January 2012 - Arizona Accordion Club

January 2012Vol. XVI No. VIIPresents theMusette Gazettewww.azaccordionclub.comBREAKING NEWS : Previously scheduled Frank Marocco is recovering from a health issue. Appearing for Marocco isSTAS VENGLEVSKI and MISHA LITVIN ON February 20th 2012 at the Arizona Accordion Club Meeting.They will be joined by other members of the Frank Marocco Accordion Event orchestra.STAS VENGLEVSKI. His artistry, dazzling technical command, andsensitivity have brought Stanislav, "Stas," Venglevski, a native of theRepublic of Moldova, part of the former Soviet Union, increasing acclaimas a virtuoso of the Bayan. A two-time first prize winner of Bayan competitionin the Republic of Moldova, Stas is a graduate of the RussianAcademy of Music in Moscow where he received his Masters Degree inMusic under the tutelage of the famed Russian Bayanist, Friedrich Lips.In 1992 he immigrated to the United States.Stas is an Accordionist, a Musician, an Arranger, an Entertainer and aTeacher. Stas' repertoire includes his original compositions, a broad rangeof classical, contemporary and ethnic music. He has toured extensively asa soloist throughout the former Soviet Union, Canada, Europe, and theUnited States, including numerous performances with Doc Severinsen,Steve Allen and with Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home CompanionShow. Additionally, he has performed with symphony orchestrasthroughout the United States. ( continued on page 10 -> )On March 19, we welcome SYLVIA JORGENSEN AND HER BANDSylvia Jorgensen leads one of the most popular dance bands for wintervisitors to Arizona. So come ready to dance.In 1983, Sylvia organized a Scandinavian-American dance band andcalled it "Sylvia and Fjordsong." A repertoire of polka and country musicwas added in 1986, with the addition of Carl Nyberg to the band. In1992 and 1994, they played in Upsalla and Stockholm, Sweden, andParunka, and Vasa, Finland. They have traveled to entertain at numerousScandinavian and polka festivals in the United States and Canada. Sylviaalso enjoys writing and arranging music.Sylvia's first love is playing the accordion, following the footsteps of herfather. She also plays piano, guitar, recorder, and violin and likes to sing.She sang in the Pacific Lutheran University's Choir of the West and inother church choirs. She also directed Elementary School choirs, grades5-6 grade and wrote and directed the all-district Bi-Centennial Programin 1976. She began a youth choir, the Pilgrim Singers, at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Puyallup. Sylvia enjoys many styles of music butScandinavian songs are her specialty.Sylvia and her husband, Don Jorgensen, live in Puyallup, Washington seven months of the year and the remainder of the year in Mesa,Arizona. Don is an avid golfer and superb dancer. They met at a polka dance and were married in 1994.

Page 2The Arizona Accordion ClubMENU for February 20th, 2012 - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetable and roll. or those who choose to fast Anne Z is making:Roast veggies with olive oil and serve them over rice. Along with peanut butter filled celery so there's protein!JANUARY 16TH Meeting - THE SQUEEZEBOX BAND with MOLLIE BUSTA and TED LANGE by Raye DonatellaHappy New Year! I hope you have a year of good health and lots of love! Speaking of love, one of our special members,Phyllis Benguhe, made it back to our meeting this month! Phyllis suffered asevere stroke some time ago and is finally recovering enough to attend themeetings once more. Now, here is where the love comes in - she needs a rideto and from the meeting sometimes - her son will bring her when his scheduleallows it, but if he can't bring her, she needs some love from someone to helpher out. Those of us who have to be there early to set up the room and takecare of the door would not be able to do it as the time for her to sit therewould be much too long. She lives fairly close to the church, so if this is apossibility for your help, please give her acall at 602-330-3460. All of us would begrateful!Now for the pre-meeting music by JayStevens played and sang a huge variety oftunes to get the evening started - beginningwith ―Jambalaya‖ and including “Have ITold You Lately That I Love You,” “Una Paloma Blanca,” “Yellow Bird,” several polkas,“Tell MeWhy Youʼre Leaving Me,” “Volver, Volver,” and lots more. All that music andbanter—wow, Jay - that was really great - you need to do that more often!Elmer Faser and Henry Neiss - Henryʼs from North Dakota - played next. They did“Twelfth Street Rag,” “Red Raven Polka,” and “Give Me Your Heart Back” waltz. Istarted to say that was ―nice‖ but I won't do that to you again, Henry! (Henryʼs last nameis pronounced ―nice!‖) Next up was Sam Pecorilla, who played several beautiful songsthat got folks up and dancing, ending with “Que Sera Sera.” Thanks, Sam. He said he'll come back towards the end of theevening and play some more. Dr. Howard Van Orden played for us next - a tribute to Myron Floren - which began with“Let's Have a Party” and finished with “The Polka King.” We enjoyed that.Our headliners took the stage - direct from Toledo, Ohio - the Squeezebox Band, with Ted Lange on accordion and buttonbox, and Bobby Earl on drums, and starring Mollie Busta, who plays accordion, keyboard, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet,button box, slide trombone, and flute. (I have a hard time playing the TV.) Well, that was about the most fun you can havewith music!! Audience participation is theirforte - they began with “The Happy Wanderer”and followed with a huge variety ofmusic - Czech, German, Polish, English andmore - all danceable, all clappable, (is that aword?) all smile able—just great!! What a performance!!If you didn't get one of their CDʼs,you missed some great listening. Naturally,one of my favorite songs they did was Tedsinging “I Just Donʼt Look Good Naked AnyMore.” They played polkas - lots of polkas -including one that Mollie wrote, and waltzesand just anything that sounded musical!( Continues page 4 -> )

