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Highlights |
'Under the Sign of Scorpio', Friedrich Lips New CD Release - Austriaby Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions |
![]() Yevgeny Podgaits‘ “Ex animo“ - from the heart (latin) is one of the few examples of a bayan quintet – bayan with string quartet. The width of melodic breath, delightful beauty of the theme in Podgaits is organically intertwined with dancing rhythms. The quintet was commissioned by Fine Arts Quartet (Milwaukee, USA). The first performance was given there by Friedrich Lips and the quartet. “Under the Sign of Scorpio“ is one of the biggest frescos of the outstanding composer Sofia Gubaidulina. In each composition for bayan she opens up new specific possibilities of the instrument and finds new interesting solutions to realize her plans. In the given composition she used the features connected with alternation of the same keys on both keyboards – free bass and standard bass. According to the composer: “… But another possibility of the standard-bass manual was the most important one for me: by simultaneously depressing two buttons corresponding to a major and a minor chord respectively, and then shifting the hand gradually upwards or downwards over the instrument's entire range - without changing the finger position - six different hexachords will result. These six hexachords lend the entire composition the structural foundation for its material and form: variations on six hexachords - thus the work's subtitle. The title of the bayan concerto “Under the Sign of Scorpio“ arose from the fact that this work is dedicated to one of the most serious musicians of our time, the bayanist Friedrich Lips, who was born under the zodiacal sign of Scorpio. (Incidentally, this is also my own zodiacal sign.)“ It is known that the scorpio often tries to bite himself in his tail and this pursuit of a tail forms a circle – a symbol of eternity. This symbol is underlined by vorticose passages of the bayan in the end of this work. |
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18 Accordionists Invited to Record Hollywood Film Score - USAby Kevin Friedrich |
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![]() The Fox Studios Scoring Stage was the set for the monumental accordion project, and featured some familiar names in the accordion world including Los Angeles based accordionist and Music Copyist Liz Finch (Interim President of the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International (ATG), Mike Boddicker (son of the late accordion identities Gerry and Arlene Boddicker), John Torcello (USA 1972 CIA Coupe Mondiale Winner), and well known California based artist Nick Ariondo. John Powell, the composer for movies such as the previous Ice Age Movies, Happy Feet, Rio, Kung Fu Panda, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Supremacy, Robots and many others, called for 14 accordions and 4 bass accordions to perform his works in this current Ice Age movie. Randy Kerber, one of the top film session pianists that works for Powell played one of the bass accordion parts. The accordionists were conducted by Pete Anthony, who had spent all day conducting a Symphony Orchestras, and conducts almost 50% of all the scores recorded in Los Angeles. The regular accordion parts were scored for both hands and utilized a variety of registers, giving a very orchestral blend. John Powell had purchased an accordion to use as research for his score, and was thrilled with the outcome of the take. He even brought his accordion to the session, in case it was needed, and delighted in wearing it while taking a picture with the accordionists at the conclusion of the recording session. The interesting spectacle at the Fox Studios of 18 accordionists conducted by one of Hollywood’s most sought after musical directors, performing the music of one of Film’s superstar composers drew a couple of producers who attended out of curiosity, and were delighted with the outcome. The entire project served as a very positive showcase for the accordion. Ice Age: Continental Drift will be released 13 July 2012. |
World Accordion Orchestra VI, 2012 Coupe Mondiale - Italyby Raymond Bodell, President, Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) |
