Angelo Di Pippo
Honorary Director 2011!
A name known and heard around the world, Angelo Di Pippo is our Honorary Director for 2011! From Garden City, NY, he has played accordion since the age of eight. Angelo graduated from Holy Cross College, with a Masters degree from C.W. Post College, and an honorary Doctorate from Five Towns College. He has played on thousands of Recording Sessions.
Over the years Angelo has recorded and concertized with such artists as: Peggy Lee, Billy Eckstein, James Earl Jones, Judy Collins, Roberta Peters, The Ramones, Robert Merrill, Harry Belafonte, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Randy Newman, Theodore Bikel, The Four Lads, Frankie Avalon, Jimmy Roselli, Enzo Stuarit, Claudio Villa, Luciano Virgelli, Connie Haynes, Don Sebesky, Mary Duff and Gilbert Becaud. Angelo and his Jazz Group have made appearances at the Newport Jazz Festival and many other Jazz venues, including Birdland, the Café Bohemia, and Lincoln Center in New York. His appearances include: The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Today Show, The Regis Philbin Show, The New York City Ballet, Sesame Street, The New York Pops with Skitch Henderson, seven great years playing with the Jackie Gleason Show and so many more too numerous to mention.
Angelo was voted best accordionist in America in the prestigious Keyboard Magazine Poll. He may also be seen and heard playing accordion in Films such as The Godfather (the wedding scene), Lovers And Other Strangers, Wiseguys, Wait Until Spring, Bandini, Cookie, Playing For Time, Tuff Turf, Johnny Skidmarks, The Dangerous Hero, Children of the Corn and O.C. Stiggs. Angelo has played in several Broadway productions including: Carnival, Fiddler On The Roof, Irma La Douce, Follies Bergere. He was also the Assistant Conductor for the production of Poor Murder starring Lawerence Luckenbill & Maria Shell. For more than twenty years, Angelo conducted and arranged for the eminent Metropolitan Opera baritone Robert Merrill. Today Angelo can be found active in New York, composing, arranging and performing. Be sure to take in a class with Angelo and be at his Wednesday night Concert with the Accordion Kings!