Following the very successful inaugural Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes World Accordion Orchestra debut performance at the Coupe Mondiale 2007 under the Musical Direction of Joan C. Sommers, the CIA has continued this tradition of uniting accordionists with the magic of music, as performers from around the globe join together to form a unique and magnificent International 'World Accordion Orchestra.'
Joan C. Sommers, founder of the CIA World Accordion Orchestra was awarded the title of Professor Emerita upon her retirement from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory of Music (USA), where she established and taught the accordion degree program for forty years. She has arranged innumerable works for the accordion orchestra over many years, often for the UMKC Accordion Orchestra, a large symphonic accordion orchestra, which, under her direction, competed in and won more First Prizes in Virtuoso Accordion Orchestra Competitions than any other similar American group. This is a record still unbroken today.
In both 1955 and 1956 she earned the right to represent the USA in the Coupe Mondiale and, although she didn’t win, it was those experiences which opened her eyes to the tremendous opportunities available to accordionists; perhaps it also fixed her life-long interest in worldwide accordion activities. Most recently, she celebrated the 50th Anniversary of her UMKC Accordion Orchestra when they presented their 50th Gala Concert at the University.
As the arranger, Joan has had many years of experience as a teacher, a conductor, and an arranger for accordion orchestras at all levels. Many of these arrangements were used by her own orchestras in competitions held throughout the USA and on the many tours made by her groups overseas as well.
Joan C. Sommers has held positions in several music organizations, including the Accordionists & Teachers Guild International (ATG) and the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA – IMC-UNESCO). Today, Professor Sommers enjoys performing with fellow accordionists in duo, with other instrumentalists and with the UMKC Chamber Accordion Ensemble.
In addition to her performing, she continues to adjudicate, coach soloists, prepare accordion orchestra arrangements, and conduct accordion orchestras regularly. After her retirement as CIA Vice President, she was unanimously awarded the status of CIA Honorary Member.
| World Accordion Orchestra I |
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Alexandria, VA (Washington, DC) - USASaturday, 18 August 2007 Hands Across the Sea March by John Philip Sousa Lest We Forget by Leonard Stack (World Premiere) Let There Be Peace on Earth by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson |
| World Accordion Orchestra II |
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Glasgow, ScotlandSaturday, 25 October 2008 A Scottish March Selection - Traditional Film Noir: City at Night by Leonard (Lenny) Stack (World Premiere) Springtime Symphony by Graham Romani |
| World Accordion Orchestra III |
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North Shore City (Auckland), New ZealandSaturday, 29 August 2009 Pocket Overture by Gary Daverne Auckland March by Gary Daverne (World Premiere Performance) Suite from "Video Games Live" Radetzky March, Op. 228 by Johann Strauss, Sr. |
| World Accordion Orchestra IV |
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Varaždin, CroatiaSaturday, 23 October 2010 Iconosphere by John Franceschina (World Premiere Performance) Werziade I by Fritz Dobler Wither, Wither Violet by Josip Matanoviæ and Saša Bastalec |
| World Accordion Orchestra V |
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Shanghai, ChinaThursday, 6 October 2011 Spring Festival Overture by Li Huanzhi Jasmine - Trad. Chinese Folk Song Gershwin! (a medley) - George Gershwin |
| World Accordion Orchestra VI |
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Spoleto, ItalyFriday, 24 August 2012 Paragon March by Anthony Galla-Rini Selections from E.T. (The Extra-Terrestrial) by John Williams |
| World Accordion Orchestra VII |
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Victoria BC, CanadaTuesday, 20 August 2013 Danse Villageoise by Claude Champagne Selections from Les Miserables by Schönberg & Kretzmer |
| World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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Salzburg, AustriaSaturday, 1 November 2014 The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers A Tribute to Bernstein by Leonard Bernstein Let There Be Peace on Earth by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson |
| World Accordion Orchestra IX |
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Osimo, ItalySunday, 10 September 2017 Omaggio a Pietro Overture by Pietro Frosini Medley from La La Land by Justin Hurwitz Medley from Beauty and The Beast by Alan Menken |
| World Accordion Orchestra X |
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Kaunas, LithuaniaSunday, 30 September 2018 Serenata by Leroy Anderson Recuerdos by Amy Jo Sawyer West Side Story Medley by Leonard Bernstein |
| World Accordion Orchestra XI |
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Shenzhen, ChinaSaturday, 17 August 2019 Carefree! The Yi People Triumphal March from 'Aida' by Giuseppe Verdi Long Live the Mother Land by Liu Zhin |
