Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration
Sponsored by the Northwest Accordion Society
Herzlich Willkommen!
JUNE 26-29, 2025
WORKSHOPS
LIAC 2025 Workshop Information
in process of being updated
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FOR COPY OF WORKSHOP SUMMARY - Click Here
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Matt Tolentino
Matt Tolentino
Matt Tolentino “Multi-Instrumentalist, Band Leader, Vocalist, Preservationist, Music Historian…”
Sharing his birthday with Fred Astaire, Matt Tolentino was born May 10, 1985. For nearly two decades he has worked to perform and preserve ragtime, hot jazz, and the roots of swing for today’s modern audience. A true multi-instrumentalist, he plays accordion, piano, clarinet, saxophone, banjo, guitar, tuba, and vibraphone. As a vocalist, Matt has been praised for capturing the flavor and spirit of the 1920s and 1930s with sincerity and authenticity. His ensembles include small combos and multiple large ensembles including The Singapore Slingers and The New Liberty Dance Orchestra. Recent performance highlights include Transatlantic crossings aboard the Queen Mary 2, featured vocalist with the Maui Pops Orchestra, and appearances in the latest Scorsese picture, ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’. In his native Dallas he founded the Jazz Age Sunday Social, a lawn party centered around the wonderful music of the Roaring Twenties. With a collection of over 6,000 band arrangements, hundreds of 78 rpm records, and notable artifacts including Adrian Rollini’s bass saxophone, he doubles as an archivist to further the preservation of America’s treasured musical past. Matt makes his home in Cincinnati, Ohio, sharing his 1890 Victorian with his wife Danielle, their Chihuahua Doo-Dad, a 1952 Kaiser Deluxe. For more information on Matt, his bands, and his music, please visit www.MattTolentino.com.
Hank Thunander
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National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Every time he picks up his accordion and plays, Hank Thunander pays tribute to his idol, Frank Yankovic. For nearly half a century, Hank has led one of the top Cleveland-Style polka bands in the Upper Midwest. Fans enjoy his energetic polka sound, but Hank also can put across a big-band, light-rock or country tune. His versatility has earned him frequent invitations to festivals, clubs and ballrooms with an average of 300 appearances a year.
Hank was raised in the Gogebic Range of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in the town of Bessemer. As a youngster he was fascinated with Yankovic’s happy music and took up the accordion. A dream came true when, at age 10, America’s Polka King brought Hank on stage to play along with him. Hank led bands in high school and the Army before settling in St. Paul, Minnesota. Another dream was realized in 1970, when he was invited to record with Yankovic. Since then, Hank has released eight albums of his own.
Some of the entertainers he accompanied include Lawrence Welk favorites Myron Floren and Joann Castle. From 1972 to 1981, Hank hosted a weekly radio show on WMIN, featuring Slovenian-style polkas. He organized polka tours to Europe, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Alaska. For his contributions to music, Hank has been honored by the Ironwood Hall of Fame, the Michigan Polka Music Hall of Fame, and the Minnesota Accordion Club. He received the Lifetime Award from the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame.
Ben Thomas
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The Ben Thomas Tango Project explores tango from its early years as traditional dance music to the modern era with the influence of jazz and classical music. With Eric Likkel on clarinet and Josie Zocco on piano, the group features rhythmic whirlwinds, gorgeous melodies, and fiery improvisations.
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Seattle based percussionist/bandoneonist/composer Ben Thomas started playing bandoneon in 2006, traveling to Argentina and working with tango musicians from across the world. He tours regularly with the Atlas Tango Project and can be heard on their most recent album, “Estaciones y Sueños”. He was a guest artist with the Eugene Opera in 2018 as the bandoneon soloist for Piazzolla’s “Maria de Buenos Aires”. Thomas has released five albums of original music on Origin Records, spanning jazz, chamber music, and tango..
Mark Myking
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Mark Myking plays both piano accordion and the single row diatonic. Mark first heard Zydeco music while in the Merchant Marines and shipping out of Gulf Coast Ports. He was captivated by the playing styles of Clifton Chenier, John and Geno Delafose, Beau Jocque, Chubby Carrier and Boozoo Chavis.
Zydeco is a, high-energy, rhythmic, accordion drenched music with elements of Caribbean rhythm, Creole and Cajun melodies, with some blues, country, and a little rock and roll all thrown into the mix.
Thomas Tilton
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Collector of historical accordions, Thomas Tilton started playing diatonic accordion in 1966 and has performed professionally since 1969. He began his button box collection in 1972 and continues to collect and recondition early diatonic instruments. Thomas can be seen and heard at Andreas Keller Restaurant in Leavenworth, WA, and with AlpenFolk at the Leavenworth Gazebo.
