Henry Performs at Palomar College
At Palomar College.
February 19, 2026: Henry performed a solo accordion recital at the D-10 Performance Lab at Palomar College in San Marcos, California. About fifty people attended. During the final two pieces Henry was accompanied by pianist and Palomar College faculty member Dr. Michael D. Munson.
The concert program included:
• Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Hungarian Dance No. 5 (arranged by Anthony Galla-Rini)
• attributed to A. Humpfat (late 19th century): Clarinet Polka
• Henry Doktorski (b. 1956): Theme and Variation on Richard Rodgers’ “Edelweiss”
• Vittorio Monti (1868-1922): Czárdás
• Pietro Deiro (1888-1954): Celestina Polka
• Guido Deiro (1886-1950): My Florence
• Guido Deiro: Deiro Rag
• Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992): Oblivion (with Michael Munson, piano)
• Arvo Pärt (b. 1937): Spiegel im Spiegel (with Michael Munson, piano)
Henry explained,
I was very happy with my playing and the reception of the audience. I think about 50 people attended. After my recital, a half dozen people came up to me and asked questions and spoke for another 10-15 minutes.
After I played Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5, I spoke a bit about Maestro Anthony Galla-Rini (1904-2006), and how he lived the last years of his life at a senior citizen manufactured home park in San Marcos. Palmomar College is located in San Marcos. I visited and spoke with Galla-Rini twice, in 1996 and 2002, when I performed solo accordion recitals for the San Diego Accordion Club (Friends of the Accordion) in San Diego, as arranged by Harold Estok.
I met Galla-Rini's wife Dolly, and he took me out to lunch at a local restaurant. I still remember parts of our conversation, and how he was so disappointed that one of his most promising students (Nick Ariondo) had pretty much severed contact with him. For him, a student was like a son or daughter.
I was especially thrilled to play Astor Piazzolla’s Oblivion and Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel with Dr. Michael Munson assisting on piano. I have known him close to ten years as a long-time member and current Dean of the American Guild of Organists Palomar Chapter, of which I am affiliated. All in all, I was very pleased with my Palomar College recital. The theater staff had everything ready, and the audience was attentive. They supported me with lots of applause after each piece.
Photos by Cindy M. Fuchser.
About Dr. Michael D. Munson:
Dr. Michael D. Munson earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music from the Eastman School of Music in 1992. Since 1994, he has been working at Palomar College when he started accompanying ballet classes, which he still does. Currently, he teaches applied piano, plays for ballet, and accompanies the Palomar Chorale. He has taught beginning piano, music theory, and organ. He also accompanies and coaches students in the music program at MiraCosta College.
Dr. Munson is also the organist of the First United Methodist Church of Escondido, a Life Member of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) and a former Dean of the Palomar Chapter of the AGO. He has concertized in Southern California, the eastern United States, and Europe. He has also given three concerts at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion as part of the weekly Sunday Concert Series there.
Dr. Michael Munson and Henry Doktorski at Palomar College.
Instagram announcement for Henry’s recital at Palomar College.