Editors Note

The CD Review section of Accordions Worldwide by Tania Lukic-Marx is a very popular part of the site. A reader recently wrote: "Your reviews always have credibility with me, because I have watched them and agreed with your evaluations most of the time. I was pleased to see you describe an excellent group in such an articulate way".

We receive many requests from accordion enthusiasts wanting to purchase these CD's. The Musicforaccordion site now has a "Recordings" for sale section. We encourage all accordionists who have released a CD to list your recording in this section.

Wayne Knights Webmaster

Contributed by Kevin Friedrich

Maestro Anthony Galla-Rini's 99th Birthday was celebrated in style recently as well wishers paid tribute to his almost one century of accordion activities during a two day festival in San Diego. Almost 80 people performed in the "Anthony Galla-Rini 99th Birthday Celebration Accordion Orchestra" conducted by memory by the Maestro himself as they played music that he had either composed or arranged.

A Banquet was held in his honor, where attendees such as ATG President Joan C. Sommers, Mr. and Mrs Myron Floren, Frank Marocco, AAA President Dr. Carmelo Pino, AFNA President Randy Martin, CIA President Kevin Friedrich, Joe Petosa (from Petosa Accordions) and Faithe Deffner (from Titano/Pancordion/Ernest Deffner Publications) were among the 185 guests. The concert in his honor featured the Martin Music Accordion Orchestra, Betty Jo Simon, The "K" Trio, Frank Marocco as well as the festival orchestra. Galla-Rini's six year old great granddaughter McKenzie began the concert with by singing "God Bless America".

Galla-Rini was a founding member of the ATG where he now serves as President Emeritus. In 1951 he successfully petitioned the ATG's membership into the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes at the General Assembly in Paris, France. During his career of composing, arranging, teaching and performing, he also has the distinction of writing the most performed concerto for accordion and Symphony Orchestra in the world, the Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, which he himself premiered with the Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra in 1941.

Many letters of congratulations to Galla-Rini were read from places such as the Frederic Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, The Viennese Accordion Ensemble, the New Zealand Accordion Association, the Queensland Accordion Club (Australia), the National Accordion Organization of the United Kingdom, the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes and others
from Canada and the USA. The American Accordionists Association presented a US$500.00 donation to the ATG Galla-Rini Scholarship fund, while Faithe Deffner presented a US$500.00 gift from Ernest Deffner affiliates of Titano, Pancordion and Ernest Deffner publications.

Galla-Rini became the first inductee into the newly established International Accordion Hall of Fame which has been inaugurated by the Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International (ATG). This award recognizes his outstanding and lifelong contributions to the accordion movement, work that continues to this very day!

Galla-Rini's next appearance will be at the 2003 ATG Festival in Chicago from June 25th to 29th, where he will conduct the festival orchestra as well as enjoy a performance of his Concerto No. 2 in E Minor which he wrote in 1976. This will be played by soloist Stas Venglevski with the Milwaukee Municipal Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Janet Millard on Saturday June 28th at the ATG festival.

The birthday celebration was sponsored and organized by the ATG with kind assistance from Kjell Holmes. For a full review of the weekends activities, please visit the ATG website.

Contributed by Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions

The program of this year's "Viennese Accordion Festival" was announced at a press conference held in Vienna's "Museum of Technology" where an exhibition about the history of harmonica instruments entitled "On everyone's lips" will be held from February 23rd to March 30th. One hundred and ten artists from 15 countries will be appearing at 24 different places during the event. In addition all accordion genres will be represented in a variety of different mixtures with jazz, rock, chamber music and avant-garde: Tango Nuevo, Musette, Volxmusik, Balkan, Klezmer, etc.

This year's program attracts special attention to a cheerful optimistic intermixing of the styles and individual artistic expression. The so-called trilogies are a novelty of the accordion festival 2003: topic-related concert series with three bands or artists at three different times of a day at three different places (11th district trilogy, Klezmer trilogy and Otto Lechner Trilogy).

At the opening gala three giants of the Viennese accordion will join for a promising session: Krzysztof Dobrek, Karl Hodina and Otto Lechner. Further highlights include Allegre Correas & Karl Hodinas project "Brazilian Schrammeln", the rock-accordion show of Finnish trio Fratres, Dobrek Bistro's live recording of their debut CD, as well as the performance of Astor Piazzolla's tango opera "Maria de Buenos Aires" by the German ensemble "Primavera del tango".

