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Highlights |
2024 Pantonale Festival – Germany
5th Kutná Hora Accordion Week – Czech Republic
XVI Edition Grand Tour of the Museums - Italy
14th Harmonika Fest International Music Festival - Montenegro
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Qathet Accordion Fest 2024 was Outstanding Success - Canada
Inês Vaz Releases Second Album “Petala” - Portugal
Future events |
“The Band Who Knew Too Much” Entertains at Lomond Hotel’s 40th Anniversary Celebrations – Australia
Milos Milivojevic Performs in Opera - Austria
"Cafe Accordion Orchestra" Celebrates their 30th Anniversary - USA
53rd Annual 2024 Northwest Folklife Festival – USA
Arseniy Strokovskiy Performs Piazzolla Tango-Operita - Germany
Free 4 All Music Extravaganza, Texas – USA
Ardess Accordion Band 60th Anniversary Parade – Northern Ireland
“Tango a la Carte” Tour England & Wales - UK
Misha Grossu Performs at Autetnic Concert - Moldova
Links to Previous News Still Current |
New and Updated Sites |
2024 South Pacific and New Zealand Accordion Championships and Festival - New Zealand
Published: Latest Expanded Article About AAA Commissioned Works - USA
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |
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Highlights |
2024 Malaysia Accordion Festival, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysiaby Harley Jones |
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 Pictures before the event: 01. & 02. Posters03. China-Malaysia Cultural Tourism Project Signing Ceremony attended by the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Malaysia. 04. Promotion in Malaysia, celebrating the signing. Some further event pictures to come: 05. Groups arriving at the festival hotel, each with a large banner. 06. The photographers took many pictures. 07. Dinner at the food market. 08. Large crowd at the Malaysia/China relations celebration concert. More than 500 accordionists and supporters from China and Malaysia took off from 28 different cities to gather in beautiful Kuala Lumpur for the annual Hohner Accordion Cup (held most years in China), a Seniors Accordion Festival and a series of musical activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia. Festival organizers are Ding Peng (Member of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC, Deputy Secretary General of the Chinese Accordion Association, conductor Peking University Accordion Orchestra) and Huang Da. Picture right. Such was the success and the excitement of the participants plus the extensive official tourism support within Malaysia, that another festival to Malaysia will immediately be planned. Previous Hohner Festival Reports: 2012HohnerReport 2014HohnerReport 2015HohnerReport A full report of this excellent festival will be completed by Monday morning Italy time at: 2024HohnerReport Page Under Construction |
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2024 Pantonale Festival – Germanyby Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions |
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| Video 1: Pantonale 2024 Trailer Video 2: Concert by Radu Ratoi, Download the concert program here: 2024RaduRatoi The opening concert of the 2024 Pantonale Festival featured Moldovan accordionist Radu Ratoi playing a solo concert “From Baroque to Avant-Garde”. This concert was held at the Auenkirche Berlin-Wilmersdorf in Berlin, Germany on April 14th, 2024. His program included works by Bach, Rameau, Schubert, Saint-Saëns, Liszt, Nørgård and Kosoric. The “Friedenstraum” Gala Concert will be held at the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Chamber Music Hall on May 24th, 2024 at 6pm with musicians from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Israel, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Spain and Ukraine. They will make music together and send a message of peace to the world. The following musicians will take part in the “Friedenstraum” gala concert: Gorka Hermosa – accordion Radu Ratoi – accordion Arkady Shilkloper – horn, alphorn Anna Lipkind-Mazor – violin Marko Ševarlic – accordion Dragana Gajic – viola Sergei Sadovoy – accordion Sergey Osokin – accordion Eduard Akhanov – accordion Pantonale Chamber Orchestra conducted by Miran Vaupotic Download full concert information here: 2024Pantonale |
5th Kutná Hora Accordion Week – Czech Republicby Christine Johnstone |
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 The 5th Kutná Hora Accordion Week and international festival will be held in the historic town of Kutná Hora, Czech Republic from August 20th to 25th, 2024, organised by the Friends of the Accordion Association.The Friends of the Accordion association was founded in 2019 by Michal Karban, Marie Cejnová and Markéta Laštovicková. Its goal is to teach and promote the accordion. Picture left: Aliaksandr Yasinski The whole event is charitable with proceeds from the entrance fee going to the Jedlicka Institute Foundation. The event will feature accordion courses and concerts, with individual lessons and rehearsals of a unique accordion orchestra. Course lecturers are: Marie Cejnová, Michal Cejna Karban, Markéta Laštovicková, Jytte von Rüden and Ivana Laštovicková. Concert program as follows: • August 20th at 7pm at Dacicky House: Opening concert with the "Check