAC Reinach Switzerland and FIF Castelfidardo.

Emmanuel has been playing accordion with since he was ten years old and practices 3 to 8 hours a day. His musical talents have been nourished and developed by the assistance of several world renowned accordionists.

He is currently studying privately with the great accordion virtuoso Alexander Sevastian based in Toronto, Canada. Emmanuel has also completed various internet and survey courses on Classical Music and Music History with Prof. Robert Greenberg (San Francisco Consevervatory of Music) and on Classical Composition with Prof. Peter Edwards (University of Singapore).

Despite being young in years, Emmanuel has exceptional musical maturity, having recorded 3 CD’s and composed over 40 original pieces. In the future Emmanuel hopes to develop a career as composer and performer; performing solo, with bands, ensembles and orchestras.

Sheet music for Spring Blizzard is for sale at $9.00 order at: emmanuel_gasser@yahoo.com
For further information: emmanuel_gasser@yahoo.com