Accordion Festival returning to Lisle

More than 100 accordionists from across the country will perform this month in Lisle as part of the 78th annual Accordion Festival.

Sponsored by the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, the fest will run July 25-28 at the Hyatt Regency Lisle, 1400 Corporetum Drive.

Festival events, including concerts, competitions, workshops and exhibits, are open to the public. Single-day passes are $20 and evening concert tickets are $15. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

"We love to share the beauty and wonder of the accordion with the public ...," said Joseph Natoli, president of the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International. "More than 100 accordion artists will perform at the festival, sharing a wide range of music, including classical, jazz, contemporary and pop."

The ATG Festival Accordion Orchestra, under the direction of Joan Cochran Sommers, will feature more than 50 accordionists performing, among other things, selections from "West Side Story" in honor of Leonard Bernstein's 100 birthday year.

The festival will be open from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. each day for competitions, workshops and concerts.

Here's the concert schedule:

• 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 26: Peter Maric; Matthias Matzke & Leonie Kratz; and Donna Dee & Dennis Ray.

• 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 27: Stas Venglevski; Cory Pesaturo; and Matthias Matzke.

• 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22: Festival Orchestra; President's Quartette with Joe Natoli, Amy Jo Sawyer, Kenn Baert and Murl Sanders; and the Mike Alongi Jazz Trio.

Founded in 1940, the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International was created to support and promote the accordion, development of music composition and arrangements specifically for accordions and to support accordionists and teachers.

For details, visit www.accordions.com/atg.