His many many years of service to the accordion community deserves high commendation. The legacy of his enormous catalog of high quality accordion arrangements and original compositions for accordion remains an important contribution to the development of the accordion nationally and internationally.

Graduated from San Diego High School.

Won the Musical Merit Award for Accordion.

Studied music composition at the Los Angeles Conservatory.

Studied accordion under Anthony Galla-Rini.

Played at Town Hall, Carnegie Hall and the Terrace Room in the New Yorker in New York.

Taught accordion for most of his life and, later, transitioned into teaching piano.

Taught accordion at San Diego State University where he conducted the ensemble.

Conducted accordion groups which performed throughout Southern California and Mexico.

Created Ars Nova Publications.

Along with Anthony Galla-Rini, assisted Gian Carlo Menotti in orchestrating Menotti’s opera, “La Loca” which was written specifically for Beverly Sills and was her last new role before retirement.

Created Music Graphics and, later, Music Graphics Press. Music Graphics was concerned with music preparation; copying, commercial work, jingles, demos, etc. Music Graphics Press was dedicated to publishing.

Published thousands of original accordion works as well as arrangements of master works and popular pieces. A great many of these pieces were edited and arranged by Donald Balestrieri.

Was the publisher for, notably, Anthony Galla-Rini, Paul Creston, and Eugene Zador, as well as many other composers.

His last project which, unfortunately, was not completed, was the symphonic orchestration of Franz Liszt’s Via Crucis, (The Stations of the Cross). Donald envisioned it played with chorus and orchestra at Santa Cecilia in Venice in a program which would include Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms.

Don Balestrieri, 86, of San Diego, California, passed away on September 16, 2023. He was born on June 8, 1937, in San Diego, California. Don was a child prodigy, masterfully playing the accordion at a young age and rapidly progressing to the study of music theory, composition, and the master composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and the rest.

He also began teaching at an early age and continued this activity; beginning with the accordion and later moving to the piano, for the duration of his life. He was awarded first place in the Musical Merit Foundation of San Diego shortly after high school and studied at the Los Angeles Conservatory for a time.

While studying at the Conservatory, he met his mentor and lifelong collaborator, Anthony Galla-Rini. They formed a professional and musical bond that lasted for decades and produced an enormous library of accordion music, despite Don’s penchant for not finishing projects!

Don’s incredible talent for playing the accordion took him to concerts at Town Hall in New York and various venues in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Mexico. As a conductor, he led many groups of accordionists in concerts throughout southern California. He also founded three music companies: Ars Nova Publications, (which he started at the age of 19!), Music Graphics and Music Graphics Press.

All three had their individual purpose in Don’s musical world of composing, arranging, editing, and publishing original works and arrangements. Copying was a large part of Don’s business and he regularly worked with the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Opera.

In the case of the Opera, Don and his staff helped composer Gian Carlo Menotti complete the important work “La Loca,” the last opera performed by Beverly Sills. In fact, if it wasn’t for the efforts of Don and Anthony Galla-Rini, the production would have had no chance of opening on time!

Personally, Don was energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate about all things associated, not only with music, but also literature, art, and architecture. He was obsessed with surrounding himself with beauty and had a taste for the finer things in life. Contemporary art, architecture, and furnishings were his favorite, but he also admired Japanese culture. In fact, Don had a room devoted to Asian influences which included furniture, musical instruments and other Japanese-inspired items. His backyard contains a Japanese-styled structure, (which hides the outdoor appliances), replete with shoji screen “windows.” The backyard also includes bamboo fence accents, a granite Japanese lantern, and a koi pond, all designed by renowned Japanese landscape artist Kohei Owatari. He frequently visited the Japanese Gardens in Balboa Park for peace and tranquility.

Regarding art, Don was a talented artist, as well. His elementary school teachers noticed him sketching his surroundings, including other students. They had Don approach his mother to buy an easel for him, which proved to be too expensive for the household budget: $1.00! His artistic acumen was so evident he was asked to paint the entire back-drop for a play the school was presenting. He continued sketching throughout his life and used his artistic ability to design features of his home, both indoor and outdoor.

Along with Don’s sophisticated tastes and passions he also had a bawdy streak in him! Always cracking jokes, (sometimes not in the best taste), he was able to get away with it because it was done in good nature and never meant to offend. His effusive joy and oversized personality made being the butt of one of his jokes or comments, almost an honor. He was quick-witted and extremely perceptive and analytical. Self-described as autodidactic, Don’s intelligence was sublime and many regarded him as a genius, especially in the music world.

Don is survived by his brother, Mario Balestrieri and his nephews and nieces: Michael Maniscalco (Heidi), Jon Maniscalco (Marlene), Tina Smith (Brandon), Joseph Maniscalco (Stephanie), and Dominic Maniscalco (Alicia), as well as many cousins and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Mariano Balestrieri, his mother, Antonina Balestrieri, his sister, Antoinette Giacalone, and his sister, Lucille Maniscalco.

A funeral service will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Don’s memory.