Accordion Trio" & guests • August 21st at 8pm at Kozí plácek (Goat Patch): outdoor concert with accordionist and entertainer David Kopácek. • August 22nd at 7.30pm at the Restaurant Dacický: Gankino Quintet (violin, clarinet, accordion, guitar and double bass), a band dedicated to ethnic music and jazz. • August 23rd at 7pm at the Church of St. John of Nepomuk: solo concert with Belarusian accordionist and composer Aliaksandr Yasinski (picture above left). There will also be a gala concert celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Kutná Hora Accordion Week with special guests. • August 25th at 3pm at the Church of St. John of Nepomuk: Traditional closing gala concert of the festival and accordion courses with performances by course participants, chamber ensembles and the unique KTA 2024 accordion orchestra. For further details email: accordiontrio@hotmail.com Picture below: "Check Accordion Trio" |
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XVI Edition Grand Tour of the Museums - Italyby AWW |
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  There is a rich program of events that have been organised to celebrate the XVI edition of the Grand Tour of the Museums in Italy, held from May 17th to 19th, 2024. The three days will be dedicated to museums and culture of the Marche region.Events will be held for adults and children, to discover and rediscover the surprising treasures of Marche archaeology and of the oldest and deepest history of this territory. • May 18th: International Accordion Museum – Opening hours: 10am to 1pm – 4pm to 7pm – 9pm to 11pm – 5pm: Instruments, composers, music and performers: a historical memory at the museum. Readings, considerations and performances by students of the Civic School of Music "P. Soprani", curated by Alessandro Mugnoz with Elena Merli, Michele Alessandrini (accordion) – music by Scarlatti, Gart, Volpi and Piazzolla. Angelica and Veronica Ferraioli (Accordion) – traditional and author's music (Kramer and Vacher). Teachers: Roberto Lucanero and Luigino Pallotta. • May 18th: Museum of the Risorgimento – Opening hours: 4pm to 7pm – 9pm to 11pm – From 9pm to 11pm on the occasion of the Night of the Museums, free guided tours will be guaranteed by the volunteers of the National Civil Service of the members of the local section of Italia Nostra. • May 19th: International Accordion Museum – Opening hours: 10am to 1pm – 4pm to 7pm – 5.30pm: Presentation of the book "The precursors of the contemporary accordion. From nineteenth-century musical civilization to the beginning of the twentieth century with a look at the present" by Alessandro Mugnoz, Ephemeria editions. Readings and listening. • May 19th: Museum of the Risorgimento (unification of Italy) – Opening hours: 10am to 1pm – 4pm to 7pm (free admission). • May 19th: Marche National Monument – 10am to 11:30am "Walking Through the Risorgimento": Free guided tour of the National Monument of the Marche to the victorious battle of Castelfidardo and its Park remembering the events and protagonists of the famous Risorgimento Battle. Organized by: local section of Italia Nostra – Fondazione Ferretti • May 19th: 10am to 11:30am – "Walking Between the Lines" – Meeting among the beauties of the Monument discovering the places of the Park through the magic of reading. Free activity for primary school children. For details phone: 0717825248 (Aleph bookstore). |
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14th Harmonika Fest International Music Festival - Montenegroby Christine Johnstone |
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| The 14th Harmonika Fest International Music Festival will be held in Tivat, Montenegro from May 24th to 26th, 2024, organised by the NGO "Harmonika Montenegrina" from Podgorica. Their goal is to promote classical music on the accordion and the great cultural, educational and psychosocial significance of the festival forms the foundation that their ideas become real. The event will include a classical music concert by students from the Montenegro music schools, and a competition with categories for soloists, orchestras, chamber music and variety music. An important part of the festival is a variety of workshops by lecturers who are eminent professors from some of the most prestigious Music Academies in Europe and the world. For further details email: harmonikafest.mne@gmail.com |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Jukka-Pekka Kuusela Performs Bach Concert - Finlandby Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions |
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| On May 11th, 2024, well-known Finnish accordionist Jukka-Pekka Kuusela (former student of Friedrich Lips) played a concert with Kalle Välimaa (organ - former student of V. Muntyan and Friedrich Lips) in the Sotkamo Chappell in Sotkamo, Kainuu, Finland. Their program was based on Das Orgelbüchlein by J.S. Bach. The lovely spring evening saw many local people and tourists enjoying the holy music by J.S. Bach. During his visit in Kainuu region, Kalle Välimaa also coached young local accordionists in ensemble playing directing among others the world premiere of his own large scaled work SäkkiS for 2 soloists, 8 accordionists and tape. |
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Qathet Accordion Fest 2024 was Outstanding Success - Canadaby Christine Johnstone |
