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Dr. William Schimmel, curator of the 2021 Virtual Accordion Seminars, shares: “The Seminars, sponsored by the American Accordionist’s Association, were a great success!

The event took place on three days, July 30, 31 and August 1 on Zoom. It was our 27th smash year. We look forward to our 28th Smash year.”

From 3 to 4:PM we presented intriguing Master Classes and Lectures.
From 4 to 5:PM we presented Innovative Concerts.

Both the Lectures and Concerts presented the Accordion in fashions yet to be explored to a wider public, much like a laboratory or incubation of new ideas or new takes on old ones.” Dr. Schimmel hosted the entire weekend and introduced each performer or performers as well as all of the lectures and demonstrations.

The topics included:
A new AAA commissioned work
51 ways to go – oom pah
Playing the Accordion for babies
The use of the Accordion for Special needs adults
Sea Shanties
The accordion in confined space
The Accordion and Alcohol – including Happy Hour
The Accordion and no Alcohol – Coffee and Culture
New exciting videos
The accordion and the “chi”
The resonance of the accordion when absent
Which/What – Which accordion for what purpose
Unusual accordions and accordion replacements and how to use them
Art Songs, Indie Songs and new takes on Rapture Hymns and Psychedeliia

And Twilight Time:The short list of featured participants included:
Micki Goodman, Dr. Robert Young Mc Mahan, Paul Stein, Will Holshouser, Dr. Denise Koncelik,
Godfrey Nelson, Lorraine Nelson Wolf, Michael Schimmel, Dr. Hugo Goldenzweig, John Foti, Jeanne Velonis, Bachtopus, The Main Squeeze Orchestra, Mary Spencer Knapp, Charita Paramikatorn, Sarah Starpoli, Miwa Gemini, Jennie Muoio, Erica Marie Mancini, Carl Riehl, Doug Makofka, Bob Goldberg, David Stoler, Benjamin Ickies, Corn Mo, Brian Dewan, Mike’s Place (Mike, Edith, Keith, Tony, Brian, Micki), Ted Nash, The Yorkvillians, Melissa Elledge, Rachel Quirbach, Rachel Swaner, Elaine Yau, Peter Flint, Robert Duncan, Mayumi Mayaoka, Dan Cooper, Michio Suzuki, John Ferraro, Dave Soldier, David First, Peter Jarvis, Linda Reed, Raymond Storms, Natasia Thweatt, Gene Pritsker, Quentin Tice, Milica Paranosic, Elliott Sharp and others to be announced. – and Dr. Schimmel (the long list on the downloadable flyer may contain some past participants)

The videos took place on July 31 and August 1, 2021. July 30th is in preparation and will be shown on the October Calendar. Each video lists the participation artists and Dr. Schimmel announces them as well.

Dr William Schimmel is a leading accordionist, composer and academic, based in New York, where he organizes the annual ‘Master Class and Concert Series (The Seminars). He received a Merit Award from the AAA for his contributions spanning fifty years plus the “Accordionist of the Year” Award in 1988. He has performed with many major symphony orchestras in the US, many chamber groups, as well as with rock), jazz, and avant-garde groups.

As a Juilliard trained musician, he is frequently asked to play with the Philharmonic and other orchestras around the country. He also performs in the pit orchestras on Broadway, his most recent performance being the accordionist for the award winning production of “An American in Paris.” Over the years Bill’s music has been included in television shows and films. His best known appearance is in the tango scene of “Scent of a Woman” starring Al Pacino.

Bill Schimmel learned accordion as a child and attended Julliard School of Music where he received his doctorate in composition. While he was still a student at the school, his career was launched after he recorded songs of avant gard composer, Luiano Berio. An authority on Kurt Weill, Dr. Schimmel has recorded all of Weill’s music with accordion. Beginning in 1981, Schimmel’s Tango Project has released a string of acclaimed recordings on the Nonesuch and Newport Classic labels. The first Tango Project recording went to No. 1 on Billboard’s classical charts and was named Record of the Year by Stereo Review magazine.

Check future publications of the USA News for more information on next years Seminars.

For more information on the Seminars: accordionibill@gmail.com