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Highlights |
11th World Music Festival, Innsbruck, 9th to 12th May 2013 – Austriaby Harley Jones |
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Thousands of accordions will be heard at the 11th World Music Festival in Innsbruck, Austria, May 9th to 12th. Some 10,000 accordion friends, about 250 orchestras and ensembles from many nations are expected at one of the world’s largest accordion competitions at the international convention centre Congress Innsbruck, and other adjoining stages. Download the Information Brochure: 2013Innsbruck.pdf with regulations and full contact information Registration Form: 2013Innsbr_registration.pdf The international competition includes different categories such as accordion orchestras and ensembles, chamber music, harmonica orchestras, diatonic accordion ensembles and new mixed instruments accordion-orchestra and world music and folk ensembles with a minimum of 1 accordion with other instruments. The event will also feature excellent concerts in the evenings and on Sunday May 12th, is the final award ceremony at Innsbruck’s Olympic Hall. Since 1983 the German Deutscher Harmonika-Verband e.V. (DHV) are organizing the World Music Festival every three years at Innsbruck, in beautiful Tyrol, Austria. For further information contact Margit Steinhilber, email: steinhilber@dhv-ev.de |
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‘Lips Concerto’ New CD, Moscow - Russiaby Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions |
![]() In his ‘Concerto for Bayan and Symphony Orchestra’ (2009) A. N. Kholminov created an impressive fresco, where, with the background of the symphonic orchestra, the bayan was featured as a solo instrument in a very bright and pulsating way. The special dedication to the artist expressed in the title of E. Podgaits’ ‘Lips Concerto for Bayan and Symphony Orchestra’ (2001) is based on a series of concrete symbols. Thus, Bach’s invention in F major begins with the sounds ‘fa – la’, which corresponds to the initials of the artist. The digits of the telephone number of the artist (3152824) result in a melody, which the composer uses humorously in several passages. During the whole concerto, the magnificent beauty of the harmonic ellipse (this word also contains the surname of the artist) is charming the public. Thanks to his bright and optimistic view of the world, the composer confirms the life, the beauty and the joy of existence. For further information, sound samples and purchase online: CD025 |
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Nebl & Nebl Concerts & Masterclasses, Beijing, Tianjin & Shanghai - Chinaby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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The German accordion/clarinet duo Nebl & Nebl accepted an invitation from Prof. Cao Xiao-Qing to visit China, November 19th to 27th. The duo are brothers Andreas Nebl (accordion tutor at the Hohner-Konservatorium Trossingen) and Frank Nebl (clarinet). Picture above. The first concert took place on November 20th in the Central Conservatory, Beijing, and on the 22nd the duo were the guests at the College of Music in Tianjin. These were the first concerts by a European accordion/clarinet duo in a Chinese academy of music, and were anticipated with much interest and enthusiasm. On November 20th and 21st Nebl & Nebl held master classes at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, and on the 24th Andreas Nebi gave a lecture on the accordion in Tianjin. The duo then went to the Shanghai Normal University, to perform a concert organized by Prof. Li Cong and Asst. Prof. Crystal Wang, and to give a lecture on the subject of chamber music. The tour was made possible thanks to generous support of Hohner. For further information email: AndiNebl@gmx.de |
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Mumford & Sons Nominated for 5 Grammy Awards - UK, USAby Rita Barnea |
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![]() Kanye West, Jay-Z, Frank Ocean, Mumford & Sons, fun. and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys all tied for the most nominations, 5 nominations for each! Mumford & Sons were nominated in the following categories: Album of the Year - "Babel" Best Rock Performance - "I Will Wait" Best Rock Song - "I Will Wait" Best Americana Album - "Babel" Best Song Written For Visual Media - "Learn Me Right (From Brave)" Best Long Form Music Video - "Big Easy Express" Mumford & Sons are an English rock band. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (vocals, guitar, drums, mandolin), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards, accordion, drums), "Country" Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo, dobro, guitar), and Ted Dwane (vocals, string bass, drums, guitar). Mumford & Sons formed in December 2007, emerging out of what some in the media labeled the "West London folk scene". Keyboard and accordion player Ben Lovett met Marcus Mumford sometime around third grade at the King's College School, a private school in Wimbledon. Mumford & Sons' second album Babel debuted at number one on the UK Album Chart and the US Billboard 200. It became the fastest selling album of 2012 in the UK and was the biggest selling debut of any album in 2012 in the US, selling 600,000 in its first week and over a million worldwide. The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will take place Feb. 10, 2013 at Los Angeles' Staples Center. |
