Performers
Michael Shepherd- World Champion Pizza Tosser
Michael Shepherd is owner of Michael Angelo's Pizza, with locations in Kenton* and Rushsylvania, OH and a founding member of the World Pizza Champions.
Michael currently holds 4 Gold Medals for Largest Dough Stretch and Team Acrobatic Dough Throwing won at the 2004, 2006 & 2007 World Pizza Championship in Italy and the 2005 World Pizza Games. In 2005 Michael broke the Italian record in the Fastest Dough competition. In addition Michael holds 3 National Titles for Fastest Dough & Largest Dough stretch along with over 10 Silver & Bronze awards. Along with the World Pizza Champions team, Michael has traveled to Italy, Germany, and the Dominican Republic competing and doing acrobatic demonstrations of every kind and appearing on national television shows such as The Food Network, Discovery Times, ABC's Master of Champions, CNN, and Life & Style.
Michael will perform his routine with the help of selected Fairfield audience members. He will also help conduct the Fairfield Pizza Toss-Off to determine Fairfield's best Pizza Tosser. You won't want to miss this!
Quiliano Anderson was born in the Philippines. He is a voice major who is currently finishing up his Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Iowa. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Guitar Performance and Voice from the University of Minnesota and has performed as a tenor in opera and chorus in addition to solo voice work. He has lived and performed on the East Coast – including New Jersey, New York and Virginia – in addition to the Midwest.
In 1996 Quiliano sang as a soloist in the "Voices of Vienna" in St. Paul. He also worked as a professional chorister for the Minnesota Opera Company, after which time he left Minnesota for New York. There he continued voice lessons and performed in his first Mozart opera, "Die EntfŸhrung aus dem Serail," produced by the now defunct Manhattan Opera Ensemble and directed by Nicholas Karousatos.
During this time, he also auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera chorus, and while he did not make the chorus he was invited to callbacks.
After living six months in New York, Quiliano moved to New Jersey, where he took lessons with Scott McCoy, alumnus and former faculty member of the UI voice department. Scott encouraged Quiliano to attend Westminster Choir College, in Princeton New Jersey. Quiliano attended Westminster from 1996-1997, including a performance in the title role of "Candide." During this time, he also performed at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall.
During his time at Westminster, however, Quiliano became increasingly nervous about high tuition fees. After receiving a recommendation from Scott McCoy, he auditioned at the UI, where he was awarded a teaching assistantship. He is now in his second year at the UI, and will audition for the doctoral program on April 26th.
Quiliano says his recent performance in "Cosi fan tutte," or "the Loss of Innocence," was a very good experience for him. The production was directed by guest director Ben Krywosz, the artistic director of Nautilus Music-Theater of St. Paul, MN. Quiliano recently auditioned for a production of "A Little Night Music," by Stephen Sondheim, which will be performed in mid July. Additionally, he says, he will audition for roles whenever he can -- mainly for lyric tenor roles - as well as apply for jobs.
"I feel good about opera," he says, "and I think I'll always be singing."
Quiliano Anderson performed at both All Things Italian festivals accompanied by Fairfield’s Doug Daller.
Il Trattenimento Italiano - Dance Troupe
In 1980, Patricia felt that there had to be more information available about Italian folk dances. She tried writing to Italian-American magazines but received no assistance. Shortly thereafter, she learned about IFAFA in a conversation with Rita Tonitto. Pat attended the 1981 IFAFA Conference in New Jersey and just happened to share a room with Cav. Elba Farabegoli Gurzau. In 1983 she traveled with IFAFA to Italy where she videotaped several dances.
Soon, the group's repertoire grew. In a few years, at an IFAFA Conference in Philadelphia, PA, Pat taught a workshop on teaching Italian dances to children. This presentation was an inspiration to many of the adult dancers to return to their cities and begin forming children's groups. In 1988, Il Trattenimento Italiano hosted the IFAFA Conference in Des Moines.
The group now functions under the auspices of the Italian American Cultural Center in Des Moines, but the dance group itself remains self-governed, under Pat's leadership. As members of the Cultural Center, they enjoy the privileges of state and federal tax exemption.
The adult group of Il Trattenimento Italiano currently consists of 6 men and 8 women. The Ragazzi group is made up of 12 children. New members are recruited through invitations in their newsletter and through personal contact.
The costumes worn during performances represent various regions of Italy; several members have more than one costume and often change during the course of a performance.
The repertoire of Il Trattenimento Italiano includes folk dances, folk tales, and historical background narration. Information on dances and costumes has been gleaned from Cav. Elba Gurzau's book Folk Dances, Costumes and Customs of Italy, at IFAFA conferences, and at other folk dance classes. Additional knowledge, of both dances and costumes, has been passed down through family history, or has been researched during travels in Italy.
Il Trattenimento Italiano Dance Troupe performed at both All Things Italian festivals
Jesse Mazzocolli was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Las Vegas where he started playing guitar. Jesse is a natural with music, it seems to be in his blood. Explaining his love of music in general and the guitar in particular, he says simply, "I'm Italian." A critic described him by saying "Where his music begins and ends is at question. He seems to live it. His sprit dances to his own guitar notes. Jesse can perform a flawless Paganini with a dexterity that belies a somewhat hedonistic aura..."
Jesse Mazzocolli taught guitar at Southeastern Community College while earning his AA degree. He managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA, became a member of the National Dean's List and served as vice president of Phi Theta Kappa. He currently sings baritone in a "metal" band with David McTavish and plays bass in Cavitation- one of eight local bands featured in the Back Alley Bandfest sponsored by the Cultural & Entertainment district and Main Street Keokuk Inc. He has also played the interlude feature at the CED-sponsored musical event headlining Denver's "folk fusion" trio Nicole Torres & the Affiliates.
This will be Jesse's first appearance at our festival.
