Where can a lover of music witness a musical ensemble consisting entirely of accordions, accompanied by two vocalists, a drummer, and guitarist that combines the sounds of nearly every instrument and a song list from nearly every genre on the planet into a single concert?
The answer is in a concert performance of the New England Digital Accordion Orchestra, which has its roots in Western Massachusetts. The orchestra is the first of its kind in the United States and unique throughout the world, according to founder and conductor Anselmo “Sam” Falcetti, of Wilbraham, Massachusetts.
“Close your eyes and you won’t imagine that you are listening to a group consisting mostly of accordions,” says Falcetti. The group uses Roland V digital accordions. According to Falcetti, the instrument, which dates to 2004, “has been aptly described as ‘an orchestra in a box,’ and each accordion can perform the sound of multiple instruments playing at one time with tone and expression.” The orchestra’s repertoire ranges from Broadway show and Hollywood film tunes to country and rock n’ roll, and from Dixieland to polka classics.
Formed in 2015 by Falcetti, whose family founded and still runs the Falcetti Music stores, the orchestra currently features performers representing five of the six New England states. The group has performed at the Eastern States Exposition and other regional fairs as well as appeared as an opening act for Deanna Martin and Bobby Rydell at the Italian Festival in Enfield.
The orchestra is currently preparing to perform at First Night Chatham, which features 70 entertainment acts from around the country, on New Year’s Eve in Chatham, Massachusetts. The accordion orchestra first performed at First Night Chatham in 2019, and was welcomed back again last December. It was invited back by popular demand for 2020 and 2021, but COVID led to the cancellation of the indoor event activities both years. Videos of the performances can be viewed on YouTube and Facebook by searching under New England Digital Accordion Orchestra.
To learn more about the orchestra, contact Sam Fal