  Video: 2024 Qathet highlights.The 2024, 3rd annual Qathet Accordion Fest, held at Powell River, British Columbia, Canada was an outstanding success. The event, directed by Walter Martella and Karina Inkster was held on May 10th and 11th, 2024 and included a variety of “performances, learning, jamming with new friends and catching up with old ones, and associated accordionic antics.” Performing artists (pictured below) were Walter Martella, Stephen Nikleva (guitar), Kosta Ruslanov (accordion), Henry Slama (accordion), Budge Schachte (guitar), Boyd Norman (bass), Terry Martyniuk (percussion) and Melanie Hackett. Jelena Milojevic (picture above right) led a popular masterclass for accordionists of all levels. |
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Inês Vaz Releases Second Album “Petala” - Portugalby Christine Johnstone |
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 Inês Vaz (Portugal) has just released her second album entitled “Petala” (English: petal).“In this album, Inês Vaz maintains the centrality of the accordion, but adds poetry and voice to it, through the participation of guests Jacqueline Fernandez, José Rodrigues Cardoso and Natália Luíza in a coating of poetic petals that dictate an organic narrative and adds color, definition and intensity to the narrative. Poems by Francisca Aguirre, José Rodrigues Cardoso and Maria Teresa Horta are interspersed with pieces by Astor Piazzolla, Brad Mehldau, Inês Vaz, Maurice Ravel, Modest Mussorgsky, Vladislav Zolotaryov, and, weaving the common thread of a record that tells a story, note after note, word after word.” "In this album, Inês Vaz suggests a narrative and reflective journey around the lightness, tenderness and metaphorical symbolism of a petal." Recorded, mixed and mastered by Marco Silva. |
Future events |
Sam Reider & The Human Hands Concert Tour - USAby Christine Johnstone |
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 Sam Reider & The Human Hands will begin their concert tour of the USA this weekend, promoting their new recording “The Golem and Other Tales”.The tour will include concerts in Washington DC, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle plus smaller towns in between. Accordionist and composer Sam will be joined by Eddie Barbash (saxophone), Duncan Wickel (violin) and Roy Williams (guitar). At select concerts along the way, the group will be joined by bassists Andrew Ryan or Mark Schatz, Dominick Leslie (mandolin) and Alex Hargreaves (violin). Tour dates: 5.17 Washington D.C. - Hill Center 5.18 Irvington, VA - Rappahannock Foundation for the Arts 6.26 Brooklyn, NY - Jalopy Theatre ***Record Release Celebration*** 7.18 Annandale-on-Hudson, NY - Spiegeltent at Bard College 7.19 Boston, MA - Club Passim 9.5 Berkeley, CA - Freight and Salvage 9.7 Monterey, CA - SandBox Sand City 9.8 Los Angeles, CA - Boulevard Music 9.10 Ripon, CA - Ripon Arts League 9.11 Arcata, CA - Arcata Playhouse 9.12 Ashland, OR - Green Show at Oregon Shakespeare Festival 9.13 Summit, OR - Summit Community Center 9.14 Portland, OR - Eastside Jewish Commons 9.15 Seattle, WA - The Royal Room For details email: sam@samreidermusic.com |
“The Band Who Knew Too Much” Entertains at Lomond Hotel’s 40th Anniversary Celebrations – Australiaby Christine Johnstone |
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 “The Band Who Knew Too Much” (picture above) will entertain at the Lomond Hotel’s 40th Anniversary celebrations in East Brunswick, Victoria, Australia on May 18th, 2024 from 5pm.The group includes Dave Evans (accordion & vocals), Andy Reid (clarinet, washboard and vocals), Ben Hendry (drums), Craig Fermanis (guitar) and Rory Boste (double bass and vocals). For details phone: +61 3 9380 1752 |
Milos Milivojevic Performs in Opera - Austriaby Christine Johnstone |
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 Milos Milivojevic (picture left) will perform in an opera based on the novel “Woman at Point Zero” by Nawal El Saadawi, held at the Jugendstiltheater in Vienna, Austria on May 22nd and 23rd at 8pm.The opera music was composed Bushra El-Turk. The opera musical director is Kanako Abe. The opera “tells the story of two women who meet in prison: Fatma, a women’s rights activist who was sentenced for murder and Sama, a young, ambitious documentary film maker who wants to tell Fatma’s story.” “They share memories, experiences, deepest secrets. What does it mean to be free? Is it possible to have greater freedom in prison than outside?” The opera won the Fedora Prize for Opera Innovation in 2020 and the Music Theatre Now Competition in 2023. |
"Cafe Accordion Orchestra" Celebrates their 30th Anniversary - USAby Christine Johnstone |
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| The “Cafe Accordion Orchestra” will celebrate their 30th anniversary with a performance at Crooners Supper Club in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on May 23rd, 2024 at 6.30pm. All of the current and former members of Cafe Accordion Orchestra (CAO) will appear, playing tunes from all 10 CAO recordings. For details email: daddysqueeze@yahoo.com |
53rd Annual 2024 Northwest Folklife Festival – USAby Christine Johnstone |
