AccordionUSA would like to extend a warm welcome to the new news editor, coordinator and producer Rita Davidson from New Jersey, who will take over as Editor and Producer beginning with her first publication on December 1st, 2008.

After almost 10 years of producing the AccordionUSA news as a free service to the accordion community, this will be my last publication. I would like to thank all those that have supported and contributed to the site during this time, allowing readers to enjoy news and information about a broad spectrum of accordion events happening across the United States.

Your new editor/producer, Rita Davidson (pictured right performing in New York City) is an accomplished accordionist and music teacher. She teaches PreK to Grade 5 vocal music in the West Orange, NJ public schools where she uses her accordion in her music classes and programs every day!

She is an honors graduate of the University of Connecticut and is on the Governing Board of the American Accordionists’ Association. Rita has been attending Accordion Festivals in the past few years where she judges and also gives workshops and concerts on the Life and Music of Eugene Ettore with whom she studied for many years. She also has a Klezmer group which entertains throughout the metropolitan area.

To coincide with the transition in editors, we have also taken the opportunity to update the format of the site, allowing for easier production and updating, such as that now found on the main Accordions Worldwide International News pages. This update will take place during the latter part of November, to allow for the new system to be fully in place for Rita’s first publication in December.

To submit news for publication in December, please contact Rita Davidson at:
Ritabelll@aol.com or by cell phone: 201-675-4861.

Thanks again, and I look forward to joining you in following the news online!