performers

Hire an Accordionist!

Vic Aijala (410) 544-0153 aijala@toast.net	Finnish and other Scandinavian music.

Joe Blumka Arlington, VA (703) 931-9335 JoeBlumka@webtv.net http://community-2.webtv.net/JoeBlumka/JoeBlumka	A native of Chicago, studied with jazz accordionist Leon Sash. Since the 1970s has played at various locations in Chicago and Washington, including the Chicago Stadium and the Kennedy Center. Also has performed in the opera "Naked Revolution," in community theater productions of "Fiddler" and "Zorba," and in concerts with the Reston Chamber Orchestra and the American Balalaika Symphony.

Manny Bobenrieth Bobenrieth Music Studio Potomac, MD (301) 299-0950 mboben@msn.com www.jazzconnect.com/ mannybobenrieth/info.htm	Born in Chile, began studying the accordion at age 5. Received a Bachelor of Music degree in Performance from Catholic University. Has performed in many different musical contexts including Broadway musicals, Contemporary Music Forum and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Has appeared with jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd and can be heard on the soundtrack to the Discovery channel television series "The Great Chefs" as a guest artist with the Charlie Byrd Trio. Member of the U.S. Army Band, performing with the Army Strolling Strings at the White House, Vice President's residence, State Department and other official events. The Manny Bobenrieth Ensemble has performed at Blues Alley Jazz Club, the Argentine Embassy, the World Bank, and the Kennedy Center, among other venues. The group's "Tangata" CD (featuring the music of Astor Piazzolla) has received glowing reviews.

Merv Conn 1015 S. Noyes Drive Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 (301) 565-2054	Strolling and singing

Lou Coppola & Stereo Strings http://www.stereostrings.com lou@stereostrings.com	First accordionist to win three consecutive national championships and also the first American to represent the U.S. at the world accordion competition in Brighton, England. Performed with the acclaimed USAF Strolling Strings for over 28 years, ultimately becoming the leader of the organization. Performed at the palace of Anwar Sadat, in the Far East, and all over the globe. Played for nine U.S. Presidents at the White House and for hundreds of heads of state. Since then has managed his own company, Stereo Strings, providing music entertainment both local and national. Stereo Strings performed with 28 violinists at the opening of the new National Airport. The group was involved with Atlanta’s Olympic committee, traveling to Seoul, Tokyo and Barcelona as the U.S.’s sole musical representative in this successful effort. Lou and his ensemble had one of the longest consecutive engagements in the country, performing at the Officers’ Club at Fort Myer, VA for 44 years.

Rose-Marie Coppola http://www.thestrollingstrings.com/index.htm	Agent

Dick Dangel 8724 Crider Brook Way Potomac, MD 20854 (301) 365-1120 DickDangel@verizon.net	Specialty is playing accordion and singing mostly Tin Pan Alley songs that almost everyone is familiar with (1920s-1950s), such as love songs, polkas, ragtime, jazz, South American and some ethnic songs. Available daytime, evenings or weekends. Primary customers are retirement homes, senior centers, professional luncheons and parties. :Leads sing-alongs as well, has a barbershop quartet called Potomac River Rascals which is quite active, and sings with the Alexandria Harmonizers, a large men's chorus.

Peter DiGiovanni (703) 242-2160 (703) 919-5701 (cell) www.musicisforever.com peter@musicisforever.com	Originally from New York, now lives in Oakton, VA. Has been playing piano since a small child, and accordion for the past 25 years. Affiliated with the Washington Balalaika Society, Russkiye Musikanti, the Metropolitan Washington Accordion Society, the Maryland Accordion Club, and the American Accordion Association. Has performed numerous times at parties and celebrations, grand openings, public and private concerts, and music clubs and festivals. Knows hundreds of songs by ear, covering music for all seasons and a wide range of genres, and is equally comfortable sitting or strolling, playing solo or accompanying singers, or jamming with other musicians.