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![]() ![]() We welcome you to this exciting international accordion event and encourage your participation in the historic 'World Accordion Orchestra VI'. The conductor for the event, which will perform on Friday night, August 24th 2012, is the renowned Musical Director, Joan Sommers (USA - picture right), an active CIA Vice President and founder of the CIA World Accordion Orchestra. The members of the CIA ‘World Accordion Orchestra VI’ will again include musicians from many different countries – including many officers of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes and delegates attending the 128th CIA Congress. Registration for the CIA ‘World Accordion Orchestra VI’ is available online. Accordion enthusiasts from around the world are invited to join the ‘World Accordion Orchestra VI’ and enjoy participating in a fun, high quality musical event. Register now as numbers are limited! Works to be performed: ‘Paragon March’, composed by Anthony Galla-Rini. ‘E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial’, composed by John Williams, arranged Joan Sommers. Additional to the World Accordion Orchestra registration, the Delegate Registration form and the International Jury Nomination form are also now online on the 2012 Coupe Mondiale website. |
2012 Australian International Accordion Championships and Festival – Australiaby Harley Jones |
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![]() The timetable and full information of the guest artists and concerts is available online at: www.aata.org.au Australian International Championships Daily Reports including photographs and results will be online from Saturday 9th June. |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Peter Anzaldua Wins 2012 Texas Folklife Festival Accordion Competition - USAby Rob Howard |
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![]() In addition to taking home the top prize of $1,000 and a Hohner Classic II accordion, after winning the contest Anzaldua got to play a set on the Miller Outdoor Auditorium stage with headliners Flaco Jimenez, Mingo Saldivar and the Texmaniacs. “That was amazing,” his mother Christi Anzaldua said of seeing her son perform with the Texmaniacs, one of the top Tex-Mex conjunto groups in the country. Anzaldua, who attends Veterans Memorial High School, said the fact that people were dancing during the contest made it easier to perform well. He beat out three other finalists, Luis Gonzalez of Grand Prairie, Michael Salinas of Dallas and Omar Garza of Mission. “I was excited,” he said. “It’s better when there’s dancing. People get into the music and it just comes together more”. As the Big Squeeze champion, Anzaldua will perform at Texas Folklife Festival events throughout the coming year. He said he expects to perform soon in the Rio Grande Valley, but as of Sunday afternoon wasn’t sure exactly where. In the Big Squeeze he performed the polka ‘Viva Seguin’ as one number and a medley of songs including the ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ as the other. The contest was for accordion players of any genre. The other three finalists played Norteño selections. Between 6,000 and 8,000 people attended the Accordion Kings & Queens contest, which like all Miller Outdoor Auditorium events was free to the public but required advance tickets for covered seating and access to the dance floor. |
2012 South Pacific Accordion Championships - New Zealandby Heather Masefield |
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2012 South Pacific Daily Reports including results and many pictures is online. The South Pacific Accordion Championships, which includes the New Zealand Accordion Championships, was held at Epsom, Auckland, on June 2nd and 3rd. Two videos above from the Finale Concert of the South Pacific Accordion Championships: - 2012 South Pacific 12 years and under solo champion Alexandra Reekie performing the test piece for the category, a new composition for accordion by New Zealand composer Amy Jennings. - 15 year old Patrick Lui, 2012 Open Solo (under 20 years) South Pacific Champion Patrick Lui performing Tico Tico. South Pacific Daily Reports including results and many pictures is online. |
