AMY JO SAWYER RECEIVED 2ND PLACE IN AAA COMPOSITION CONTEST
ATG member and past President of ATG, Amy Jo Sawyer, recently received 2nd place in the American Accordionists’ Association “Elsie M. Bennett Composition Competition”, Open Category. Zachary Grindle performed the winning solo entitled “Recuerdos” (memories). The Judges were Robert McMahan, and Dr. William Schimmel.
Pictured: Amy Jo Sawyer, Zachary Grindle (with accordion), Frank Busso Jr.
DR. LYNDA GRIFFITH WRITES NEW BOOK AND DONATES PROCEEDS TO ATG
By Esther Lanting, based on the preface of the book
Dr. Lynda Griffith (DPT) has written and illustrated a new book, Playing Your Hand. It is the printed and expanded version of the workshop titled “Hand Care for the Musician” presented at the 2023 ATG Festival. She is donating all proceeds to the ATG.
This book aims to teach the musician to build strength in the totality of musculature around the many joints of the hand so the accordionist might realize full potential as a musician, with decreased likelihood of hand pain or debilitating injury.
As musicians age, we experience changes in our body composition. It is harder to maintain strength and performance abilities and it takes longer to recover and restore the energy lost due to activity. Research has shown that specific task-oriented exercise can help mitigate the effects of aging by building strength around joints.
Joan Cochran Sommers writes, “Playing Your Hand is the perfect book for musicians who play the accordion and for others who need to keep their hands in good condition. The many Exercises accompanied by clear photos of the hands and fingers are easy to understand and will serve the reader well as they learn about these important Exercises.”
This book is available for $20 (plus $5 for shipping) on the ATG website with all proceeds going to the ATG. We hope to have a book signing by Dr. Griffith at the 2025 ATG Festival in Lisle, July 16-20.
Jane Christison Busy Performing – Broken Foot and All!
Jane Christison had a busy summer performing as Janie Next Door® - Music for Kids! During her performances, she is introducing the accordion to hundreds of young children while playing for preschools and children’s concerts in the Kansas City area. What made it a little more challenging this summer was that she broke four bones in her left foot, one bone in her left ankle, and tore a ligament in her foot when she fell on Memorial Day. She had to be non-weight bearing for 4 ½ weeks. With the help of her brother and several of her Sigma Alpha Iota (professional fraternity for women in the field of music), she was able to go “on with the show!” (Photo of Jane and her boot attached.)
Jane says she got VERY spoiled by having a “roadie” carrying her equipment and even taking her accordion out of the case and passing it to her when she couldn’t put weight on her foot. She’s happy to report that she’s on the mend and back to schlepping her own equipment once again – and that happened just in time for the 2024 ATG Festival.
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