2018 AAA 80th Anniversary Festival

14th July Daily Report

Louis Coppola presenting a workshop on his life as accordionist with the United States Air Force Strolling Strings

Above left: Beltway Accordions - Open Senior Ensemble
Above Right: WPAO Ensemble, Joanna Darrow - Conductor

Busso Festival Orchestra, Frank Busso, Jr. - Conductor

AAA Junior Festival Orchestra, Rachel Quirbach, Guest Conductor

AAA Junior Festival Orchestra, Mary Tokarski - Conductor

Sam and Peggy Falcetti

Trophies for the Awards Presentation

Nathan Chapeton, Winner of the Elsie Bennett Junior Composition Competition

Mitch Guido conducting the Bob Vitale Youth Involvement Jazz Program Orchestra

Voice of America report:

Accordion Group Celebrating 80 Years, Sees Resurgence of Instrument

The American Accordionists' Association celebrates its 80th anniversary this year, gathering in Alexandria, Virginia, to showcase performers of all ages and abilities. From Alexandria, VOA's Jill Craig has more.

Awards Ceremony

Each of the young competitors in the AAA Festival was awarded complimentary AAA Youth Membership

Above and below: Competitors in the AAA Festival at the Awards Ceremony

Frank Coppola and Dan Grauman

Above left: Joe Cerrito entertaining the guests prior to the 80th Anniversary Gala Banquet
Above right: New Zealanders at the Banquet Robyn Leersnyder, Grayson Masefield, Harley Jones, Lionel Reekie, Alison Worthington and Kevin Friedrich

Above left: AAA Board member Sam Falcetti, Peggy Falcetti and Harley Jones
Above right: Lionel Reekie, Frank Busso, Sr, Rita Barnea and Harley Jones

AAA Festival Orchestra under the direction of Joan Cochran Sommers
Program: In the Hall of The Mountain King by Edvard Grieg, arr. Joan C. Sommers
Serenata by Leroy Anderson, arr. Joan c. Sommers
Werziade by Fritz Dobler
West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein, arr. Heinz Ehme
Medley from Beauty and Beast by Menken, arr. Joan C. Sommers

AAA Festival Orchestra under the direction of Joan Cochran Sommers

Video: In the Hall of The Mountain King by Edvard Grieg, arr. Joan C. Sommers

members of the AAA Festival Orchestra

Video: Serenata by Leroy Anderson, arr. Joan c. Sommers

AAA Festival Orchestra

Video: Werziade by Fritz Dobler

members of the AAA Festival Orchestra

Joan Cochran Sommers conducting the AAA Festival Orchestra

Video: For an encore, Medley from Beauty and Beast by Menken, arr. Joan C. Sommers

AAA Festival Orchestra

Master Sgt. Frank J. Busso Jr., accordionist with the United States Air Force Strolling Strings

Lou Coppola

2013, AAA US Virtuoso Champion in the 1950s is still making great music six decades later.

Reprinted from 2013 AAA Festival Journal

2018 AAA 80th Anniversary Festival

Retired Chief Master Sergeant Louis Coppola making a guest appearance with the United States Air Force Strolling Strings

Retired Chief Master Sergeant Louis Coppola

Video: Hungarian Dance # 1 by J. Brahms

Retired Chief Master Sergeant Louis Coppola making a guest appearance with the United States Air Force Strolling Strings
and Master Sgt. Frank J. Busso Jr.

Video: Andalucia

current accordionist with the United States Air Force Strolling Strings Master Sgt. Frank J. Busso Jr. congratulating former
accordionist Retired Chief Master Sergeant Louis Coppola

Above left: Dr. Robert Young McMahan and Beverly Roberts Curnow
Above right: Tatyana Krasnobaeva and Stas Venglevski

Above left: Cody McSherry making a presentation on behalf of Emmanuel Gasser of an original composition
written by Emmanuel Gasser for Louis Coppola
Above right: Jim Queen

Video: Louis Coppola's March

Download the AAA Lifetime Achievement Award booklet (21 pages)
in honor of Louis F. Coppola. Contains the musical history of Louis F. Coppola.

Louis F. Coppola slides

Video of AAA Board Presentation to Louis F. Coppola.

collage picture of members of the AAA Board of Directors as the Lifetime Achievement Award Enternity Plaque is being made

Frank Coppola

Linda Solely Reed, AAA 2nd Vice-President.

