Henry Doktorski Pianist Organist Accordionist Composer Conductor Author Educator Doktorski Student Performs Recital on 75th Birthday

Indianapolis, Indiana: Joan Gilyeat Moyer, a student of Henry Doktorski, performed a Concert Accordion Recital to commemorate her 75th birthday at the Meridian Street Methodist Church Chapel at 5500 North Meridian Street in Indianapolis, Indiana on Sunday, March 25, 2007 at 3 p.m.

The program consisted of transcriptions of works by classical composers, and original compositions for the accordion. Solo pieces included Pietro Frosini's Etude in C Major, Pietro Deiro's Mimicri Intermezzo, Verdi's Introduction to Act One from La Traviata, Guido Deiro's Musketeers March, Valse Pirouette, and Deirina Mazurka, John Gart's Shades of Velvet and Fughetta, and Henry Doktorski's Romance for Chord Buttons.

Two other pieces deserve special mention: Frosini's Olive Blossoms played by Moyer and Doktorski in a duet arrangement by Frank Henri Klickmann, and Pachelbel's Kanon in D played by at trio of reeds, pipes, and strings: Moyer on accordion, Doktorski on the Meridian Street Methodist Church's organ, and Cindi Sifers, a violist with the Indianapolis Philharmonic Orchestra who also plays violin with the Civic Theatre Orchestra.

Joan Gilyeat was born on March 21, 1932, and began studying accordion at age seven at the Indiana Music Company with Georgia Neargardner. After graduating from Broad Ripple High School in 1949 she studied advanced accordion with John Joseph Convertino at the Indianapolis Conservatory of Music, where she also served on the faculty teaching beginner students.

John founded the American Academy of Music and Joan was invited to bring her students. John directed and Joan played in a concert accordion band and a quartet which performed recitals in various concert halls in Indianapolis in the early 1950s.

Joan was invited by the Dean of Jordan College of Music at Butler University to join the faculty in the Special Education Division for non-collegiate students. She successfully petitioned the Board to use her accordion as the principal instrument toward a degree in Theory and Composition. James Winkel, a graduate of the Gaviani Accordion School in Boston, served as her Accordion Professor. These college studies were interrupted by Joan's marriage to cellist Truman Moyer. She continued giving lessons at Butler through the 1960s, and then stopped playing and teaching to raise her two daughters.

In 2004 Joan's interest in the classical accordion re-awakened, and she purchased over 80 CDs of concert accordion, bayan and bandoneon recordings, including five CDs by Henry Doktorski. That autumn she sent her 1951 Excelsior Symphony Grand to the factory representative for repairs. She attended eleven live concerts in 2005, including concerts featuring Henry Doktorski as accordion soloist with the Butler County Symphony, the New Philharmonic and Northwest Indiana Symphonies, and solo recitals at the Chicago Accordion Club and A World of Accordions Museum and Concert Hall in Superior, Wisconsin. Moyer was impressed and she began serious studies with Henry Doktorski by speakerphone and regular one-on-one lessons.

Today Joan and Cindi perform frequently as a duet for Senior Citizen Centers and Nursing Homes throughout Indianapolis.

Joan's current teacher, Henry Doktorski, said, "Joan has come a long way during the last few years. She is talented and motivated and determined to play each piece as best she can: accurately, expressively, and according to the vision of the composer. She is a gifted musician and I look forward to hearing her and performing with her during her 77th birthday recital in 2008!"

A reception followed the recital. For more information, contact Joan Moyer at joan.moyer@hotmail.com.