This week we have included a news item on two sisters who were sponsored by Pacific Island organizations in New Zealand and Royal Tongan Airlines after an appearance on television.

It is wonderful to see organizations sponsoring youngsters and issuing invitations to perform overseas plus it's excellent positive publicity for the accordion in those countries. If you know of any similar recent sponsorships please send details to news@accordions.com as we really like to tell the accordion world about good things happening for our young accordionists.

Wayne Knights Webmaster

• 9th International Summer School - Croatia
• Novjaro Perform in Tram Museum - Finland
• University Concert - Colombia
• Accordeonorkest 't Schuusies Muziek Perform at International Festival - Belgium
• Sisters Perform at Drag Queen Beauty Pageant - Tonga
• New Appointment at Music School - England
• Casa Elizalde Concert - Spain
• Accordion Kings Camp and Jamboree - USA
• Concert at Bach Festival - Germany
• Music Fair Concert - Japan
• World Premiere Concert - Denmark
• Ferrarini in "Musical Places" - Italy
• Melbourne Accordionist Breaks New Ground - Australia
• "Blow Up" in Geneva - Switzerland
• CrossSound 2000 in Alaska - USA
• New Edition of News Francais
• Concert at Kaprun Castle - Austria
• An Evening With Harry Hussey - England
• Public Orchestral Rehearsal - Netherlands
• Concertinas in Tokyo - Japan
• Tango Month with the Milonga Quintet - Italy
• Festival Concert - South Africa
• New CD by Christian Maes
• Antique Accordion Information
• Accordion Information Required

Contributed by Raymond Bodell

The 9th International Accordion Summer School was held in Pula, Croatia from July 17th to 27th organized by Damir Buzleta & Izolda Prenc under the auspices of "Okud Istra Pula". Students from Switzerland, Italy, United Kingdom, Slovenia and Croatia benefited from the expertise of tutors Alexander Skilarov (Russia), Denis Modrusan (Croatia), Vladimir Balik (Ukraine - solo work), Sanja Drakulic (theory) and Slavko Magdic (Slovenia - orchestral). In addition to master classes, a final concert was held with performances by participants and a series of concerts were given by the Lecturers.

Next years event will include 10th Anniversary celebrations and will be held from July 16th to 27th 2001.

Finnish group Novjaro will perform at the Tram Museum in Helsinki on September 15th. The concert will include tango nuevo pieces by Astor Piazzolla, Milonga del Angel and La Muerte del Angel. The group includes Johanna Juhola (accordion), Noa Nakai (violin), Arttu Kataja (piano), Erno Eklund (guitar) and Julius Pyrhönen (double bass). For further details email: novjaro@siba.fi

Colombian accordionist Lacides Romero will perform in the "Auditorio Leon De Greiff" at the "Universidad Nacional De Colombia" in Bogotá on August 31st. Lacides, a tutor at the Universidad Pedaggica Nacional, will play a varied program which includes his own arrangement Variaciones al Carnaval de Venecia. For further details email: lacidesromero@yahoo.com

Contributed by Stefaan Taelman

The Accordeonorkest 't Schuusies Muziek will perform at the International Accordion festival at the Salons Mantovani in Oudenaarde on September 30th. Their varied program will include Boogie in G (Bui), Tico Tico (Zequinha Abreu) and Shalom Alechem (Israelian Traditional). Other orchestras have been invited to perform including Accordeonclub "De Petra's" (Belgium), Accordeonclub de la Vallée de la Seine (France) and Accordeonclub "Avanti" (Netherlands). For further details email: stefaantaelman@advalvas.be

Tongan born sisters Lesieli and Indira Moala appeared on Television New Zealand's Tagata Pasifika program in June this year, mentioning that they were looking for sponsors to help them with their accordion music expenses. The response from various Pacific Island organizations in New Zealand was tremendous. Royal Tongan Airlines came to their assistance, inviting the sisters to fly to Tonga for the music festival held to celebrate the King of Tonga's 82nd birthday. The girls flew to Tonga in July to perform at different schools, churches and shopping malls.

A highlight of the trip was their performance at the "Ms Galaxy" Drag Queen Beauty Pageant!! The concert was recorded and played on Radio Tonga a few days later. Lesieli and Indira also performed for the Princess of Tonga and her three daughters.

The girls also featured recently on Triangle TV and in the Tongan Times and the Western Leader (New Zealand) newspaper.

