National Accordion Association 31st Annual Convention Summary
March 7-10, 2018 at the Hyatt in Richardson, Texas
The National Accordion Association presented its 31st Annual Convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Richardson, Tex- as on March 7-10, 2018. Wednesday early arrivals practiced for Band Camp with directors Gary Blair (Scottish Reels), Gordon Kohl (Inspirational Selections), Elena Fainshtein (Russian Folk Music), and Dick Albreski (Fun Band Selections).
In addition, The Digital Convention organized by Dr. Ian Fries opened with a welcoming concert and jam session with Markus Baggio. The Digital Suite presentations were made by: Dr. Ian Fries, Cory Pesturo, Joe Natoli, Ron Uhlenhopp, Mike Soloway, Chuck Henry, Dale Mathis, Markus Baggio, Gordon Kohl, Bill Palmer, and Paul Betken.
Others joined in during the sessions to add information, share ideas and demonstrate their experience with digital accordions. Cory Pesaturo also brought the new Bugari EVO accordion to demonstrate its versatility, the first of its kind in the USA, as it has become so popular in Europe. All types of digital accordions were visible at the conference.
Thursday Highlights
The participants were ready to play the band selections on Thursday. This year’s Albreski Fun Band had over 50 participants, and each of the bands had over 30 performers. Blair’s musical selections included: Ron Bennett’s Reel & Heidi Waltz; Kohl’s selec tions: You Raise Me Up & Chariots of Fire; Fainshtein’s selections: Playing Jazz & Echoes of Waltz; Albreski’s selections: Beer Barrel Polka, El Rancho Grande, J’Attendrai, A Major Mix, & Oklahoma Accordion Waltz.
Dick Albreski also conducted the Youth Orchestra, which had 11 participants this year, who were students of Dick Albreski, Elena Fainshtein or Greg Klugewicz. These young accordionists performed solos and also participated in the Youth Orchestra. Each year, their skills continue to show improvement. Musical selections for the Orchestra included: Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie Polka, Elvis Medley, This is Our Song, Tinker Polka, & Que Sera Sera.
Throughout the day, the Digital Suite was active with workshops, discussions, demonstrations, and individual lessons. The topics included: Roland BK-7 Module & Setting Up a Roland (Chuck Henry); Blending Acoustic Sounds (Gordon Kohl), Studio-Abilities Recordings (Joe Natoli), Manipulating Tones (Bill Palmer), and Cory Does Lovello (Cory Pesaturo).
Each session was highly informative, and participants were eager to learn more and share ideas. Cory Pesaturo’s presentation on the influence and styles of Tony Lovello was a sensitive and heart-warming remembrance of the great talent of Master Lovello. Many in the audience told their stories of how they remembered Lovello’s performances and Tony as a friend and mentor.
The evening was filled with great music with the Double Circle of Champions, featuring a Tribute to Past Legends and Showcase of Talent. Jessica Faltot played selections in memory of Gary Dahl; Joe Natoli played in memory of Ron Lankford and Stephen Dominico; Cory Pesaturo played in memory his mentor, Tony Lovello and his friend, Alexander Sevastian, and also for the jazz influence of Tony Dannon. Grayson Masefield played in memory of Astor Piazolla; Emmanuel Gasser (a former student of Sevastian) played a tango for Alexander Sevastian. Paul Betken played in memory of Frank Morocco; and Debra Peters played in memory of Buckwheat Zydeco and Santiago Jimenez Sr. The musical selections presented at this concert was an excellent tribute to the lasting impact made by these influential past legends.
Friday Highlights
Friday started in high-gear with a continuation of the Digital Conference and other workshops as well. Sharon Seaton presented a workshop, Seaton’s Circle. George Secor brought several new Maschino bass accordions and demonstrated their versatility. Matt Tolentino presented a unique historical perspective, Decades of Accordion Sounds, with recordings from the early 1900’s, sheet music, LP Albums on display, and vintage accordions which he played. Randy McPeck was busy showing How Your Accordion Works, with daily demonstrations and Q&A sessions for all.
As the day progressed, there were workshops with Gary Blair (Accordion Trips and Tricks), Shelia Lee ( Plumping Up Your Solo), and Debra Peters & Carol Garrison (Texas Roots/Vocal Backup). Dan & Kim Christian (Spice Up Your Arrangements) presented a great workshop demonstrating their skills in duet performance. They are currently writing arrangements for accordion, and you can purchase these online from their new website squeezeplay.biz. Jamie Maschler displayed her performance talent at the Tango Nuevo workshop, and discussed the music of Brazil and thrill of the tango. Mike Middleton presented his Musical Variations workshop and showcased different styles of music in both acoustic and digital mode.
As the evening progressed, it was time for the Dance Party with music from Gary Blair, Mike Middleton, Gordon Kohl, Matt Tolentino, Debra Peters & Carol Garrison, and the Arkansas Accordion Association. Line dancing and polka dancing permeated the evening, with time to laugh, and share conversation with folks from across the USA. A Digital-only Concert was also presented with Cory Pesaturo and friends, while Nick Ballarini hosted the Ballarini Bistro open mic. The Spurs Room hosted Smooth music and European café styles coupled with Jazz.
As conventioneers visited different music venues at the convention, the music lasted well into the late hours of the night. Debra Peters hosted the Mardi Gras and Blues Jam, while Dale Mathis hosted the late-night Digital concert. Great music could be heard throughout the Convention area.
