Click each picture to see full size Only the professional accordionists are named. Thank you to ATG President Mary Ann Covone for the text under the pictures.

Stas Venglevski and Grayson Masefield adjudicating ATG contenstants Betty Jo Simon announcing contestants Amy Jo Sawyer with contestants from the French Island of Reunion Harley Jones and Pierre Varo (director of The Polyphonia Orchestra) Frank Busso, Sr. and Frank Busso Jr. exhibiting Titano Accordions, music and accessories Janie with a Smile (Jane Christison) entertaining at the ATG Petting Zoo Having fun at the ATG Petting Zoo Frank Busso, Jr. presenting a workshop on lead sheets Chicagoland Accordion Academy performing the opening concert of the ATG Festival Chicagoland Accordion Academy with The Studio Space Group (Stas Venglevski’s group from Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Dr. Herbert Scheibenreif, Kevin Friedrich and Stas Venglevski at the “Meet & Greet” Joan Sommers, Amy Jo and Keith Sawyer at the Meet & Greet Elena Fahnstein and her students

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First Festival Orchestra Rehearsal Anthony Schulz (Australia) presenting a workshop on aural skills and what’s happening in Australia Helmi Harrington (A World of Accordions Museum) presenting a workshop on historical accordions Herbert Scheibenreif and Liz Finch adjudicating Mary Ann Covone, Director of Chicagoland Accordion Academy, and her student Sonia Strazlka UMKC Accordion Ensemble directed by Joan Cochran Sommers Kevin Friedrich, emcee

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Grayson Masefield presenting a workshop on bellows Joan Sommers introducing a work by Adolf Gotz at the Original Music Concert Lemi Yang, Betty Jo Simon and Jane Christison performing an original work by Lemi Yang Marianne Pyster, Judy Neergard, Kenn Baert and Jose Martinez performing an original work by Amy Jo Sawyer Stas Venglevski performing short original works composed by young composers Elena Fanhstein and Lucas Kaspar, accordion and trumpet on the original music concert Anthony Schulz, Helmi Harrington and Herbert Scheibenreif outside the beautiful Armerding Center for the Performing Arts on the Wheaton College Campus Stas Vengelvski and Nathaniel Holman, accordion and marimba featured artists on Friday evening Pierre Varo, director of The Polyphonia Orchestra from the French Island of Reunion The Polyphonia Orchestra, a 55 member group of mixed instruments The Polyphonia Orchestra – featured artists Friday evening

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Lynda Griffith presenting a workshop on hand health Petting Zoo #2 at Wheaton College Grayson Masefield, featured artist Saturday evening, rehearsing at Armerding Center ATG Pres. Mary Ann Covone and 1st Vice-Pres. Beverley Fess present award to Adam Fundak Elijah Clements, student of Elena Fahnstein, receiving a cash award The Reunion Island Group with their trophies Amber Masefield and a student at the ATG Banquet Harley Jones and Helmi Harrington at the Saturday evening banquet ATG Board of Directors presenting Hall of Fame Award to Betty Jo Simon Betty Jo Simon with her award Live Auction of hand-made musical quilt made by Sue Baert 2023 ATG Festival Orchestra – Saturday night concert Professor Sommers, conductor of the ATG Festival Orchestra Grayson Masefield, featured artist Saturday evening Standing Ovation for both the Festival Orchestra and Grayson Masefield The “After-party” at the end of the Festival Pizzas and cake

A most successful World Premiere of "Meditato" by Gorka Hermosa was performed by Grayson Masefield at the 2023 Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International (ATG) Festival in Chicago.

“Meditatio” (2023) is a Meditation on the irrationality of human barbarism that was commissioned by the ATG thanks to the ATG President Mary Ann Covone and Harley Jones, Accordions Worldwide. When approached for the commission, Gorka Hermosa proposed a melodic piece, as most commissioned works he receives are for virtuoso pieces. He thought that it was deeper to go in the opposite direction with a melodic work.

Gorka writes: "Meditatio tries to express the desolation in my soul in front of barbaric acts such as I previously showed in Gernika (1994), and in Fragilissimo (2000) showing that all depends on the point of view and our inability to understand the point of view of the people who thinks to the contrary of us. To compose “Meditatio”, I listened to the main melodical pieces written for accordion (Romance of Angelis, Kalina Krasnaya of Semionov...), music by Albeniz, Satie, Debussy... and finally I found the inspiration listening to Rachmaninoff (for the introduction of the piece) and Villalobos (Bachiana Brasileira nº5) for the rest of the piece, departing from the improvisation on its harmony, to write what I finally composed in this piece.”

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General Membership Meeting Sunday morning, Kenn Baert, 2nd Vice-President and his wife, Sue Baert, Chuck Oprian, Anthony Schulz, Grayson Masefield, Brian Money ATG President, Mary Ann Covone, and First Vice-President, Beverley Fess, conducting the general membership meeting Sunday morning