The Pioneer Women of the American Accordionists’ Association, Part III: Magnificent Maddalena Belfiore

October 30th 2024
Joan Grauman Morse, AAA Historian
Maddelena Belfiore with her Excelsior accordion that now resides in the Dargaville Museum.
Maddelena Belfiore in 1950 with her Excelsior accordion that now resides in the Dargaville Museum in New Zealand.

With contributions by Joan Cochran Sommers, Carmela and Frank Busso Sr., and Harley Jones.

It’s election year for, not only the US, but also the American Accordionists’ Association (AAA)! On November 11, our Governing Board will elect the Executive Committee for the next two years. I have been reflecting back on the decades since I joined this (now 86 year old) hardworking and innovative organization. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to get to know many of the organization’s true “movers and shakers” — and each brought their joy, energy, knowledge and unique personality to the AAA. One who truly stood out was the warm, welcoming, super energetic, funny and delightful Maddalena Belfiore.

Maddalena was the first person I met on the AAA Governing Board. I had just created, with my then husband Dan Grauman, the mail order business, “SqueezinArt”. My artwork was on everything from shirts to Christmas ornaments and jewelry. We wanted to get our wares out into the accordion world. A call, in early 1995, to then AAA Executive Secretary Maddalena, opened up a new world for me! She welcomed us, with open arms, to exhibit at the New Jersey Accordion Association Festival where she introduced us to the (then) AAA President, Faithe Deffner. Faithe was pleased with my work (thankfully!), and invited us to exhibit in Philadelphia at the 1996 AAA Festival. We loved being among the accordion greats – Maddalena and Faithe introduced us to so many amazing musicians and to the fascinating world of the AAA… and I never left!

Much has been written about Maddalena’s decades of accomplishments, most notably a wonderful and thorough interview in 2006 by AAA and ATG board member, Kevin Friedrich. Maddalena was ill at this time with brain cancer, yet she could recall her fascinating life for Kevin, creating a very enjoyable and informative article, rich with her accomplishments in the accordion world. Here is a link to Kevin’s 2006 interview titled Celebrity Interview Maddelena Belfiore and also to Maddalena’s obituary, beautifully written by Faithe Deffner, in 2007. Please read the prior linked interview and obituary before reading further.

Sadly, Maddalena lost her battle with brain cancer on May 18, 2007, just prior to the US Coupe Mondiale that she worked so tirelessly to bring to fruition. The 2007 Coupe Mondiale, held just outside Washington, DC in Alexandria, Virginia, was a huge success – a collaboration between the AAA and the ATG. Attended by over 2000 people from all over the world, Maddalena was honored at this prestigious event with a competition for female accordionists in her name, as well as at one of the evening concerts that was dedicated to her memory.

My article will focus on Maddalena’s joyous and very “take charge (in a wonderful way!)” personality. For me, she was THE life of the AAA festivals! Each year, I would excitedly look forward to hearing Maddalena’s infectious laugh as I entered the hotels. I could always find the registration desk – where she happily welcomed all who attended – just by listening for Maddalena’s laugh!

My memories: A memory from the 1996 AAA Festival that always brings a smile: a rather annoying man, who always fussed about having to pay for events, approached Maddalena at the registration desk and asked if he could be on the Governing Board, and what he would “receive” for his efforts. Her quick, and not quiet – but with a big smile – response: “Well, if you are ELECTED to the Board, you will work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life – for no pay – and you will pay in full for all events, just like everyone else!” He quickly walked away. 🙂

Another memory of mine, that actually helped to make me a much better musician: my then new duet partner, Stella Allison (fondly known as “Mama Stella”) and I drove together to New Jersey for Charles Nunzio’s Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner in the fall of 2004. What a lovely event!! As we entered the room, dear Maddalena, dressed in a beautiful gown, yelled out, “Ladies!!! I’ve been waiting for you! I spoke to the Board about your new duet team. We want to feature you this coming summer at the 2005 AAA Festival’s Luncheon Concert!” Stella and I were truly in shock, thrilled and we worked HARD for months to play that 30 minute set, consisting mostly of duets by Stas Venglevski. Maddalena was so happy with our efforts! Without her knowing, she was a great motivator to get us to create our one and only CD, taken from a live concert in November, 2005. I am so happy that we created that CD as Mama Stella’s health began to decline just months later.