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‘El Encuentro: A Film for Bandoneon and Cello’ DVD, Munich – Germanyby Rob Howard |
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![]() "Your perception of music and your way of playing music change when you travel" says Anja Lechner. The camera joins the journey and underlines the point, illuminating the processes of music making in very different contexts. These two musicians come from diverse backgrounds - Dino from South American tango and folk traditions and Anja from the world of European classical music, but they have worked closely together since the mid-1990s. ‘El Encuentro’ (The Encounter) offers insights into the life of these travelling musicians seen here in concert, in rehearsal sessions, at recording studios, and in informal settings - in conversations without words, and in lively exchanges of ideas, philosophy, and experiences. They are variously joined by composer Tigran Mansurian, arranger Levon Eskenian, pianist George Gruntz, and Dino's brother, saxophonist/ clarinettist Felix Saluzzi. The journey culminates in a concert of Dino's music with the Metropole Orchestra in the Musziekgebow, Amsterdam. The DVD is in Pal format, playable on all regions, released on December 3rd 2012 and available on Amazon. For further information email: ecmrecords@ecmrecords.com |
Accordion Christmas Gift Ideas for Friends and Familyby Harley Jones |
![]() These ideas have been compiled to hopefully attract your Xmas gift money to be spent with accordion artists, composers, arrangers and publishers. Please support accordion artistry and choose from over 2,100 eSheet pieces, 270 CD/DVD’s, 990 eTracks recordings, 833 plus printed works and numerous books (text) to choose from. 2012 Xmas Gift Ideas |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
João Gentil on tour in Brazil and Argentinaby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
João Gentil returns to the southern hemisphere for a tour, passing by Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) and Argentina. With the aim of promoting his CD called ‘ConLatinidade’, João Gentil has a busy schedule with concerts in Porto Alegre, Buenos Aires, Rosario, Paranà. Featured in the concerts is the Festival Porteño de Fado y Tango de Buenos Aires, where he performed on December 5th at the Almagro Tango Club. This is the third consecutive year that the Portuguese accordionist has crossed the Atlantic to promote his work. "Being invited to participate in the first Festival Porteño of Fado y Tango de Buenos Aires, makes me very happy! Back to the land of tango where I started recording my album ‘ConLatinidade’ and also to visit friends and musicians there as the accordion player Alejandro Brittes", says João Gentil. On his return to Portugal, where he lives, he will perform at the Cultural Center acapella in Coimbra, Portugal, on December 21st, at 11.30pm. For further information email: joaogentil1@gmail.com |
Video: A Christmas Carol by Renzo Ruggieri - Italyby Renzo Ruggieri |
![]() Performers are: Renzo Ruggieri (accordion), Tiziana De Angelis (voice and speech). Mauro De Federicis (guitar) "A Christmas Carol" is the brainchild alternative to traditional Christmas concerts, however, is aimed at a wide audience. Defined as the most beautiful story about Christmas, tells the conversion of Scrooge, a unrepentant stingy miser to become a good and generous man. This is about the meeting of three spirits representing Christmas past, present and future. Musical research attentive to the atmosphere of the story, now gothic, dark, delicate and joyful hours, accompanies the listener into the magical world of Dickens. The concert ends with the execution of the famous Christmas songs reinterpreted by the performers. 9 CD's available online at: Renzo Ruggieri |
New CD ‘Spanish Music for Solo Accordion’ by Angel Luis Castaño - Spainby Raquel Ruiz |