Saturday Highlights
The final day of the convention opened with a two-hour master workshop presented by the world champion accordionist, Grayson Masefield from New Zealand. This brilliant, talented young man with a welcoming smile, and New Zealand accent, welcomed us to his master workshop.
Questions from the audience were fielded as he worked through questions ranging from how to properly hold and play the accordion, to how to adjust the straps and proper placement of your hands on the keyboard and bass, to bellow shake technique. Though these questions may seem rudimentary, in fact, many found the information to be useful in correcting many mistakes often made by incorrect instruction.
Grayson did a superb job in making the audience feel at ease, so much so, that several volunteered to come up on stage, so that Grayson could demonstrate how to improve technique.
His positive criticisms were gentle, kind, and informative. Of course, we couldn't help but ask: how do you “bend” a note? Grayson asked an audience member to come up and he taught her the technique of “how to bend a note”. At the end of the workshop, Grayson played 12 renditions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, as only a master accordionist could play.
His mastery of free bass, and expression with the accordion is unmatched. Thank you Grayson Masefield, for your outstanding performance and humanitarianism.
Workshops continued through Saturday, with Dale Wise presenting his informative session: Avoid Musical Mistakes/ Middle C, Where is it? Later in the day, Ed Casper presented the Non-Oom-Pah Bass workshop, while Sharon Seaton repeated the Seaton’s Circle workshop. Elena Fainshtein presented a workshop on Teaching Accordion Students, with her students and audience participation included, they played:
several duets together for the first time: PH arrangements of Clarinet Polka, Lets Play Polka, and a Fainshtein arrangement of Yankee Doodle. There were about 25 participating accordionists and students, enjoying the music together. Elena shared her experiences working with students and preparing to play. Later Elena and Gregory Fainshtein played a beautiful waltz, the 2nd Waltz by Dimitri Shostakovich and demonstrated the style of working together as a duet performer.
Dick Albreski directed the Youth Orchestra with 11 participating young accordionists. Their performance skills have certainly improved this year. Students (and teachers) in the orchestra included: Asher Elliott, Laz Elliott, Anna Rockford, Alex Rockford, Matthew Medley (Dick Albreski); Hannah Swiney, Gabriel Androtte ( Greg Klugewicz); and Peter Dresser, Elijah Clements, Timothy Regata (Elena Fainshtein), and Julia Naizer (taught by her father). This photo was taken just after the concert, students and teachers together at NAA.
Gabe Hall-Rodrigues presented a session on Jazz Accordion, demonstrating different techniques and transitions in jazz music. He also shared his work posted on his website www.accordionaz.com. Gabe will be working with the Rose City Accordion Camp to be held in Sublimity, Oregon this summer. He also works with Petosa Accordions in Seattle, Washington.
The Digital Conference continued on Saturday with Gordon Kohl (Blending Digital/Acoustic Sounds Part 2), Programming the V- Accordion (Mike Soloway, Ron Uhlenhopp, Dale Mathis), and Cory Pesaturo presenting discussions and observations about the Future of the Digital Accordion. The highly informative and professional presentations wrapped up a busy weekend of accordion music.
Joe Natoli reminded everyone that there is a new organization being formed: International Digital Electronic Accordion Society (IDEAS) whose mission will be to provide complete global support system and forum for the digital accordion in all of its forms, makes, and models, including the array of peripheral equipment used by its players. Membership accesses the regular informational bulletin, the new FACEBOOK group (search “GR 8 IDEAS) where all discussion and sharing can take place in real time every day. Future webinars, discounts for the Symposium and regional focus sessions are coming!
The Symposium will be held Oct 23-27, 2018 at Avalon Resort in Warren, Ohio with intensive workshops, private lessons, playing groups, detailed programming, instrumentation, sound engineering, recording, digital scoring and music creation, using your IPAD or similar to carry/perform all of your music, digital effects and equalization techniques, and more. Professional faculty will be instructing during the conference. Contact Joe Natoli 330-883-3620 or email j@xxx.com or Michael Soloway 917-699-4976 or contact Mike at m@msoloway.com for more details on this exciting new IDEAS organization and Symposium.
The final Saturday night concert Grayson Masefield, Cory Pesaturo, Dan & Kim Christian, and Jamie Maschler and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues. Jamie Maschler and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues started the performance with wonderful Brazillian and forro music. Their duet performance was notably vibrant with rhythmic styles from South America. Grayson Masefield, who studied with Frederich Deschamps, played a number of classical pieces and modern jazz selections with masterful clarity, bringing the audience to a standing ovation. Masefield’s performance was brilliant and flawless and captivated the audience. Dan & Kim Christian have been a part of the USA accordion scene for many years and played a tribute to Tony Lovello, playing their rendition of Malaguena, as well as the Bumble Boogie, Domino, Snow Train Shuffle, and a brilliant arrangement by Dan Christian, of the Theme from E.T., which the audience loved.
Cory Pesaturo, in classical “Cory style”, played a number of lively jazz selections including: Green Dophin Street, some Moldavian music, and a variety of Cory’s favorite improve jazz selections. As evidenced by his energetic performance, Cory still enjoys the art of accordion, as it is his life’s mission to encourage all audiences to love the accordion for its incredible versatility and enjoyment that it brings to all who listen. Later, Cory Pesaturo was joined by Gary Blair for a series of lively duets. Emmanual Gasser played a special selection, “Indifference”, which was perfect for the evening. The finale featured all artists performing together.
And so ended another year for the National Accordion Association. We thank Norman Seaton, President of NAA and the members of the NAA Board, as well as all those who helped create a successful 31st Annual Convention . We look forward to the 2019 NAA Convention. |