The last time I saw Maddalena was in the summer of 2006. Her health was declining rapidly and she passed away ten months later. Time moves on and, since her passing, we have lost so many of our dedicated and well-loved members of the accordion world!! It is important for me, as AAA Historian, to document as much as I can of these amazing folks. I want everyone to KNOW them – not just their awards and compositions, but also who they were as human beings.

I am so very grateful for the contributions by Joan Cochran Sommers, Carmela and Frank Busso Sr. and Harley Jones – who remember Maddalena so well – for their amusing stories and heartfelt words!

A few memories of Maddalena Belfiore-Greco, by Joan Cochran Sommers

Maddalena Belfiore-Greco was THE leader of any sightseeing group or of any meeting she attended, regardless of the fact she was not the elected member! She simply could feel that others would leave everything to her and felt it would be just fine!

It was my pleasure to travel with her and her husband Mauro Greco, along with several other members of either the AAA or the ATG attending various accordion events in many different foreign countries. However, it was our trips to attend the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes Coupe Mondiale (world competition for accordionists) which often meant she and her husband would lease a van. All of us Americans would hop in and Mauro would drive us to the various important venues or quite often from the large European city where we had landed but then needed to travel to a much smaller city somewhat nearby. Now that doesn’t sound funny or amazing, but it was! You may remember that not all cars are driven on the right side of the highway, which meant Mauro had to adapt to that change to his driving habits and, while doing so, had to listen to all of us in the van laughing and often giving him our advice about one thing or another. Mauro just did his own thing, however, and most of the time ignored all that good-natured assistance…. except when it came from Maddalena!

Looking back on all these wonderful and joyous travel adventures with Maddalena arranging everything brings back memories which none of us will ever forget. We were fast friends drawn together because of our intense interest in the accordion and on behalf of the organizations we represented. The many different young accordionists who were competing in these world competitions, held in so many different countries, had the luck to be traveling with Maddalena and Mauro up front, with the rest of us laughing and simply having a great time being together in the back!

Now, you may think Maddalena changed and became quieter when we attended the Congressional meetings of the world organization, but you would be wrong! Maddalena often injected a few choice comments, most of which were uninvited. These would have all the attendees laughing and having a great time together while doing some serious voting on the various items of business being discussed.

Regardless of where we were, or the language of the country we were in, Maddalena Just automatically became our guide once we stepped into the American group! And despite all the fun we had together, we got a lot of serious important accordion business taken care of. Even now, after all these years since her death, her laughter and funny remarks are missed. I can only bet she is leading a sightseeing group of musicians wherever she is… and telling Mauro when to turn left or right!

Warm and fond memories from Carmela and Frank Busso

Maddelena Belfiore in the cherry picker conducting 1000 accordionists, AAA Festival, Nashville, TN 1980.
Maddelena Belfiore in the cherry picker conducting 1000 accordionists, AAA Festival, Nashville, TN 1980.

We always picture Maddalena way up in a cherry picker in Nashville, TN (1980) conducting approximately 1000 accordionists in the massed band! Then there was Maddalena, the elegant lady, being presented with the “International Golden Lady Award” in New York City at the Waldorf Astoria (approx. 1976). She was honored for her contributions to the music industry.

Maddalena was truly a family oriented person. During the years she taught accordion, conducted and served on so many accordion-related boards, her love of the the accordion was all about how it brought families together. Even though her sons Nat and Frank did not play the accordion, they were staunch supporters of all of Maddalena’s endeavors. Her older sister, Gina, took Maddalena for her accordion lessons and accompanied her on tours in her early concert years. “Valse Diane” was written for Maddalena’s niece.

Frank Busso, Sr. with Maddelena - 1990s
Frank Busso, Sr. with Maddelena – 1990s

Mauro Greco, Maddalena’s husband, accompanied her all over the world as she pursued the advancement and popularity of the accordion.

Maddalena and Mauro were our close friends through the years. Frank met her in 1959 when she was his judge in Buffalo, NY. Soon they became colleagues and good friends. Maddalena attended our wedding in 1975 as well as the weddings of our two children in 2004 and 2005.

Maddalena’s strong personality, infectious laugh and her contributions to the accordion world continue to be missed by both Carmela and myself.