Performance of Fantasy for Two Accordions Composed by Ketil Hvoslef - Netherlandsby Harley Jones |
Accordeon Duo Toeac of Pieternel Berkers & Renée Bekkers performs Fantasy for two accordions composed by Ketil Hvoslef. This video was recorded in Bimhuis Amsterdam for VPRO Vrije Geluiden and published 31 May 2012. |
João Frade’s New CD ‘Piriquitos & Botonetes’ - Portugalby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
![]() The CD is mainly instrumental but with some voice elements on several tracks, and the last song it´s featured by the Cape-Verdian star Mayra Andrade. For further information email: joaofrademusic@hotmail.com |
'Concerto for 2 harpsichords in C Major BWV 1061' written by J. S. Bach - Italyby Harley Jones |
The first movement "Without tempo indication" from the "Concerto for 2 harpsichords in C Major BWV 1061" written by J. S. Bach, performed by Margherita Berlanda and Ghenadie Rotari and the string orchestra of the Conservatory "G. Tartini" of Trieste at the Istituto A. Vivaldi in Monfalcone (Go), Italy. The possibility for the accordion to perform works written for harpischord with string orchestras and ensembles makes this performance really interesting for accordion teachers and students. |
French TV Show Presented by Pascal Savard, LMTV is Broadcast - Franceby Frédéric Deschamps |
This week on the French TV Show 'Au Bonheur de Nacre' presented by Pascal Savard on LMTV was a interview of Frederic Deschamps and performances of his students Pietro Adragna, Guillaume Fric and Grayson Masefield The current Coupe Mondiale Variety & Digital Champion Pietro Adragna plays his 'After You've Gone' - Layton/Creamer and 'Tico Tico' - Z.Abreu. French student Guillaume Fric plays 'Feu Vert' - J. Baselli and 'Medley de Valse' arranged Jerome Richard. Multiple World Champion (CIA and CMA ) Grayson Masefield plays 'Revolutionary Etude' by Chopin and the new composition that he premiered this year 'Ka Mate' by Spanish composer Gorka Hermosa. |
Recent Accordion Events, Santeramo - Italyby Rob Howard |
![]() The first National Accordion Competition was celebrated on May 25th (next year it will be also International), while on the next three days an accordion master class was held by Claudio Jacomucci. He has also performed a solo recital with works by J.S. Bach, E. Gismonti, P. Marzocchi, E. Melis, G. Fassone, C. Jacomucci, A. Piazzolla, and H. Purcell. The participants of the competition and the master class showed great skills and have demonstrated a solid pedagogical background. The students come from the schools of Walter Di Girolamo, teacher at the local ‘Scuola Media San Giovanni Bosco’ in Santeramo, Vincenzo De Nitto, from the Master course hold by Francesco Palazzo at the Conservatory of Bari and from ‘Scuola Media G.Galilei’ in Monopoli, teacher Gionni Di Girolamo. Winners have recorded a CD offered by WLO Association (Wonderful Life Organization) and they will be invited to play a concert during the season 2013 by CSMA and other associations. The first and ‘virtuosity prize’ was given to the young accordionist Vito Antonio Forleo. Next events in July: a jazz accordion concert by Vincenzo Abbracciante, the classical accordion duet Walter-Gionni Di Girolamo, and the accordion-voice duet Francesco Palazzo-Tiziana Portoghese. For further information email: accademia@claudiojacomucci.com |
‘14 Years Ago’ – World’s Largest Accordion Orchestra in the Guinness Book of Recordsby Rob Howard |
![]() WORLD RECORD FOR LARGEST ACCORDION ORCHESTRA - GERMANY Contributed by Horst Hirschmüller The Guinness Book of Records (1998 edition) lists the largest accordion orchestra as having 761 players. On May 1st 1998 a new world record was set with nearly double this number of players at the Congress Centre, Leipzig, Saxony. 1,480 students and teachers of the ‘Musikschule Fröhlich’ played ‘Sachsenlied’, ‘Ode an die Freude’ and ‘Happy Birthday’, which was a special tribute to the mass orchestra conductor Dieter Fröhlich (founder and owner of the ‘Musikschule Fröhlich), which has 461 locations, more than 600 teachers and over 54,700 students. More than 150 orchestras have successfully performed in Germany and abroad. |
Future events |
Mika Väyrynen to appear at Naantali Music Festival - Finlandby Kevin Friedrich |