The Arizona Accordion Club Page 5Fred Ziwich’s 3-hour master workshop on The Polka - Cleveland StyleSt. Stephen’s Hall Back Room before the regular meeting on Monday, March 19, 2011. From 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. $25 at the doorWhat You Will Learn: The key elements of the Cleveland Style with examples from the kings of Cleveland Style, like Frank Yankovic,Joey Misculin -- and of course, FRED ZIWICH!!! Learn also to play 2 nd accordion with fill-ins and so much more.This is the rarest and most useful workshop you will ever attend to enhance your polka styles.Here is Fred’s bio directly from the plaque in his honor at the Polka Hall of Fame in Euclid, Ohio.Fred Ziwich is known as just about the most versatile musician ever on theCleveland polka scene. He is a virtuoso on several instruments, a prolificrecording artist, and an expert musical arranger. As a bandleader, the―International Sound Machine‖ has mastered, performed and recorded all ofthe major Polka styles. All the while maintaining a huge repertoire ofpopular music. There's no music he can't play -- and perform well.It was probably obvious to anyone who knew him as a youngster, that FredZiwich was destined to become a musician. He took his first accordionlesson at the age of 5, and was able to read Music before reading English.Then, to be able to play in the school band, he started taking Clarinet Lessonsin the 4 th grade. The next logical step was the Saxophone, and he triedthat the first time in the 8 th grade. The next major instrument that helearned was the button box, as he taught himself to play 6 songs in the daysduring his Easter Vacation of his Senior Year in High School.As a teenager, he formed the Fred Ziwich Trio, and performed twice forTony Petkovsek’s ―Polka Band of Tomorrow Contests.‖ He joined theHank Haller ensemble in 1973 and played for about 4 years. Upon receivinghis music degree from Indiana University, Fred formed the―International Sound Machine‖ in 1977. The purpose was to feature musicof all nationalities.In 1983, Fred made music his career and went on to record and performwith many other bands, such as Joe Beno, the Imperials, Linda Lee andthe GoldenAires, Adam Barthalt, accordion champion Don Lipovac andPolka-Hall-of-Famer Hank Haller. Fred released his first album in 1979and has since been a leader, or studio musician on over 90 recordings. Youcan hear him on albums by Hall-of-Famers Walter Ostanek and Joe Fedorchak. World Renowned Sounds released twenty recordingswith Fred playing all of the instruments as the ―International Sound Machine‖. For their live performances, Gary and Christopher Byndashave performed with Fred for more than 20 years. Fred is a regular on the dance schedule of Frank Sterle's Slovenian Country Houseand the German Central Farm in Parma, Ohio and was a favorite at the Czech Karlin Hall. Since 1993, Fred has been the musical directorof the German Music Society brass band (Deutscher Musik Verein). He also directed the Jadran Slovenian Chorus. Members of the NationalCleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum have honored Fred as Musician of the Year and Button Box Player of the Year,as well as awards for Best New Song and Album of the Year. In 2007, Fred married his biggest fan, Marilyn. He teaches the piano accordion,Button Box, Clarinet, Sax, Flute and Trumpet and hosts two polka shows on the internet at 247PolkaHeaven.com.Newsletter Inputs ? Please send them care of Jack at AzAccordionclub@cox.net

