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Review and Pictures from the
2010 ATG '70th Anniversary Celebration' and
'Anthony Galla-Rini International Competition for Classical Accordion'

at the Hilton Santa Clara in the
San Francisco Bay Area, California

July 21-25, 2010


2010 70th Anniversary Festival Review

 
ATG President Dee Langley welcomed members and guests to the 70th Anniversary of the Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International (ATG) which was held in Santa Clara, California, attracting people from across the United States as well as countries such as China, Lithuania, Austria, Canada and New Zealand.

Held for the first time in California, in honor of ATG President Emeritus the late Anthony Galla-Rini, the festival featured Meetings, Concerts, National and International Competitions, Trade Shows and Social Events such as Gala Banquets, Receptions and the new after-hours Bootleg Lounge Jam Sessions.

Numerous workshops were held on topics such as The Life of Galla-Rini (Esther Lanting), Music Notation Software (Liz Finch), World of French Musette (Bernard Metais), Book Release – ‘What is an Accordion?’ (Mary Tokarski & Karen Malan-Uribe), Music of the Professional Musician (Gordon Kohl), Film Documentary Screening of ‘Behind the Bellows’ (Steve Mobia), Understanding and Playing Balkan Rhythms (Dee Langley), Bass Patterns (Betty Jo Simon), 50’s & 60’s Music (Bruce Gassman) and Developing Technique (Alexander Sevastian).

The 3rd edition of the Anthony Galla-Rini International Competition for Classical Accordion was won by Gao Yi Cheng from China, a student of Chen Jun. Performing a series of three rounds, the competition was of such a high standard that the judges and ATG unanimously decided to award a previously unannounced 4th prize, with results as follows:

  • 1st: Gao Yi Cheng – China ($5,000)
  • 2nd: Martynas Livickis – Lithuania ($3,000)
  • 3rd: Jelena Milojevic – Serbia/Canada ($1500)
  • 4th: Michael Bridge – Canada ($500)

Featured guest artists included CIA World Champions Alexander Sevastian (Coupe Mondiale) and Cory Pesaturo (International Competition for Digital Accordion). Alexander was also the winner of the first edition of the Anthony Galla-Rini International competition for Classical Accordion held in 2001. Other guest artists included Accordion Chamber ensemble (conducted by Joe Smiell, Jr.), The Great Morgani, Patricia Bartell, Ron Borelli, Steve Albini Duo, Stas Venglevski, Lionel Reekie (New Zealand), Peter Di Bono Trio, Bruce Gassman, William Cosby, Betty Jo Simon, AbsolutAccord and Amy Jo Sawyer.

Two Festival Orchestras were presented in concert including the Galla-Rini Festival Orchestra conducted by Esther Lanting which performed at both the ATG Festival and at the Great America Theme Park and the ATG Executive and Friends Orchestra conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers.

Hailed as a tremendous success by all who attended, ATG President Dee Langley announced that plans are already well underway for the 71st ATG Competition and Festival to be held in Orlando, Florida from July 19-23, 2011. Details will be available soon on the ATG Website at www.accordions.com/atg

 
Guest Artists
 
Some of the 2010 Guests included:

Alezander Sevastian
Joan Sommers
Alexander Sevastian
Corey Pesaturo
Joan Sommers
Lionel Reekie
Mary Tokarski
Stas Venglevski
Lionel Reekie
Mary Tokarski
Stas Venglevski
Dee Langley
William Cosby
AbsolutAccord
Dee Langley
William Cosby
AbsolutAccord
Esther Lanting
Ron Borelli
Betty Jo Simon
Steve Albini
Bruce Gassman
Gordon Kohl
The Great Morgani
Peter Di Bono
Patricia Bartell
 
Galla-Rini Festival Orchestra - Esther Lanting, Conductor

The Galla-Rini Festival Orchestra conducted by Esther Lanting performed at the ATG Festival as well as at the Great America Theme Park. The program consisted of several arrangements by Anthony Galla-Rini including:

  • Tara Theme (My Own True Love) by Max Steiner
  • Intermezzo Sinfonico (from Cavalleria Rusticana) by Mascagni
  • The Lost Chord by Sullivan
  • Paragon March (the official March of the ATG) by Anthony Galla-Rini
  • God Bless America
Above: Esther Lanting conducting the Galla-Rini Festival Orchestra 
 
ATG Executive and Friends Orchestra - Joan C. Sommers, Conductor

 
The ATG Executive and Friends Orchestra conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers was made up of members of the ATG Executive Board and invited guests. The program was as follows:

