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AAA Music Commissions

The listing below consists of all original works commissioned by the AAA since 1957, when the first composition, Prelude and Dance (Op. 69), by the renowned American composer Paul Creston, was published. Since then, the number of works has passed 61 and is still growing.

All commissions, from the first through the most recent, are listed below in alphabetical order by

1) composer (left-hand column);

2) dates of commission and/or publication (middle column); and

3) the original publishers (far right column), accompanied by links to recorded performances from a variety of sources (in red under the publisher’s name) when they can be found.

The sound quality of the recordings varies, depending upon the conditions under which they were made, and range from carefully made studio productions to more spontaneous amateur through professional level recordings at live events. A number of these have been on Youtube for some time already. Most of the venues are public auditoriums of varying notoriety, professional recording studios, and private homes. Despite the conditions under which the recordings have been made, however, the performances themselves are of outstanding professional quality by artists of the highest caliber and should successfully fulfil the main purpose of their inclusion on this list: to acquaint the reader aurally with the scores themselves.

For the interested performer, some scores may be hard to find since items often go out of print, and publishers themselves go out of business or are absorbed by other publishers. A web search will often turn up out-of-print copies for sale, however, and is worth the effort. The AAA is endeavoring to locate present-day owners of these publications for permissions. Feel free to contact us at mcmahan@tcnj.edu if you are having trouble finding a score that interests you in the meantime.

Articles about individual AAA Music Commissions.
Short history of the Composers’ Commissioning Committee.

Live radio broadcast interview with Carmen Carrozza, pioneering performer of the first CCC commissions of famous American composers. WFMT, Chicago, February 16, 1961, following Carrozza’s February 11 concert at the Arts Club of Chicago in which he performed AAA commissioned solos by noted American composers Robert Russell Bennett, Henry Cowell, Paul Creston, Otto Luening, Wallingford Riegger, William Grant Still, Carlos Surinach, and Virgil Thomson. Carrozza discusses the rise of the classical accordion and plays excerpts from these works as he describes them.

