Video: Murl Allen Sanders performs his Accordion Concerto #2 with the Orchestra Seattle under conductor George Shangrow.
Murl Allen Sanders was the March guest artist in March for the San Francisco Accordion Club {SFAC). Murl is a musician, composer, teacher and recording artist who is active in the Seattle area music scene and across the United States, Canada, England, Brazil and Japan. Excerpts from his website: Murl has worked with such diverse artists as as Chuck Berry, Etta James, Il Divo, Glenn Yarbrough, Seattle Symphony, Brazilian accordion virtuoso Chico Chagas, virtuosos Stas Venglevski and Gary Blair, Leroy Bell, Peter Duchin, Alarm Will Sound, Seattle Modern Orchestra, Cascade Symphony, Everett Philharmonic, Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers, The Von Trapp Children, Theodore Bikel, Leslie Gore, Barbara Lamb, Susan Pascal, Warren Rand, Pearl Django, Michael Tomlinson and Kelly Harland, among many others.
Murl teaches piano and accordion privately and is also adjunct faculty at Cornish College of the Arts and Shoreline Community College in Seattle. He has received two grants from The Seattle Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs to compose She Blows Hot and Cold for chorus and symphony orchestra which premiered May 2, 2010, and a grant to compose his “Accordion Concerto No. 2” which premiered in 2007 with Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers. His Accordion Concerto No. 1, a commission from Orchestra Seattle/Seattle Chamber Singers, premiered in 2003. Murl received a 2010 and 2009 ASCAP plus award for his concert compositions from The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
Recent performances:
2016 Seattle Symphony
2015 Seattle Modern Orchestra
2015 Chicago Accordion Club
2015 Golden State Accordion Clubs, Vacaville and Escalon California
2015 International Pinot Noir Festival McMinnville, Oregon
2015 Silver Falls Accordion Camp
2012 Earshot Jazz Festival
2012 National Accordion Convention, Dallas, Texas
Photo by Daniel Sheehan Photography
Murl is also an inventor, designing the Murlstrap – Accordion Back Strap to help move the weight of the accordion and alleviate some of the neck and shoulder strain many accordionists endure. You can find out more about Murl Allen Sanders’ many accomplishments and the Murlstrap: murl@murlallensanders.com
