The "K" Trio made a whopping 37 appearances in 2000 . . . even with the time off in April and May for Julie's surgery, and our vacation in December! The events went from special "guest" performances of just one or two pieces, to 2 hour concerts . . . even a radio talk show!

We had hoped to finish our next CD release in the Spring, but Julie's surgery put a damper on that! The recovery period was longer than expected, and the summer "flew" by with our trips to Washington, D.C. and to Chicago. Fall performances were so thick, there was very little time for getting into the studio to finish the recording. We decided to take some "time off" in December for a little R&R, and Mary and Julie spent some Holiday time in Tennessee with Mary's grandchildren. January 2001 is here, and the CD (we're calling it "Take 2") is still not quite done! We're shooting for early spring . . . if all goes well!

Our schedule in January of 2000 included two performances for the Schubert Club of Fairfield County, and a visit to one of the local Homes for the Aged.

We worked hard in February to get into the recording studio several times, and then off to the Hartford area for a 100th Birthday Party! Not to be outdone, the Home for the Aged had us return in early March for a 105th Birthday Party!

A Sunday off in April allowed us to attend a concert by the Accordion Pops Orchestra, conducted by our friend Daniel Desiderio. We enjoyed the afternoon . . . a tribute to Pietro Deiro, Jr. . . . and got to visit with the guest soloists as well as our many friends in the orchestra. A wonderful afternoon out . . . without a performance!

Mary did some judging in April at the Accordion Teachers Association of Massachusetts Festival . . . an event that's been on her schedule for many years now! It's great to watch the students grow . . . chronologically as well as musically!

April got really mixed up when Julie had to go into the hospital for emergency gall bladder surgery! But, trooper that she is, we performed a concert 10 days after her surgery! Alphen Opus 2, an accordion orchestra from Holland, shared the stage with The "K" Trio in a concert at the Thornton Wilder Auditorium in the Miller Library Complex in Hamden, Connecticut. The group was conducted by Russian-born Serge Latychev, and was a wonderful treat for the concert-goers. They performed a variety of exciting Russian and Dutch Musical Treats! This concert served as the stage for our "premiere" performance of "The Fox and The Hound" by Frank Mucedola. Mary had spoken with Frank to ask him to make an arrangement of the number for the trio . . . he suggested we do it ourselves! We were honored that Frank made a special trip to Connecticut to be at the premiere. The number will be included on our "Take 2" CD! The proceeds from the Dutch Treats Concert were donated to the Yale Center for Children with Special Health Care Needs.

In May, Julie was still recovering, so we had to postpone a few of our events. We caught up eventually with the performances, including one at Green Acres Elementary School where Mary teaches. The Pre-School through 2nd graders really enjoyed the concert, which included Eugene Ettore's "Pioneer Concerto" (they told Mary later that it felt like being out on the prairie chasing Indians!), "Malaguena" by Ernesto Lecuona . . . and a children's folk story -- Momotaroson -- about a Japanese boy who has a great adventure! The children loved helping The "K" Trio make their own music to enhance the story!

Julie and Mary also had the opportunity to appear as guests on Radio Station WWUH's Italian House Party with Tony Magno. The 2 hour show went quickly, as Tony spoke both in English and Italian, asked us about our life's experiences with music and the accordion, and played some cuts off our "Images" CD.

The great weather of June is always conducive to outdoor performances, and this year was no different! We performed again for the St. Anthony's Festival in New Haven, and several senior residence picnics!

July kept us very busy. We performed for both the American Accordionists Association Festival in Washington, D.C. and the Accordionists' and Teachers Guild Festival in Chicago. Both events were great fun . . . we got to socialize with our old and dear friends, and even make some new friends . . . Freddy Baldo from France, and Vitali Dimitriev from Russia (we performed in concert with his father Alexander a few years back at an A.A.A. event in Norwalk, Connecticut!). While in Washington, we performed for the first time under the baton of composer/conductor Gary Daverne from New Zealand.

In Chicago, we had the pleasure of performing under the leadership of Joan Cochran Sommers, Maestro Anthony GallaRini, and jazz artist Frank Marocco. The experiences were wonderful . . . and LOTS of fun!