  • Suite from Video Games Live, arranged by Joan C. Sommers
    "Halo Theme" from Halo Suite (Marty O'Donnell & Michael Savatori Publishing)
    "Coronation" from Civilization IV (Christopher Tin)
    Baba Yetu from Civilization IV (Christopher Tin)
    Bounty Hunter Theme from Advent Rising Suite (Tommy Tallarico and Michael Richard Plowman)
    Kingdom Hearts (Yoko Shimamura)
  • Diggin Dorian (Latin Jazz) by Amy JO Sawyer
  • The Star Wars Epic by John Williams, arr. Joan C. Sommers
    Princess Leia's Theme
    The Imperial March and The Forest Battle
    Main Title: Star Wars

Orchestra Members: Kevin Friedrich - Concert Master ((New York), Alexander Sevastian (Canada), Amy JO Sawyer (IL), Beverly Fess (Canada), Bruce Gassman (NJ), Cory Pesaturo (RI), Donna Massey (CA), Frank Petrilli (CA), Gordon Kohl (CA), Herbert Scheibenreif (Austria), Lionel Reekie (New Zealand), Lynn Ewing (CA), Mary Tokarski (CT), Ron Borelli (CA), William (Bill) Cosby (VA), David Dieni - Timpani (CA), Betty JO Simon (KS), Brian Money (Canada), Cathy Sommers Tiritoglu (CA), Dee Langley - ATG President (MN), Esther Lanting (IN), Gail Campanella (CA), Gwyneth Lister (CA), Jerry Kramer (CA), Karen Boocock (KS), Linda Warren (TN), Liz Finch (CA), Mary Loomer (MN), Peter DI Bono (CA), Sharon Walters-Greyhosky (CA), Andy Marchetti - Percussion (CA), Robert Hamaker - Percussion (CA).
 

Joan Cochran Sommers rehearsing the ATG Executive and Friends Orchestra
 
Sample of 2010 ATG Workshops
Above left: Betty JO Simon - Bass Patterns
Above right: Gordon Kohl - Music of the Professional Musician
Above: Mary Tokarski and Karen Malan-Uribe - New Book - What is an Accordion?
   
ATG Performers
Some of the Performers at the 2010 ATG Festival:
 
Accordion Chamber Ensemble (ACE) conducted by Joe Smiell Jr. 
AbsolutAccoord 
William 'Bill' Cosby 
Betty Jo Simon 
Lionel Reekie (New Zealand) 
Stas Venglevski 
Stas Venglevski and Alexander Sevastian 
Peter DI Bono Trio 
Alexander Sevastian 
Cory Pesaturo and Alexander Sevastian 
Amy Jo Sawyer 
Bruce Gassman 
Steve Albini 
The Great Morgani 
Patricia Bartell  
ATG Festival Competition Competitors
 
Alexandra Reekie (New Zealand), Adjudicator Patricia Bartell, Liam and his brother Quinn Collins
Contestants Alexandra Reekie (New Zealand) Liam and his brother Quinn Collins
pictured with 2010 ATG President Dee Langley and co-festival Chairperson Mary Tokarski.

 
Anthony Galla-Rini International Competition for Classical Accordion
 
Contestants in the Anthony Galla-Rini International Competition for Classical Accordion were required to perform the following program:

Round I:
1 - Any Prelude and Fugue from the J. S. Bach Well Tempered Clavier or
Any Prelude and Fugue from the J. S. Bach organ literature.
2 - An Own Choice Program of two pieces, of which at least one piece must be an original solo work for the accordion. One piece must be of a slower, lyrical style and one piece must be of a technical virtuosic style.

Round II:
One Complete Work Originally written for the accordion.

Round III:
An Own Choice Program consisting of 3 or more pieces of different styles and character, of
which at least one piece must be written originally for the accordion with playing time of maximum of 30 minutes; minimum of 20 Minutes.
 
Gao Yi Cheng (China)
1st Place 
Martynas Levickis (Lithuania)
2nd Place 
Jelena Milojevic (Serbia/Canada)
3rd Place 
Michael Bridge (Canada)
4th Place 
Competition Chairperson Joan C. Sommers presenting Gao Yi Cheng with his 1st Place Award 
Jelena Milojevic, Michael Bridge, Gao Yi Cheng, Martynas Levickis 
Members of the International Jury for the Competition
Liz Finch (USA), Alexander Sevastian (Canada), Kevin Friedrich - President of the Jury (USA)
William 'Bill' Cosby (USA), Herbert Scheibenreif (Austria)
 
Members of the 2010 ATG Board of Directors in Attendance
 
Betty Jo Simon, Amy Jo Sawyer, Liz Finch, Kevin Friedrich, Dee Langley - President, Norman Seaton, Mary Tokarski, Jeff Lisenby, Joan C. Sommers, Stas Venglevski and Esther Lanting
 

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