"Betty Jo's musicianship is outstanding."
- The Accordionaires


"Flawlessly fast fingering, heartwarming personality, skillful presentation, friendly informality...awesome to hear, and obviously stunningly beautiful to see!"
- The Milwaukee Accordion Club


For Inquiries Contact
Betty Jo Simon
10349 Century Lane
Overland Park, KS 66215-2201
Phone: (913) 888-4706
email: wbsimon@earthlink.net
Betty Jo Simon
MIDI Accordionist
Betty Jo Simon brings endless enthusiasm to the stage for any occasion. A vivacious performer who enjoys intimate concert settings where she can talk with her audience, Betty Jo has a wide repertoire from which to choose. Her favorite? "Around the World with the MIDI Accordion."

She enjoys performing classical music the most, but she loves the schmaltzy stuff too and still likes to play as a strolling musician.

Her musical aptitude and love for the accordion appeared early. As a high school student, she became the first accordionist to win the instrumental division of the Youth Talent Auditions of the Topeka Civic Symphony. Betty Jo earned a Bachelor of Music in Accordion Performance from the University of Missouri--Kansas City (UMKC), where she played the world premiere of Paul Creston's Fantasy for Accordion and Orchestra with the UMKC Civic Orchestra.

She participated in USO tours to Greenland, Newfoundland, Labrador and Germany, and did a two-year stint with Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. Betty Jo now performs as a soloist throughout the United States and internationally. In 2000 she appeared on a Chinese satellite TV musical variety program aired on Chinese New Year and went on to give concerts in Beijing and Shanghai. In 2007 she won the Maddalena Belfiore Entertainment Competition for Female Accordionst and currently leads a German polka band called The Alpen Spielers. In August 2009 she will be making three appearances with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, one being the opening concert of the 64th Coupe Mondiale. (World Championship Accordion Competition)

Betty Jo has been performing with a Baldoni MIDI accordion for many years now. Her accordion has been equipped with MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which is driven by computer technology. The MIDI device combines the beautiful tones of the acoustical accordion with the authentic orchestral sounds of the Roland U-220 sound module in a marriage of old and new that astounds all audiences.

She strives to project a positive image of the accordion through her concerts and hope to encourage others to take up the instrument by demonstrating its versatility using MIDI technology.


Albums


Repertoire
  • Classical
  • Standards
  • Polkas

Leads Ensembles In
  • German
  • French
  • Celtic
  • Latin
  • Cajun
  • Mariachi

Occasions
  • Concerts
  • Parties
  • Festivals
  • Conventions
  • Retirement Communities

CD $15 USD 		      Musically Yours
Tour of the Emerald Isle: Kerry Dance, Irish Washer Woman,
       Garry Owens, Danny Boy, The Rakes of Mallow, The Girl I Left
       Behind Me, Sailor's Hornpipe - (Traditional)
Begin the Beguine - Cole Porter/arr. Galla-Rini
12th Street Rag - E.L. Bowman/arr. Magnante
Nuit Blanche - Privat & Hotellier
The Rosary - E. Nevin/arr. Galla-Rini
Take Ten - Frank Marocco
The Harmonious Blacksmith - G.F. Handel/arr. D. Balestrieri
French Medley: Love Is Like a Violin, Domino, C'est Si Bon,
       La Vie en Rose, Poor People of Paris, The Can Can -
       (Traditional) arr. Galla-Rini
The Holy City - S. Adams/arr. Galla-Rini
An American in Paris - G. Gershwin/arr. Galla-Rini
String of Pearls - Glenn Miller/arr. Chuck Berger
Malaguena - E. Lecuona/arr. Galla-Rini
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - D. Raye & H. Prince



CD $15 USD
       Mamma Mia
Italian Medley: Come Back to Sorrento, Finiculi Finicula,
       O Sole Mio, Ciribiribin - arr. Galla-Rini
Espana Cani - Marquina/Palmer-Hughes
Medley of Strauss Waltzes: Blue Danube Waltz, Die        Fledermaus, Tales From the Vienna Woods - arr. Palmer-Hughes
The Entertainer - Joplin/Schuller
French Medley: Under Paris Skies - Giraud & Drejac,
       La Vie en Rose - Louiguy & Piaf/Galla-Rini
Hillbilly Concerto: Orange Blossom Special - Rouse
       Hora Staccato - Dinicu-Heifetz/Galla-Rini
Dance of the Comedians - Smetana/Magnante
Dark Eyes - arr.Palmer-Hughes
The Lord's Prayer - Malotte/Galla-Rini
Czardas - Monti/Palmer-Hughes
Dicitencello Vuie - Falvo & Fusco/Galla-Rini
Bolero - Ravel/Galla-Rini

2009 Public Performance Schedule
  • April 29 - In the "Threepenny Opera" Swarthout Recital Hall at KU, Lawrence, KS (4:30 p.m.)
  • May 5 - LIFT Program Grandview Community Center, Grandview, MO (12:45 p.m.)
  • May 7 & 8 - Music Hall "Lord of the Rings" Symphony with the KC Symphony(8 p.m.)
  • May 14 - LIFT Program at Finnegan's, NKC, MO (12:45 p.m.)
  • August 16 - Auckland Town Hall, soloist with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, Auckland, New Zealand (2:30 p.m.)
  • August 23 - Bruce Mason Center, soloist with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, Auckland, New Zealand (2:30 p.m.)
  • August 25 - Bruce Mason Center, soloist with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, opening concert of the 64th Coupe Mondiale, Auckland, New Zealand (2:30 p.m.)
  • September 12 - Worlds of Fun (12 to 5 p.m.)
  • September 19 - Worlds of Fun (12 to 5 p.m.)
  • September 20 - Worlds of Fun (12 to 5 p.m.)
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