QATHET'S FIFTH ANNUAL
Accordion
Fest
May 1-3, 2026
Directed by Walter Martella and Karina Inkster
A project of the qathet Academy of Music and Arts
Walter Martella and Karina Inkster are excited to bring you the qathet region's fifth annual Accordion Fest!
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Including two concert performances, klezmer and tango workshops for beginners and advanced players alike, and a wide range of musical genres for our audiences to enjoy, mark your calendar for Friday to Sunday, May 1-3, 2026!
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This year we're featuring 11 performing artists, as well as the Victoria Accordion Club Band and the TangoMundo trio. Join us for opening night on May 1, a full day of workshops and Accordion Cabaret on May 2, and an outdoor concert and jam session at Willingdon Beach on May 3.
CONCERT WITH
SPECIAL GUESTS
ACCORDION 101
WORKSHOP
TANGO
WORKSHOP
ACCORDION
CABARET
KLEZMER
WORKSHOP
OPEN MIC
PERFORMANCES
ACCORDION
REPAIRS & SALES
SONG CIRCLE AT WILLINGDON BEACH
2026 SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Friday, May 1
[All day]
Accordion repairs and sales
7:30pm
Accordion Fest Opening Night Concert
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Saturday, May 2
[All day]
Accordion repairs and sales
10:00am-11:00am
Klezmer workshop with Ronen Segall
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11:15-12:45pm
Open mic performances
1:00-2:00pm
Accordion 101​
2:15-3:15pm
Tango workshop with TangoMundo​
3:30-4:15pm
TangoMundo concert
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8:00pm
Accordion Cabaret
Sunday, May 3
11:30am
Accordion parade (yes, really!), song circle, jam session, and Victoria Accordion Club Band performance at Willingdon Beach. (Will move to the qathet Academy of Music & Arts if the weather doesn't cooperate.)
We'll share more info about the parade at our May 2 workshops. Get a head start and learn this song!
FEATURED 2026 GUEST ARTISTS
TangoMundo
TangoMundo presents a programme of the best and least known of Astor Piazzolla’s works, many rarely played. Featuring tango scholar and arranger Guillermo Anad on viola (from the National Academy of Tango, Buenos Aires), Faye Bendrups on piano and voice, and Anthony Schulz on accordion.
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TangoMundo will run a workshop on Tango just before their concert. Come along and be immersed in Tango – then join TangoMundo and play along with a number at the end of their concert. All levels welcome!
See our full schedule for details.
Anthony Schultz
Now based in Vancouver, Australian accordionist Anthony Schulz has devoted his life to the art of music, exploring and showcasing the versatility and refinement of the piano accordion. Anthony has graced the stage with numerous highly acclaimed ensembles and projects, from Luciano Pavarotti to ECM's Barre Phillips, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and ARIA award-winning Zulya and the Children of the Underground. His musical vision spans various genres, including chamber music, original compositions, world music ensembles, and improvisation. Anthony held a key role as the Chair of Victoria's iconic multicultural music organization The Boite, and is currently President of the Accordion Society of Australia.
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On the international stage, Anthony has served as a juror for the Australian Accordion Teachers Association championships and has presented at the Accordion Teachers Guild conference in Chicago. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the Victorian College of the Arts, a Master of Music, and a Graduate Diploma of Education from Melbourne University.
Guillermo Anad
Guillermo Anad is a composer, arranger and writer from Buenos Aires. He has worked as an orchestral musician (violist) in Argentina, Paris and Berlin and his compositions have been performed and recorded in Europe and the Americas. Anad is a specialist in the life and music of Astor Piazzolla and has published widely on Piazzolla and other tango-related themes. He has completed over 100 arrangements of Piazzolla’s compositions for various ensembles in Argentina, Spain, Belgium and Australia. Anad studied with Szymsia Bajour (founding member of Astor Piazzolla's quintet) and performed in Argentina with the Antonio Agri Ensemble, the Mariano Mores Tango Orchestra, bandoneonists Leopoldo Federico and Edelmiro “Toto” D’Amario, violinst Fernando Suárez Paz; and in Paris with the Cuarteto Cedrón and Gustavo Beytelmann.
Faye Bendrups
Faye Bendrups is a writer, composer and performance-maker. Her compositions have been commissioned by major Australian companies, including Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre. She wrote the opera Sindromtango: una ópera grotesca, the music theatre works Perpetual Tango and Shades of Tango, and the song cycles Cancionero Neruda and Cancionero América Latina. In 2022 she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to the performing arts. Her play The Fabulous Life of Lina Prokofiev premiered in the New York United Solo Festival in 2024, winning ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Musician’ awards.
Ronen Segall
Ronen Segall is an accomplished accordionist based on Vancouver Island, where he lives with his wife and two children. For over 20 years, he has been teaching the accordion online, helping students worldwide deepen their understanding of this expressive instrument, well beyond simply reading notes on a page. In addition to his work as an educator, Ronen has recorded and performed with numerous bands, showcasing his versatility and passion for music across a variety of styles.
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See our full list of 2026 performing artists.
Highlight reel from 2025's Fest. A sneak peek of what you'll experience in 2026!
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