Accordion Festival to be held in Lisle

More than 75 accordionists and world-acclaimed accordion artists from Russia, Canada, Scotland and the United States will perform in Lisle at the 75th annual Accordion Festival hosted by the Accordionists and Teachers Guild.

World-acclaimed accordionists Yuri Shishkin, Frank Petrilli, Stas Venglevski, Joe Natoli, Gary Blair, Cory Pesaturo and Michael Bridge are headlining the event, which runs Wednesday through Saturday, July 22 to 25, at the Lisle Hyatt, 1400 Corporetum Drive, Lisle.

Festival events, including competitions, workshops and exhibits, are open to the public. Concert tickets are $15. All other daily activities are available to the public at nominal fees.

Blair, of Scotland, will open the festival, performing Celtic dance music and teaching the audience the dance steps at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 22.

Evening accordion concerts are scheduled Thursday through Saturday. Thursday evening's concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and features the University of Missouri-Kansas City Accordion Chamber Ensemble directed by Joan Sommers. Other performers include Natoli, Elena and Gregory Fainshtein, Mary Tokarski, and Alexander and Yulia Selivanov.

An Original Accordion Music Concert featuring Venglevski, Amy Jo Sawyer, Natoli, Jeff Lisenby and the UMKC Chamber Ensemble will begin at 3 p.m. Friday in the hotel's Arbor Ballroom.

Then, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, an accordion concert will feature Shishkin, of Russia. This is a rare opportunity to see the award-winning accordion artist perform in the U.S. Bridge, Pesaturo and a group from China also will perform.

A Gala Accordion Concert featuring the Frank Petrilli Trio, Venglevski, the Festival Orchestra and this year's contest winners will start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

In addition to the concerts, accordion competitions, workshops and exhibits will be offered throughout the festival, all open to the public:

• Workshops include History of the Accordion, Rhythms and Harmonies of Bulgarian and Macedonian Folk Music, and Inexpensive Studio Quality Recording at Home.

• Competitions provide an opportunity for accordion students to excel. The guild offers solo, duet and ensemble categories, some with cash prizes.

• Exhibits include Petosa Accordions, Scandalli Accordions and Gypsy Squeezewear.

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

For information, visit accordions.com/atg/.

If you go

What: Accordion Festival

When: Wednesday through Friday, July 22-25; concerts at 7:30 p.m. July 23-25 and 3 p.m. July 24

Where: Lisle Hyatt, 1400 Corporetum Drive, Lisle

Cost: $15 concerts; nominal fees for workshops and other activities

Info: www.accordions.com/atg