Henry Doktorski Pianist Organist Accordionist Composer Conductor Author Educator Wartburg Community Symphony Concert

October 15, 2005: Henry Doktorski performed Astor Piazzolla's Tres Tangos with the Wartburg Community Symphony at the Neumann Auditorium at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, under the baton of music director and conductor Dr. Janice E. Wade. He also performed several other pieces, including Johannes Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5, Richard Rogers' Edelweiss, Vittorio Monti's Csardas, the traditional Clarinet Polka (a polka was requested by the audience), and Guido Deiro's My Florence Waltz.

Doktorski said, "I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Waverly, Iowa, to perform with the Wartburg Community Symphony. The orchestra was superb (many were music majors at Wartburg College) and I could not help remarking during our one rehearsal that Dr. Wade kept all the musicians under her reins, very precise and articulate. And the hall! The spacious auditorium--which included a beautiful Schlicker pipe organ--is incredibly alive with just the right amount of reverberation. Earlier I had informed the conductor that the accordion would probably need some amplification in order to cut through the sound of the orchestra, but the auditorium was so reverberant, and the orchestra so responsive to Dr. Wade's baton, that no microphone was needed; a first for me in performances with orchestra!"

Doktorski concluded, "I might add that the audience was extremely alive, just like the concert hall. When I arrived in town I wondered if the people would like my presentation; but they surpassed my expectations! The audience was responsive and extremely appreciative. It seemed I was the last person left in the lobby about an hour after the concert had ended, so many people had purchased CDs or were chatting with me, including one gentleman who told me he had won the 1959 American Accordionists Association Competition. I hope to return to Wartburg and perform again in the future!"

Lura L. Works, Concertmaster of the Wartburg Community Symphony Orchestra, expressed her appreciation in a letter:

October 17, 2005 Waverly, Iowa Dear Henry On behalf of all the professional, community and student musicians in the Wartburg Community Symphony Orchestra, please accept sincere congratulations on an absolutely magnificent performance with our orchestra on October 15, 2005. Not only are you a brilliant musician but you are a joy to work with as well. Your performance of Piazzolla's Tres Tangos was truly exciting and we thoroughly enjoyed our collaboration on this most unique work. The orchestra especially enjoyed being able to sit back and listen to your solo works following intermission and you held that audience in the palm of your hand. Kudos on that. Following the performance, so many audience members commented on how much they truly enjoyed having such an outstanding and interesting soloist for our concert and I know that the orchestra members agree. I believe you have your own fan club here now! Thank you so much for helping make our first concert of this season such a huge success. The very best to you in all of your future musical endeavors and we hope to see you back in Waverly again! Most sincerely Lura L. Works, Concertmaster Wartburg Community Symphony Orchestra