Freelance accordionist specializing in international ethnic music

Looking for an Entertainer?

If you need a versatile performer for your upcoming event, consider hiring an accordionist. As a freelance musician, I perform either solo or with a band (using any combination of instruments or simply a singer). As a solo instrument, the accordion works well acoustically for strolling, or by amplifying and incorporating midi electronics, my accordion can be made to sound like a one-man ensemble.

In autumn 2011, I was honored to be the recipient of the 2011 NE Accordion Festival (NEAF) Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Castle Accordion and Mill City Accordion Association.

Previously performed regularly at the Honey Lounge and at the Gasthof in Minneapolis.

My Performance Highlights

In winter 2012, played for the "Evening in Paris" fundraiser at the Minnesota Governor's Residence, home of Mark Dayton. (Photo credit www.1006society.org/)

Performed with the group Klezmer and All That Jazz at David Brooks' Town Hall Forum on March 31, 2011, and at Tom Brokaw's Town Hall Forum on November 8, 2011, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis.

Appeared on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion show with Francine Roche on November 7, 2009. We performed in an all-French show, broadcast from the Des Moines Civic Center. (Photo credit Prairie Home Companion.)

Was a featured performer at the national convention of the American Accordionists' Association in July 2002, performing as a soloist with the Minneapolis Philharmonic.

On July 11, 2002, played for a reception for former President Bush in Minneapolis.

In summer 2000, on recommendation by the head cantor of Temple of Aaron in St. Paul, provided klezmer music for the reception of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In August 2000, played for opening night party for Cirque du Soleil's production of Dralion.

As a member of Klezmer and All That Jazz, recorded the soundtrack to a new production of the classic Yiddish theater play, The Dybbuk, which aired on National Public Radio in September 1999. The show was produced by Yuri Rasovsky's Theatre of the Ear, and Steven Spielberg's Righteous Persons Foundation funded the first American-language audio production of this Yiddish theater masterpiece. It will feature Theodore Bikel, Carl Reiner, Ed Asner, and Barbara Rosenblat.

One of the featured musicians at the Inaugural Ball for Minnesota Governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

Selected to play for a recent Democratic Party fund raiser attended by First Lady Hillary Clinton.

With the Minnesota Orchestra, under the baton of Doc Severenson, featured as a guest soloist performing an accordion concerto entitled Accordances (a work commissioned for me by Shelley Hanson).

Have soloed with the Milwaukee Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Dallas Brass, the Rochester Symphony, the Ocean City Symphony, the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra, and Minnesota Sinfonia.

Was featured in the 1999 performance of The Nutcracker with Minneapolis-based Ballet of the Dolls.

Invited to play a reception for the President of Czechoslovakia, Alexander Dupcek; noted Russian poet, Yevgheny Yevteshinko; and Russian television celebrity, Boris Tonkin.

Played for several openings at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, including the Henri Matisse and the Monet exhibits. Played for the Fall 1999 opening of Marc Chagall exhibit.

Touring member with the group Klezmer and All That Jazz.

Recorded and helped produce the music for a museum piece called Unpacking on the Prairie. This work premiered at the Minnesota Historical Society, and later traveled to the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. It won first place in the 8th Annual Muse Award Competition (a museum award competition).

Featured in two Miller Lite beer commercials aired on Superbowl Sunday 1998.

Recorded soundtrack music for the Hollywood film entitled The Revenant, a horror film starring Rod Steiger.

Recorded the soundtrack music for the 1997 production of Homo Heights, an independent film starring British actor Quentin Crisp.

Featured on the following CD recordings:

• Lori Line - Heritage Collection II (this CD debuted as #7 on Billboard's New Age charts)
• Benny Weinbeck - Sweet Love
• Francine Roche - Deja Vu and Joyeux Noel
• Boiled in Lead - Orb
• Stuart Martz - Stuart Martz Album
• Tim Sparks - Balkan Dreams and Guitar Bizarre
• Rabbi Joe Black - Jewish Children Songs
• Sean O'Driscoll - Ragland Road

Have worked with several theaters in the Twin Cities, including the Guthrie, Jungle, Childrens, Frank, Southern, and Minnesota History theaters, and as music director of the Ethnic Dance Theater.

Toured with the 1997 Dayton-Hudson production of Fash Bash, a fashion show with special guest RuPaul.

Played on stage at the We Fest (a country music festival) in northern Minnesota for audience of 50,000 following a performance by the late John Denver.

In 1976, as a member of the group Consort, played for the late Hubert Humphrey's 65th birthday party.

Performed regularly as part of the Minnesota Orchestra's Sommerfest series.

My Music Styles

• French musette or street cafe accordion
• Traditional Celtic music from both Ireland and Scotland
• French cabaret with a French chanteuse
• German (polkas)
• Cajun and Zydeco
• Scandinavian, including Finnish
• Italian
• Klezmer (Jewish wedding music)
• Eastern European (Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, and Czechoslovakia)
• Russian (with Sima, a famous singer from Odessa who sings in Russian, Ukrainian, and Yiddish)
• Persian
• Greek
• Turkish
• Israeli
• South American (Brazil and Argentina)
• American (sing-alongs, popular standards, Broadway tunes, and old-time music)

For bookings or more information, call Mark Stillman at 612.823.8801, or email him at markstillman@comcast.net

Thanks for visiting! This website has been active since May 12, 1999.