Accordionist Mario Tacca will perform at the 2014 AAA Festival to be held in Tarrytown from July 9-13, 2014.

Mario Tacca was born in Italy. During his childhood, his family moved to the Alsace Lorraine region of France where he began his musical studies.  This is where his love and intense desire to play the accordion began. He loved the sound! He would pick up the accordion and imitate some of the songs his mother used to sing. The desire and love never diminished, despite having to walk three miles weekly to his teacher with his instrument strapped to his back!

While in France, he was the winner of many regional and national accordion competitions. He went on to become a world champion, winning the World Cup of Italy, the Grand Prix of Paris, the US National Competition and the International Accordion competition held at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
 

Mario Tacca dazzles audiences across the US and around the world with his unmatched virtuosity on the accordion and his exciting interpretations of international music, the classics and pop. The Journal News (NY) calls Mario “one of the pre-eminent Accordion Virtuosi in the world” and The New York Times writes that he makes the instrument “sound like a gift from heaven.” 

Among his many accomplishments, Mario has twice been the guest of the Chinese Minister of Culture, touring several cities in China (along with his wife Mary Mancini, and tenor Douglas Song) and performing with several symphonies. He is very active in the accordion community and currently serves as a vice president for the American Accordionists Association. He spends about 200 days out of the year touring and performing with his wife, Internationally Acclaimed Vocal Artist Mary Mancini.

Mario will be joined by past AAA United States Champions, Julie Cardona, Mary Tokarski and World Champion, Beverly Roberts Curnow. In addition, Mary Mancini will join Mario with a few vocal selections.