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 The 53rd annual 2024 Northwest Folklife Festival will be held at the Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington, USA from May 24th to 27th, 2024.The event is a “community-powered celebration of the music, arts, and heritage of the Pacific Northwest, with over 4,000 performers on 20+ stages, 200 food/craft/import vendors, and 500 volunteers, the festival remains one of the largest access-for-all festivals in the nation since 1972”. Accordion groups include “Chicken Feathers” (picture left), “Whozyamama” (Claudette Boudreaux on accordion), “Bayou Envie” (Mark Myking on accordion), “Smilin' Scandinavians” (picture below), Jet Black Pearl Accordion Songstress, Owl Scarey (singer, songwriter & accordionist) and Învârtim (Balkan violin and accordion). For details email: folklife@nwfolklife.org |
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Arseniy Strokovskiy Performs Piazzolla Tango-Operita - Germanyby Christine Johnstone |
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| Arseniy Strokovskiy will perform the María de Buenos Aires Tango-Operita by Astor Piazzolla at the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern in Kaiserslautern, Germany on May 25th, 2024 at 7.30pm. The opera premiered at the Sala Planeta in Buenos Aires, Argentina on May 8th, 1968. For details email: arseniy@strokovskiy.com |
Free 4 All Music Extravaganza, Texas – USAby Rob Howard |
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| The Central Texas Accordion Association will host a Free 4 All Music Extravaganza at the Senior Activity Center in Austin, Texas, USA on June 3rd, 2024 starting at 7pm. This event will be a non-stop variety show and dance with free entry. |
Ardess Accordion Band 60th Anniversary Parade – Northern Irelandby Christine Johnstone |
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| The Ardess Accordion Band will hold their 60th Anniversary and Memorial Parade in Kesh, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland on June 7th, 2024 at 8pm. There will be a collection on the night in aid of Cancer Connect NI and band funds. See poster for details. |
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“Tango a la Carte” Tour England & Wales - UKby Christine Johnstone |
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| “Tango a la Carte”, which includes bandoneonists Orlando Dibelo and Ruth Rozelaar will tour England and Wales next month. Their “unique tango experience gives the audience the opportunity to choose the music they want to dance to”. Tour dates as follows: Northern England: June 8th: Liverpool June 9th: Warrington June 14th: Upton-upon-Severn June 15th: Oswestry Wales: June 16th: Swansea June 17th: Cardiff Devon: June 20th: Seated Concert in Totnes (tbc) June 23rd: Ashburton (workshop) June 25th: Seated Concert in Ashburton For details email: ruth.rozelaar@gmail.com |
Misha Grossu Performs at Autetnic Concert - Moldovaby Christine Johnstone |
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| Misha Grossu will perform at the 2024 Autetnic concert held at the Artcor Centre in Chisinau, Moldova on June 14th, 2024 at 9pm. “It is more than a show! It's an experience, a journey, a story that unites us all! Together with Misha Grossu, Emilia Rusu, Iacob Rotari and Natalia Alurcan you will have a show full of energy and emotion that will definitely remain etched in your memory!” See poster for details. |
Links to Previous News Still Current |
Past News List of Linksby AWW |
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2024 Coupe Mondiale Information 2023 Coupe Mondiale Daily Reports, Video |
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Information 2024 World Accordion Day, 2023 World Accordion Day Report, 6th May each year |
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Articles Index page |
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PIF Castelfidardo 2023 2023 PIF Castelfidardo Daily Reports, Video |
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2023 AAA Festival Daily Reports 2023 AAA Festival Daily Reports |
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Interviews Index page |
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2023 ATG Competition and Festival Photo Report 2023 ATG Competition and Festival Photo Report |
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2023 XXXV International Festival, Moscow News and Daily Reports and videos |
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2023 Accordion Cruise, Finland Information, News article |
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Accordion Reed Production Article Link |
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Chronology of Production of Italian Accordions Article Link News article about Beniamino Bugiolacchi Article Link |
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Serenellini Know the People Interview News Link |
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Accordion Study Produces Community Benefits Article Link |
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Playing the Accordion Benefits Your Brain News Link |
New and Updated Sites |
Kansas City to Host Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International (ATG) Festival - USAby Mary Ann Covone, ATG President |