Silvia Eberly 5212 10th Place S Arlington, VA 22204 eberly777@hotmail.com (571) 241-0730 www.magicmountainpuppets.com	Originally from Vienna, Austria. Started learning accordion at age of five from her parents, who also played accordion. Studied accordion under Professor Walter Mauer from 1960 to 1965 in Vienna. Has performed for Volkstanz groups in Vienna and various concerts in Germany and Austria. Also has taught and performed the accordion in Northern Virgina and the Washington Metro area since 1993. Started Magic Mountain Entertainment in 2000. Teaches the piano accordion, diatonic (button box) and the chromatic button accordion.

John Peter Giunta 117 Moore Avenue, SW Vienna, VA 22180 (703) 281-5498 jpgiunta1211@aol.com	John is a versatile performer and is available to provide entertainment for all social and sacred occasions on the accordion, classical guitar, unaccompanied flute, mandolin, hammered dulcimer and Asian percussion instruments. He specializes in his own improvisations that are provocative and interesting. "You made me think" is a common comment about his programs. He holds a Master of Arts degree specializing in the classical guitar from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. John has also attended Juilliard and the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He has been a member of the American Federation of Musicians since 1993 and operates his own independent music studio in Vienna, Virginia. He is also a certified teacher of yoga and meditation and an ordained Interfaith Minister available to officiate weddings.

Koliu Kolev (347) 200-1335 (301) 865-2159	Teacher, performer, recording artist and former soloist with the orchestra "HORO" (Rousse, Bulgaria) and Bulgarian National Radio & TV

Wendy Morrison Silver Spring, MD 301-890-3867 klezmer@comcast.net	Performing, recording and teaching since 1978. Accomplished in various instrumental styles, including Appalachian old time, New England contradance, Irish, Scandinavian, French, Klezmer and other European folk music. Currently performs with the bands Klezcentricity and Klezmos. Teaches piano accordion, concertina, and pennywhistle.

Paul Przedpelski http://www.paulaccord.com

Michael B. Rubin (301) 294-2619 (301) 251-7549 mbr_music_dnc@yahoo.com	Solo and group performer specializing in Jewish music - Yiddish, Hebrew, and Klezmer. Also performs American popular, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Slovenian music. Member of United Jewish Appeal Entertainment Group in NYC for seven years. Performer with several community theater groups in the DC metro area including Hexagon, Di Shpilers, NIH, Potomac Community Theater, and Rockville Little Theater. Member of Accordion Plus Band for 10 years. Former faculty member of the Himmelfarb Mobile University. Graduate of the world-famous NYC H.S. of Music & Art and Performing Arts. First oboist with the New York University orchestra and Bronx Community Orchestra with which he performed at Carnegie Hall. Performs a one-hour show of mostly sing-along at senior community centers and the like. Performs at parties and celebrations. Teaches accordion and piano privately and with the Accordions for Kids program. More about Mike.

Mike Surratt http://www.polkasarecool.com http://www.mikesurratt.com	Mike Surratt is a full-time musician with more than 35 years of professional experience who performs primarily throughout the Washington, DC - Baltimore, MD - Richmond, VA corridor. As a solo performer, Mike has played his share of restaurants, lounges, Caribbean cruises, dances and private functions showcasing a wide variety of music genres from 50s, 60s, 70s & 80s pop, ballroom Latin & swing, classic country, European favorites, and torch songs of the 1930s.

James E. Vandelly 15508 Vine Cottage Drive Centreville, VA 20120-3750 (703) 631-8831 vandelly@verizon.net	Jim has been playing accordion professionally since the 1960s as a soloist, member of ensembles, and most recently, member of the Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra (1989 to 2001). His repertoire on the piano accordion consists of semi-classical and American Standards going back to the 1920s. Jim's repertoire on the Russian bayan consists primarily of Russian and Ukrainian folks songs but also familiar American and international tunes.

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Hire an Accordionist!