The Arizona Accordion Club Page 9Estimates always freeZiggie’s Music602 266 96223309 North 3rd StreetPhoenix, AZ 85012-2301www.ziggiesmusic.comziggies.music@gmail.comMondays - Saturdays 10-6In CoolidgeTimothy Gomez1 520 510 9317313 N.E. 45th St. Seattle, WA 98105 (206)-632-2700Visit Our Web Site www.petosa.com“Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten”If you are in Tucson Visit our goodfriends at ACTaka Accordion Club of Tucsonhttp://www.accordionstucson.com/Catch us on the World Wide Web http://www.azaccordionclub.com or My Space at http://www.azaccordionclub.comFind Updates and features on upcoming meetings and highlights of our great guest performers. The Club Performers link offers Photos and biosof some of our regular players. Arizona Accordion Club members are encouraged to send their info to azaccordionclub@cox.netCheck the slide show for photos from recent Arizona Accordion Club meetings.

Page 10The Arizona Accordion ClubTIME TO RENEW YOUR DUES. TIME TO UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION. USE THE FORM ON THE BACK COVERAS A GUIDE AND SEND YOUR INFO BY EMAIL TO PETE DONATELLA AT PDONATELLA@COX.NET.He performed the world premiere of Concerto No. 2 by Anthony Galla-Riniand also the world premiere of Bayan and Beyond, composed for Stas byDan Lawitts. He is a regular participant the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra'sArts in Community Education Program (ACE); has performed with theChicago Symphony Orchestra and the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra; hasdone television commercials and performed in theater productions; producednumerous recordings including a transcription of Tchaikovsky's NutcrackerSuite for Bayan as well as one oforiginal compositions. He has publishedseveral books of original compositions.MISHA LITVIN is a thrilling mastermandolinist, He has performed as asolo recitalist and as a soloist withchamber orchestras in Russia, Germany, The Netherlands, France and the UnitedStates. Also an experienced conductor and music teacher at Wisconsin Conservatoryof Music. After graduating with a degree in orchestral conducting, music, and stringpedagogy, he taught guitar and mandolin and led many student musical groups at themunicipal music school in Minsk, Belarus. He currently performs in duos with piano,accordion and guitar. He also participates in educational programs with the MilwaukeeSymphony Orchestra with accordionist Stas Venglevski and been a member of theMilwaukee Mandolin Orchestra since 2000Bavarian Inn Accordionist Joins Polka Hall ofFameBavarian Inn Accordionist Joins Polka Hall of FameFrankenmuth Restaurant Musician Wins Polka HonorFrankenmuth, MI Dec. 29, 2011 – Linda Lee, full-time Entertainment Coordinator andHouse Musician at the world-famous Bavarian Inn Restaurant in Frankenmuth, Mich.,was recently named to the Polka Hall of Fame Honor Roll by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame. She was one of six names added to the list at an awards ceremonyheld last month in Ohio. In addition to her rigorous Bavarian Inn schedule, LindaLee performs at various parties and festivals throughout the U.S. and hosts four weeklyradio programs dedicated to polka music. ―Music is my life,‖ she says. ―It is a gift fromGod. It is a real blessing to meet people from all over the world on a daily basis at BavarianInn. I also enjoy being invited to the family reunion and gatherings of people I’vecome to know for decades. It is a privilege to play for them and be part of their extendedfamily.‖ Linda Lee began playing music at age seven and started her professional career atage 10. When her three children became old enough to perform, she invited them into theact under the name “The Brown Family Singers.” While she loves her accordion, shealso plays clarinet and saxophone. The Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame is dedicatedto the preservation and promotion of polka music, the happiest sound around. During itsannual awards show, members vote for annual categories such as Recording of the Year,Lifetime Achievement recipients, and the all-time greatest polka hits among others. Thehonorees receive a Crystal Award trophy. The Lifetime Achievement award is the highesthonor presented and includes enshrinement in the Polka Hall of Fame. The 24th annualNational Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame awards ceremony took place Nov. 26, 2011 in Euclid, Ohio. The Polka Hall of Fame andMuseum was founded in 1987 by musicians and leaders of Slovenian and ethnic organizations. The Cleveland style of polka has roots in