Composer
Last, First name
Music Title (year) Publisher
Recording Information
Adler, Samuel Canto XVIII (2009) Ludwig Masters
Recording by Dr Robert Young McMahan.
Video: Samuel Adler discussing his Canto XVIII with Beverly Curnow (who premiered the stradella version at a previous event) and Robert McMahan (who would premiere the free bass version at this concert). They were members of a pre-concert discussion panel of performers and/or composers participating in this, the fourth of a series of AAA- and City College of New York (CUNY)-sponsored programs of contemporary concert works for or including accordion, produced and moderated by McMahan. The other panelists seen in this excerpt and who discussed other works on the program are accordionists William Schimmel and Mary Tokarski; pianist and daughter of one of the composers on the program (Todor Vasilev Gerov), Dessie Vaughan; and dancer/choreographer Micki Goodman. Elebash Recital Hall, CUNY, October 10, 2008.
Baksa, Robert Accordion Sonata (1998) Theodore Presser
Video 1st mvt, 2nd mvt, 3rd mvt Robert Young McMahan
Bennett, Robert Russell Four Nocturnes (1960) Chappell & Co.
Recording by Beverly Curnow. Nocturne 1, Norturne 2, Nocturne 3, Nocturne 4.
Bennett, Robert Russell Quintet (Psychiatry), for Accordion and String Quartet (ca. 1963) Chappell & Co.
Biviano, Joseph Quintet in G, for Accordion and String Quartet (ca. 1986) (Rental Only)
Brant, Henry Sky Forest, for Four Accordions (1962) O. Pagani & Bro.
Recording by Robert Young McMahan, Beverly Roberts Curnow, Rita Davidson, Leonard Feldmann.
Brickman, Joel Prelude and Caprice (1973) Pietro Deiro Publications. Video by Mary Tokarski.
Cowell, Henry Concerto Brevis, for Accordion and Orchestra (1962) Pietro Deiro Publications
Video 4 movements, Joricio Cagel accordion
Cowell, Henry Iridescent Rondo (1960) Pietro Deiro Publications. Video by Carmen Carrozza
Recording from Schimmel’s LP, Accordion Revisited
Creston, Paul Concerto for Accordion and Orchestra or Band (1960) Ricordi Music/reprint by Ernest Deffner Music
Video Carmen Carrozza, accordion, & Boston Pops Orchestra, world premiere. Video Carmen Carrozza
Creston, Paul Embryo Suite (1968) Pietro Deiro Publications
Video Robert Young McMahan
Creston, Paul Fantasy for Accordion and Orchestra, or as solo (1966) Mills Publishing Co.
Video Mary Tokarski & 2013 AAA Festival Orchestra conducted by Joan C. Sommers
Video Carmen Carrozza as a solo
Creston, Paul Prelude and Dance (1957) Pietro Deiro Publications
Recording by Robert Young McMahan
Davidson, Roger Tango Blues, for Flute, Viola, Cello, & Accordion (2010) Ernest Deffner Music
Video Mary Tokarski (accordion), Christina Busso (flute), Alice Fish (violin) and Yulia (cello).
Diamond, David Night Music, for Accordion and String Quartet (1966) Southern Music. Night Music Recording by Carmelo Pino and the Potomac String Quartet
Diamond, David Introduction & Dance (1967) Southern Music Video by Dr Robert Young McMahan
Diamond, David Sonatina (1966) Southern Music
1st mvt, 2nd mvt, 3rd mvt by Beverly Roberts Curnow
Flagello, Nicholas Introduction and Scherzo (1964) Pietro Deiro Publications
Video Mario Muccitto, accordion
Video by Carmen Carrozza
Foss, Lukas Curriculum Vitae (1978) Pembroke
Video Robert Young McMahan
Foss, Lukas Triologue, for Violin, Cello, and Accordion (ca. 2003) No publisher
1st mvt, 2nd mvt, 3rd mvt by Dr Robert Young McMahan accordion; Airi Yoshioka, vn; Madeleine Shapiro, vc;
Franceschina, John Concerto for Accordion and Orchestra (1987) Ernest Deffner Music
Franceschina, John For Elsie (2004) No publisher
Franceschina, John Scaramouche (1975) Pietro Deiro Publications
Recording, by Robert Young McMahan
Fremar, Karen Introduction & Allegro, for Accordion and Synthesized Tape (1976) Ernest Deffner Music
Fremar, Karen Herrick’s Road, for Accordion and Percussion (2009) Ernest Deffner Music
Friedman, Gary William Accordion Samba, for Vocalist, Bassoon, Cello and Accordion (1997) 150 Music
Recording, by Robert Young McMahan, Glenn Turner, scat singer; Madeleine Shapiro vc: Valerie Trollinger, bn; 
Gordon, Louis Aria, Scherzo and Finale, for Accordion and Orchestra or Band (1962) Pietro Deiro Publications
