December 12th is our next accordion club meeting. A variety of holiday music is sure to be played. For everyone wishing to play a solo or along with Ms. Vicki Eriqat and the ALSI en- semble members “fun time play”, please call Bill Barr at 619-337-1111 for a playing spot on that day. Thanks Bill! The past programs have been great. By the way, start- ing in January, extra ac- cordions will be available for use during the meet- ing. The ALSI Planning committee is trying to add quality music per- formers to our hit pa- rade of “Showcases” for the year “2011”. Please visit the ALSI music calendar in the REED BLOCK and web- site (www.accordion- club-sandiego.org) often to keep up with our club on the go. (continued on page 5) by Gordon Kohl Dear Accordion Friends: A special hello to ALSI members and friends of the accordion this Holiday Season 2010. The year 2010 for the ALSI accordion club has been very eventful. We have enjoyed several tremendously talented accordionists with their own individuality and art- istry. Our annual Sum- mer picnic, the mini- workshop classes, the mini-concerts and show- case performers have enriched our music lives. Heritage Day 2010 was full of several music styles from countries around the world. The dancers gave us a glimpse of how music, song and dance are in- tertwined in everyday life. Music is really a strong influence in es- tablishing cultural indi- viduality and diversity. Our club, ALSI has for many years featured hundreds of accordion- ists, their music and tal- ent. 2011 will continue this commitment to live accordion music, the artists and many enjoya- ble experiences. Practice your favor- ite and special love songs, and standards for your time to play at ALSI meetings in Janu- ary 9th and February 13th 2011. Special showcases will follow the local member’s per- formances. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE DECEMBER 2010 December 2010 Volume 17 Issue 12 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Inside this issue: President’s Message 1& 5 General Information 2 Happiness at ALSI 3-5 Holiday Music 6 Coming Next Month 7 Voice from the Past, Pietro Deiro 8 Credits 9 Notices 10 Calendar 11 Accordion Events 11 Harold J. Estok Founder ALSI and REED BLOCK President: Gordon Kohl 619-427-4344 Presidents Emeriti: (Founder) Harold Estok Ron Griffin Kjell Holmes Gloria Ensign Vice President & Meeting Coordinator: Bill Barr 619-337-1111 Vice President & Communications Director: Mary Lou Erwin 619-448-9588 Editor/Secretary: Helen Estok Schoell 619-584-4970 Treasurer & Ensemble Director: Vicki Eriqat 619-563-5586 Newsletter/Webmaster: Bob Page 760-487-1747
Transcript
December 12th is our next accordion club meeting. A variety of holiday music is sure to be played. For everyone wishing to play a solo or along with Ms. Vicki Eriqat and the ALSI en-semble members “fun time play”, please call Bill Barr at 619-337-1111 for a playing spot on that day. Thanks Bill! The past programs have been great. By the way, start-ing in January, extra ac-cordions will be available for use during the meet-ing.
The ALSI Planning committee is trying to add quality music per-formers to our hit pa-rade of “Showcases” for the year “2011”.
Please visit the ALSI music calendar in the REED BLOCK and web-site (www.accordion-club-sandiego.org) often to keep up with our club on the go.
(continued on page 5)
by Gordon Kohl
Dear Accordion Friends:
A special hello to ALSI members and friends of the accordion this Holiday Season 2010.
The year 2010 for the ALSI accordion club has been very eventful. We have enjoyed several tremendously talented accordionists with their own individuality and art-istry. Our annual Sum-mer picnic, the mini-workshop classes, the mini-concerts and show-case performers have enriched our music lives.
Heritage Day 2010 was full of several music styles from countries around the world. The dancers gave us a glimpse of how music, song and dance are in-tertwined in everyday life. Music is really a strong influence in es-tablishing cultural indi-viduality and diversity.
Our club, ALSI has for many years featured hundreds of accordion-ists, their music and tal-ent. 2011 will continue this commitment to live accordion music, the artists and many enjoya-ble experiences.