When we returned home, we continued our jam-packed schedule of performances, leaving us very little time to work on our recording.

On August 26th, The "K" Trio had the privilege of "premiering" a work written especially for us by Dr. William Schimmel . . . "Kosovo: Land of Broken Dreams" . . . in a concert setting at the Tenri Cultural Institute in Soho, New York City.

Dr. Schimmel has been a life-long friend of the trio's members, and in a conversation with Bill back in March, Mary asked him when he would write something for the trio. The following week a package arrived containing Bill's original manuscript! We were amazed, and intrigued as we worked out the intricate details of his unusual composition. This dramatic and expressive work portrays the anguish and suffering of the people of Kosovo over the events of recent years. The ad lib obligato part in the 2nd section is performed above the sound of heart-wrenching sobs, ending with the sound of exploding bombs, and the haunting sound of dying heartbeats. The work is magical in exporting the listener into the hearts and minds of those in fear of their lives! We will perform it again, with an added art form . . . Bill's wife, Mikki Goodman, is a modern dance impressionist, and plans to choreograph the work to perform some time in 2001. We'll keep you posted!

September was exciting for The "K" Trio . . . we were honored to be able to perform Mozart's Quintet in E Flat Major, K. 452 for Piano & Woodwinds with Yale Professor Emeritus Dr. Ward Davenny, and Brian Canell (a long-time student of Mary's, who regularly returns to perform with us). As a quartet with Brian, we were also able to include two numbers that we LOVE to perform: the"Presto" Movement from Vivaldi's Summer Concerto, and the Scherzo Movement from Mendelssohn's Quartet, Opus 44, No. 2.

Again this year, we were guests with virtuoso accordionist Mario Tacca and international vocalist Mary Mancini, this time at the Paramount Theater in Peekskill, New York . Mandolinist Barry Mitterdorf and Carmen Carrozza rounded out the performers. We joined Carmen in a rousing rendition of Magnante's "Accordion Boogie"! As an ensemble, Mario, Carmen, Mary, Julie & Walter performed Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, Bach's Fugue in G minor, and the Strauss favorite, Radetsky March! The entire cast finished the program with a Patriotic Medley, bringing the audience to its feet!

The "K" Trio was invited to perform at the 20th Annual Connecticut Artists Show sponsored by the Milford Fine Arts Council. The event was well attended, and The Arts Council had "wonderful feedback from the guests attending the show, who raved about the music." The press release stated that . . . "Music was provided by a group unique enough for the evening, "The "K" Trio," a North Haven accordion group . . . Their music included a selection of styles including Broadway, boogie, classical and waltz - but no polkas."

October took The "K" Trio to the top of the World Trade Center! We performed after Phoebe Snow (of "Loving You Is Easy Because You're Beautiful" fame), who sang a special song for the wedding couple. Included in our part of the dinner performance was "The Wedding Waltz" - a selection based on the theme of the second movement of the Borodin's String Quartet, and arranged for us by the groom, Murray Weinstock!

A trip to New Hampshire, and a performance with the Rosita Lee Showstoppers in Nashua was next on the list! We had a great visit with Deedee and Roger and company! We stayed at their daughter Holly and her husband Marc's lovely home, and had a simply wonderful time!

In keeping with the Holiday spirit, The "K" Trio performed for some local charities . . . at the Westfield Works Wonders event at the Connecticut Post Mall, raising money for Connecticut schools . . . for the "It's the 'wheel' thing" event to benefit the Springfield Shriners Hospital Wheelchair Fund . . . and the Ronald McDonald House Trees of Hope event at City Hall in New Haven!

We did only 1 performance in December, and then took our much-needed "break". Both Julie and Mary came home exhausted . . . and with sinus infections! Things are getting back to normal . . . we're back in the recording studio working on finishing "Take 2".

2001 is taking us to Texas, Rhode Island, Australia and New Zealand (so far).

It's going to be a GREAT YEAR!
HAPPY MUSIC MAKING!