Accordion Club of the Redwoods

May 14, 2013

News, May 2013

Ralph Muscatell

May 15, 1927 to May 22, 2013 Ralph passed away about 3:00 PM May 22 2013. He had just turned 86 on May 15 2013. He battled with cancer for quite some time after suffering a stroke 4 years ago. He was one of the most fun, sarcastic and vivacious button boxers I have ever played with. Having only learned the accordion at the age of 69, he went on to play with the Golden State Accordion Club band for many years after having attended Joe Smiell summer music camps. His wife Ann will be staying in the house in Windsor and has help, she has MS. Ralph was a longtime member of ACR and GSAC.

His channel on YOUTUBE is “Musky527”. He has uploaded about 130 videos (almost all accordion but also my mandolin ensemble) which he took himself, having also learned to record and upload using the latest in MAC technology! Not a simple thing to do in your early 80s!

Click here to view Press Democrat Memorial

Submitted by
Sheri Magnano

The Fontana Button Accordion Club has a new free advertising list.

You can find this at http://fontanabuttonaccordionclub.org/osclass/index.php just copy this link into your search bar and help your self. Our member, George Bachic, has taken advantage of this.

The Cotati Accordion Festival

Start looking for information about the upcomming Accordiuon Festival at http://cotatifest.com/ and dont miss the John Volpi write up by Sheri Mignano.

ACR Band Update

The ACR Band will have its next meeting on May 20th 6:30 before the ACR general meeting. All levels of players are welcome. It helps if you can read sheet music. Bring an accordion and a good measure of enthusiasm. If you would like to play in the band, please contact Steve Balich at 707-874-3494.

2013 Coupe Mondiale Accordion Competition and Festival

August 17th-25th

The 66th Annual Coupe Mondiale to be held in in Victoria, BC and Hosted by the BC Accordion Society. This years prize budget exceeds over $50,000. For information about tickets to events, all inclusive “Early Bird” discount packages, accommodations please contact via e-mail: coupe2013@gmail.com

For more information visit the Coupe Mondiale Website http://www.coupemondiale.org/2013/ca_coupe_main.htm

Filed Under: May 2013, Newsletter

April 8, 2013

The President’s Message

Dear Friends,

Spring is officially upon us and we are getting some late rains to keep things green for a while longer in ACR land. Our annual Spring Fling is over and we had a great time with great food and music once again. Hope you didn’t miss it.

This is also the month that we choose new officers and board members for the coming year. Please contact me or any one of the board members – contact information is in the Reedwooder – if you are interested in running for a position in the club. We would all like to see more participation on the part of our members in giving direction to the club. Most of us have been at this for a long, long time and would be happy to give someone else the opportunity to serve.

Our April meeting will be on Monday the 15th and this month we are fortunate to have Mr. Guy Richards as our featured entertainer. Guy is a talented and skilled musician, and everyone has a great time when Guy plays for us. This month he will once again give one of his request concerts, so think about what you would like to hear and the odds are Guy will play it for you. Also, a reminder to the club band, Guy usually plays with us when we start at 6:30 so we’ll sound a little better this month!

Days are getting longer so take advantage of the extra daylight to drive to the meeting this month and have a good turnout to show our appreciation of the professional musicians who generously donate their time and talent to entertain us. Invite a friend to join you and they’re sure to enjoy the evening as well.

IN MEMORIUM of JIM BARONI

This month I have the doubly sad task of announcing the passing of Jim Baroni and Jerry Choate. We will all miss Jim’s smiling face at the very back of the room at this next meeting. Jim was a strong supporter of the club and always had a good word for all. It was a pleasure to know him and on behalf of the entire club I offer condolences to Prima and Darlene on the loss of their beloved husband and father. Good bye Jim.

IN MEMORIUM of JERROLD CHOATE

Jerry Choate was a friend and a wonderful accordionist who often played for our club. He was a founding member and the current president of the Roseville Accordion Club. Jerry played professionally on solo gigs and with his band The Treble Makers – typical of Jerry’s sense of humor. Our condolences go out to his wife Judy and his family. There will be a Memorial service Friday, April 12, at 2pm, Butte Bible Fellowship Church, 2255 Pillsbury Road, Chico.

Tony Mustaro
President
Accordion Club of the Redwoods

Filed Under: April 2013, Newsletter

March 11, 2013

The President’s Message

Dear Friends,

Spring is just around the corner and you all know what that means – the ACR annual Spring Fling Dinner Dance. As usual we have a great evening of eating, drinking and dancing lined up. So if you haven’t already made your reservations please do so as soon as possible. This helps greatly in enabling us to purchase the necessary amount of food and drink for the occasion.

