Don Lipovac Inducted - Kansas City 1977
	Don Lipovac remembers the day his grandfather brought a small accordion into the family home in the Strawberry Hill section of Kansas City, Kansas.  Matt Lipovac, a Yugoslavian immigrant, was anxious to pass on the musical heritage of his land to his four-year old grandson.  Don Lipovac was a willing student and has in turn awakened the interest of many second- and third-generation Americans of Slavic descent in the music of their ancestors.
	"It was a little button-type accordion.  My grandfather handed it to me and just like any kid I started experimenting.  My mother and grandfather would sing one of the old folk songs and I'd try to find the melody on the keys.  I heard the songs and found I could play them by ear."
	At the age of eight, Don began formal accordion lessons with Alfred Vacca who gave him a thorough training in the classics.  While in high school, he began playing with the "Blue Danube Tamburitza Orchestra" of Kansas City.  The orchestra played for many Croatian and Slovenian church functions, polka dances, and weddings in the Kansas City area.  They were also a part of the Croatian Kolo Club, a Yugoslav folk song and dance ensemble.  It was during these years that his deep interest in tamburitza music was stimulated.
	In 1958, Don was awarded the nation's top accordion honor -- first place in the American Accordionists' Association national championship.  As a result, he represented the United States in the world competition held in Brussels, Belgium.  He attended the Kansas City Conservatory of Music, where he graduated with degrees in Music Theory and Music Education.  Later he appeared as soloist on the Lawrence Welk television show and with the Kansas City Philharmonic.
	Recently, Don has been traveling around the country with his polka band performing at dances, weddings, and various ethnic activities.  The band has recorded two albums in the past year.  At the same time, he has spent many hours teaching tamburitza to the young people of the Kansas City area.  "He wanted to do something so the kids would hold on to the old music and culture."
	In 1966, Don became the musical director of the St. John's Tamburitzans, a group formed to preserve the folk songs and dances of the Yugoslav community.  Under his very capable tutoring, Don has diligently worked with the Tamburitzans from the inception of the group.  For the past 11 years, he has written all the instructional material and musical arrangements for the group -- approximately 500 folk songs, dances, and concert selections.  The results have been gratifying.  The Tamburitzans have given 11 annual concerts, usually consisting of 40 to 50 performers, and have made numerous appearances at various civic functions.  They have also appeared at the International Folklore Festival in Zagreb, Yugoslavia, where they taped a 45-minute program of music for Radio Zagreb.  The St. John's Tamburitzans have produced six, 12-inch LP records of Yugoslav national music, popular, and classical music.
	Since the St. John's Tamburitzans program was organized 11 years ago, Don has taught over 150 tamburitza students in the Kansas City area.  Two former students, Dan Vrabac and Mike Sandelich, have won four-year music scholarships as members of the famous Duquesne University Tamburitzans.  "That's my greatest pleasure -- seeing this group continue their interest and learning.  Our heritage is too valuable to be lost."
	In 1974, the Kansas Federation of Music Clubs awarded a citation to Don Lipovac in recognition for outstanding musical service.  We proudly salute Don for his contribution in keeping the Tamburitza music alive in Kansas City and welcome him into the TAA Hall of Fame.
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