Accordionist David Farmer was recently appointed Head of Accordion at Kent Music School, in Maidstone, England. The school is committed to the tuition of both standard and free bass accordion to students of all ages and its overwhelming support for the instrument has resulted in many school concerts, recitals, chamber music and orchestral concerts featuring the accordion being planned for the area. For further information email: d.farmer@RAM.AC.UK

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On July 15th Claudio Jacomucci performed at Casa Elizalde in Barcelona after giving a workshop entitled "Alexander Technique for Accordionists" to the accordion class of the Conservatorio Superior de Musica de Barcelona. Special guest at the workshop was Mexican cellist Leticia Montaño, who held a course of Baroque Music.

Claudio Jacomucci performed works by Kurtag (including a premiere), Ligeti, Nicolau (premiere) and Scarlatti.

The Accordion Kings Camp and Jamboree will take place at The Rabb House in Round Rock, Texas on August 26th and 27th. The event will include organized jams, dances and workshops for three-row button, one-row button, and piano accordionists. Students of any level are welcome and are not required to read music. Tutors include Geno Delafose (zydeco), Eva Ybarra (conjunto), Gary Bertrand (Cajun) and John Dujka (Czech Polka).

Entertainers include Geno Delafose, French Rockin' Boogie and Eva Ybarra y su Conjunto. For further information phone: + 1 512 441-9255.

On July 26th Uwe Steger (midi accordion and bayan), Heidi Hirschmüller (bayan and bandoneon) and Krzysztof Zgraja (flute) gave a concert to a full house as part of the Bach Festival in Leipzig. The concert was also part of the series "JSB and New Sounds", which has already included performances by Maya Homburger, Barry Guy, Malcolm Proud, Daniel Schnyder, Kenny Drew Jnr., David Tylor, Quintessence and Mathias Stich. The variety of sound changes made by the accordion kept the audience captivated as this type of music has never been heard before at a festival of this kind, especially not in relation to Bach. Their program included Siciliano (Bach), The Veils of Pandora (Holten) and La Danza (Rossini).

The "Leipziger Volkszeitung" newspaper included a July 27th report on the concert saying the following about the accordion:

In the hands of Heidi Hirschmüller and Uwe Steger its sound chases away in a very pleasant manner all frightful expectations of musical pseudo-comfort which are unfortunately too often seen in connection with this instrument. Amplified and transformed through electronic effects, it sounds like an organ, electric bass, a violin, a horn, cembalo, a babbling synthesizer, well just like a small orchestra. Truly "New Sounds". A well mastered balance between parody, experiment and tender soulfulness.

Contributed by Toru Katou

The "Music Fair" concert will be held on August 18th at "Cleo-Osaka-Nishi", Osaka Prefecture and will feature musicians from the Japan Music Union. Accordionists will perform traditional Japanese dances including the lion-dance. For further information phone: + 81 6 6622-4445

Accordionist Frode Haltli will perform on September 29th in the Koncertsalen, Det Kgl. Danske Musikkonservatorium, Copenhagen, with Tuva Semmingsen (vocals), Rolf-Erik Nystrøm (saxophone) and Håkon Thelin (double bass).

Their program will include the world premiere of "Looking on Darkness" (Bent Sørensen) and a new work by Asbjørn Schaathun. Other pieces include Jeux d'anches (Lindberg) and Essential Extensions for saxophone, accordion and double bass (Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje). For further information email: haltli@hotmail.com

Contributed by Paolo Picchio

The trio formed by Mirko Ferrarini (accordion), Cesare Carretta (violin) and Matteo Malagoli (cello) held a concert in Ancona on July 31st as part of an event known as "I luoghi della musica" (Musical Places). The stage was placed in a very picturesque corner of Ancona's historic center, where the Trio presented music from the last two centuries by composers like Tchaikovsky, Kreisler, Gershwin, Ellington and Piazzolla.

Melbourne accordionist, Bernadette Conlon performed a one hour live-to-air recital for ABC Classic FM recently. Her program included Grieg's Holberg Suite, as well as works by Tchaikin, Zolotaryov and Gridin and some of her own arrangements.

This is the first time the accordion has been showcased in a live broadcast in the history of the Australian Broadcasting Commission's national classical radio network. The concert, part of the prestigious Sunday Live series, was performed before one of the largest audiences for any performer, in the history of these weekly concerts. The strong applause at the end of each piece was a testament to the skill and popularity of Bernadette Conlon by many new admirers of the accordion in Australia.

