2018 AAA 80th Anniversary Festival

11th July Daily Report

Concert of Original Music, 4pm

Thank you to: (alphabetical order) Rita Davidson Barnea, Lou Coppola,
Kevin Friedrich, Joan Grauman, Harley Jones, Alison Worthington for help with providing photos.
Thank you to Dan and Joan Grauman for providing video.
1. Sonata in F for solo accordion, (In the Classical Style, for free bass accordion) by Joseph A. Natoli was comissioned by the American Accordionists Association for their 80th Anniversary. For carpel tunnel reasons, Joseph Natoli was not able to perform the work today but we have an mp3 file, link just below. The video above is composer Natoli saying some words about the work.
Sound File of Sonata in F.
Sample sheet music: Pages 1-3, Sonata in F. pdf file.
AAA 2nd Vice President Linda Soley Reed
Opening the Concert		 Joseph A. Natoli enjoying a standing ovation.
2. Carousel of Dreams composed by Guy Klucevsek and performed by Cody McSherry.
3. Ka Mate composed by Gorka Hermosa and performed by Grayson Masefield
Grayson Masefield performing the Maori War Challenge Haka at the end of the Ka Mate work
after which he received a standing ovation.
Grayson Masefield - pictured at the end of the New Zealand Maori war challenge.
Thank you to Lou Coppola for the above pictures.
During the space between the concerts the accordion displays were busy.
 

Coupe Mondiale Qualifying Category Audition
 
Nathan Chapeton
Auditioning for Junior Coupe Mondiale category, 2018.
Jury: Grayson Masefield and AAA 2nd Vice President Linda Soley Reed.
1. Sonata in Fm K386, Scarlatti
2. 4th mvt, Zolatariev Sonata
3. Tango pour Janet composed by Nathan Chapeton.
Nathan Chapeton To Represent the USA at 2018 Coupe Mondiale in Lithuania
by Rita Barnea

17 year old Nathan Chaperon from Middletown, Connecticut is the winner in two prestigious categories at the 2018 AAA Festival held July 11-15, 2018 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Nathan is the winner of the 2018 Junior Coupe Mondiale category. He will represent the USA at the 2018 71st Coupe Mondiale to be held from September 24-30, 2018 in Kaunas, Lithuania hosted by the Lithuanian National Accordionist's Union. His performance is in Videos 1 and 2 above. Nathan is also the winner of the Elsie Bennett Junior Composition Competition. You can hear him performing his composition in Video 3 above.

Nathan Chapeton is a young musician who became interested in playing the accordion at the age of eight when he heard his teacher, Mary Tokarski perform in concert. He has attended multiple music festivals sponsored by the American Accordionists Association and the Mid-Atlantic Music Teachers Guild where he captured the Virtuoso Category prize twice so far!

Mr. Chapeton has appeared as a guest artist in many local musical organizations including the Long Island Accordion Alliance, the Brooklyn Accordion Club, and as a frequent performer at Connecticut Accordion Association events. Nathan has earned the privilege of representing the United States-AAA at the Coupe Mondiale (World Accordion Championships) three times so far and this September he will be entering for the fourth time.

At the Coupe Mondiale in Austria (2014) and Russia (2016) he was among the best accordionists and musicians from around the world. His plan now includes learning baroque and classical music and to compete in more rigorous categories at the competition.

Nathan also played with the Jazz Ensemble at Middletown High playing his accordion, piano, and other miscellaneous keyboard instruments. His interest in jazz was sparked when he was part of the Youth Involvement Program jazz ensemble at an American Accordionists Association festival, with other young accordionists and instrumentalists.

In 2017 Nathan auditioned for the honor to perform with the New Haven Symphony when his school, Middletown High School (Connecticut) Goes to the Symphony on May 22, 2017 and the Hamden Symphony Orchestra (Connecticut) on April 30, 2017. He was selected by BOTH to be a guest performer for their concerto concerts.

Nathan was graduated this June from Middletown, Connecticut High School and will be attending college in the fall to study music.

AWW congratulates Nathan and wishes him success at the 2018 Coupe Mondiale!

For further information: mary.tokarski@comcast.net

 

Meet and Greet
Lou Coppola and many friends, left to right: Lilliana Chudolij, Mary Tokarski, Joe Cerrito, Joan Grauman, Stas Venglevski, Lou Coppola, Rita Barnea, Tatyana Krasnobaeva, Harley Jones, Joan Sommers, Alison Worthington, Kevin Friedrich Lionel Reekie, Robyn Leersnyder.
Lou with Stas Venglevski and Tatyana Krasnobaeva
Great friends, and also many years earlier very competitive representatives of the USA at the Coupe Mondiale,
Joan Sommer and Lou Coppola.
Joseph and JoAnn Natoli and Dr. Leslie Strong Dr Joe Ciccone and daughter Gia.
Megumi Hada Megumi Hada
Enthusiastic audience watching Meet and Greet performers.
 TV Station WUSA9 came and were filming Nathan Chapeton performing.
Lionel Reekie performing and singing for TV. In the foreground is Debra Alfarone, Anchor for WUSA9.
  Codie McSherry and Joan Grauman
Lynn Ewing and Joan Grauman Harley Jones taking pictures.
Beverly Roberts Curnow, Dr Robert Young McMahan, Joseph Natoli.
Left to right: Joe Ciccone, Marilyn O'Neil, Joe Cerrito, Joan Grauman, Rita Barnea,
Betty Jo Simon, Joseph Natoli, Lou Coppola.
Cody McSherry and Joan Grauman
Father Ed Bucheit Betty Jo Simon
Sax player Vaughn Ambrose and Joe Cerrito Joe Cerrito
Joan Grauman with video camera.


 Lou Coppola is an excellent photographer and is being presented a Lifetime Achievement Award later in the week.
Lionel Reekie, Kevin Friedrich Tatyana Krasnobaeva and Stas Venglevski.
Joan Grauman, Dr Robert Young McMahan and his wife Anne.
 

Reception and After Hours Club
Ken Kunec Mara Cherkasky and Joan Grauman
Peter Peluso Frank Busso Sr.
Frank Busso Sr. entertaining at the late hours bar.