Article provided by ATG from the 2015 ATG Festival Booklet

In 1941, The Accordion Teachers’ Guild (A. T.G.) was formed in the Midwest. The 29 Charter Members were: Walter Cot Haynes, Lari Holzauer, Tommy Kosatha, Roger Hyde, Irene Crepps, Louise Geiger, Silvio Fassio, John Casanova, Kathryn Hines, Jean Gestwick, Alberta Bradstreet, Joseph Razzaia, Leon Paris, Paul Miners, Pat Marrazza, Chester Pietka, Truman Larson, Terry Levis, Lucille Donnelly, Charles Molnar, Fleda Ziegenbein, Ernest Gerardi, Joseph Oszusik, Michael Evans, Eve Prentice, Violet Kastning, Pearl Carter, Anthony Galla-Rini, and
Sidney B. Dawson as listed on the original list of Charter Members.

The Accordionists and Teachers Guild has always been strongly connected to the teachers, not only on both coasts of the USA but also with those in smaller cities in the Midwest…North and South… states which sometimes never had the same opportunities for accordion “greats” to appear. Long before ATG offered competitions; it became very respected and well-known for its educational activities and was presenting concerts and workshops for its members and others, such as operators of some of the largest accordion schools throughout the Midwest and along the West Coast. They, in turn, often sent their teachers and some of their young accordion students who were just beginning to teach, to the ATG Workshops and Concerts held in Chicago during the NAMM Conventions. Some of the most outstanding soloists and groups were presented during these Conventions in concerts and workshop sessions. During these earlier periods, the ATG did not have competitions but the AAA did. Teachers brought their groups of students to both the ATG workshops and the AAA competitions at the same time. Later on, NAMM no longer remained in Chicago and both the ATG and the AAA held their activities elsewhere.

The ATG went on record as approving full-chord notation for the left hand in preference to single-note notation. By 1956 the whole situation regarding single-note and full-chord notation had developed into an intensely emotional issue between those holding opposing viewpoints. Eventually, the whole question became less relevant probably due to the growing interest in the free-bass systems all over the world. As a result, in 1960, when Anthony Galla- Rini renewed his membership in the AAA, the question of full-chord and single-note notation was of no consequence; composers, arrangers, authors of method books just did “their own thing” and everyone was happy.

In 1950 Anthony Galla-Rini visited various factories in Norway, Sweden, Germany and Italy, as a representative of A.T.G. and presented to them the following standardizations for the Stradella system accordion:
a) The elimination of the 5th from the (dominant) 7th chord buttons. This was accepted by all factories.
b) The logical choice and placement of the left hand registers.
c) A standard range was set for each of the five sets of reeds for the left hand. Suggestions b and c were accepted by some factories and ignored by others. (Due to Galla-Rini’s influence, the 5th of the diminished 7th chord buttons was eventually omitted, also.)

With instructions from the ATG, Galla-Rini attended the 1951 Coupe Mondiale in Paris and submits to the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) that they accept the ATG as a member organization and, of course, it was. In 1955 the ATG sent its first representative to the Coupe Mondiale in Brighton, England, as well as its first representative to the World Congress. Since that first year, the ATG has sent numerous candidates to the competitions and representatives to the World Congress, as well as continuing as an active contributing member on various committees as a means of showing support for the accordion and accordionists throughout the world.

In 1955 the AAA and the ATG held a Joint Committee meeting in Chicago on July 19th, during the N.A.M.M. Convention, for the purpose of standardization. ATG Membrs committee members present were: Anthony Galla-Rini, Tony Rozance, Sidney Dawson, and Terry Levin. AAA members were: Charles Magnante, Joe Biviano, F.Henry Klickman, and Eugene Ettore. Several members of both organizations also attended this important milestone for the accordion.

The Coupe Mondiale was hosted by the ATG in Kansas City, MO in 1981. The AAA and the ATG co-sponsored the
Coupe Mondiale in New York City in 1959 and again in 2007 in Alexandria, VA.

The ATG has had its three submissions for the Coupe Mondiale Test Piece approved in 1981, 1982, and 2007.

You may readily understand why Anthony Galla-Rini is so revered and was given the title “President Emeritus” long before his death. His composition for accordion orchestra “Paragon March” was made the ATG’s Official March and has been performed at numerous ATG Annual Festivals. Due to his declining health and lack of ability to travel easily at that time, the ATG hosted a 99th Birthday Celebration for him in San Diego, CA on January 18, 2003. Many accordionists attended from all over the country and there were other greetings from all over the world. Galla-Rini rehearsed an accordion orchestra and conducted them on the gala evening concert and he did it all by memory!Fortunately, there were other celebrations before his death on July 30, 2006 at the age of 102 years, 6 months and 12 days. ATG History will always be entwined with that of its most illustrious founder and his ongoing devotion to
the accordion will remain ours, too.

Anthony Galla-Rini (January 18, 1904 – July 30, 2006) was a celebrated American accordionist, arranger, composer, conductor, author, and teacher who passed away in Corona, CA at the grand age of 102. President Emeritus of the ATG, Anthony Galla-Rini was a founder of the Accordionists and Teachers, Guild, International (ATG) in 1941 in Chicago.

Galla-Rini was born in Manchester, Connecticut, the third of seven children to John and Angela Galla-Rini, an Italian immigrant family. His father started teaching Galla-Rini the cornet at the age of four. In the same year, he made his debut on the Vaudeville circuit with the family band, and an encore performance of “Casey Jones” on the cornet. It was at this time that Galla- Rini also learned to play the accordion, a three-row button instrument.

Galla-Rini performed on the Vaudeville circuit for twenty years, in that time learning to play 11 woodwind and brass instruments in addition to the accordion, as well as theory in harmony and counterpoint, and operatic and symphonic conducting. He toured the United States with his family, playing with such Vaudeville stars as Mae West, The Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Jimmy Durante, and Eddie Cantor.

After his sisters dropped out of the family’s act when he was twelve, Galla-Rini’s accordion playing became more important to the act as his father John played a more diverse range of instruments. It was at this time Galla-Rini realized the accordion was a complete musical instrument in itself, devoting more time and attention to the accordion and eventually abandoning all other musical instruments in favor of the accordion.

In 1951, Galla-Rini represented the ATG at the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) General Assembly and Coupe Mondiale in Paris, which resulted in the CIA accepting the ATG as a member organization. Galla-Rini later went on to serve as a CIA Vice President.

Many stories have been written about Galla-Rini and we hope you enjoy a few recollections, as recounted by Joan C. Sommers of some of the time she spent in Galla-Rini’s presence. For further information on Galla-Rini’s life, career and accomplishments, please visit

Obituary:
http://www.accordions.com/memorials/mem/galla-rini_anthony/index.shtml