![]() The main objective of ‘Spanish music for solo accordion’, volumes 1 and 2, is to promote the new repertory for solo accordion written by Spanish composers who, after having taken contact with the instrument and Angel Luis Castaño´s work as concert accordionist, they have decided to enlarge the Spanish repertory with original music for solo accordion. Both CDs, volume 1 and 2, inlcude music by Spanish National Music Awarded composers like G. Olavide (1987), T. Marco (2002), J. Rueda (2004), D. Del Puerto (2005), C. Camarero (2006), J. Soler (2009), and J. Torres (2012). Angel Luis Castaño is preparing new recordings for next year: the expected CD for 2 accordions as a duo with the famous Finnish accordionist Mika Väyrynen, and a solo CD with original music and transcriptions. For further information email: raquelru@gmail.com and musicforaccordion@yahoo.com 7 CD's available online at: Angel Luis Castaño |
Video: XXVIII International Accordion Festival, St Petersburg – Russiaby Vitaly Pugachev |
Two weeks ago, we had an article about the XXVIII International Accordion Festival was held in St Petersburg from November 3rd to 5th. A photo report is online at: XXVIII Report Now, some videos of performances have been released by Vitaly Pugachev. Video 1: Duo "Expression" Irina and Alexey Daraganov's (Minsk, Belarus) playing Czardas, V. Monti Video 2: "Siberian duo" Andrey Bitutskikh and Alexander Sirotkin, playing "Breeze and Dreams" Video 3: "Siberian duo" Andrey Bitutskikh and Alexander Sirotkin, playing "Caravan" |
Video: Manu Blanchet song "It was in France that I was born!" - Franceby Harley Jones |
Manu Blanchet is the Jean Ségurel Chamberet Trophy winner for 2012 with his song "It was in France that I was born!" Registering his first appearance October 19, 2012 |
Chris Brinn & Jim Hyland @ NHAA Meeting, New Hampshire – USAby Rob Howard |
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Call it the luck of the Irish! On November 17th Saint Patrick's Day was celebrated four months early with a very pleasant surprise for members and guests at NHAA's monthly meeting. NHAA members had anticipated hearing the award-winning accordionist Chris Brinn, but they had not expected him to bring along his multi-instrumental friend, Jim Hyland, who plays guitar, Irish fiddle, and diatonic button accordion. Chris and Jim perform regularly in and around Belfast, Maine, including at the Maine Celtic Celebration, an annual festival which will next take place July 19th-21st 2013. After a lively concert, Chris and Jim stayed around for an informal jam session and folks were having so much fun, that the rest of the planned meeting agenda was shelved. The next NHAA meeting is on Saturday December 15th. For further information email: regisdonna@yahoo.com |
Video: Trio Dacor Performing Live in Winterthur - Switzerlandby Harley Jones |
Trio Dacor performing live in Winterthur, published on 5th November 2012. Trio Dacor members are: Paolo d'Angelo (accordion), Jaqueline Ott (marimba), Jojo Kunz (double bass). |
Video: 'Rester Au Village' (Stay in the Village) by Mathieu Martinie - Franceby Harley Jones |
An extract from the DVD of Mathieu Martinie titled "A la Ségurel" produced and distributed by Boulevard Studio and available from cdaccordeon.com |
Many Groups Featuring Accordionists Nominated for Grammy Awards - USAby Rita Barnea |
![]() ![]() In the Best Regional Roots album category, Corey Ledet (pictured left) & His Zydeco Band earned a nomination for Nothin' But the Best, as did supergroup trio Wayne Toups, Steve Riley and Wilson Savoy (pictured right) for their The Band Courtbouillon. The complete list of nominees in this category are: Best Regional Roots Music Album Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love) – Keola Beamer Shi Kéyah Songs For The People – Radmilla Cody Pilialoha – Weldon Kekauoha Nothin’ But The Best – Corey Ledet With Anthony Dopsie, Dwayne Dopsie And André Thierry The Band Courtbouillon – Wayne Toups, Steve Riley & Wilson Savoy More detailed news about the Lousiana groups which feature the accordion in the January www.accordionusa.com news. The Grammy Awards will take place on February 10, 2013. |
Video: Jérôme Robert Plays 'J'ai rangé dans ma mémoire' - Franceby Harley Jones |
Published on Dec 2, 2012, Extract from DVD, Site internet: www.jerome-robert.fr Jérôme Robert Plays 'J'ai rangé dans ma mémoire' - France |
‘14 Years Ago’ – James Bond supports the accordion!!by Rob Howard |
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The Accordions Worldwide news for December 4th 1998 included a report from Australia that the actor Sean Connery, who is Scottish, had publicly praised Capercaillie, who were on tour from Scotland. James Bond star Connery’s endorsement did much to enhance Capercaillie’s support and reputation. Capercaillie, formed in 1984 by Donald Shaw, are still going strong. FILM STAR ENDORSEMENT FOR SCOTTISH GROUP The Daily Telegraph (Australia) included an article recently about Scottish funk band ‘Capercaillie’ who are currently touring Australia. The group, which includes accordionist Donald Shaw, believe that since popular film star Sean Connery called them "extraordinary", they have attracted younger, more diverse crowds. He said, "audiences changed dramatically after the high-profile endorsement". When they first performed in Australia a few years ago they played for an older crowd who they believe went away confused as their music isn't the traditional sing-along sound people thought they were going to hear. |