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![]() The Naantali Music Festival was founded by Professor Arto Noras, who celebrates his 70th birthday this year. This year marks the fifth time that Mika has had the privilege of being chosen to appear, and will perform along side Arto Noras, Ralf Gothoni, Elisabeth Leonskaja, The English Chamber Orchestra, Okko Kamu, Frans Helmerson, Michel Lethiec and many other world famous artists. Throughout its history, the Naantali Music Festival has become known for its legendary standard and high profile of artists, all personally chosen by founder Professor Noras. The President of Finland Sauli Niinistö and his wife Jenni Haukio will attend the Naantali Music Festival, an annual attendance coinciding with his summer villa being there. Mika has twice performed for former President Tarja Halonen in concerts at the Naantali Music Festival. Mika has recently completed two new CD recordings, including one solo CD of music by Bach and another CD of accordion duo with the Spanish accordionist Angel Luis Castano. Both CDs will be released later this year. For more information, please visit www.accordions.com/mika |
Vivant! & Fremar in Concert with Frank Busso, Jr. Trio, Kansas City – USAby Rob Howard |
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Vivant! will perform with the Frank Busso, Jr. Trio (picture above, accordion, violin, & string bass) ) at the Fremar Foundation for Accordion Arts Concert, ‘Music & Merlot’, on Saturday June 23rd, 7pm, at the Bragg Auditorium, All Souls Unitarian in Kansas City, Missouri. New works featuring the accordion by composer Karen Fremar will be premiered. This public event is free. Picture below of Vivant! consisting of: Karen Fremar: (Accordion/Keyboards/Vocals), Julie Siflverberg: (Accordion/Keyboards), Dee Sligar: (Bass Keys). Janne Silfverberg: (Trombone/Congas). David Sager: (Drums). A special display of various types of accordions will be on display in the lobby, and CDs of the guest artists will be available for purchase. Cocktails and appetizers begin at 6.30pm in the lobby. The Fremar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that presents outstanding accordion artists in concert from around the nation and the world, supports the creation of new works for the accordion, and provides education about the accordion, its music and musicians, and its history. The concert is sponsored in part by Husch Blackwell, LLP; the Courtney S. Turner Trust--Daniel C. Weary and Bank of America, Trustees; and the H. R. Block Foundation, Inc. For further information email: vivant@vivantsound.com |
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Karen Street Charity Concert, Reading – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() For further information email: karen@karenstreet.com |
Deschamps Masterclass and Concert by Jacquard Musique, Taninges - Franceby Grayson Masefield |
![]() ![]() It is hosted by the Christian Jacquard and his store Jacquard Musique. The master class is open to the public and the students of the Jacquard Music School. To finish, there will be a concert containing all the styles of music that Frederic Deschamps teaches including classical, variety, jazz and french musette with performances by Julie Blocher. World Champions from Moldavia Dorin Grama and Radu Laxgang and multiple World Champion Grayson Masefield. For more infomation of this event please visit www.jacquard-musique.fr and watch Web TV Deschamps Channel for more coverage of Frederic Deschamps teachings and his students. |
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Marko Kassl Concerts – Germany, Austriaby Rob Howard |
![]() Marko Kassl’s other forthcoming concert dates include: June 17th, 5pm – Church of St Peter, Hohenysberg, Grenzweg 65, D-44267 Dortmund; programme includes Astor Piazzolla's ‘Five Tango Sensations’ with the teachers' string quartet of Herdecke music school June 30th, 8pm – Theater in Bautrum, Aachener Str. 24-26, D-50674 Cologne July 7th - Duo Mares (viola/accordion duo, Esra Pehlivanli & Marko Kassl), Mountain chapel St.Christoph, Rossegg, Carinthia, Austria For further information email: info@marko-kassl.de |
Klezmer Bands Concert, Manchester – UKby Rob Howard |