Practice your favor-ite and special love songs, and standards for your time to play at ALSI meetings in Janu-ary 9th and February 13th 2011. Special showcases will follow the local member’s per-formances.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
DECEMBER 2010
December 2010Volume 17 Issue 12
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Inside this issue:
President’s Message
1&5
GeneralInformation
2
Happiness at ALSI 3-5
HolidayMusic
6
Coming Next Month
7
Voice from the Past, Pietro Deiro
8
Credits 9
Notices 10
Calendar 11
Accordion Events 11
Harold J. Estok FounderALSI and REED BLOCK
President:Gordon Kohl619-427-4344
Presidents Emeriti:(Founder) Harold Estok
Ron GriffinKjell HolmesGloria Ensign
Vice President & Meeting Coordinator:
Bill Barr619-337-1111
Vice President & Communications Director:
Mary Lou Erwin619-448-9588
Editor/Secretary:Helen Estok Schoell
619-584-4970
Treasurer &Ensemble Director:
Vicki Eriqat619-563-5586
Newsletter/Webmaster: Bob Page
760-487-1747
ALSI MEMBERSHIP AND NEWSLETTER GENERAL INFORMATION
Page 2 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
MEMBERSHIPS: current member renewal for twelve month term; the fee is $25.00 U.S.A., $26 Canada, $27.00 for International delivery. For new members; partial year memberships can be purchased. Use this calculation as follows: Subtract $2 for each month that has elapsed for the calendar year. Therefore, if you are joining with a USA club membership in July, six months have elapsed, so 6 times $2 would be $12 to deduct and the formula would be: $25 - $12 = $13, thus the payment would be $13. Make check or money order payable to ALSI and send to: Helen Estok Schoell, at P.O. Box 151357 San Diego, CA 92175. The REED BLOCK is published once each month for delivery to members prior to the next meet-ing. (Meetings are the second Sunday of each month). Your input to the REED BLOCK is invited and should be submitted to Helen Estok Schoell or email to Bob Page at webmaster@accordion -club-sandiego.org or Mary Lou Erwin at [email protected]: Unless otherwise indicated, all articles were written by the Editor. Unless so stated, no article is to be construed as an endorsement. Articles not written by the Editor may contain comments that do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or ALSI. If you disagree with anything in The REED BLOCK or to post corrections, please let us know in writing.SPECIAL NOTICE TO RECORDING ARTISTS: If you have an audio/video tape cassette you would like reviewed and written up in The REED BLOCK, please send us a professional copy and a short biography of the artist; include names, date and places to the ALSI address above. Please include the price of the item including shipping and handling. If you want the package returned after the review please include return postage with the package.CUT-OFF DATE: All contributors to The REED BLOCK please note: For next month all material is due two weeks before the next meeting, accordingly the due date for the January 2011 issue is: December 27, 2010. This includes all items such as articles, upcoming events, playing around, accordion workshops, ad-vertisements and ensemble schedules. Please make sure your material is received, in writing or email, no later than that date. Please submit your input to Helen Estok Schoell (at above ALSI address) or email to Bob Page at webmaster@accordion -club-sandiego.org or Mary Lou Erwin at [email protected]. Thank you for your cooperation.ADVERTISEMENTS: Members may place one small ad per year at no charge, business cards are $6/per issue or $60/per year, quarter-page is $15/per issue, half -page is $25/per issue, full -page is $50/per issue, one -page event flyer is $25/per issue. Cost is doubled for ads placed by non -members. (All ads must be accordion related).
MEETINGS: The club normally meets at 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. on the second Sunday of each month at the Mt Miguel Covenant Village, 325 Kempton Ave, Spring Valley, CA
Next Meeting will be on Sunday, December 12th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm in Bai-ley Hall at Mt. Miguel Covenant Village in Spring Valley. —
Make Check or Money Order payable to ALSI (Yearly membership fees: $25-USA, $26-Canada, $27-International)Mail to: ALSI/REED BLOCK c/o Helen Estok Schoell P.O. Box 151357 San Diego, CA 92175 Call 619-584-4970 for Questions
Page 3Volume 17 Issue 12
HAPPINESS AT ALSI
Heritage Day - 2010
by Sharon Marotte
November 14 was our Heritage Day cele-bration in our ALSI organization. The weather was beautiful – a great fall day! Several of our members wore their ethnic costumes which brought lots of color to the day. Bailey Hall has been renovated with new carpet, window coverings, floor tile, etc. but no water fountain yet. Sure did miss that. Imagine my surprise when I expected to pin up the country flags up on the side walls which are now painted - in-stead we draped the country flags over the chairs on the stage which worked out fine. It provided a colorful background for our players.
Players around the village were: Cafeteria, Linda Hibbert – Crider #1, Kari Andrews and Brandel, Jerry Odling. Once again, we say thank you to these folks for providing ac-cordion music to other areas at Mt Miguel. Bill Barr was the MC for the day. A group of accordionists gathered at 12:15 to practice 5 songs that will be played at the December meeting as a large group, directed by Vicki Eriqat. Jack Marotte was busy setting up the sound system with mikes so we could sound good.
M a r g a r i t a Romero started off the players with her new purple accordion,
Vick i Er iqatplayed and sang three of her new arrange-ments.
