Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • Spring 2023 15 Musical Outreach conductor). They performed The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas. You can listen to the UMKC Accordion Orchestra performing this work on YouTube at: https:// youtu.be/WXrieopMZhU. The accordion orchestra included electronic instruments that duplicated important orchestral solo instruments, particularly brass and woodwinds, in addition to a full percussion section. It was at that moment that I knew I would attend UMKC, major in accordion performance, and study with Joan Cochran Sommers, Professor of Accordion at the University of Missouri- Kansas City Conservatory of Music. Little did I know that many years later, after a 30-year career as an attorney, I would return to the accordion world and become the president of the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International and open an accordion school in the Chicago area, Chicagoland Accordion Academy! The Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International (www.atgaccordions.com) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting excellence in teaching and performing the accordion. It was founded in 1940 by Anthony Galla-Rini, a composer of original accordion works, including two concerti, an ingenious and prolific arranger of non-accordion works and a renowned teacher and director. During the "heyday" of the accordion (1940-early 1970s), each year the ATG held a competition for students of all levels with a focus on the highest level of competition where the winning soloist would represent the United States in the Coupe Mondiale (http://coupemondiale.org). The competitors striving to represent the United States at the Coupe Mondiale would perform three selections – one work using the free bass system for the left hand (see explanation later in this article), one original work written for accordion, and one work to show strong technical virtuoso abilities. If the ATG Champion chose to go to the World Competition, they would be required to prepare three rounds of music. The first round of music would be any baroque work plus two choice pieces - one lyrical and one virtuosic. Round two required a performance of one complete original work. Those selected to move on to the final round would then perform three or more pieces of different styles and characters. Karen Fremar, whose works I performed at the 2022 SAI National Convention, is an SAI composer who was commissioned to write a test piece for Senior Coupe Mondiale in 1981 and 2007. She also represented the United States in the Coupe Mondiale in 1974. Today, at the ATG annual Festival, we still host a competition; however, as the popularity of the accordion dwindled due to the growing popularity of the guitar and rock 'n roll, there have been fewer competitors at the highest level. Currently, the biggest attraction at our festivals features an opportunity for all accordionists to gather and play in the Festival Accordion Orchestra under the direction of world-renowned conductor Joan Cochran Sommers. Professor Sommers founded the very first World Accordion Orchestra in 2007 when the ATG and AAA hosted the Coupe Mondial in Washington, D.C. Last year, we had 80 participants celebrating the ATG's 80 th anniversary. You can view our concert on YouTube at: https:// youtu.be/0bmCddQ6gDM. Each year, accordionists of all ages, from age 13–88, from all around the country are thrilled to join together to play under the baton of Joan Sommers to create music of the highest caliber. Last year, our program included an Anthony Galla-Rini arrangement of Finlandia by Sibelius along with a beautiful arrangement of a Sound of Music Medley. We also bring in the top accordion artists from around the world to perform. Last year, we featured Dr. Michael Bridge (michaelbridge.ca), a soloist from Canada, who recently completed his doctorate in accordion performance at the University of Toronto. Another featured soloist was Stas Venglevski (http://www.stasv.com), originally from Moldova, who performed Anthony Galla-Rini's 2 nd Accordion Concerto with the Racine Symphony Orchestra. Mirco Patarini, from Italy, performed a beautiful classical program, while Murl Allen Sanders

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