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Highlights |
American Accordionists' Association (AAA) 2014 Festival, New York – USAby Harley Jones |
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![]() This year’s guests include Guy Klucevsek (picture left) and violinist Todd Reynolds, Vladimir Mollov, Dr. Robert Young McMahan, Steve Albini, Don Gerundo, Frank Carozza, The Plainville Plaids, Dallas Vietty, Julie Cardona, Beverly Roberts Curnow, Mary Tokarski, Mario Tacca and Mary Mancini. The Luncheon Concert takes place on Thursday July 10th, 11.30am, in the Conference Center Ballroom. Performers include local accordion entertainer, Frank Carozza, and a presentation by the Plainville Plaids of the show, ‘Forever Plaid’. There will also be a Gala Concert on Friday July 11th, 7pm, in the Conference Center Ballroom, fearuring Guy Klucevsek, Vladimir Mollov, Steve Albini, Dr. Robert Young McMahan, and Mario Tacca and Friends. Vladimir Mollov will perform both classical and jazz plus some of his own compositions. Digital accordion specialist Steve Albini will entertain, and local artist Mario Tacca will be joined by Julie Cardona, Beverly Roberts Curnow, and Mary Tokarski. Mario will conclude the program accompanying vocalist Mary Mancini. The trade show will be located in the Hudson Conference Suite, and is open daily from 9am to 5pm, with an hour break at noon. Exhibitors include Titano, Pancordion, Pigini, Roland, Deffner Music Publications, Busy Fingers, Emilio Magnotta, Dino Baffetti, Bugari, Giulietti, Music Magic, Squeezin’ Art, and the NE Accordion Museum. This year’s conductor of the Youth Program is Vladimir Mollov, who has prepared two pieces for the group: ‘Manha de Carnaval’ and ‘All the Things You Are’. The ensemble will perform on Saturday afternoon at the Awards Concert, which is open to the public without charge. For further information email: ameraccord1938@gmail.com |
Fismen “flying high” - Switzerlandby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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![]() Pictured are the Kapelle Sisters (Charlotte Widmer and Ursina Gregori), a cabaret female duo. For their performance they need bellows that measure approximately 10 times longer than normal: 10 x 19 folds = 190 folds. The bellows were produced by Galassi Bellows. The Kapelle duo will be performing for about 8 months over the next year in tours with the Swiss Circus Monti. |
Video: Lisa Angell and Jérémie Buirette at La fête de la musique 2014 - Franceby Harley Jones |
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Encuentro Internacional de Acordeones, Salto – Uruguayby Rob Howard |
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The 5th Encuentro Internacional de Acordeones, organized by Silvio Previale, takes place on July 19th and 20th at the Teatro Larrañaga, Salto, Uruguay. This international festival, dedicated to the late accordionist Silvio B. Previale, the father of the organizer, includes accordionists of varied styles from several South American countries. The event features a street parade followed by an evening concert, which begins at 8pm, involving about 50 accordionists. Performing will be Silvio Previale, Hugo Fatoruso, Victor Amaral, Acordeones del Uruguay (Uruguay), Morais Do Acordeon (Brazil), Max Zapata (Panama), Eris Bridges and Lácides Romero (Colombia), Ignacio Hernandez (Chile), and Mario Braun, Raul Varelli, Walter Gialdi, Adelqui Bertolo, Anibal Gomez, Facundo Torresan, and Mariela Campodónico (Argentina). For further information email: academiaspreviale@hotmail.com |
Li Cong Front Cover, Shanghai Scene Magazine - Chinaby Harley Jones |