Future events |
AAA Coupe Mondiale Qualifying Competitions, 16 March - USAby Harley Jones |
![]() Because the Coupe Mondiale will be held in Victoria, BC just a few days after the AAA Festival in August, the AAA has arranged to host the qualifying events during the MAMTG Festival in March giving candidates sufficient time to prepare for the Coupe Mondiale in August. Attachment for rules and category information: 2013AAA_Coupe.pdf For additional information, contact the AAA office at ameraccord1938@gmail.com OR Mary Tokarski for individual category entry forms – mary.tokarski@comcast.net – 203-484-5095 – 15 Maplewood Lane, Northford, CT 06472. |
Maria Kalaniemi and Timo Alakotila Concerts/New CD – Austria, Czech Republicby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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Accordionist Maria Kalaniemi and pianist/harmonium player Timo Alakotila, from Finland, have released a new CD, ‘Akero’. The duo are performing as follows: December 7th - Forum Kloster, Gleisdorf, Austria December 8th - Bühnenwirtshaus Juster, Gutenbrunn, Austria December 9th - Palac Akropolis, Prague, Czech Republic For further information email: sabina@cultureworks.at |
Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble @ Aqus Café, California - USAby Harley Jones |
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The Jubilee Klezmer Ensemble perform again at Aqus Café, corner of 2nd and H Streets, Petaluma, California, on Sunday December 9th, 2 to 4.30pm. The band say, free admission if you say (or even don’t say) "I love klezmer music!" (although we do appreciate tips) We will have CDs for sale for those who would like to bring us home with them. The band line up is: Paul Alexander (clarinet), Phil Lawrence (mandolin), Sonia Tubridy (accordion), Mark Peabody (acoustic bass), and Alby Kass (Yiddish vocals). For further information email: jubileeklezmer@gmail.com |
Rob Howard & John Jones @ Stockport Air Raid Shelters, Cheshire – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() For further information email: robaccord5@hotmail.com |
CNIMA Christmas Courses - Franceby Nathalie Boucheix, Director CNIMA J.Mornet |
CNIMA Christmas Courses |
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Klezmer Dance Party & Yiddish Song, California – USAby Harley Jones |
The Klezmer Dance Party & Yiddish Song takes place on December 13th, 9pm, at Subterranean Arthouse, 2169 Bancroft, Berkeley, CA. Various singers, dancers and musicians include JIm Rebhan (accordion), and Ilana Sherer (violin). For further information email: mperlmut@hotmail.com |
Natalya Chesnova Concert, Milan – Italyby Rob Howard |
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Zoltan Orosz Concerts, Budapest, Balatonlelle – Hungaryby Rob Howard |
![]() December 14th, 9pm – ‘Joy of Music’ concert, Marczibányi Téri Muvelodési Központ (Outdoor Activities Centre), Marczibányi tér 5/a (Square), Budapest December 19th, 6pm – with guitarist Zoltan Balogh, Balatonlelle - Városi Muvelodési Ház és Könyvtár, Kossuth Lajos u. 2-4, 8638 Balatonlelle December 23rd, 4pm – Town Hall square, 2400 Dunaújváros December 29th and 30th, 7.30pm – Savaria Symphony Orchestra New Year’s Eve Galas, Bartók Hall, Rákóczi, 9700 Szombathely For further information email: info@harmonika.hu 4 CD's available online at: Zoltan Orosz |
CD Reviews |
Stas & Sam - Two Step CD by Stas Venglevskiby Joan C. Sommers |
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New and Updated Sites |
Karen Fremar New Musicby Karen Fremar |
![]() catalog: kfremar-FB-802 'Nocturne', catalog: kfremar-A-104 'Turtle Tale (Blues)', catalog: kfremar-A-105 'Jumping Jack', and catalog: kfremar-A-106 'Space Odyssey', The music is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card. |
Gary Dahl updates musicby Gary Dahl |
![]() catalog:DH0004 - 'Padam…Padam' and catalog:DH0171 - 'Pigalle' Sample for this music is now available at the Music For Accordion web site. The music is in eSheet format e-mailed directly to your computer. Easy purchase with credit card. |
New Website for Susan M. Hall, Artist, Kenyaby Harley Jones |
New Website for Susan M. Hall, Artist, Kenya showing her artwork, biography and contact information. |
Accordions TV |
Deschamps Channel Web TVby Frédéric Deschamps |
21 December Friday night show of videos, info, interviews and surprises 22 December The Cultural - Discover a masterpeices through the explanations of the composer 23rd December Deschamps Channel finals for the Speed Chat Quizz. Win An Hohner accordion Fun Nova 80 – value €2,700 and a lot of other prizes ... with the video game ..... 26-30 December International Masterclass 30 December Evening night show of videos, info, interviews and surprises |
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