Jamie Maschler and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues Teach 3 Courses at Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival
July 1st 2021
Rita Davidson Barnea, Editor Accordion USA News

Accordionists Jamie Maschler and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues will give performances and teach the accordion classes throughout the week including 3 courses at the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival from July 26 to July 30, 2021.. The location is:
Journey Church
1201 Hoselton Rd
Fairbanks, Alaska
Accordion Course Descriptions:
1. “Accordion For Kids”
Open to kids ages 5-12. July 26 to July 30, 2021.Come try out an accordion! This workshop will give a demonstration of how the accordion works, including a look at the inside and a chance to see and touch all the parts, along with the opportunity for your child to play one. Instruments will be provided and private lessons will be available during the week.
2. “Accordion – Playing through Tunes” Ages 18+ July 26 to July 30, 2021 4:45 to 6:15 PM
We will walk through a variety of different styles featuring accordion i.e. Latin, Norwegian, and French and talk about a few tips and tricks to play more authentically and relaxed. There will be written arrangements for two or more accordions. We will have the opportunity to share these at the final concert series. Beginners welcome.
3. “Accordion Workshop” Ages 18+ July 26 to July 30, 2021 3:15 to 4:30 PM
Jump deeper into accordion. Learn about the accordion mechanics, and some theory that allows you to open up opportunities on the accordion. Different bass accompaniment outside of our typical ¾ and 4/4 patterns. This will include chord combining techniques and some bellows tips. Must be able to read music.
Jamie is based in Seattle, WA where she studied accordion under three-time Latin Grammy Nominee, Jovino Santos Neto at Cornish College of the Arts. Her main projects are Seattle’s only Brazilian forró band, En Canto, and Accordion duo with Gabe Hall-Rodrigues, Creosote.
The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) has featured Jamie in their Museum of Making Music exhibit titled “Accordions: Expanding Voices in the USA”. She recently accompanied the Seattle Symphony’s live scoring of “Lord of the Rings”, and played the accordion part in Tchaikovsky’s “Suite No.2” with the Seattle Philharmonic. In October 2019, Jamie was “Nellie Friedman” in Seattle Repertory Theater’s run of Paula Vogel’s Tony award winning play, Indecent.
Jamie is a frequent guest performer and presenter of stylized Brazilian and Tango music at numerous festivals. She works for accordion manufacturer Petosa Accordions, where she is able to share her passion and actively participate in the reinvention and face of the traditional Instrument.
Gabe also loved music from an early age. He began piano lessons at age seven. “My teacher was perfect for me as he allowed me to play by ear as well as with music”. He studied with the same teacher from age 7 to 18. In school, he sang in the choirs and played baritone saxophone in the band.
Gabe attended Arizona State University (ASU) where he received his bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy in 2011 and his master’s degree in Jazz Piano Performance in 2013. He studied under the award-winning pianist and composer, Mike Kocour. Gabe taught in the Arizona school system and at a private school for ten years, spent a year in Recife, Brazil where he studied Brazilian music and performed with local musicians, and toured the US with the folk rock band “Jared and the Mill” as their accordionist.
While in Seattle touring with Jared and the Mill, he visited Petosa Accordions where he and Jamie met each other. Both loved Brazilian music and Jamie invited Gabe to open for her band EnCanto. They began a musical association and fell in love with each other.
A multi-ethnic female-led sextet, En Canto, is Seattle’s only Forró band. Forró music is a combination of multiple Brazilian rhythms including baião, xote and arrasta-pé. The word refers to both the musical genre and the accompanying partner dance party events where it is heard.
Additional Performances:
7/18: Creosote at the Bainbridge Summer Art Market . Creosote is the dynamic accordion duo with renowned Seattle accordionists Jamie Maschler and Gabriel Hall-Rodrigues, together they create original and Brazilian music inspired arrangements with a unique and endearing twist. Excerpts from their website: They have performed at several accordion events throughout the country, perform regularly in Seattle and recently were featured performers at the National Association of Music Merchants’ (NAMM) Museum of Making Music.
8/21: Seattle Parks Department present En Canto Deception Pass (more details to follow)
For further information: Jamie.maschler@gmail.com