For further details email: akkordeonfestival@eunet.at

Contributed by Li Cong

The Chinese Accordion Association held its elections last month by the permission of the Chinese Musicians Society. New committee members are as follows: Chairman: Zhang Zi Qiang (Beijing), Vice-Chairman: Wang Xiao Ping (Beijing), Secretary: Wang Xiao Pin, Vice-Secretary: Guo Yu Guang, committee: Wang Shu Sheng (Tianjin), Bai Lu Ping (Shanxi), Du Ning (Beijing), Li Wei Ming (Fujian), Li Cong (Shanghai), Yang Yi (Beijing), Yang Guo Li (Beijing), Chen Jun (Sichuan), Jiang Jie (Beijing) & Zeng Jian (Guangdong).

Contributed by Renzo Ruggieri

The second National Music Competition in Atri will take place on May 30th and 31st, 2003. This year's event will host a new international competition known as "Trofeo Città di Atri". Featured categories will be classical accordion, variety accordion, piano and keyboard (in a new international format). Artistic directors of the event are Professors Renata Tepore and Rinaldo Tepore and conductor Angelica Verzella. For further information email: info@renzoruggieri.it

Live Accordion Performances - Canary Islands

Contributed by Francisco J. Davila Dorta

Those who visit Tenerife in the Canary Islands will have the opportunity to listen to live performances of two accordion virtuosos. Felipe Gadea performs every day in Mamma Rosa's Restaurant in Arona (best known as "Playa de las Américas") from 8pm to 11 pm (except Sundays). This area has many visitors from Spain, England, Norway, Germany, etc. His very diverse repertoire includes pieces that require an excellent mastery of the instrument and a high level of skills.

Inge Regina is a popular German accordionist and vocalist. Her repertoire includes melodic German and Canary Island music. She performs at her own bar "Inge" in Puerto de la Cruz and also in Tenerife.

The Gary Blair Ceilidh Band performed at one of the largest "Burns Suppers" in the world on January 24th at the Exclusive Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London. About 1,000 guests were entertained by Gary's band and also the Epping Forest Pipe Band, singers and dancers.

Contributed by Kevin Friedrich

The Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes (CIA) will hold their Winter Congress and General Assembly in Helsinki, Finland on March 1st and 2nd. Participants are invited to join the Finnish Accordionists Association annual cruise from Turku (Finland) to Sweden and back on board the "Silja Europa" on March 2nd and 3rd. This annual cruise attracts several thousand Finnish accordionists and features concerts and meetings.

The first General Assembly will be held at the Hotel Sokos Vaakuna, with further meetings
being held onboard the Silja Europa.

For further information, please contact CIA Vice President in Finland:
kimmo.mattila@harmonikkaliitto.net

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

As a thank you to all Sirius players, the Pigini Factory in Castelfidardo is putting on a celebration for all owners of the "Sirius" model as they prepare to celebrate the manufacture of the 1000th instrument in the "Sirius" series.

If you own a Pigini Sirius, then this event definitely is for you! Make plans to visit Castelfidardo from June 20th to 21st, 2003 for a weekend of music, workshops and performances. All owners (or those with a confirmed order for one) present at the weekend will qualify for entry to a draw for the Pigini Sirius No. 1001, which will be an accordion made especially for this event.

Pigini is also looking for Sirius No. 1, the first instrument in the series. It is thought to have gone to Denmark in conjunction with the late Mogens Ellegaard, but has likely changed hands several times since then. You can find out the number of your Sirius by carefully removing the plastic grill over the treble keyboard, and the number should be stenciled around the center of the instrument, on the frame, near the bellows.

Do you have a special project involving a Sirius? It can be any art form, just mail your CD or photos, Video, Curriculum to Pigini at the address listed below, and the best project will be included in the Gala concert.

All Sirius owners are encouraged to submit their contact information and the Serial Number of their instrument to be included in the master catalogue of Sirius owners. To register your instrument or for those interested in registering for this event in Italy please send an email with your name, address, e-mail and Sirius Serial Number to: pigini@tin.it

Vincenzo Abbracciante in Concert - Austria

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Vincenzo Abbracciante recently traveled to Purgstall (Austria) for a concert with Walter Grassmann (drums) and Hans Strasser (bass), organized by the "Musikhaus Ötscherland". The trio presented a varied program including American jazz, French variety (with solo performances by Abbracciante) and Italian tunes. The large audience received the performance enthusiastically and gave the artists a standing ovation. The success of the event was such that the organizers have already scheduled another concert with the same trio on November 30th, 2003.

A Vannetais Gallo Training course (French Brittany music) will be held in Redon for the accordion (and other instruments) on February 15th and 16th. Accordion workshop tutors include Patrick Bardoul & Jean-Yves Le Bot (diatonic accordion) and Wenceslas Hervieux (piano accordion). The event is organized by the Groupement Culturel Breton. For details email: gcbpv-emt@wanadoo.fr

"Zip Session" Festival of Music and Dance - Italy

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

The 4th "Zip Session" Festival of Music and Dance took place in Orvieto from January 2nd to 6th and featured among others the trio of Claudio Jacomucci (accordion), Michel Godard (tuba) and Gabriele Mirabassi (clarinet).