Gordon Kohl then made a presentation to two of our long time members of ALSI:
Gene Lloyd for sticking around for 22 years
and Helen Estok Schoellfor sticking with ALSI for a long time. Her husband
Harold started ALSI and Helen has been active ever since.
Gordon Kohl played sev-eral songs for us before our lunch break.
Lunch was served with spaghetti, ravioli, bread, salad and many, many des-serts.
Sharon Marotteplayed on the patio for about 15 minutes.
We were entertained by two Balboa Park folk dancers, David & Chin.
Page 4 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
HAPPINESS - continued
Juergen Rosenfe ldstrolled about on the patio while the dancers changed outfits. They performed again, doing several more ethic dances. As we as-sembled back into Bailey Hall we were greeted with scandinavian music from Jerry Odling. Music all over the place!!
The Polka Dots played two German num-
bers and a Ukrainian waltz, followed by Joe Co-lombo whose God-father was Charlie Bertolino – he played an Italian medley. The En-semble followed with several ethnic songs.
Gordon Kohl held a raffle drawing which is always fun.
Next Al Jacobs whose ethnicity is English/Jewish/Scottish played several songs.
Our Finnish couple, Sami & Tiina Zein, enter-tained us with some Finnish songs, followed by
Gloria Ensign & Leslie Sanders, the har-monica man – they played good old American patriotic songs.
Al & Claudia Wrona all the way from High-lands, played & sang Polish tunes.
Page 5Volume 17 Issue 12
HAPPINESS - continued
We were privileged to hear two new guys play for us:
Doron Peisicwho played Kles-mer music and Let Me Call You Sweetheart (a student of Gloria Ensign!) and
Brendan Vavrg, who is from the East Coast. We hope these two guys return and play for us again.
Once again ALSI had a great day with lots of accordion music and lots of good food. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon!! —
(continued from page 1)
It is my fervent wish that every member in ALSI will be supportive of each other. Our members mutual pursuit in playing the accordi-on for the enjoyment is the reason we have a club.
Thank you to the entire ALSI club member-ship for your support in 2010. You have made my presidency most rewarding. From ALSI members and myself, a special thank you goes out to the club officers and committee chairper-sons.
Best wishes this upcoming Holiday Season. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanuk-kah! May each of you have a very joyous and safe holiday and a prosperous New Year!
Very musically,Gordon -
P.S.I would like to meet with members at the
next meeting between 12:15 and 12:30 to share thoughts about our club while the Mystery Play-er is performing. So please try to come early. Also, come hear the ALSI Ensemble perform at Seaport Village, December 18th, at 2:00 pm. They will be located at the West Performance Plaza area. Wow! That’s fantastic!
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE - cont.
MUSIC TERMS QUIZ
What is the definition of the following terms used in music?
1. Cadenza2. Presto3. Mezzo forte4. Cantabile5. Attaca
(answers on page 9)of the newsletter
Page 6 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
HOLIDAY MUSIC
Page 7Volume 17 Issue 12
COMING IN JANUARY
Brian Money will be performing at our January meeting with a special Showcase performance at 2:30 pm. His program will include ethnic and novelty songs plus Latin and classical music. He has the following to say about himself —
My introduction to the accordion can be attributed to the effectiveness of a door-to-door salesman selling - believe it or not - accordions (And he sold not one but three! - one for me and each of my two siblings as well!)
While living in Victoria, B.C., I began my training in Novem-ber, 1957 through the Canadian Accordion Institute of Van-couver, B.C. All 190 lessons were on 78 rpm records with in-structions at the end of each selection followed by a weekly
private lesson from the company's teacher.During the sixties, I was taught by several fine Victoria accordion instructors: Al Denoni,
Doug Goldsmith, and Ted Semler. For 1% years in the mid sixties, I commuted monthly by ferry to Vancouver to study with Alf Carlson, then President of the Registered Music Teachers Associ-ation of B.C.
In the mid sixties, I played solo accordion in several of the Victoria Music Festivals. I also casu-ally played in a number of accordion bands as a youth (through school) and later in my teens.
In 1967 for 1% years, I taught accordion at a local music store to help finance my university education. In 1969,1 gave up the accordion while attending University of B.C. where I graduated in 1972 as an electrical engineer. Following university I pursued other interests such as skiing, mountaineering and cycle-touring.
When I returned to the accordion in the eighties, I enjoyed casually busking with a friend in Victoria's popular inner harbour during summer evenings. In 1986,1 began playing again in ear-nest, receiving instruction from Norman Smith, a local keyboard/accordion music teacher who had studied with Carmen Carrozza in New York during the early seventies. He informed me that Carmen lived in Pleasantville - the same city as my uncle! Thus the seed of inspiration had been planted and almost annually from 1988 to present, I take advantage of the opportunity and travel to New York for 2 weeks of intensive study with Carmen.