Contributed by Jean-Claude Pouly

French accordionist Richard Galliano will perform in duo with Michel Portal (clarinet & bandoneon) at the Hotel-de-Ville in Geneva on August 14th. Their joint CD "Blow Up" received the "Boris Vian" award in 1997 for the best French jazz CD of the year, a great endorsement of both the accordion and famous accordionist Richard Galliano. For further information, phone: +41 22 328 81 21

Contributed by Jocelyn Clark

The CrossSound 2000 music festival will be held from September 1st to 3rd at the Northern Lights Church in Juneau, Alaska. Guest performer accordionist Teodoro Anzellotti will perform works by Luciano Berio (Sequenza VIII) and Hiroko Ito and Alexandra Gardner, who were commissioned by CrossSound to write new pieces for Teodoro.

Gardner's piece is a concerto for accordion and chamber orchestra which will be premiered by the Juneau Sinfonietta, a contemporary music ensemble conducted by Stefan Hakenberg. For further information email: directors@CrossSound.com

A new edition of the News Francais is now online and can be seen at: http://www.accordeon.com/francais If you would like to contribute an item for this news please email: greg@accordions.com

Contributed by Franz Hochwimmer

Austrian quintet "ZAGOS - da capo" will perform a concert in the "Knights-Hall" at Kaprun castle in Kaprun, Austria on August 18th. Over 300 people are expected to attend the concert which will include pieces such as In the Mood, The Pink Panther, Beethoven Symphony No. 5 and Swinging Safari. For further details phone: +43 664 531 8 325

Contributed by Mike O'Regan

The Soar Valley Accordion Club has organized "An Evening With Harry Hussey" (jazz accordionist) at the Rothley Village Hall on August 17th. For details phone Jo Lewis: + 44 116-230-2977

Contributed by Hillebrand van der Veen

The Forzando Light Orchestra (FLO) will provide a Public Orchestral Rehearsal in the Buurthuis De Rietwijker theatre, Amsterdam Noord on September 5th, organized by the Amsterdam Accordion Club Forzando. This is an annual event that aims to give people an idea of what a rehearsal is all about and club board members and conductors will be available to answer any questions. In addition the audience will be offered the opportunity to play the accordion (especially if they have never played before) and more experienced players will be asked if they would like to join in with the orchestra. For further details email: H.J.Veen@net.HCC.nl

Contributed by Toru Katou

On July 29th a concertina meeting was held at Yushima-Seido (Holy House of Confucious in Yushima), Tokyo, featuring performances and exhibitions of 15 concertinas including Anglo, English, duet, crane and an antique Wheatstone concertina made in 1858. Performers included Shin'ichi Sakata and his students.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

The Milonga Quintet, a group presenting a repertoire of compositions by Piazzolla (arranged by Paolo Picchio), has a very busy upcoming summer schedule. After the success of their performance at the "Cortesi" Theatre in Sirolo on July 12th, the Quintet will hold a series of concerts from August 10th to 26th, performing in Loreto, Monsano, Offagna and San Polo D'Enza (near Reggio Emilia) in the province of Ancona. For further details see Future Events.

Duo 2000 performed at a festival weekend at the Champagne Castle Hotel in Drakensberg from July 28th to 30th. Their program included Waltz of the Flowers (Tchaikovsky), Liebestraum (Liszt), Song to the Evening Star (Wagner) and The Wedding March (Mendelssohn). The audience included many international tourists.

Next weekend (August 12th to 14th) the duo will continue recording tracks on their second CD. For further information email: duo2000@global.co.za

Accordionist Christian Maes is currently working on a new CD due for release in October, produced jointly with "Compagnie Héritage". The CD will include compositions with multiple influences such as Eastern Europe, the Orient, Ireland etc. and additional instruments like double bass, hurdy-gurdy, guitar, drums and bass.

Christian has already released two duo albums, "Tilted House" with Sandi Miller, and "Coup de Vent" with Emmanuel Pariselle. For further details email: cie.heritage@wanadoo.fr

Sandra Chaffin would like some information an a Riccordi concertina. vintagelace@earthlink.net

Elfi Huber has a red CLUB IIIM accordion, made in Germany over 40 years ago. santana98@webtv.net

Bob Fanucci would like information on a Milano Organetto, made in Germany. bobfan@snip.net

Maureen would like details of accordions brought to New Zealand by Bohemians in 1863. If you can help please email: roase@xtra.co.nz