© Stas Venglevski 2025
Web Design by Brian Leahy
About
The Artist
Stas Venglevski is a bayanist, composer, conductor, arranger, entertainer and a teacher and his extensive repertoire includes his original compositions and 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 and most recently in South Africa. Numerous U.S. performances include performances with Doc Severinsen, Steve Allen and Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home Companion Show. He has performed with symphony orchestras in Europe and throughout the United States, including the Anchorage, Grand Florida, and Detroit symphony orchestras in the opera production of Frida, and with the University of Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra in 2003 for the official World Premiere of the Concerto No. 2 in D minor. It marked the first time the piece had been performed in its entirety with a symphony orchestra. He has performed the concerto on multiple occasions since, with the Tacoma, Colorado Jefferson and Racine symphony orchestras, and with that of Nurenberg, Germany. For over 25 years he has been a regular participant in the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Arts in Community Education program (ACE). He’s done television commercials and performed in theater and opera productions; produced 31 recording albums, including a transcription of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite for Bayan, as well as original compositions. Additionally, he has published several books of original compositions. For the past 10 years he has been the Artistic Director of the Houston Accordion Orchestra Retreat and in 2021 he was named Artistic Director of A World of Accordions Museum (AWAM) in Superior, Wisconsin. He is a past President of the Accordionists and Teachers Guild and currently serves on its board. Most recently, he has joined the faculty of the Music Department of the University of Wisconsin, Superior, WI. In 2023, he established the Stas Venglevski Music Foundation, SVMF. The aim is to revolutionize the world of accordion by inspiring young people to embrace the fine arts, empowering them to create music, honing their performance skills as soloists and with orchestras, and giving them opportunities to compose and debut new music. In addition to the core mission, the foundation is committed to expanding public knowledge of art and music and supporting impactful cultural initiatives worldwide. In February of 2025, Stas performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall.
The Instrument
The accordion is one of the most widely played instruments in the world. Popular, it seems, everywhere except the United States. The accordion is generally made of wood, metals like aluminum and steel, plastic and cellulose. Some accordions have over six thousand individual parts, making them one of the most complex musical instruments manufactured. The accordion makes its music when air from the bellows is forced through metal reeds causing the reeds to vibrate. In the accordion class of instruments are the piano accordion, bayan, concertina, bandoneon, button box, et al. The concept is universal and each culture has adapted the instrument to its own requirements. The genesis of the accordion is thought to be the Chinese Sheng, which dates back to around the 13th century B.C. The Bayan is an accordion that was developed in Russia in the very late eighteen hundreds. It differs from most accordions developed in western Europe primarily in the detail of its construction. These details make the Bayan a richer sounding instrument with a wider range of notes. It shines its best in the classic repertoire, often sounding like a cathedral pipe organ. In classical genres Stas Venglevski performs on the Petosa Concert Series Cathedral Bayan SV developed by Petosa Accordions in Seattle, WA, and custom crafted specifically for Stas. It has 61 treble notes and bass converter for either 120 Stradella bass or 55 free bass. Specs here. The Cathedral Bayan SV has fifteen treble registers giving it incredible range and large spectrum of sounds. The left hand is a specially designed Russian system offering the sound quality of a Cathedral Organ pedal tone.
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About
The Artist
Stas Venglevski is a bayanist, composer, conductor, arranger, entertainer and a teacher and his extensive repertoire includes his original compositions and 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 and most recently in South Africa. Numerous U.S. performances include performances with Doc Severinsen, Steve Allen and Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home Companion Show. He has performed with symphony orchestras in Europe and throughout the United States, including the Anchorage, Grand Florida, and Detroit symphony orchestras in the opera production of Frida, and with the University of Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra in 2003 for the official World Premiere of the Concerto No. 2 in D minor. It marked the first time the piece had been performed in its entirety with a symphony orchestra. He has performed the concerto on multiple occasions since, with the Tacoma, Colorado Jefferson and Racine symphony orchestras, and with that of Nurenberg, Germany. For over 25 years he has been a regular participant in the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Arts in Community Education program (ACE). He’s done television commercials and performed in theater and opera productions; produced 31 recording albums, including a transcription of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite for Bayan, as well as original compositions. Additionally, he has published several books of original compositions. For the past 10 years he has been the Artistic Director of the Houston Accordion Orchestra Retreat and in 2021 he was named Artistic Director of A World of Accordions Museum (AWAM) in Superior, Wisconsin. He is a past President of the Accordionists and Teachers Guild and currently serves on its board. Most recently, he has joined the faculty of the Music Department of the University of Wisconsin, Superior, WI. In 2023, he established the Stas Venglevski Music Foundation, SVMF. The aim is to revolutionize the world of accordion by inspiring young people to embrace the fine arts, empowering them to create music, honing their performance skills as soloists and with orchestras, and giving them opportunities to compose and debut new music. In addition to the core mission, the foundation is committed to expanding public knowledge of art and music and supporting impactful cultural initiatives worldwide. In February of 2025, Stas performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall.
The Instrument
The accordion is one of the most widely played instruments in the world. Popular, it seems, everywhere except the United States. The accordion is generally made of wood, metals like aluminum and steel, plastic and cellulose. Some accordions have over six thousand individual parts, making them one of the most complex musical instruments manufactured. The accordion makes its music when air from the bellows is forced through metal reeds causing the reeds to vibrate. In the accordion class of instruments are the piano accordion, bayan, concertina, bandoneon, button box, et al. The concept is universal and each culture has adapted the instrument to its own requirements. The genesis of the accordion is thought to be the Chinese Sheng, which dates back to around the 13th century B.C. The Bayan is an accordion that was developed in Russia in the very late eighteen hundreds. It differs from most accordions developed in western Europe primarily in the detail of its construction. These details make the Bayan a richer sounding instrument with a wider range of notes. It shines its best in the classic repertoire, often sounding like a cathedral pipe organ. Stas Venglevski performs on the Petosa Concert Series Cathedral Bayan SV developed by Petosa Accordions in Seattle, WA, and custom crafted specifically for Stas. It has 61 treble notes and bass converter for either 120 Stradella bass or 55 free bass. SpecsLu here. The Cathedral Bayan SV has fifteen treble registers giving it incredible range and large spectrum of sounds. The left hand is a specially designed Russian system offering the sound quality of a Cathedral Organ pedal tone.
© Stas Venglevski 2025
Web Design by Brian Leahy
