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http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=06-Aug-2010&lang=en&s=2533
http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=06-Aug-2010&lang=en&s=2533
06-Aug-2010
20th Anniversary of Accordion, Official Instrument of San Francisco - USAby Rita Davidson Barnea |
 Did you know that 2010 is the 20th anniversary of the accordion being the official instrument of San Francisco? Well, now you all know this interesting fact! On April 26, 1990, the Board of Supervisors voted 6 to 4 in favor of designating the accordion the city’s Official Instrument. This is all due to Tom Torriglia’s (picture right) intense campaigning at City Hall to make the accordion the official instrument of San Francisco. Tom even took the witness stand in a mock trial to testify on behalf of all things accordion while being booed by a chorus of kazoos! This all happened in 1990. At that time, San Francisco did not have an official instrument. Thanks to the efforts of Tom Torriglia, the accordion is San Francisco’s official instrument! The Board of Supervisors passed the measure which then went to the mayor’s office for his signature. Realizing what a hot-button issue this was, the mayor, Art Agnos, decided not to act and the measure became officially approved by default. Tom has been in the music business since the late 1960s. He is a tireless accordion promoter and was an original member of Those Darn Accordions. Additionally, he is responsible for making June “National Accordion Awareness Month.” Today, he plays a variety of gigs around the Bay Area, often with his popular retro-Italiano band, Bella Ciao. |