![]() Featured in the Shanghai Scene Magazine is Li Cong's work as China Accordion Association President, the hosting of the 2011 Coupe Mondiale in Shanghai (largest ever), and his successful teaching career, now as Dean of the Music College of Shanghai Normal University (SHNU). Also noted in the 8 page insert are his SHNU colleagues Crystal Wang and Zhang Guoping and the accordion successes of the SHNU. These include international competition successes and the Modern Accordion Orchestra which has achieved high student and audience popularity. Generally, the SHNU Accordion Department has earned a reputation nationally and internationally for innovative and excellent musicianship and really enthusiastic students. As Dean of Music, Li Cong is also noted for his proactive music relations with other international universities in several countries. Li Cong has also written and edited numerous accordion text books including the series of text books for Chinese normal universities, books for grade tests and for kids’ and teens’ accordion learning. Download article: ShanghaiSM |
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Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Leavenworth Accordion Celebration, Washington – USAby Harley Jones |
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![]() This year’s Leavenworth Accordion Celebration took place from June 19th to 22nd. Leavenworth is Washington’s ‘Bavarian Village’ and the perfect setting for this celebration. The guest accordionists featured this year included Tony Lovello, Cory Pesaturo, Andy Mikovitch, Juan Barco & Conjunto, and the Spokane Accordion Orchestra. Organised by the Northwest Accordion Society, this year’s event included accordion competitions, workshops, concerts, jam sessions, free impromptu performances at venue such as the gazebo, grange, and restaurants, trade show, free accordion lessons, and an Accordion Parade. Competition results: Variety II, 1. Terry Ranstad, 2. Eileen Webber, 3. Greg Gordon Variety III, 1. Corrie Sams, 2. Jack Donahue, 3. Diane Guffin Variety IV, 1. Holden Tubbs, 2. Marie Cejnova, 3. Austin Hampshire Variety V, 1. Anthony Kusmenkov, 2. Emil Haroldsen, 3. Lisa Niccum Variety VI, 1. Kailyn Crossman, 2. Zachariah Harnett, 3. Rebecca Brandao Duets (Adult), 1. Cejnova/Karban, 2. Tapio/Miller, 3. Hinterberger/Bakker Diatonic, 1. Martin Hergt, 2. Ed Sapala, 3. David Emter Bands, 1. Crazy Czechs, 2. Portatos, 3. Miss Chords March, 1. Greg Gordon, 2. Bruce Bakker, 3. Herbert Hinterberger Classical (Youth), 1. Holden Tubbs, 2. Anthony Kuzmenko, 3. Emil Haroldsen Classical Open, 1. Jan Marhoul, 2. Michal Karban, 3. Marie Cejnova. Leavenworth Open, 1. Naomi Harris, 2. Michal Karban, 3. Robert DeGoede |
Box & Fiddle AGM & Celebrity Luncheon, Scotland - UKby Rob Howard |
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![]() ![]() The 2014 Guests of Honour are the accordionists: Robin Brock Calum MacLean Hamish Smith Each Guest of Honour will be presented with a complimentary copy of the book ‘Accordion: A Pictorial History’ (available online: robaccord06) by Rob Howard. |
Video: Renzo Ruggieri at the 2014 GoldenCup Concert, Shanghai - Chinaby Harley Jones |
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![]() Renzo is performing two of his very popular compositions. Video 1: Tango Italiano composed by Renzo Ruggieri Video 2: Carnevale composed by Renzo Ruggieri A solo virtuoso version of each of these two compositions by Renzo Ruggieri is available at: rrenzo503 rrenzo504 10 CD's and eTracks (mp3) albums available online at: Renzo Ruggieri |
Video: Segment 3, Day of Bayan and Accordion, Kiev – Ukraineby Harley Jones |
The event took place in Kiev, Ukraine, on March 29th and 30th. There were 18 mini-concerts for these two days, performed by at least 40 accordionists/bayanists from 5 countries. We have 4 parts of this event on video, 2 parts this week, 2 parts last week. Video 3 above is: 00:00 Valery Semenenko (bayan) - Lugansk, Ukraine V. Zubitsky - "Perpetuum mobile" from Partita Concertante no. 1 05:50 The rewarding of outstanding Ukrainian bayanist Sergiy Grinchenko with grant of National All-Ukrainian Music Union. Sergiy Grinchenko have celebrated his 60th birthday recently. 13:55 Katerina Pilipenko (bayan) - Lugansk, Ukraine V. Vlasov - "Telephone conversation" 19:10 Volodymyr Vysotsky (accordion) - Lviv, Ukraine V. Zubitsky - Sonata no.2 "Slovyanska" (I, II, VI parts) 29:05 Georgy Koch (bayan) - Odessa, Ukraine Natalya Chuprina (piano) - Odessa, Ukraine A. Kusiakov - Concerto for bayan, strings and percussion (piano version) |
