Len Gadica, (that's ga-dee-tsa...like pizza!) is a musician from Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada. Len makes his living in the music field in various ways: A "1 Man-band" playing for dances every weekend, a children's entertainer doing shows for kids in schools and at concerts, a music teacher with students in piano, organ, keyboard and accordion, a church organist, piano tuner and composer.
Len Gadica started taking accordion lessons at age 7 and the piano accordion has been his pimary instrument right up to today. He has recorded 4 albums of "old time" music, featuring polkas, waltzes, schottisches etc. All the tunes on his albums are original compositions, many of which he has composed for competition at the Kimberley International Old Time Accordion Championships, held every July in Kimberley, B.C. KIOTAC, as it is called, has become a huge showcase for accordion music, and is a real incentive for players of all ages. Len has entered the "Happy Hans" open category many times, the one category open to any age and also to amateur and professional alike. Len has been very successful in the competitions, winning 3 times and placing in the top 3 a total of 8 times.
Len has tried something new recently, compiling 4 music books for accordion with tunes from his albums. It has been a satisfying and rewarding venture to make the music available in print.
Len continues to be very popular as an entertainer at dances and other functions throughout Saskatchewan and Manitoba. He is heavily booked on weekends, usually a year or more in advance, and plays many types of music including old time, country, old rock and roll and much more.
He is a 1-man band, and does it by recording himself as background, then playing along with it live. Sort of a karaoke with him doing all the parts! Len's new album is titled "Lucky Man" which is just what Len Gadica considers himself to be. Music has been his love all his life, and to bring happiness to people while making a livng at it truly has been wonderful.
Performing for young audiences has always been a great experience too. Len's show for kids is positive, happy and upbeat, and involves the kids with singing, actions and some plain old nonsense! The children enjoy Len's "Music from around the World", which features music from many ethnic backgrounds and songs in as many as 7 different languages.
They also get a sampling of 3 types of accordions. Len brings along his piano accordion. a button accordion and a concertina, hoping maybe there will be some future accordion players in the audience!
In the last few years Len has also performed a lot for senior citizens, and has put together a few specific programs, which the seniors enjoy. Several of his programs feature music and songs from many years ago, with some trivia and humor to go along with the music. The seniors he has played for have been very appreciative of his shows.
In 1958, Don won the nation's top accordion honor - first place in the American Accordion Association National Championship contest.
Don went on to represent the United States at the world competition in Brussels, Belgium. He attended the Kansas City Conservatory of Music and has degrees in both music theory and music education. Don has appeared on the Lawrence Welk Television show and as soloist with the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also been the Director of the St. John Tamburitzans for more than 35 years.
He has the unique distinction of having been inducted into both the Tamburitza Association of American Hall of Fame, for outstanding contributions toward the preservation of Tamburitza music; and the Polka Hall of Fame, awarded at Ironworld, USA, in Chisholm, Minnesota.
Besides being able to play music of his own Slovenian and Croation background, Don Lipovac possesses a large repertoire of songs of all nationalities.