Max Simoncic has composed a new accordion concerto which will have its world premiere given by Peter Soave with the Stockton Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Peter Jaffe on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 6:00 PM at the Atherton Auditorium, San Joaquin Delta College. See article about Peter Soave in this issue.

Max is an adjunct professor for National University, formerly professor of music at San Joaquin Delta College. He has received commissions from the Stockton Symphony, San Francisco Symphony Bay Brass, San Francisco Saxophone Quartet, St. John’s Chamber Orchestra, Adelphi Chamber Orchestra of New Jersey, The Flexible Symphony of New York City and numerous other ensembles. Simoncic composed chamber music for “New Release Alliance” a composers group based in San Francisco for over a decade.

In 2005, he won the ERM Media national competition “Masterworks of the New Era” for his orchestral composition “Petit Cirque” which received its premiere performance and recording with the Kiev Philharmonic in the Ukraine. Maestro Robert Ian Winstin described “Petit Cirque” as a “fun work, like a bizarre, over-the-top circus feel to it, sounds flying everywhere.” The CD was released in 2005. “Petit Cirque” has also been performed by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony and at the Louvre in Paris, France by the Paris and New Millennium Symphony orchestras the VOS orchestra, and the Norwalk Youth Orchestra.

Simoncic’s “Concerto for Accordion, String Orchestra and Percussion” celebrates the 85th anniversary of the Stockton Symphony Orchestra. Simoncic also has had the pleasure of collaborating with Maestro Jaffe writing works for the Stockton Symphonies 70th, 75th, 80th anniversaries. He has written several other works for the Stockton Symphony dating back to 1970.

The music of Max Simoncic has been performed throughout the USA and Europe. Some of the more recent performances include; “Four tango’s for seven accordions, violin, cello and contra bass” played by the Flexible Orchestra of New York, “Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra” performed by the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra in New Jersey, “Concerto for Marimba, Piano and Symphonic Band”, premiered at Carnegie Hall in New York, “A Short Symphony and Violin Concerto” premiered by the St. John’s Chamber Orchestra, “Fanfare for Wind Ensemble” performed at Carnegie Hall, and “Fanfare and March” for the Lodi Community Band.

Composition has been a part of Simoncic’s life for a much longer period of time than teaching. He began composing for the accordion at the age of 8 and composed his first orchestral piece at 12. “Max has a real imaginational gift,” Stockton Symphony conductor Peter Jaffe said. “The actual spark of just having great musical ideas, that cannot be taught. He has a real gift for sound and color.”

To this day, Simoncic finds composing both mysterious and exciting! For further information: msimoncic@comcast.net