Pompilio Rosciani
Hall of Fame – 2023
Pompilio (Pom Polio or Pompi) Rosciani has dedicated more than 60 years to the manufacture, repair, and tuning of chemnitzer concertinas, accordions, and button boxes.
As a young man, he began as an apprentice with the Sonola Accordion Company in Castelfidardo, known as Italy’s “City of the Accordion.” In the 1960s, his father, Ernesto Rosciani, was the owner of the Harmony Accordion Company in Italy. He sent Pompi to the United States to establish a market for his musical instruments in New York City.
Soon after, Pompi relocated to Chicago, Illinois, where he first worked for Bianco Music and then later moved to the Star Concertina Company located on Milwaukee Avenue where he was employed by owners, Walter Kadlubowski, Jr. and Gerraldo (Aldo) Carbonari. In 1974, Pompi and his uncle, Umberto Carroci, purchased Star Concertina and merged the business with their Imperial Accordion Company, moving the business to West 59th Street.
For the next fifteen years, Pompi led the manufacture of the Star brand chemnitzer concertina. While carrying on the tradition of quality and performance established by Star’s legacy, he also introduced new innovations to advance the musical instrument. With Pompi at the helm, Star was the first company to import the ElkaVOX MIDI equipment to the United States for installation in concertinas and accordions. Partnered with Umberto, they created the StarVOX concertina. In 1989, Pompi sold Star Concertina and began working for Anne Romagnoli at Italo-American Accordion Manufacturing Company in Oak Lawn, Illinois. At Italo-American, Pompi would become the expert on all things related to the chemnitzer concertina. For decades, he was responsible for completing repairs and reed tuning for many satisfied concertina musicians. Pompi is even known to have helped musicians located far from Chicago by offering his assistance over the phone.
Today, Pompi owns Rosciani Accordions located in Chicago. Working with his son, Marco Rosciani, they continue to provide expert technical work on chemnitzer concertinas, accordions, and button boxes.