Accordionist stops in for Dukes concert on Easter
Fans of local accordionist extraordinaire Richard Noel will be thrilled by an upcoming concert featuring one of his contemporaries.
On Easter Sunday, the Dukes Concert Series will offer a special auxiliary concert featuring Cory Pesaturo, a world-class accordionist whom Noel greatly admires.
This free concert at First Congregational Church will be the first appearance Pesaturo makes during his multiday visit to Bakersfield.
This Rhode Island native began entertaining audiences on the accordion as a young boy. When he was only 12, he performed four times at the White House for President Bill Clinton and Hilary Clinton.
In June 1999, he performed at a state dinner held for the president of Hungary, becoming the youngest person to perform for a state dinner.
Pesaturo became the second person to major in and graduate as an accordionist at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. He studied contemporary improvisation and excels at playing “off the cuff”— differently every time.
Pesaturo won the Coupe Mondiale World Digital Accordion Championship in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2009. In the same year, Pesaturo won the Leavenworth International Championship, and International Jazz Championship.
He performed in five different continents including the countries of Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Tunisia and Japan. In 2011, Pesaturo won the Primus
Ikaalinen World Acoustic Accordion Championship.
Now he performs a wide range of genres, from Italian, French and Bulgarian folk music, Jewish music and jazz to classical music with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Pesaturo has enjoyed breaking the stereotype of the accordion as “only for polkas” by appearing on several TV shows, such as CBS’ “Let’s Make a Deal” and NBC’s “That’s My Jam with Jimmy Fallon.”
In 2022, Pesaturo was chosen to be the featured accordionist on “Weird Al” Yankovic’s biographical movie, “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. “In addition, he has given four TEDx Talks and two talks at Google.
Cory Pesaturo’s Dukes concert can be the highlight of your Easter Sunday celebrations. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear an exciting performer who will create music on the accordion you never dreamed possible. Dukes concerts are kid-friendly, too!
In addition to the Dukes concert, the musician will also appear in concert for Guitar Masters and with the Bakersfield Jazz Workshop.
Pesaturo’s concert will take place at 4 p.m. March 31 at the church, 5 Real Road.
The concert is free. Donations are gratefully accepted and will go directly to compensate the musician.