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A concert of Klezmer music takes place on Saturday June 9th, 7.30pm, at Inspire, 747 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, Manchester M13 9AR. Performing will be Yiddle Sticks, The Hard Times Kapelye, and The Michael Kahan Kapelye. Admission is £3.50 on the door, and the concert takes place in the cafe area where food and alcohol is available. Come along to Inspire for an inspirational evening of Klezmer! For further information email: francesorourke@yahoo.co.uk |
Marco Lo Russo and Actor Fabrizio Bucci, Formia, Trentino - Italyby Rob Howard |
![]() ![]() This will be at the Grand Hotel Appia in Formia, June 8th to 21st, at the gala meeting of the Internazionale del Club Inner Will, where Bucci will read texts by Italian movie director Cinzia TH Torrini, with accordion accompaniment. The readings will range from works by writers from Neruda to Oscar Wilde. During this period, on Sunday June 10th, Marco Lo Russo will perform in Trentino, at a gourmet event, ‘il cucchiaio dell’Argentario’, in the woods and meadows of Civezzano, Fornace, and Albiano. For further information email: dina.tomezzoli@alice.it |
Frères Bouclier Concert, Betheny – Franceby Rob Howard |
![]() The Frères Bouclier duo are Dimitri Bouclier – accordion, and Julien Boulclier – violin. Their programme includes the tangos of Astor Piazzolla and works by Russian composers. For further information email: pierre@pierre-laval.com |
School Ensemble Concert, Essen-Werden – Germanyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
On Friday June 8th, 7.30pm, a concert featuring the Scola & Ensamble der Folkwanghochschule takes place at St.Lucius, Essen-Werden, Germany. For further information email: miripetercol@gmx.de |
Kviv Classic Duo Concert, Essex – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() ![]() Igor Sayenko and Oleksiy Kolomoeits, from Kiev, have become regular visitors to the UK, and are renowned as one the world’s foremost accordion duos. For further information email: jeanhanger@ntlworld.com |
CD Reviews |
CD REVIEW - Beyond by Claudio Jacomucci, Reviewed by Joan Cochran Sommersby Joan C. Sommers |
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New and Updated Sites |
Gary Dahl New and Updated Music - USAby Gary Dahl |
![]() 'Largo from Symphony No. 9 "From the New World", Op. 95', catalog:DH0239, 'Anvil Chorus', catalog:DH0240, 'To The Evening Star', catalog:DH0241, 'La Traviata', catalog:DH0242, Updated music titles, ' 12th Street Rag', catalog:DH0105, 'The Blue Danube', catalog:DH0127, 'Les Bicyclettes De Belsize', catalog:DH0170, 'Auld Lang Syne (Intermediate)', catalog:DH0214, 'Auld Lang Syne (Advanced)', catalog:DH0215, 'Funiculi Funicula', catalog:DH0235, Samples for these music are now available at the MusicForAccordion web site. The music is in eSheet format e-mailed directly to your computer. Easy purchase with credit card. |
Yuri Medianik Releases New DVD titled Constellation Of Temptations - Russiaby Yuri Medianik |
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Gary Dahl New and Updated Music - USAby Gary Dahl |
![]() 'Adagio', catalog:DH0237, 'Ah Marie', catalog:DH0238, Updated music titles, ' 12th Street Rag', catalog:DH0055, 'The Blue Danube', catalog:DH0060, Samples for these music are now available at the MusicForAccordion web site. The music is in eSheet format e-mailed directly to your computer. Easy purchase with credit card. |
Accordions TV |
Web TV “Deschamps Channel” - Friday 22nd of June - 19.30 Central Europe Timeby Frédéric Deschamps |
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The Monthly Edition Web TV Show of the Deschamps Channel presented by Frédéric Deschamps and Grayson Masefield. Technical Director: Mike Rossi. Watch LIVE interviews and performances with our international guests and Chat LIVE with the International Guests on : www.livestream.com/deschampschannel This months program will include interviews and performances from Oivind Farmen (Norway), Petar Maric (Serbia), Christine Schmid (Germany), Stian Carstensen (Norway) and Julien Labro (France/USA) There will also be presentations from the Deschamps Channel partners Hanuri (Finland) - Kimmo Mattila, Akkordeon Magazin & mAO (Germany) - Thomas Eickhoff , Accordéon et Accordéonistes (France) - Philippe Krumm |
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