ESCANABA — Strings on the Bay, the annual summer chamber music series sponsored by Bay de Noc Community College, is tonight Tuesday, June 29, at First Presbyterian Church, 819 1st Avenue South, at 7:30 p.m. This performance is the first of three concerts this summer and features accordionist Stas Venglevski. Venglevski is a graduate from the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow and the two-time first place prize winner in the bayan,

The instrument Venglevski plays is more properly called a “bayan.” A bayan is a chromatic button accordion that possesses a far greater range of notes than the more familiar keyboard style.

In addition to solo selections, Venglevski has asked violinist and Strings on the Bay music director, Paul Lundin, to join him for the second half of the program. Together they will perform works ranging from Vivaldi and Bach to tangos by Astor Piazzolla.

Tickets are available through the Bay College website: www.baycollege.edu, at the Besse Center Box Office or at the door the night of the concert. Remaining programs in the series are on July 20 and August 10 at 7:30 p.m., also at First Presbyterian Church in Escanaba.

Venglevski, a native of the Republic of Moldova, part of the former Soviet Union, is a two-time first prize winner of bayan competition in the Republic of Moldova and a graduate of the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow where he received his masters degree in music under the tutelage of the famed Russian bayanist, Friedrich Lips. In 1992 he immigrated to the United States. Stas’ repertoire includes his original compositions, a broad range of classical, contemporary and ethnic music.

He has toured extensively as a soloist throughout the former Soviet Union, Canada, Europe, and the United States including numerous performances with Doc Severinsen, Steve Allen and with Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home Companion Show. Additionally, he has performed with symphony orchestras throughout the United States such as the world premiere of Concerto No. 2 by Anthony Galla-Rini and the world premiere of Bayan and Beyond, composed for Stas by Dan Lawitts. He is a regular participant of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Arts in Community Education Program (ACE); has done television commercials and performed in theater productions; produced numerous recordings including a transcription of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite for bayan as well as one of original compositions. He has published several books of original compositions. Stas Venglevski’s website: http://www.stasv.com/