The Arizona Accordion Club Page 11Do Not Miss the AAC Orchestra CONCERT on April 22The Program: Orchestra pieces – classicaland standards. Also be surprised with speciallyprepared pieces by trios, duos, andour very best soloists. Day and Date: Sunday,April 22, 2012 Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.Location: Franciscan Renewal Center,5803 E. Lincoln Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85253– inside The Church of Our Lady of theAngels. Expect a beautiful, elegant settingand perfect acoustics.Cost: $15 Sponsor Ticket (only 22 ticketsavailable), guaranteed front-row seating. $8for AAC members and friends (200+ tickets).Sponsors can opt to be listed in theprogram.Tickets: Contact Jack Dermody at Dermody@cox.net or phone (602) 237-5627. Also for sale at the regular meetings of theArizona Accordion Club on Feb 20, Mar 19, and Apr 16.Another life saved by an accordionBulgarian-born French pianist Alexis Weissenberg, whose love of music from the age of 3 saved him and his mother from a World WarII concentration camp and carried him to the heights of performances with Herbert von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein, has died. He was82.Weissenberg died Sunday in Lugano, Switzerland, according to Bulgarian and Swiss news reports. He had Parkinson's disease.An only child, Weissenberg was born into a Jewish family in Sofia in 1929. He recalled sharing "musical joys" learning piano and listeningto recordings and concerts with his mother, before studying piano with a famous Bulgarian composer, Pancho Vladigerov.When he and his mother tried to flee German-occupied Bulgaria for Turkey with fake identification and visa papers in 1941, he recalledin an essay on his website (alexisweissenberg.com), they landed in "an improvised concentration camp" in Bulgaria for people crossingthe border illegally. He said the German-guarded camp was probably intended to send people to Poland and extermination.They arrived with few belongings other than a small bag, a large cardboard box, a few sandwiches and an old accordion given him as abirthday gift by a wealthy aunt. And they were lucky: After three months in the unspecified camp, a German guard who enjoyed listeningto Weissenberg play Schubert on the accordion helped them escape by train."It was the same officer who decided one chaotic day to come and fetch us hurriedly, bring us to the station, push our belongings (still thecardboard box) through the door, literally throw the accordion through the window of the compartment," he recalled.The guard told his mother "Good luck" in German, then vanished. Half an hour later, they were over the border and no one asked forpassports. The next day they arrived in Istanbul.He said luck "sometimes produces tiny miracles" and "our unexpected piece of luck was a musical instrument, the dear old accordion."They made their way to Palestine, where he performed Beethoven with the Israel Philharmonicled by Leonard Bernstein. In 1946 he moved to New York to study at the JuilliardSchool of Music. Then, in the 1950s, he moved to Paris and became a French citizen.Mr. Weissenberg recounted their detention at a concentration camp, in an autobiographicalessay on his Web site, alexisweissenberg.com(Associated Press)TIME TO RENEW YOUR DUES. TIME TO UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION.USE THE FORM ON THE BACK COVER AS A GUIDE AND SEND YOUR INFO BY EMAIL TO PETE DONATELLA AT

4416 North 102nd DrivePhoenix, AZ 85037JOIN THE AAC! BE A MEMBER!Include this form with $25.00 for one-year membershipfee payable to: Arizona Accordion Club.Send to Arizona Accordion club, c/o Pete Donatella,4416 N. 102nd Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85037.Arizona Accordion Club Membership FormPlease Print or Type All InformationFull Name____________________________Mailing Address_________________________________________________City______________ State ________ Zip ____________Phone NumbersHome: _______________Cell: ______________ __Work ___________________Fax: ____________________E-mail: ___________________________Website: __________________________Updates of Accordion Events e-mailed to you? Yes NoAre you a Student Teacher Professional AmateurNon-Musician Accordion Enthusiast?New Member Gift Membership Renewal Address Changehttp://www.azaccordionclub.com