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http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=22-Jul-2011&s=4567
http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=22-Jul-2011&s=4567
22-Jul-2011
2011 AAA Festival: Fun, Good Music and Good Times in Charleston - USAby Mary Tokarski |
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| The very successful 2011 AAA Festival held in Charleston, South Carolina, July 13-17, attracted people from all over the USA and Canada. Joan Sommers was presented with the AAA Lifetime Achievement Award during the Saturday evening Banquet. The 2011 AAA Festival featured a new idea: Young talented Charleston musicians who play other instruments performing with young accordionists! It was organized by Marilyn O' Neill, Joan Grauman, Manny Bobenrieth, Lenny Feldmann, Rita Davidson and Eddie Monteiro. Led by Eddie, they performed on Saturday afternoon to a delighted audience. Many informative and entertaining workshops were creatively presented by: Ian Fries, Rita Davidson, Joan Grauman, Gabe Hall-Rodriguez, Karen Malan-Uribe, Randy Martin, Robert McMahan, Joe Natoli, Ray Oreggia, Joan Sommers and Mary Tokarski. Various prestigious competitions were held with the following results: U.S. Virtuoso Solo Champion: 1st - Andre Fry, Annapolis, MD; 2nd - Katrina Cheung, Fullerton, CA; 3rd – Quinn Collins, Tempe, AZ. Quinn Collins, Liam Collins and Rachel Quirbach were each presented with monetary “Incentive Awards” for their presentations in the U.S. Piano Accordion Competition and the Maddalena Belfiore Entertainment Competition for Female Accordionists. Elsie M Bennett Composition Competition: 1st – Andre Fry, Annapolis, MD; 2nd – Peter DiGiovanni, Oakton, VA; 3rd – Emmanuel Gasser, St. Charles, Ontario, Canada. Adult divisions winner Shao Ying of Cheng Du, China was a hit at the Awards Concert. The International Accordion Orchestra Competition adjudicators (Joan Sommers, Robert McMahan and Frank Busso, Sr.) awarded the Martin Music School Accordion Orchestra 1st place, and cash award for the orchestra’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony (Finale) as part of the Classical Program and a collection of Southern Melodies arranged by Randy Martin as the Entertainment portion of the program. Featured guest artists and ensembles included: Donna Dee Ray, Walt Kasprzyk, Dr. Robert Young McMahan and soprano,Joy Bechtler, Ocotrillo featuring Frank Petrilli, Gabe Hall-Rodriguez the AAA 2010 US Virtuoso Solo Champion,Joe Natoli, The Connecticut Accordion Orchestra conducted by Linda Soley Reed, The Martin Accordion Orchestra conducted by Randy Martin, special reunion appearance of the K Trio, Roland Corp. U.S. V-Junior Champion Alicia Baker, Nashville multi-talented Jeff Lisenby, jazz accordion great Eddie Monteiro, Randy Martin, AAA Massed Band conducted by Frank Busso, and the 2011 AAA Festival Orchestra conducted by Joan C. Sommers. President Linda Soley Reed and Contest Chairperson, Mary Tokarski invite all accordionists to attend the 2012 AAA Festival next summer in Baltimore, Maryland. Fuller reports of the 2011 AAA Festival will be published on the AAA website and in the Accordion USA News 1st August edition. |