Accordion Society of Australia website



		ASA History

The Accordion Society of Australia known to all as the ASA and symbolised by the accordion playing kangaroo superimposed on the map of Australia, is very dear to our hearts. The text which follows can only touch the tip of the iceberg that is the history of the ASA, but maybe one day a full history will be written. The facts and figures which I detail came from reading minutes and letters housed in the archives at Lombardo Music Centre in Rockdale. To the best of my ability all I state is fact, I apologise if any is inaccurate.

Elizabeth Jones
Federal President Accordion Society of Australia
December 2000

The inaugural meeting of the ASA was held at Rockdale Town Hall on February 21st. 1970. It was opened by Mrs. Else Brandman acting as Convenor. There were 37 people present and all agreed to the founding of the Accordion Society of Australia. The first elections took place with the following results:

President:	Mrs. Else Brandman
Vice President:	Maestro D. Simonelli
Secretary:	Miss C. Gadge
Treasurer:	Mr J. Bailey
Committee Members:	Miss M. Brandman Mr L. Dellolio Mr R. Maio Mr V. Mirosunyk

A motion was passed that the Constitution as submitted be adopted as the Constitution of the ASA and that the Society be registered under the Business Names Act as a non-profit making Society. A letter dated 21st. April 1970 submitted the proposed Memorandum and Articles of Association of the ASA to the Registrar of Companies in Sydney.

An enormous amount of work went into establishing a syllabus of examinations, an examination board, designing membership cards and certificates. There were members of the ASA in South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria as well as NSW. It was decided to hold examinations twice yearly, in April and September. The first examinations were in April 1970.

An Annual General Meeting was held on 14th February 1971. The ASA was accepted into the Confederation Internationale des Accordionistes. State Championships were to be held in South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and NSW. Plans were underway to hold a National Accordion Festival.

The Society became officially incorporated under the Companies Act (1961) on 31st. May 1971. At a meeting on 6th. June 1971 the NSW Committee agreed to act as a provisional Federal Committee of the ASA until February 1972 when a Federal Committee would be elected by postal vote from all the States. The State Divisions, NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and Tasmania would form their own committees. The following is a list of the Presidents of the Society:

1970 - 1983	Mrs. Else Brandman
1983 - 1986	Mr. Albert T. Beaton (passed away 28.2.86)
1986 - 1995	Mrs. Else Brandman
1995 - 1998	Mrs. Catherine Day
1998 -	Miss. Elizabeth A. Jones

Mrs. Brandman was made President Emeritus in 1983 in recognition of her tireless work for the Society.

The first National Festival was held from 7th. to 14th. November 1971 with representatives from NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. The first National Congress was held on 12th. November among those present were Else Brandman, President NSW; A. Andrios, President Victoria; D. Krygger, President Western Australia; F. Garlick, President Queensland.

The National Festivals have continued throughout the years and many new ideas have exchanged hands and many new friendships have been formed with accordionists throughout the world, including New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada and America. The following is a list of the National Festivals:

1971	Sydney NSW	1988	Sydney NSW	2003	Sydney NSW
1973	Townsville QLD	1989	Melbourne VIC	2004	Canberra ACT
1974	Sydney NSW	1990	Sydney NSW
1975	Cairns QLD	1991	Surfer's Paradise QLD
1976	Melbourne VIC	1992	Christchurch NZL
1977	Canberra ACT	1993	Melbourne VIC
1978	Sydney NSW	1994	Sydney NSW
1979	Adelaide SA	1995	Cairns QLD
1981	Melbourne VIC	1996	Sydney NSW
1982	Sydney NSW	1997	Surfer's Paradise QLD
1983	Adelaide SA	1998	Sydney NSW
1984	Cairns QLD	1999	Melbourne VIC
1985	Melbourne VIC	2000	Adelaide SA
1986	Sydney NSW	2001	Surfer's Paradise QLD
1987	Mackay QLD	2002	Sydney NSW

Throughout the years the ASA has promoted the accordion as a versatile instrument which can be used for fun, contemporary, traditional and folk music. With the acceptance of the accordion into the Australian Music Examinations Board in 1990, it is now on a par with other examinable instruments. With continued support from the Accordion Society students are now completing both the Higher School Certificate and University Degrees using the accordion as a major instrument.

The Society also publishes a quarterly magazine, The Accordion Review, to keep accordionists throughout Australia in touch with each other. The magazine also serves as a means to keep in touch with accordionists in other parts of the world.