AAA Historian Joan Grauman

AAA Historian Joan Grauman presenting Lou Coppola with the wine bottle with the Lifetime Achivement label. The artwork is by Joan Grauman. Also included was Air Force bottle stopper.

Two Wine botttle labels, artwork is by Joan Grauman.

Louis F. Coppola video of his thank you speech.

Louis F. Coppola, Honoree offering his acceptance and thank you Speech

Special Report, Louis F. Coppola

We honor the sad passing of Louis F. Coppola on April 20, 2020

The Accordion World Has Lost One of its Finest

The American Accordionists Association (AAA) is very saddened to report that our beloved
Louis F. Coppola passed away this morning, April 20, 2020, from complications of leukemia.

Born May 25, 1937 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Lou, with his magnetic and endearing
personality, spent his entire life spreading joy with his beautiful accordion music.
A great ambassador for the accordion and a tremendous supporter
of the AAA, Lou will be greatly missed!!

Louis F. Coppola

(May 25th, 1937 to April 20th, 2020)
by AAA Historian Joan Grauman
Published July 2018 for his Lifetime Achievement Award

Lou Coppola, native of Bridgeport, Connecticut, has enjoyed a dazzling musical career with his accordion that most could only dream of. Armed with sky-high standards, a deep love of music, first class training and a passion for performing, Lou broke through barriers to become the “first” in many arenas for his instrument. However, when told he would receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the AAA on the evening of their 80th anniversary celebration, he was amazed to be included in the esteemed list of past honorees. But those extraordinary “firsts”, coupled with an unbroken chain of memorable performances spanning 6 decades, were impossible to overlook. Lou is grateful for the recognition and will always cherish the memory of this night. In honoring him, it should be noted that Lou was the FIRST:

Person to win the AAA’s US Virtuoso Competition four times, taking his first trophy when he was only 15 years old
Accordionist to be accepted at the New England Conservatory of Music
Representative for the AAA.in the prestigious world accordion contest Coupe Mondiale, held in Brighton England in 1955
Permanently assigned accordionist with the acclaimed USAF Strolling Strings
Non string player to become leader of the AF Strings
Person to be hired by George Mason University as a professor with the sole purpose of establishing a strolling ensemble replicating the USAF Strolling Strings

The start of Lou’s professional career began as a solo artist concertizing nationally and as a private teacher. Then, fate intervened. An unexpected phone call came in to Lou’s teacher, Rudy Molinaro, that the AF Band was in need of an accordionist and would Lou be interested in auditioning. That one phone call changed the direction of Lou’s life.

He won the intensive audition and performed with the United States Air Force Strolling Strings for over 28 years, ultimately becoming the leader of the organization. His Air Force career took him to the palace of Anwar Sadat, to the Far East and all over the globe. He has played at the White House for hundreds of heads of state and performed for nine U.S. Presidents while in the military. Lou was an exemplary musical ambassador, a stellar accordionist who proudly served his country.

Lou is also a first rate accordion teacher. Concurrently with his AF duties, he zealously mentored students, many who went on to be national champions.

He founded and managed his own company, Stereo Strings, the civilian counterpart of the AF Strolling Strings, for over thirty-four years. Their long and distinguished list of engagements is one that any performer would envy. From playing four Rockefeller family weddings, performing with 28 musicians for the grand opening of both the Pittsburg International and Reagan National Airports, Stereo Strings was an important part of Washington’s social scene. The group is extremely proud of their involvement with the city of Atlanta in their quest to win the Olympic games in 1996. Traveling to Seoul, Tokyo and Barcelona, Stereo Strings worked for nine years as America’s sole musical representative in this successful effort.

Lou and his ensemble had one of the longest consecutive engagements in the country, having performed dinner music every weekend at the Officers’ Club in Fort Myer, VA for an amazing 44 years. During the same period, he played at Bolling Officer’s Club for 23 years.

Lou has always placed quality and client satisfaction at the top of his list of objectives. Because of the excellent rapport between Lou and his clients, unrelenting professionalism and first rate customer service, his business prowess is unrivaled and respected.

Tonight we celebrate the man and his music.