Teodoro Anzellotti Performs at Aldeburgh, Suffolk – UKby Harley Jones |
![]() The following report is from ‘The Guardian’ newspaper, “In his recital on the small stage of Jubilee Hall, accordionist Teodoro Anzellotti covered three centuries of music, challenging assumptions and confounding expectations along the way. Music conceived for harpsichord (Scarlatti), for harmonium (some of the originals of Janácek’s ‘From an Overgrown Path’ and for piano (Ligeti and Kurtag) came over well, with no sense of any loss in the translation, but Anzellotti also played works specially written for him. Berio’s ‘Sequenza XIII’, the composer’s penultimate piece of that series, exploring both the accordion’s technical possibilities and its myriad cultural references, was testimony to the performer’s remarkable artistry”. Born in Italy, Teodoro Anzellotti grew up near Baden-Baden, Germany. He graduated from the music schools of Karlsruhe and Trossingen, having studied accordion with Jürgen Habermann and Hugo Noth, and won various international competitions. Since the 1980s he has been a guest at major festivals and as a soloist with leading orchestras, and also teaches at conservatories in Switzerland and Germany. More than 300 new works have been written for Teodoro Anzellotti, by composers such as George Aperghis, Luciano Berio, Heinz Holliger, Toshio Hosokawa, Mauricio Kagel, Michael Jarrell, Isabel Mundry, Brice Pauset, Gerard Pesson, Matthias Pintscher, Wolfgang Rihm, Salvatore Sciarrino, Marco Stroppa, Jörg Widmann and Hans Zender. |
Video: Segment 4, Day of Bayan and Accordion, Kiev – Ukraineby Harley Jones |
00:00 Nazar Kurtyanyk (accordion) - Sokal, Ukraine (2001 date of birth) Y. Shurovsky - Theme and variations 02:00 Roman Onyskiv (bayan) - Kyiv, Ukraine B. Mironchuk - "Gipsy king" 17:20 Roman Voronka (accordion) - Kyiv, Ukraine V. Runchak - "Devoted to Igor Starvinsky" (from suite no.1 "Composers portraits) 11:25 Kyiv Classic Accordion duo (Igor Saienko, Oleksii Kolomoiets - Kyiv, Ukraine) J. S. Bach - Allegro from Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 16:30 Samuele Telari (bayan) - Italy V. Runchak - Messa da requiem 34:00 Volodymyr Gitin (clarinet) - Odessa, Ukraine Irina Serotyuk (bayan) - Odessa, Ukraine V. Vlasov - Fantasy based on popular melody "Bubliki" for clarinet and bayan 40:15 Daniel Eliasson (bayan) - Sweden T. Lundquist - Metamorphoses 48:10 Ivan Bykov (bayan) - Kyiv, Ukraine J. Strauss/I. Yashkevich - Valtz "Voices of spring" 55:20 Pavlo Arhypenko (bayan) - Kharkiv, Ukraine V. Podgorniy - Fantasy based on Ukrainian folk theme 59:40 Roman Kudrya (accordion) - Kharkiv, Ukraine R. Galliano - Fou Rire 62:00 Bayan-Accordion duo Roman Kudrya (accordion) and Pavlo Arhypenko (bayan) - Kharkiv, Ukraine A. Piazzolla - "La muerte del Angel" 65:20 Orchestra "GRAND ACCORDEON" (Kyiv, Ukraine) Musical Director - Yevgenia Cherkazova A. Piazzolla - "Ave Maria" |
Nebl & Nebl Perform at the Würzburg Mozart Festival – Germanyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
![]() The national press reported in the following days by a "fantastic concert", in which the two musicians "enchanted" the audience with works by Bach, Mozart and Schumann. Even with the "unusual" instrument accordion, the "music lovers careful with their money" came, it was said. Congratulations to the musicians Frank and Andreas Nebl to this truly exceptional success in the "Bel Etage" of classical music! For further information email: AndiNebl@gmx.de |