Out west, I attended my first Galla-Rini Accordion Workshop in Seattle in the fall of 1988 and have since participated in 20 Galla-Rini camps between Seattle, Silver Falls (Oregon), and San Die-go. I have also enjoyed 8 Rose City Accordion Camps at Silver Falls. This last summer I attended the ATG Convention in Santa Clara, Calif., performing in the Galla-Rini and the Executive Or-chestras.
I retired in 2007 after 35 years as a communications engineer with BC Tel/Telus. Currently I am enjoying performing with the 16-member BC Accordion Orchestra of Victoria conducted by Aleks Milojevic. Aleks graduated with a music masters degree from the Tchaikovsky Music Acade-my in Kiev, Ukraine. His wife Jelena who won the 2003 World Accordion Trophy and 9 interna-tional accordion competitions is the orchestra's concert mistress.
My instrument of choice is a Petosa AM1100 which I purchased from Petosa Accordions in 1989.” —
Page 8 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
VOICE FROM THE PAST — Pietro Deiro
“Making Practice Time Count”
The following is taken from an article by Pietro Deiro written in 1942.
Enjoy his insight! (Editor)
“We hear much these days about conser-vation, and great stress is placed upon the importance of avoiding all waste. Apparently the-se warnings apply to any material object but the most important is the waste of time. As a nation, we shall have a busy year ahead of us and every moment of our time will be valua-ble.
We are wondering how accordionists are going to meet the challenge for increased de-mands upon their time. Perhaps we can accu-rately predict that the stalwart ones with strength of character will accept the challenge and resolve that no matter how busy they may be, they will continue to progress with their music. Others will give up without a struggle and not even try to find time to prac-tice.
Every accordionist wastes enough time each day which, if properly utilized, would send him far in music. Note carefully that we refer only to "wasted" time which should not be confused with that used for rest nor healthful recreation.
This brings us to the subject of how to make the most of a limited practice time. In other words, how to practice efficiently, which means a perfect coordination of eyes, brain and muscles in a combination of concentrated effort. We shall use the learning of a new selection as a demonstration. A very common procedure is to learn it by numerous repetitions. Much of the time, however, spent in doing this can be saved. An intelligent scan-ning of a new selection before playing is rec-ommended, as this gives the player an oppor-
tunity to analyze the signature, time, mood, technical difficulties and dynamics. If the key is one with which the accordionist has had difficulty, he will be benefited by playIng the scale of that key for a few minutes to familiarize him-self with the fingering. The difficult technical measures and cadenzas should be taken as ex-ercises and worked on separately; for when an entire selection is repeated over and over for the benefit of Just a few troublesome measures, there is a waste not only of time but also of en-ergy. What is more important is the fact that such repetitions tend to cause the player to tire of the piece and play it with hackneyed expres-sion.
The fingering should be established during the first or second playing of a selection and adhered to thereafter unless there is a very good reason for making a slight change. Finger memory is a help in playing with security. The bellows manipulation should also be established when beginning, to learn a new selection.
If we are careful to play a piece as nearly correct as possible the first time, we shall have a distinct pattern to follow and future repeti-tions will be made merely for improvement. If, however, we rush through the first playing care-lessly, we are likely to develop a poor pattern which later must be discarded: and thus the time spent in doing this is lost.
Few of us employ the use of our full mental equipment when we practice. We look but do not see, and listen but do not hear. Each of us has latent talents within us if we will but use them. By continued effort and constant mental alertness, we can train our eyes so that we can look at a sheet of music and observe more in one glance than formerly we would see after several moments of scrutiny. Technique is re-quired in the development of the mind just as for finger dexterity.” —
May your lives always be happy and filled with precious times To remember.
For those of you married in the monthof December:
Sami and Tiina Zein, 21st
God bless you all for supporting ALSI club through your attendance, help and generosity.
— o —
Page 9Volume 17 Issue 12
Best Wishes for a very Happy Birthday for those born in the month of December.
2nd Carolyn Kaiser8th Maria Lyubic11th Hildegard Rosen-
feld19th Jerry Odling19th Michael Grubensky19th Lois Lahoud20th Ann Cernilia
CREDITS
A Very Happy Anniversary
In December To:
Dec. 11th,
Dec. 21st
Dec. 28th
by Helen Estok Schoell
December 2010
Our sincere thanks to Russell Camp and his helper Bob, the maintenance staff of Mt. Miguel for coming in early and setting up extra tables and chairs needed for the day’s event.
