Accordion 'Petting Zoo' And Festival Coming To Lisle, Wheaton

LISLE, IL — Hundreds of accordionists and enthusiasts will gather for the 2022 Accordionists and Teachers Guild Festival (ATG), which runs July 20 through July 23 with live music and kid-friendly events in Wheaton and Lisle.

The festival, which celebrates the ATG's 80th anniversary, will also feature a free, interactive accordion "petting zoo," at which kids and kids-at-heart can learn to handle and play the accordion with a little help from the experts.

Patch recently talked to ATG President Mary Ann Covone, who said there is a "resurgence" in the instrument. Covone explained that accordions were once wildly popular instruments. "It was the accordion heyday until rock and roll came around," Covone explained.

“Our goal is to get young people again playing at a higher level," she added.

Covone said renowned accordionists from around the world will perform at the festival, including Joan Sommers, Michael Bridge, Stas Venglevski, of Russia, and International Accordionist Confederation President Mirco Patarini, of Italy.

To commemorate the 80th anniversary, an orchestra of 80 acoustic and digital accordions will come together for one of the performances, led by Sommers.

Covone said the digital accordions can mimic the sounds of other musical instruments. “It doesn’t sound like a bunch of accordions playing together," she explained "I can assure you it sounds like an orchestra."

The 2022 ATG Festival will be the first since 2019 due to coronavirus. Covone said prior ATG Fests have been held in Colorado, Florida and elsewhere, but that the Chicago area has been a frequent choice due to its central location.

“Everybody is very excited about being together." Covone said about the upcoming festival. These are people who are friends from many, many years of playing the accordion.”

She said accordion music has helped her make lifelong friends from around the world, some of whom she looks forward to seeing again at the ATG Fest, including her former teacher and mentor, Joan Sommers.

After first falling in love with the instrument decades ago, Covone earned a bachelor's degree in accordion performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, studying under Sommers. Covone later pursued a career in law, but never lost her love for accordion performance.

She opened the Chicagoland Accordion Academy in 2018 in Western Springs, allowing her to share her passion with students of all ages.

“For me, personally, I’m playing again after many many years of being a lawyer and not playing the accordion. I had a law office in Western Springs and now I have an accordion studio and it makes me really happy," she told Patch.

Covone said Sommers's high standards help inspire her and others when they teach an ever-increasing number of students to play the accordion.

"[Sommers] has molded so many students," Covone told Patch. “We’re the people out there who are trying to keep the accordion alive and held to a higher standard like Joan holds us.”

Through the ATG Festival, Covone and her fellow accordion enthusiasts are hoping to spark a love of the instrument in potential players and listeners of all ages. Once the accordion bug has bitten you, though, there's no going back, Covone explained.

“What brings us together is that we love acc and we love each other’s company," Covone said.
“Either the accordion attracts a different kind of person...they’re just real; they love the instrument...or it makes people like that. They come together and want to be a community.”

Below is a schedule of some of the featured events at the 2022 ATG Fest, which are part of the Wheaton College Artist Series:

July 20

When: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

What: Accordion Petting Zoo

Touch, play and learn about different types of accordions from teachers and musicians at this all-ages event. Jane Christison of "Janie Next Door" will perform children's music on the accordion. Smaller accordions will be on hand for children.

Where: Hyatt Lisle Ballroom

Tickets: Free admission; no tickets required

July 21

When: 7:30 p.m.

What: UMKC Community Accordion Ensemble

Mirco Patarini, Murl Allen Sanders and Nikolay Bine will perform after the ensemble.

Where: Wheaton College, Barrows Auditorium

Tickets: $35 per person; $10 for students. Click the link to buy tickets for the July 21 show.

July 21

When: 7:30 p.m.

What: Michael Bridge, who is pursuing his doctorate in musical arts at the University of Toronto, will perform classical and 1940s-era music on the digital and acoustic accordion.

Where: Wheaton College, Amerding Center for Music and the Arts Concert Hall

Tickets: $35 per person; $10 for students. Click the link to buy tickets for the July 21 show.

July 22

When: 7:30 p.m.

What: Racine Symphony Orchestra with Stas Venglevski, who plays the bayan accordion

The evening will close with an 80-piece accordion orchestra conducted by Joan Sommers. Click the link to buy tickets for the July 22 show.

Where: Wheaton College, Amerding Center for Music and the Arts Concert Hall

July 23

When: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

What: Accordion Petting Zoo

Touch, play and learn about different types of accordions from teachers and musicians at this all-ages event. Jane Christison of "Janie Next Door" will perform children's music on the accordion. Smaller accordions will be on hand for children.

Click the link for more information about ATG Fest 2022.