Scandalli Accordions Day, Puurs - Belgiumby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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![]() There were demonstrations of many different piano and button accordions from the Scandalli range. The organiser was Iwein Jacobs. |
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Oksana Strokovskaya Article, South Pacific Accordion Championships - New Zealandby Oksana Strokovskaya |
![]() She writes about her first visit to Auckland City for the South Pacific International and New Zealand National Accordion Championships and Festival. Strokovskaya Article |
‘14 Years Ago’: World War 2 commemorative concert in Paris, June 2000by Rob Howard |
![]() Madeleine Church Concert, Paris – France On June 18th accordionist Bruno Maurice played in a concert celebration and tribute to General De Gaulle and the French resistance during the Second World War, held at the Madeleine Church in Paris. Bruno's performance with the French Army Choir and the ‘Garde Républicaine’ Symphonic Orchestra included well known songs from the war period. Bruno also gave a solo performance of ‘Don Rhapsody’ (Semionov) to illustrate the presence of Russian combatants during the war. This popular celebration concert attracted over 1500 people. |
Future events |
Brendan Power Concert, Surrey – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() Brendan Power, UK-based but originally from New Zealand, is a complete virtuoso of the harmonica in all of its forms and genres. An All-Ireland Champion, and previously with the touring ‘Riverdance’ show, and an innovator and improviser of the first order, Brendan Power won this year’s (with melodeon player Tim Edey) BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for 'Best Duo'. If you think a bloke playing a harmonica couldn't possibly hold an audience for an evening then think again, for with the aid of a variety of gizmos, beat-boxing and live looping he creates his own Folk orchestra and backing vocals as he goes, performing soaring tunes and songs over the top. He also designs and makes harmonicas, often in tunings to allow him to play what he likes! Sting, Kate Bush, Van Morrison, James Galway, Paul Young, John Williams, Mary Black - he's played with them all and many more. |
Scoil samhraidh Christ LAngan 2014, Dublin – Irish Republicby Rob Howard |
Scoil samhraidh Christ LAngan 2014 is an annual traditional music festival that takes place at St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rush, County Dublin, from June 27th to 29th. There will be workshops in piano accordion, concertina, uilleann pipes, tin whistle, flute, guitar, bodhran, mandolin, fiddle and singing. Classes from 1pm to 5pm, refreshments included. From 9pm until late, an Open Seisius Mhór at Rush Sailing Club with Tumbleweed. For further information email: lenny.martin@ashleyford.ie |
Trio Voronezh Concert, Oregon – USAby Rob Howard |
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The Trio Voronezh performs on Sunday June 29th, 5.30pm, at Pfeiffer Vineyards, 25040 Jaeg Road, Junction City, Oregon 97448. The Trio Voronezh members are US-based Russian musicians Vladimir Volokhin - (domra), Sergei Teleshev - (bayan), and Valerie Petrukhin - (double-bass balalaika). Sergei Teleshev won many regional and international accordion competitions and was a finalist in the 1995 International Accordion Competition, Klingenthal, Germany. For further information email: info@triovoronezh.com |
Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival, Ikaalinen – Finlandby Rob Howard |
