Two major musical events drawing national and international attention are being held in Superior. Mayor Jim Paine has recognized their importance by dedicatory proclamations he will read to open the first festival. Both of these events will take place at the Harrington Arts Centre hosted by A World of Accordions Museum.

Firstly the Museum will host World Accordion Day (WAD) on May 4th with a slate of concert performances that will be featured in international video broadcast under the auspices of Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Finland.

The event will feature Kevin Friedrich as Ambassador for the CIA and as MC. The (UMKC) Community Accordion Chamber Ensemble (picture below) is headliner attraction, under direction of Prof. Joan C. Sommers.

That concert will be preceded by well known accordionists Mary Tokarski, Murl Allen Sanders, Betty Jo Simon, Henry Doktorski and Joan Sommers in duet with Stas Venglevski.

The 2nd event is the 7th annual Dr. Willard Palmer Festival held on May 5th which will honour the genius of this preeminent leader in pedagogy and keyboard performance practice through his nearly 800 published books. His methodology and meticulous scholarship have been lauded by teachers, artists and students worldwide.

Palmer’s work will be introduced by his son Willard A Palmer, III, and followed by performances by Dance Attic—Suzi and Jimi, Mike Middleton, Jane Christison, Stas Venglevski and Aydar Salahov.

Electronic Accordions—Evolution and Future (panel discussion with demonstrations), Willard A. Palmer, III (Master of Magic, Mirth and Music, from Texas), and Accordion Concertina Music Orchestra: World Accordion Music (30+ instrumentalists conducted by Tracey Gibbens under direction of Helmi Harrington, Ph.D, from Minnesota).

The headliner concert offered by Stas Venglevski (picture above right) will conclude the festival in a varied program sure to please all.

For tickets phone: 218 393-0245 or email: aworldofaccordions@gmail.com