2006 Shanghai Spring International Accordion Festival
1st to 6th May, 2006

Daily Report - 5th May
Friday saw the continuation of the competitions. Most categories resumed with the second Round of competition requiring candidates to perform an own choice program. The competitions were run in various locations around the University campus affording attendees the opportunity to walk between venues enjoying a variety of styles of music played by students of all ages.
With several venues operating at the same time, many panels of adjudcators were necessary to judge more than 500 contestants.
This panel of adjudicators is led by Chairman Joan C. Sommers. They are pictured here as they judge a category of 47 contestants.
Members of the Hohner Team, Cyril Blanchard, Manager of the Hohner Accordion Division from Germany Horst Fausel and Jerome Richard

Jury member Jon Faukstadt from Norway, director Li Cong, jury member Viatcheslav Semionov and Victor Romanko enjoying lunch at the Universtiy.
Russian accordion duo Nikolai Sivchuk and Alexey Peresidly next to the poster featuring their teacher Viatcheslav Semionov.

Many of the students navigate the busy streets by bike.
Tradeshow display by Goldencup Accordions
The evening concert of the Shanghai Spring International Accordion Festival was presented by outstanding concert artist Pavel Feniuk from Ukraine.

Pavel was born in Kiev and graduated from the Kiev Conservatooire and has presented concerts in Ukraine, USA, Canada, Germnay, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France, Spain, Finland and other countries.
The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, condcuted by Chen Xie Yang performed the official opening concert of the Shanghai Music festival of which the Shanghai Spring Accordion Festival is affiliated. This concert was not an official part of the Accordion Festival, however this exciting concert which was held in the new spectacular Oriental Arts Theater, featured accordionist Zhou Jing, and so was of interest to attendees at the accordion festival.

Festival reporters Harley Jones and Kevin Friedrich had the opportunity to meet Shanghai Symphony Orchestra officials including the conductor Chen Xie Yang, Concert Master Pan Yinlin and General Manager Song Guo Qiang who all have played accordion!

Conductor Chen Xie Yang studied the accordion and the piano and has travelled all over the world conducting major orchestras in many countries in Europe, the USA, Japan and Russia.
The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra performed a program of Chinese Music, including the 7 movement work called Shanghai Image by Guang Zhao. The work featured 5 different Chinese instruments and accordion. The accordion was featured with solo melodies and in duo with the Chinese Pan Flute and orchestra backing.

The composer Guang Zhao is a professor of composition at the Shanghai Conservatory and also learnt the accordion at a young age.

Shanghai Image by Guang Zhao

1. Sailing Away from the Shore
2. My Old Neighbourhood
3. Under the Oak Tree after the Rain
4. The Cross Road
5. Lights Reflecting off the River
6. Unfinished Love Song
7. Shanghai
Zhou Jing pictured with the other featured soloists
Zhou Jing with conductor of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Chen Xie Yang
Zhou Jing back stage before her performance
Zhou Jing, Chen Xie Yang and CIA President Kevin Friedrich

General Manager of the orchestra Song Guo Ziang and Accordions Worldwide Director Harley Jones

Conductor Chen Xie Yang acknowledging the soloists with the Orchestra