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The Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival, incorporating the Primus Ikaalinen 2014 competition, takes place from July 1st to 6th. The Primus Ikaalinen has three main sections: The Golden Accordion (senior), The Silver Accordion (junior), and The Finnish Accordion Folk Musician Championships for Chromatic and Diatonic Accordions. The contestants in this year’s Primus Ikaalinen (Golden Accordion) competition include Xuan Shi – China, Sergey Lobkov – Russia, Guillaume Fric – France, Radu Laxgang – Moldova, Petar Maric – Serbia, Henriikka Santamaa – Finland, and Joni Stein – Finland. The idyllic centre of Old Town Ikaalinen is the centre of the large scale Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival, and music is in the air in the Festival Park and in the concert venues for a week. Both amateurs and world class musicians perform at Ikaalinen – providing the festival audience with an astonishing variety of musical styles. For further information email: toimisto@satahamesoi.fi |
Ksenija Sidorova and Thomas Gould Concert, South Wales – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() This concert is part of the annual Gower Festival. The Gower Festival in South Wales, near Swansea, runs from July 1st to 12th. Program: Alfred Schnittke – ‘Suite in the old style’ Johann Sebastian Bach - ‘Sonata for violin and keyboard in G’ Béla Bartók – ‘Romanian folk dances’ Astor Piazzolla – ‘Café 1930’, ‘Oblivion’ Vittorio Monti – ‘Czárdás’ |
Stockport Accordion Club Band Concert, Cheshire – UKby Rob Howard |
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The Stockport AC Band (MD Tony Ainscough) share a concert with a ladies choir for a Scottish-themed evening at Hazel Grove Methodist Church, Wesley St, Stockport, Cheshire SK7 4JQ, on Saturday July 5th, 7.30pm. For further information email: robaccord5@hotmail.com |
Courses at CNIMA J. Mornet, Auvergne – Franceby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
There are accordion courses in July, August and October at CNIMA J.Mornet in the south of France. CNIMA J.Mornet is the well-known accordion school founded and run by Professor Jacques Mornet and Nathalie Boucheix. July 14th to 19th - teacher Pascal Meurge July 21st to 25th – composer Franck Angélis August 11th to 16th – composer Claude Thomain August 11th to 16th – 18th to 23rd - Jacques Mornet (jazz) October 20th to 26th CNIMA J.Mornet is based at Les Ludines, 63950 Saint-Sauves d’Auvergne, in the south of France. There is easy access to Cnima by highways A71, A75 and A89, and a train station locally where the CNIMA’s team can pick up. Information at CNIMA J.Mornet For further information email: cnima@wanadoo.fr Tutor book available: Jacques Mornet |
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Giancarlo Caporilli in Charity Concert, Anzio – Italyby Rob Howard |
![]() The other artists include Angelo Proietti, Essenza del Due, Pontina Guitar Orchestra (MD Massimiliano Romano), Avio Focolari, Rock in Two, Di Meo Claudio, Sara Laurenti, Massimiliano Drapello, I Cubanitos, Salsa Crew, Eugenio Picchiani, and Gabriele Marconi. The concert proceeds go towards the construction of a foster home for disabled adults. |
CD Reviews |
“3 Couleurs” CD by Lydie Auvray e AUVRETTESby Alessandro Mugnoz |
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New and Updated Sites |
Jon Faukstad Releases eTracks Album - Norwayby Jon Faukstad |
![]() 'Konsert Pa Kleppe', catalog: faukstad201 with sound samples. Music performed by Jon Faukstad. |
Zhang Guoping Releases eTracks Album - Chinaby Zhang Guoping |
![]() 'Happy Sheng', catalog: guoping02 with sound samples. Music performed by Zhang Guoping. |
Jon Faukstad Releases eTracks Album - Norwayby Jon Faukstad |
![]() 'Classic Accordion', catalog: faukstad202 with sound samples. Music performed by Jon Faukstad. |
Phil Bouvier Releases eTracks Album - Franceby Phil Bouvier |
![]() 'Mister Phil', catalog: phil01eT with sound samples. Music performed by Phil Bouvier. |
Jon Faukstad Releases eTracks Album - Norwayby Jon Faukstad |
![]() 'Norske Drag', catalog: faukstad203 with sound samples. Music performed by Jon Faukstad. |
Roman Jbanov Releases CD and eTracks Album - Russiaby Roman Jbanov |
![]() 'Duo Paris Moscou', catalog: jroman104 with sound samples. Music performed by Domi Emorine and Roman Jbanov |
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