Brief Biography

As a young protegé of the late Stephen Harer of Clifton, New Jersey, Lenny was a Virtuoso competition champion (click here for photo) and represented the Accordion Teachers Ass'n of NJ at the 1961 AAA Olympics (click here for contestant list) held in Chicago, Ill. At Vander-Cook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois, Lenny received his Bachelor of Music Education Degree, using the accordion as his major instrument and studying with Mort Herold and the late Mario Moschino. A ten year career of teaching and playing professionally in the New York area followed. During this time, Lenny performed throughout the NY Metro Area with the famous Tony Cee Orchestra as the personal accompanist of the late Tony (Cee) Corsetto - Popular Vocalist and Orchestra leader.

Lenny then pursued a profesional business career for the next 13 years, ending with his retirement in 1987. He returned to his first musical love, the accordion, and began a new professional career in Florida. The Lenny Feldmann Show performed regularly in Florida and for special accordion events - The Galla-Rini Honorary Concert and Festival of the Accordion Teachers Guild in Chicago - as guest soloist and adjudicator for the American Accordion Musicological Society in Valley Forge, PA - the Accordion Teachers Association of New Jersey - in Lake George, NY for the American Accordionist Association.

Career highlight in 1989 as accordionist with the world-famous Mantovani Orchestra on the Mid-West tour, as well as a nine week engagement performing in Yokohama, Japan at their World's Fair (click here for photo story). Lenny is the former assistant conductor for the Accordion Pops Orchestra directed by Danny Desiderio. The APO, consisting of professional and semi-professional accordionists from seven Northeast states, has presented concerts with various guest artists including Myron Floren and Dick Contino. Lenny is always expanding his accordion career, previously studying technique and repertoire with the great Carmen Carozza. Lenny currently resides in Middletown, NY with his lovely wife, Marie Elena who is a retired Elementary School Art Teacher.

He has participated as a performer, workshop presenter, and adjudicator in music festivals held by AAA in Houston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Boston, and ATG in Kansas City and Chicago, ATA of NJ  and the American Accordion Musicological Society (AAMS) who, in 2007. presented him with their Lifetime Achievement Award.

Photo Gallery

  <--- 6 months old

   <--- Accepting trophy from his teacher, the late Steve Harer

    <--- With Lee Deiro Jr, July, 1995

 <--- In the "pit" for Carnival

   <--- Playing for an Oktoberfest

  <---  Serenading Joan Sommers at ATG 2002

  <--- Jamming with Lionel Reekie

  <--- With Peter Soave having a jam session

 <---  Mario Tacca and Lenny knocking out a few tunes together

  <---  Jamming with Eric Baal at the Black Forest Mill

 
Outdoor picnic with my MS-40 "One Man Band" (Sept. 2009)

Entertaining on the Hudson River cruise boat "The Commander" (Sept. 2009)

Lenny entertaining at the MAMTG festival - 2010

The Lenny Bruce Duo  (that's Bruce Gassman)