Memories of Maddalena, by Harley Jones

During the 1970s, I spent several months each year in the US demonstrating accordions, traveling and staying in the home of the amazing accordion personality, Faithe Deffner, with her friend Ann Bargou. This was a time when there were many major accordion festivals each year in the US, so there was a considerable amount of traveling.

Also attending many of these accordion events was Maddalena Belfiore and her husband, Mauro Greco. Faithe Deffner and I enjoyed many lunches, dinners and social functions in their company. Around August/September of each year, I would travel with Faithe to the CIA Coupe Mondiale and to the accordion factories in Italy. Each year Maddalena and Mauro would attend the Coupe Mondiale, held in a different country each year. From the early 1970s until her sad passing in 2007, I attended these events with Maddalena, Mauro and Faithe. We would often continue on to other countries for more accordion events.

Picture in Linz, Austria, 1983 - Mauro Greco, Faithe Deffner, Maddelena Belfiore-Greco, Harley Jones and 16 yr old New Zealand champion Marie Efford who had just won top lady competitor award (and 7th place in the Senior category) at the 1983 Coupe Mondiale. Photo by Kevin Friedrich who was with us too.
Picture in Linz, Austria, 1983 – Mauro Greco, Faithe Deffner, Maddelena Belfiore-Greco, Harley Jones and 16 yr old New Zealand champion Marie Efford who had just won top lady competitor award (and 7th place in the Senior category) at the 1983 Coupe Mondiale. Photo by Kevin Friedrich who was with us too.

Maddalena was quite an amazing character who could create laughter with her CIA Congress trademark, “I DON’T UNDERSTAND!” whenever there was a divisive topic. She was highly respected by all of the delegates. Social times with Maddalena usually involved quite a lot of laughter. She had a popular public personality with associations and audiences, always able to make a positive, enjoyable speech.

Maddalena was also a person of very strict (some would say, “old fashioned”) moral opinions and so, I was a little surprised in Amsterdam during a walk with a group of accordionists when we somehow walked into the nearby “red light area”. As we walked, there were two-story houses with scantily clad women sitting in every window. While they were wearing nothing more revealing than bikinis, I was absolutely gob-smacked when Maddalena demanded that Mauro stop looking “left and right”, and she quickly dragged him to a safer street!! She just had that kind of personality that made even red light incident into a memorable event.

Another fond memory from the 70s was traveling by Greyhound bus from LA to Salt Lake City to perform. I arrived sick with a bad flu. Faithe and Maddalena came to see me in the hotel room (they stayed at a distance from me!), and Maddalena quickly diagnosed my illness as the “dreaded Bong, Bong Bug”!” In her extravagant style, she demanded that, if recovery was not immediate, I would end up in the hospital! Luckily for me, the “dreaded Bong, Bong Bug” faded in 30 hours and I was able to perform. However, it took some months before Maddalena ceased to inquire every time we met about the “dreaded Bong, Bong Bug”!!

There were three ladies in my life in the US who had a major effect upon so many of my future musical activities. These were Faithe Deffner, Maddalena Belfiore and Joan Cochran Sommers. I had the great joy of spending a lot of time with them at various accordion events and many social functions, as well as CIA Congresses. These three very important ladies always made an impressive entrance when representing the US at the CIA Coupe Mondiale Congresses. One mutual friend actually called them the “three divas” — however, this was never said to their faces!

I remember fondly on amusing incident when I was enjoying dinner with these three ladies. They started questioning me about the 1980 Coupe Mondiale which was being held in Auckland, New Zealand the following year. With Maddalena questioning, the subject of climate came up, and when they realized that the New Zealand winter would be cold enough for fur coats (still fashionable at that time in the US) to be worn at formal evening events, Maddalena announced that she had the perfect long fur coat! I remember Faithe, later in the evening, muttering under her breath, “now I need a long fur coat for New Zealand!” The three ladies definitely knew how to make an impressive entrance at international events!

Another fond memory is of a rare performance in NY, circa 1990, by Maddalena, who at a major AAA festival performed – standing – one of a number of pieces that were composed for her by New York composers. She finished off her rousing performance with a dancing twirl and a foot stamp with arm raised to cheers from an adoring audience.

Whenever I think of Maddalena, there is always a big smile on my face!

Maddelena Belfiore
Maddelena Belfiore