The Troy Arts Council will present world-renowned accordionist Alexandre Sevastian in a special Sunday night concert at 7 p.m. at the Claudia Crosby Theater on the campus of Troy University.

Dr. William Denison, TAC president, said a Sunday night concert is not the norm for the arts council but they jumped at the opportunity to bring Sevastian to Troy.

“Alexandre Sevastian is not the main street accordionist,” Denison said. “We usually associate the accordion with the polka and ethnic cultures but Sevastian plays classical music — Bach, Weber, Zolotaryov and others. You don’t often hear their music played on the accordion.”

Jim Wadowick, a member of local Accordion Association, brought an accordionist to the Claudia Crosby Theater several years ago and the audience was very responsive.

Wadowick said he is very excited about the opportunity to have the Russian accordionist on the TAC’s calendar of events.

“Alexandre Sevastian is a classical accordionist and that is not an oxymoron,” Wadowich said, laughing. “You can play classical music on an accordion and no one plays it better than Alexandre Sevastian.”

Sevastian was born in Minsk, Belarus in 1976 and began playing the accordion at the age of seven.

He finished musical school in 1991 and then the Glinka Musical College and the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow. Following his formal musical training, Sevastian worked with the Russian television and radio orchestra and took part in music festivals.

Since 2001, he has been living in Toronto, Canada and plays with the Toronto Woodwinds, an ensemble that was awarded first prize at “The Golden Accordion International Competition” in New York.

Sevastian has performed concerts in 30 Russian cities as well as concerts in Belarus, Ukraine, Germany, Italy and Japan. He has given several premier performances. He plays with an internationally recognized group, “Quaratetto Gelato.”

His solo engagements include appearances in Mexico, Serbia, Portugal, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Canada and the United States.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Alexandre Sevastian perform for us,” Denison said. “We invite everyone to join us for this very special concert on Sunday night at the Claudia Crosby Theater.”

General admission tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students. Troy Arts Council patrons, Accordion Association members and piano students will be admitted free.