Mary Tokarski, Dee Langley, Joan Sommers, and Faithe Deffner served as delegates attending the August 2009 Coupe Mondiale in NZ. Each of them has contributed in important and unique ways to the advancement of the accordion.

Mary Tokarski, AAA and ATG Board member is an international concert artist and teacher. She has recorded many CD’s and has established a new duo, “Buttons & Keys”, with pianist, Dessislava Vassileva Vaughan. Mary is also a member of the new group, “Accordion Brats”. During the Coupe Mondiale, Mary was featured as soloist with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gary Daverne.

Dee Langley is the President of the Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International and a member of the nationally based performing trio, “Accordion Brats”. She lives in Minneapolis where she also performs with Orkestar Bez Ime (OBI) and Wild Hollow. Ms. Langley is founder of the NE Accordion Festival being the recipient of their 2002 Lifetime Accordion Award. She teaches accordion in the Metro area of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.

Joan Sommers has been honored numerous times by the American Accordionists’ Ass’n., the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, Int’l, the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes, as well as other musical organizations for her ongoing dedication and contributions to the field of music. In NZ, she conducted the World Accordion Orchestra who played “Suite from Video Games Live” arranged by Joan C. Sommers. She is sought after as a performer, conductor, clinician, adjudicator and musical director for major accordion festivals throughout the world. Joan is the immediate Past President of the Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International, marking the third time she has led this esteemed International organization which is affilitaed with the International Music Council (IMC) – UNESCO. Joan loves teaching, adjudicating competitions, giving workshops, writing reviews of CDs for Accordions Worldwide and, most of all, working with accordion orchestras.

Faithe Deffner served as AAA president from 1985 to 1986 and again from 1995 to 2000. Most recently she coordinated the 2007 Coupe Mondiale, held in Alexandria, Virginia, and co-hosted by the American Accordionists’ Association and the Accordionists and Teachers Guild International. On Sunday, September 20, at 12:30 pm at Tavern on the Green in New York City, long-time member and former AAA president Faithe Deffner will be honored by the AAA for her extraordinary contributions to the accordion world. During the August Coupe Mondiale in NZ, Faithe received the NZAALifetime Achievement Award: “The inspiration and support of Faithe Deffner has therefore had a profoundly positive effect on the development of the accordion in New Zealand and in the many musical successes of New Zealand accordionists over a long period of time. The NZAA wishes to recognize the important contributions of Faithe Deffner towards the development of the accordion in New Zealand, with the NZAALifetime Achievement Award”

Photos of delegates attending the 122nd General Assembly of Delegates:
Left to right, Mary Tokarski (AAA-USA), Dee Langly (ATG-USA), Joan Sommers (ATG-USA), Faithe Deffner (AAA-USA).

For more information: Coupe Mondiale