User:Mercedesmendive/sandbox

Mercedes Mendive

Biography Mercedes Mendive is a Basque Musician (accordionist) and composer; born in Elko, Nevada. She performs with the Piano Accordion (Paolo Soprani, and Roland accordions) and is a student of the trikitixa accordion.

When Mercedes was 7 or 8 years-old, her father recognized a musical inclination about her. Whether it was a xylophone, keyboard, recorder/flute or percussive instruments, her father and mother did their best to accommodate her musical interests. Prior to learning the accordion, Mercedes began playing the piano and took piano lessons for a short period of time; however, it wasn't long after that she decided that it wasn't the right fit for her. Eventually she discovered the accordion and began to play a small 12 bass accordion, eventually converting to a full 120 bass piano accordion. Mercedes studied under master musician and accordionist, Bernardo Yanci (Lesaka Spain/Basque County) for several years in the 1980's.

Mercedes has performed at venues that have taken her to the prestigious International Accordion Festival in San Antonio, Texas, music festivals in Orlando, Miami; festivals in California, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and all over the state of Nevada. She was invited to perform as a soloist for the Smithsonian Txotx event in Washington, DC (May 2016), and returned  to Wahington DC in July 2016 for the prestigious Smithsonian folk festival while accompanying the Elko Ariñak Basque Dancers (Basque Dancers of the Great Basin) for several days of performances. Mercedes has performed as far as the Basque Country in northern Spain while enjoying musical jam sessions with fellow musicians abroad. She has been a fixture at many of the annual Basque Festivals since she was in her early 20's and continues to perform consistently at a variety of venues annually.

Mercedes recorded her first album/CD in San Francisco/Bay area in 2003 titled "Journey to Euskadi", which was influenced by a solo trip she took to the Basque Country in 2001. Once she returned home to the United States, she finished the music for her album in a matter of weeks. She continues to progress and write music, incorporating new sounds and ideas into underlying basque folkloric sounds.

Discography Journey To Euskadi (2001)

External links www.mercedesmendive.com

http://www.basquemuseum.com/content/mercedes-mendive

http://www.euskalkultura.com/english/news/accordeonist-mercedes-mendive-is-back-in-elko-and-she-will-begin-free-classes-to-the-basque-club-members

http://knowledgecenter.unr.edu/sheepherders/music.html

http://www.blogseitb.us/basqueboise/2016/05/05/smithsonian-folklife-festival-upcoming-basque-events/

https://festival.si.edu/2016/basque/credits/smithsonian

http://kunr.org/post/accordions-maypoles-and-wood-chopping-look-renos-basque-festival#stream/0