This is the second article in our new series about young accordionists and their musical activities. Each month young accordionists will be featured. We intend to bring special attention to their many and varied musical ventures. One of our purposes is to inform our readers of the numerous opportunites that are available to all types of accordionists. All have their unique place and destiny.
Meet John Moceo:
16 year old John Moceo has been performing and competing with his accordion since the age of 5. He has attended tri-state and national competitions yearly, winning top awards and scholarships. His love of accordion music happened on his first day of kindergarten when his music teacher of 12 years, Frank Busso, walked into his class and started to play the accordion. John knew from that moment that this was something he had to do. After some persuasion, he convinced his mother to let him take accordion lessons.
John Moceo attends Monsignor Farrell All Boys Catholic High School, Staten Island, NY. He is a member of the award winning marching band, concert band, and jazz band and has performed many accordion solos at his high school concerts playing classical, jazz, ballads, and holiday music. This spring he will perform a Tribute to the King, Elvis Presley, who has been one of John’s musical inspirations. John plays the snare drum for the Monsignor Farrell High School Marching Band which is one of the top three high school bands in the United States Scholastic Band Association. He also plays the piano, vibraphone, xylophone, and drums for the school band.
John appeared on the NBC, daytime talk show, “Ellen Degeneres”, which was filmed in Burbank, California. He performed so well on the show, that they invited him to stay and close the show with Ellen Degeneres. John has also appeared on “Mallets Place”, which is a Staten Island Cable Jazz Television Show, and “Toastmasters”, another Staten Island Cable Talk Television Show. John has also performed at “The Cutting Room”. He has played at the Staten Island Music School Recital every year since the age of 5. When John was just 7 years old, he was invited to the Julliard School, in New York City where he recorded a CD of his favorite tunes. He also has performed at restaurants, catering halls, social organizations, parties, and family gatherings in the Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens, New York areas. John has been featured in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Staten Island Advance, and New York Times. He appeared in a brief video which was filmed by the Washington Post interviewing him at a national competition.
John has his own band, “1000 Voltz”, which will give its first performance in June at “Battle of the Bands”. His band records in a recording studio he organized in his home which he calls “Record On the Wall”. He composed all of the bands original music and is hoping to make this a success. John plans to attend college in the year 2010, and study all aspects of music and performance. His dream is to be a world famous music producer, walk the red carpet, and win a grammy award someday. He will credit his success to his love of music, the accordion, and to his dedicated teacher, AAA First Vice-President, Frank Busso, who has inspired him and given him guidance and support through the years.
For further information contact:
John Moceo: ehchumpari@aol.com
Frank Busso: mom223@aol.com