Halac, Jose Accordion Shadow for Accordion, Flute and Percussion (n.d., 1993) Ernest Deffner Music
Holshouser, Will Redbud Winter, for B-flat Trumpet & Accordion, with alternate versions for B-flat Clarinet & Accordion, and 2 Accordions (2021) Ernest Deffner Music
Video by Will Holshouser (accordion) and Eric Vloeimans (trumpet)
Katehis, George Become/Desiccated (2017) www.katehis-music.com
Video Matti Pulkki, accordion
Kleinsinger, George Prelude and Sarabande (1963) Pietro Deiro Publications
Recording by Dr. Robert McMahan
Klucevsek, Guy Three Tributes (2016) www.guyklucevsek.com
Video by Guy Klucevsek
Krenek, Ernst Toccata (1964) O. Pagani & Bro.
Recording by Dr. Robert McMahan from Orion LP
Lockwood, Normand Sonata Fantasia (1965) O. Pagani & Bro.
Luening, Otto Rondo (1961) Pietro Deiro Publications. Video by Carmen Carrozza
Recording from Schimmel’s LP, Accordion Revisited
McMahan, Robert Young Apparitions, for Flute (alt. Piccolo) and Accordion (1996) Ernest Deffner Music
McMahan, Robert Young Incantations, for Cello and Accordion (1995) Ernest Deffner Music
Recording by Robert McMahan, accordion; Cecelia Barczyk vc;
Natoli, Joseph Sonata in F Major (in the Classical Style) (2018) JANPress
Video by Joseph Natoli
Natoli, Joseph Child's Play, for 2 Accordions, Cello & Percussion (2019) JANPress
Video 1, Video 2 by Joseph Natoli
Oliveros, Pauline Shape Shifting (1965) Ernest Deffner Music
Pisk, Paul Adagio & Rondo Concertante, for Two Accordions & Orchestra (1962) Alfred Music Co., Inc.
Pisk, Paul Salute to Juan (1961) Alfred Music Co., Inc.
Riegger, Wallingford Cooper Square (1958) Pietro Deiro Publications
Video Carmen Carrozza accordion
Video Paul Shigrove accordion
Schimmel, Dr William Fables (1975) Ernest Deffner Music
Recording from Schimmel’s LP, Accordion Revisited
Schimmel, William Remembering a Legend; Charles Magnante (1987) Ernest Deffner Music
Recording by Mary Tokarski
Schimmel, William The Spring Street Ritual (1979) Ernest Deffner Music
Video Joanna Darrow accordion
Schimmel, William Variations in Search of a Theme (1976) Ernest Deffner Music
Serebrier, Jose Danza Ritual (1967) O. Pagani & Bro.
Serebrier, Jose Passacaglia and Perpetum Mobile, for Accordion, Strings, Brass and Percussion (1974) Peer International Publications
Recording by Yi Yao, accordionist; Serebrier, conductor; Toulouse Chamber Orchestra
Siegmeister, Elie Improvisation, Ballad and Dance (1962) Sam Fox Publications
Track 1, Track 2, Track 3 by Dr. Robert McMahan
Soldier, Dave Sontag in Sarajevo, for Accordion, Melody, Chordal, Bass Instruments and Drums (1993) Ernest Deffner Music
Video Denise Koncelik, flute; Devon Osamu Tipp, bassoon, Wm. Schimmel, piano; and Dr Robert Young McMahan, accordion
Still, William Grant Aria (1960) Sam Fox Publications
Recording by Robert McMahan
Still, William Grant Lilt (1967) Pietro Deiro Publications
Recording by Robert McMahan
Surinach, Carlos Prelude to the Sea (1965) Alfred Music Co., Inc.
Recording by Robert McMahan
Surinach, Carlos Pavana and Rondo (1959) Alfred Music Co., Inc/reprint Ernest Deffner Music
Recording by Mario Tacca
Recording from Schimmel’s LP, Accordion Revisited
Tcherepnin, Alexander Invention (1968) O. Pagani & Bro.
Tcherepnin, Alexander Partita (1962) O. Pagani & Bro.
Video Nathan Chapeton, accordion
Tcherepnin, Alexander Tzigane (1968) Pietro Deiro Publications
Thompson, Timothy Growth Cells (1976) Ernest Deffner Music
Thompson, Timothy Keyworld (1977) Ernest Deffner Music
Thompson, Timothy Rossiniland (1977) Ernest Deffner Music
Thomson, Virgil Lamentations (1960) Pietro Deiro Publications

The AAA Composers’ Commissioning Committee welcomes donations from all those who love the classical accordion and wish to see its modern original concert repertoire continue to grow. The American Accordionists’ Association is a 501(c)(3) corporation. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent of the law. They can easily be made by visiting the AAA Store at https://www.ameraccord.com/cart.aspx which allows you to both make your donation and receive your tax deductible receipt on the spot.

For additional information, please contact Dr. McMahan at grillmyr@gmail.com