“The Grill Sergeants,” a Pentagon Channel original program, is a weekly, half-hour cooking show featuring some of the military’s top chefs as they guide viewers through step-by-step menu preparation. The recently-launched third season includes music from the Air Force Strolling Strings Trio, with Frank Busso, Jr. on accordion, Alex Dean on violin, and Bill Hones on bass.

Originally from Staten Island, New York, Frank Busso, Jr. became the accordionist with The United States Air Force Strings in 2005. Sergeant Busso attended Boston University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2001. He studied accordion with Frank Busso Sr. at the Staten Island Music School in New York. Prior to joining the Air Force, Sergeant Busso was an instructor and arranger with the Boston University Athletic Bands. He was also an instructor at the Staten Island Music School, where his students earned many regional and national titles in competition.

As a competitive accordionist, Sergeant Busso received numerous regional titles from the Accordion Teachers Association of New Jersey, including the organization’s virtuoso championship in 1995. He also earned multiple national titles from the American Accordionists’ Association in classical, popular, and ethnic competitions. Since 2001, Sergeant Busso has performed in concert as a member of The Busso Trio at numerous summer festivals hosted by the American Accordionists’ Association and the ATG.

Sergeant Busso’s military awards and decorations include the National Defense Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

The Air Force Strings is one of the most diverse and flexible units of The United States Air Force Band. This wide-ranging flexibility allows the ensemble to musically respond to the requirements of almost any occasion and provide an enjoyable experience for everyone. A key element of its mission is to entertain audiences at high-level protocol events in a formation known as the Strolling Strings. On other occasions it performs as The United States Air Force String Orchestra, presenting the standard works of the classical repertoire for strings. The ensemble often joins forces with members of The United States Air Force Concert Band, Singing Sergeants and Airmen of Note, to form The United States Air Force Chamber, Symphony and Jazz Orchestras. Additionally, members of The Air Force Strings appear regularly as soloists, and in duo, trio and string quartet ensembles, to present chamber concert performances, and provide quality entertainment and ambient music for official protocol functions.

The United States Air Force Strings is comprised of 22 world-class musicians. Each of these outstanding performers has studied and perfected their craft at leading colleges, universities and music conservatories around the world. Their studies successfully prepared them to excel during an intensive and competitive audition process, which led to their selection for membership in The United States Air Force Band. A performance by The United States Air Force Strings reflects a combination of immense collective musical experience with the boundless dedication to perfection. The Strolling Strings have hundreds of songs in their repertoire, all memorized, and a full-time arranger. Members’ tenures range from two and a half years to 27 years.

Episodes can be seen on the Pentagon Channel television station or viewed in their entirety online: http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/thegrillsergeants/index.shtml
As of December 1, 2009, three episodes are available for viewing:
•German Cuisine: http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/thegrillsergeants/season3/gs_german.shtml
•Italian Cuisine: http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/thegrillsergeants/season3/gs_italian.shtml
•Mexican Cuisine: http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/thegrillsergeants/season3/gs_mexican.shtml
Online episodes are best viewed using Internet Explorer.

Frank Busso, Jr. is the Director of the Busso Music School in Alexandria, VA. He also serves as the Vice President of Sales and Education for Ernest Deffner, Inc., which manufactures Titano Accordions and PANcordion, is the North American distributor for Pigini Accordions, and distributes the Roland V-Accordion. Ernest Deffner, Inc. offers full-service accordion repair & tuning services, as well as pickup/MIDI installations, and its Ernest Deffner Publications catalog includes thousands of titles of sheet music & method books for accordion, plus recordings featuring the accordion. The firm also maintains a full catalog of accordion parts, tools, and accessories.

For further information: tel:703-941-9300 and frank@bussomusic.com