We’ll have some accordion music going almost all evening. Some of the members will play during the pre-dinner no host bar period and, of course, dancers will be welcome at that time. During the dinner service you may just want to chat with your friends and neighbors and then after dinner we will have dancing to the music of the Steve Balich Band. If you get the opportunity try to give a big thank you to these fine professional musicians who give so generously of their time and talents to all of our dance functions.

I remind you again to invite your friends and relatives to attend our Spring Fling this year. It’s a great introduction to our club and, who knows, they may even decide to become members and you might be able to car pool to the meetings together.

As we are talking about annual club activities it’s also that time of year again when our annual club registration renewal is due. Please make it easier on our Treasurer, John Pordon, and get your renewal forms and dues to him in a timely manner. It will save him a great deal of time and work and save the club the unnecessary expense of mailing out reminder notices. Membership dues are still a great bargain at the usual prices.

On a joyful personal note, I would like to take this opportunity to wish my mother, Edith Mustaro, a very happy and prosperous year on the occasion of her 93rd birthday which was on March 1st. I love you Mom. (I’m still trying to get her to make the trip out here from New Jersey so that I can bring her to one of our meetings.)

IN MEMORIUM: PETER M RIEDELL
APRIL 21, 1936 to FEBRUARY 28, 2013

On a very sad personal note for me I will also take this opportunity to announce the passing of my good friend and one of the best men that I have had the pleasure to know- Pete Riedell. Pete was a member of our club and a great aficionado of the accordion. He was a talented craftsman and skilled carpenter, tile setter, plumber, general repairman and if you could break it, Pete could fix it. He was never too busy to help a friend and Pete had a lot of friends. His warmth, good humor and generosity will be sorely missed. He has gone to join his beloved wife, Aileen. Condolences to his children – Alan, Pam, and Susan and their families.

Services for Pete will be held on Saturday March 9, 2013 at 2 PM in the Petaluma Valley Baptist Church 580 Sonoma Mountain Parkway Petaluma, California.

Tony Mustaro
President
Accordion Club of the Redwoods

Filed Under: March 2013, Newsletter

February 15, 2013

The President’s Message

Dear Friends,

I was sorry to have missed the pasta dinner and the January meeting but I’ve been under the weather with this very nasty flu that has been making the rounds since before the holidays. From everything I’ve heard everyone had a good meal, a good time and the food was great with plenty of seconds available.

I hope that you all enjoyed the great pasta dinner that our wonderful volunteers prepared for us last month. Speaking of wonderful volunteers I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Jan Terribilini for the wonderful job she has done in heading up the task of purchasing and preparing our after meeting sandwich and cold cut trays for so many years. Sadly at the last board meeting Jan informed me that she will no longer be able to continue with the great job that she and Jane Tripi have been doing. She has advised me that we need to find another member or another two or three members to volunteer to assume these duties.

To put it simply if we wish to continue to have sandwiches available at the meetings we need to have volunteers to step forward continue with this work. Having seen how quickly the food disappears at each meeting it’s very obvious that the end of meeting snacks are a very popular part of our monthly meeting. We are now asking some of you to step forward and allow us to continue this tradition. Please see me or one of the other officers or board members if you are willing to volunteer for this job, or go directly to Jan who will explain exactly what the job entails and you couldn’t have a better instructor. We need to fill this position sooner rather than later if we are to continue serving snacks.

We are looking forward to another great meeting in February with more great accordion music this month. Bart Beninco and Steve Balich have both agreed to play for us. We also have another special musical treat coming up at the next meeting. Phillip Parsons, one of our own scholarship students from a few years ago has returned to the area and he will be playing for us as well. Phillip is a very accomplished accordionist and I am greatly looking forward to hearing him play for us again after a hiatus of so many years.

Next month, as you all know there will be no March meeting. It will be replaced as always by our annual Spring Fling dinner dance. We always have a great meal and a great time as the ACR welcomes the return of Spring, longer days and warmer weather. Please remind your friends and neighbors that they are welcome to join us as we have some fun and say good-bye to Winter. Registration forms are available again this month in the Reedwooder so please get your reservations in early so that we can prepare the correct amount of food and drink. I look forward to seeing everyone there.

Tony Mustaro
President
Accordion Club of the Redwoods

Filed Under: February 2013, Newsletter