Lipovac’s authentic style and musical   
talent sweeps across the midwest.  

Besides being able to play music of his own Slovenian and Croation background, Don Lipovac possesses a large repertoire of songs of all nationalities.  

Don of Slovenian descent, started his musical career at the age of four playing Slovenian melodies on a button accordion purchased by his grandfather.  At the age of eight, he began formal accordion lessons with Alfred Vacca of Kansas City and then became a student of the Conservatory of Music at UMKC—which gave him a solid education in classical music.  He graduated with degrees in Music Theory and Music Education.  During these years, Don began performing with a Croation Kola Club, a Yugoslav folk song and dance group.  It was during these years his deep interest in European folk music was stimulated and cultivated to a full-blown career in music.  His roots stemmed from a little ethnic Yugoslavian community of Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, Kansas, which quickly branched out over major cities across the country.  

In 1958, Don won the nation’s top accordion honor-1st place in the American Accordionist Association National Championship contest held in New York City.  He went on from there to represent the U.S. A. in the International Accordion competition in Brussels, Belgium.  

Don performed his own arrangement “Russion Airs” which classic was consistent with his deep interest in preserving and performing Balkan Folk music.  This event was the catalyst for Don’s extraordinary career in music.  Don has appeared on the Lawrence Welk television show and has performed as a guest soloist in the Kansas City Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras.  These concerts have enriched his career and added prestige to the accordion as an instrument of classical music.  

With all the national and international attention don Lipovac was attaining, Don came to the attention of a local tamburitzan orchestra – “The Blue Danube Tamburizans”.  All of its members had been students of Nick Rodina, a fine Croatian traditional musician.  The tamburitza, without amplification, was not very effective for large crowds such as weddings.  Thus, the group to increase its sound added Don as its accordionist.  Don was in a trance right away because of the beautiful sounds of these real folk instruments.  He also was an asset to this group with his knowledge of music theory and became its teacher of sorts.  

It was during this period in the 1950’s that the traditions of the local Croation community and those of the Slovenian began to come together.  Of course the Slovenians thought the button box was more authentic and the Croations loved the sounds of the unique tambura.  The Croations were influenced by Slovenian music, dancing Slovenian polkas and waltzes at weddings.  
Don is accredited with the mixing of traditions through his musical renditions of beautiful Croation and Slovenian dance music in the Kansas City area.  Croatian-Americans in the Eastern part of the U.S.A. still hold strong alliances with only the sounds and songs of tamburitzan orchestras (one beautiful sound).  Don and his musical friends were the first generation that left the Old World divisions behind.  

Affiliated with “The Blue Danube Tamburitzans” was the Kolo Club which was formulated in the Croatian parish.  This club for yound people helped preserve the dances and music from the Old Contry.  Together they entertained for many events in Kansas.  One problem for this young dance group was the dropout of members due to marriages, taking on other work or going off to colleges in other parts of the U.S.A.  However, music was a passion for Don and he has devoted his life to music preservation.  In the 1960’s after Don and his friends tried to revive the Kolo Club, a new Croation institution was born.  This organization entitled St. John’s Tamburitzans is where Don offered a Tamburitzan class at St. John’s |School.  The first class Don conducted held over forty students.  Under Don’s Direction, the group produced six record albums of Yugoslavic national music, as well as popular and classical music.  Over 700 students have been taught traditional music by Don in the past 25 years—some of which have won four year scholarships as members of the famous Duqesne University Tamburitzans.  

Don has written and arranged between 500 to 600 pieces of music including folk songs, dances and concert selections.  He recognizes the beauty and vitality of ethnic music and has acquired on of the most complete collections and libraries of Balkan Folk music in this country.  

Among the many awards received throughout his career.  Don was inducted into the Ironworld Polka Hall of Fame in Chisholm, Minnesota in 1992 for his contributions and dedication to music.  

Don Lipovac
Born:          April 3, 1935          Kansas City, Kansas        Degrees in Education:          Music Education          Music Theory        Frequent Appearances:          Cleveland          Pennsylvania          Wisconsin          Minnesota          Colorado          New Mexico          Kansas	Recordings:      Polka Feast      Muziko, Muziko      Polka Celebration      Playing Your Request   Ethanic Music Styles:      Slovenian      Croation      Serbian      Polish      Hungarian      Greek      Italian      French      Russian