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 Kansas City's vibrant music scene is set to take center stage in a whole new way as it welcomes the Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International (ATG) for its annual Festival from July 23rd to 27th, 2024. Spanning five days of festivities, the ATG Festival will showcase the incredible versatility and artistry of the accordion, drawing participants and performers from not only the United States and Canada but from around the world. Audiences can expect to be treated to a breathtaking array of performances that will redefine their perceptions of the accordion. Evening concerts will begin Wednesday, July 24th, with Stas Venglevski premiering a new composition he wrote for Joan Cochran Sommers followed by Das Kollektive Duo (flute and accordion) from Austria. Thursday evening will feature the UMKC Accordion Ensemble directed by Joan Sommers, Mirco Patarini (Italy) (President of the Confédération Internationale Des Accordéonistes CIA), and Nikolay Bine, jazz accordionist from Canada. Friday evening will be an evening of Tango and Fusion. Bridge and Wolak (Dr. Michael Bridge on accordion and Kornel Wolak on clarinet) will begin with a concert of classical, jazz and world music fusing various genres of music to create a life-affirming concert full of beauty, virtuosity and humor. Next, Grayson Masefield (New Zealand) will be joined by a group of prominent Kansas City musicians, “Ensemble Iberica,” to present an all-tango program. The Festival will culminate on Saturday evening with a concert performed by Gorka Hermosa (Spain), followed by the ATG Festival Orchestra, conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers. Among other works, the orchestra will premier two new works commissioned by the ATG. The first is composed by Gorka Hermosa entitled Oparoa, which means in the Basque language “Truly full” (referencing the “truly full life’ that Professor Joan C. Sommers has had, giving so much to the accordion world in America). The second commissioned piece is Eternal composed by Ian Watson (UK in honor of Joan C. Sommers’ 90th birthday. For more information, visit: ATG |
2024 South Pacific and New Zealand Accordion Championships and Festival - New Zealandby Renee Jeffries, NZAA Competition Secretary |
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| The 2024 NZAA South Pacific Accordion Championships & Festival will be held at the superb Raye Freedman Arts Centre (picture below), Silver Rd, Epsom, Auckland on 1-2 June. The Finale concert will be held at 2:30 pm Sunday 2nd June with the performers listed on the poster above. For further details email NZAA Competitions Secretary Renee Jeffries at: nzaacompsec@gmail.com |
Published: Latest Expanded Article About AAA Commissioned Works - USAby Dr. Robert Young McMahan Chair of AAA Composers Commissioning Committee |
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 Now published is the expanded article from the Past Annual Series of Articles for the AAA Festival Journal:2015: Four of the Five Commissioned Works for the Intermediate Level Student Solos by David Diamond, William Grant Still, Carlos Surinach, & José Serebrier. View the expanded article at: http://www.ameraccord.com/aaacommissions21.php This article continues the progress in expanding the annual articles I wrote between 1997 and 2019 on the AAA commissioned “classical” repertoire of the late twentieth century. The AAA Composers Commissioning Committee founder and first Chair, Elsie Bennett, decided during the mid-to-late 1960s to re-commission four previously AAA engaged composers, namely Paul Creston, David Diamond, William Grant Still, and Carlos Surinach, as well as a first-time contributor, José Serebrier, to supply solo works at the intermediate rather than the normally assumed advanced/professional level. The results were Creston’s Embryo Suite, (released in web format in January 2024), Diamond’s Sonatina, Still’s Lilt, Surinach’s Prelude to the Sea, and Serebrier’s Danza Ritual. Elsie’s stated purpose for this project was to expose promising young students who through hard and earnest work had achieved a solid intermediate level of performance, usually via their other more traditional tonal repertoire (which was often accordion transcriptions of other instruments’ works), to the “New Music” of their own time. This gateway into original “classical” and idiomatically conceived music for the accordion was and continues to be vitally important since the accordion’s late invention during the previous three-century “Common Practice” era and slow technological evolution in the nineteenth century delayed the creation of its own classical repertoire well into the twentieth century. To be sure that this endeavor would succeed, these little masterpieces were often required as test pieces in the AAA competitions of the 1960s and later and were admissible in the separate “Original Solo” contest divisions as well. As is the mission of this expanded series of past articles, this current one on these four very diverse compositions (that excludes Creston’s contribution which was covered in the 2017 article) are discussed both historically and theoretically in much greater detail and well beyond the scope, of its original publication in the 2015 AAA Festival Journal. View the expanded article at: http://www.ameraccord.com/aaacommissions21.php |
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