Merle Williams was out of town so he was not able to join us for Heritage Day. We missed you Merle!
Our deep appreciation to Ardath Bird-sell, Mary Lou Erwin, Maria Lyubic and Vicki Eriqat for their help setting the tables, serving the food, and doing the clean up after-wards.
Ron Schoell helped serve coffee and juice.
The variety of desserts that were brought was plentiful and delicious.
Sharon Marotte decorated the tables and stage with international flags.
Bob Page was our photographer of the day. Jack Marotte ran the sound system.
—— ——May this special season of the
year with family and friends be a time of great celebration and
joy, and may the new year bring you prosperity and peace.
The ALSI Leadership wish you a Merry Christmas,
Happy Hanukkah,& a Happy New Year!!!
Page 10 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
NOTICES
(206) 632-2700 phone (206) 632-2733 fax
www.petosa.com
C U S T O M C R A F T E D —
— FOR SALE —
Small accordion with 60 bass keyboard
Like new, mint condition3 reed musette, 7 shift selection
Asking $200
Call Gordon Kohl @ 1-619-395-0454
- MUSIC TERMS ANSWERS -
1. Cadenza falling A florid or colorful solo at the end of a performance.
2. Presto ready Very fast.3. Mezzo forte half-strong Moderately loud.4. Cantabile singable In a fashion suggesting
singing.5. Attaca attack Proceed to the next sec-
tion without pause.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
This is the last issue of 2010.Renew your 2011 Reed Block Subscription & Membership(Please use application form on page 2)
FEE INCREASEBecause of operating cost increases, starting in
January, ALSI monthly meeting dues will in-crease to $5 for members and $6 for non-
63rd COUPE MONDIALE 2010World Accordion Championship held in Varazdin, Croatia on October 19th thru 25th. The final results were:1. Peter Maric - Serbia2. Milan Vidovic - Bosnia and Herzegovina3. Peter Mirkov - Serbia4. Vincent Van Amsterdam - Netherlands5. Mirko Jevtovic - Serbia6. Igor Krizman - Croatia7. Natanael Teixeira - Portugal8. Christel Sautaux - Switzerland9. Josip Nemet - Croatia10. Josip Blazanin - Croatia11. Biljana Vitanovic - Croatia12. Jasmina Pamer - Croatia13. Bojan Volchevski - Macedonia14. Paul Chamberlain - United Kingdom
ALSI ACCORDION ENSEMBLEThe Ensemble will be performing at Seaport Village West Plaza performance area on December 18th from 2 — 3 pm. They will be playing a program of Christmas music. If you are in the downtown area, plan to stop by and support the ALSI presence in San Diego. This accordion group is open to all in-terested members of ALSI who would like to partic-ipate. Contact Vicki Eriqat at 619-563–5586 for info.
Dec. 12 Year-end meeting with Holiday music.
Jan. 9 Showcase with Brian Money from Canada.
Feb. 13 Showcase with the newReunion Ensemble.
Mar. 13 TBA
Apr. 10 TBA
May 1 Workshop & Showcase with Sylvia Barber.
PLAYING AROUND
“Please share date,
time and location
of public appear-
ances. Submit
these, in writing,
complying with the
cut-off date, to
Helen Estok
Schoell or Bob
Page.”
Sharon MarotteDecember 8th and every Wednesday 5:00-7:00 pm at Brother's Restaurant 5150 War-ing Rd.
Louis Fanucchi Friday Dec. 3, 10, 17 at The Mediterranean Café in Carlsbad.Sunday Dec. 5 at Dizzy’s in San Diego.Thursday Dec. 23 at The Office in San Diego.For more information
call Lou at 619-948-3774 or myspace.
Kjell HolmesFriday Jan. 7 & Feb. 4from 5 to 8 pm at LakeCuyamaca Restaurant , (Kjell performs at the res-taurant the first Friday of each month.)
Gordon KohlDecember 11th from 5;30 to 8 pm at Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant.December 18th from 4 to 8 pm The Gordon Kohl Trio at Jimmy’s On The Park in
Chula Vista. (across from Fudrucker’s)
Monthly Newsletter
“Every Music Lover is Welcome at the ALSI Accordion Club”
ALSI
Statement Of Purpose:
� ALSI is San Diego’s forum for appreciat-ing and performing accordion music, including the MIDI electronic accordion
� We welcome mem-bers who enjoy lis-tening to or playing accordion music.
� We have an accordi-on ensemble group, monthly meetings, local concerts featur-ing local and interna-tionally famous per-formers, an annual picnic and a monthly newsletter.
