Video: Cody McSherry and the Tamburitzans. Excerpts from the Tamburitzans 2022 program. Thank you to Dan Grauman for the video.

The Tamburitzans, formerly the Duquesne University Tamburitzans, have been performing worldwide for over 85 years. This year’s program, “Reflections”, features music from Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine, as well as a Jewish segment, and an Alpine segment, which was arranged by accordionist, Cody McSherry. The program is on Sunday, November 19, 2023 at The Rose Theatre, 9301 State Line Rd, Kansas City, MO.

This year’s program, according to Tamburitzans “regulars”, is one of the best in ten years. I couldn’t agree more. Many of the program’s segments feature the accordion, beautifully played by Alexei Blagonadezhdin and Cody. Alexei and Cody have solos, a duet, and they also accompany other Tamburitzan musicians and singers. Cody not only performs on piano and diatonic accordions, he also sings and plays the keyboard, Hackbrett (hammered dulcimer), Bulgarian djura gaida (bagpipe), and Turkish zurna (woodwind instrument).

The two-hour program includes beautifully choreographed dances with traditional costumes, instrumental and vocal music, and some amazing acrobatics. November performances include: Pittsburgh and Meadville, Pennsylvania; Rochester, New York; Edwardsville, Illinois; and Kansas City, Missouri.

Early next year the Tamburitzans will be performing in Monroeville and Johnstown, Pennsylvania, followed by performances in Maryland, Florida and other locations to be announced on the Tamburitzans’ website. If you are anywhere near a performance venue, be sure to attend – you’ll be glad you did.