Accordion and Dance Instructors

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Meet our instructors: Shelia Lee and Mark Ropel Shelia and Mark are the owners of Houston Accordion Performers. They are the backbone of the accordion instruction offered by Heritage Arts Productions. They both have played the accordion since under 6 yrs of age and studied with Bill Palmer, Galla Rini, and other legendary accordionists. They both had the benefit of taking lessons as a youth through an accordion studio that offered mulitple opportunities for them to gain performance experience both as soloists and with professional bands. They bring years of music instruction experience and brilliant capacity to train and encourage young and adult accordion students and performers. Joe Borrego Joe Borrego is a dynamic button accordion performer and outstanding instructor. He speaks Spanish and already has 2 classes of students that he instructs in Spanish. He teaches to read the notes and play both hands - though he encourages and promotes playing by ear. His Band - Joe Borrego & Conjuntazo - is a very popular band in the Houston and Pasadena area. Brian Brian is the chjoreographer for Team Karizma. He will be conducting workshops and private and group lessons. The student can select the style they like - Cumbia, Bachata, Meregue, Hip Hop, Break Dancing, Duranguense, Quebradita, Salsa, & More. Johnny Ramirez Johnny as agreed to be one of our Consulting Professionals. He will be available for group and private lessons and will be visiting various group classes. We are so pleased to have the Winner of the Texas Folklife Accordion Squeeze 2008 contest - when he was only 16. Johnny is proficient with tejano, conjunto, norteno and prolific entertainer. He been playing accordion for over 10 years and is working hard to accomplish his one main goal, making and selling a cd with original music. He plays with pistas (instrumentals) that his father makes at their home studio. Mario Pedone, PhD Mario Pedone is from Valenzano a small town near Bari, in Southern Italy. In an effort to improve the family's financial situation the Pedone's immigrated to Valencia, Venezuela in 1959. He studied with Professor Roberto Ruscitti, a renowned classical Accordionist. In 1972 Mario graduated as a "CONCERTISTA" from the school "ACADEMIA DE ACORDEON SMITH". In 1976 Mario graduated with a degree of "PROFESSOR OF ACCORDION" (the US equivalent of a PhD) from the same school. After graduation Mario founded his own accordion school " ACADEMIA DE ACORDEON LATINA " where he had over 125 students. Most of his former students are now playing professionally. Mario was also member and co-founder of the " ORQUESTA LATINA " together with famous Spanish singer Esteban Abarca and performed all over Venezuela. In 1981, Mario moved to Sugar Land, Texas. He continues to perform professionally in many countries and is currently performing on the keyboard on weekends at The Old Heidelberg, a local German Restaurant in Houston accompanied by singer Liberty Palileo. Mario has his own recording studio in Sugar Land where he has arranged and recorded hundreds of tunes including many of his own compositions. His musical range includes, but is not limited to Classical, Latin, European, and American Standards. He also produces CDs and cassettes for other musicians. Chromatic Accordion and Folk Dance Lessons Valina (Polka) as everyone knows her - will be teaching ethnic dance and her husband Ross will be teaching chromatic and keyboard accordion. They are part of the group named Das Ist Lustig. Das Ist Lustig means "That's Fun". They play German, Austrian, Czech, Dutch and American folk music. The accordion is played by Ross, a Houstonian born from German descent who studied accordion under Lynlee Alley, Steve Habemacher, Terry Cavanagh, and Bill Palmer. He majored in music at the University of Missouri at Kansas City under Joan Cochran Sommers, graduating in 2000. He toured Europe several times with the UMKC accordion orchestra. He assists as the choir director and accordion player at his Lutheran church in Alief. He even speaks some German. ValinaPolka is a Houstonian born of Dutch / German descent, has 18 years experience performing for audiences of all types, speaks some German and can do a rowdy German accent. She fronts for the band, plays the washboard, spoons, boombas, Holzanes G'lachter, tuned Austrian cowbells and sings. She teaches basic dance steps, leads the audience with folk dance instructions, invites them to play cowbells with her, and sing along. Back to Top History of the Accordion | E-Mail Copyright © 2010 ANET4U Web Site Development by ANET4U Design