On January 8th Jacomucci gave a performance based on the art of improvisation with the O5 group, featuring Marco Cappelli on guitar, Gabriella Maiorino, Giacomo Calabrese and dancer Kathleen Delaney.

Contributed by Stuart Anderson

The Newmill Box and Fiddle Club will feature guest accordionist Gary Donaldson at their club night on February 5th. The event will be held at the Newmill Country Inn in Newmill-on-Teviot, Hawick, Roxburghshire. For further details email: stu4517734@aol.com

Accordionist Guy Klucevsek will perform with fellow accordionists Rob Burger and Gary Versace plus percussionist John Hollenbeck in "Possible Fireworks" at the BRIC Studio in Brooklyn, New York on February 4th. This is part of a series of concerts where musicians play together for the first time, without rehearsal, hence the "possible fireworks" name tag.

Klucevsek will also perform on February 7th and 8th at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, in composer Phillip Johnston's new score for/with F.W. Murnau's silent film classic, "Faust." For more information email: guy@guyklucevsek.com

Contributed by Peter Piccini

Brian Davis presenter of Saturday Jazz on RTRFM.92.1 featured accordionists Frank Marocco, Richard Galliano, Peter Piccini and Cathie Travers on his Australian show on January 18th and 25th. This program is broadcast worldwide and receives a great response. You can tune in on the internet to hear some great jazz accordion at: http://www.rtrfm.com.au

Contributed by Paolo Picchio

After years of planning and organizing, the accordion has finally found its place in one of the most important Italian conservatories, the "Giuseppe Verdi" in Milan. Beginning this school year those who wish to study the accordion at this very prestigious institution can do so under the guidance of Sergio Scappini. The announcement comes at a time when accordion courses are being inaugurated in several other conservatories. Thanks to this movement towards a greater recognition of our instrument, a number of well-known artists and teachers have been appointed to accordion chairs throughout the country. These include Riccardo Centazzo in Fermo (following Corrado Rojac's transfer to Mantua), Giorgio Dellarole in Messina, Massimiliano Pitocco in Foggia and Mario Milani in Vibo Valentia.

The Paris-Moscou Duo (Domi Emorine and Roman Jbanov) performed at the "St Nicolas" Church in Wasquehal (a small town Lille and Belgium) on January 26th. Over 200 people enjoyed their program, which included a variety of classical, French and Russian music. The concert was organized by two associations directed by Monique Roussel and Jeaninne Wawrzynowicz (accordion teacher).

The duo have been invited back to this region for a concert in Roubaix on October 26th.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Accordionist Sylvia Pagni and her trio (which also includes double bass and percussion) performs every week from Monday to Thursday at the Buffalo Bill in Pescara, where it plays funky music, and every Friday and Saturday at the Castello in Chieti, presenting music from the swing repertoire.

The Bobby Raye Show and Accordion Concert with music and fun for all will be held on February 2nd at the Aldersgate Methodist Church music room in Fairfax, Wilmington, Delaware. The event is sponsored by "The Accordicats" - Lovers of Accordion music. For further details phone Lisa Cristofich: +1 302 993-0374

In 2002, the international television channel "RAI SAT" broadcast the staging of Rosa Stipo's "La Leggenda del Fiore di Lino" directed by David Haughton. Accordionist Renzo Ruggieri adapted and arranged the score written by Adriana Del Giudice, which was performed under his own direction by the Piccola Orchestra Moderna. The show was produced by the Opera Theatre in Rome, which confirmed Ruggieri also for the season at the National Theatre.

Ruggieri was interviewed by Alex Pierotti in October, following the release of his new album, "Spaghetti Time". The 40-minute show was broadcast by Radio Rai International and included several excerpts from the album, interspersed with Ruggieri's comments.

More recently Ruggieri arranged the famous song "Vacanze Romane" for Italian pop singer Antonella Ruggiero's performance at the Kremlin in Moscow with the Russian National Orchestra. The concerts were broadcast live by the Russian state television.

In addition, Ruggieri performed a concert at the 2002 Lanciano International Competition in a jazz quartet (with Canelli, Moriconi and Manzi), and at the Bridlington International Accordion Festival, in England. This performance prompted the Scottish magazine "Accordion Times & News" to honor Ruggieri on the front page of its November 2002 issue.

Julie Iles has a Premiata Fabbrica, A. G. Stradella (Italia) accordion which is approximately 120 years old. She is interested in selling or donating this instrument to a collector or museum. Email: julieiles@sympatico.ca

The Jürgensen family would like information on the Kohn Accordeon (pictured) which has been in their family for four generations. Email:
h.juergensen@edv-burg.de