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Wayne Knights Webmaster

Contributed by Kevin Friedrich

The annual Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival will be held in Ikaalinen, Finland from July 1st to 6th. During 6 days of concerts and activities, attendees will be treated to a diverse array of accordionists including world famous Finnish folk accordionist Maria Kalaniemi, Portuguese winner of the CIA Virtuoso Entertainment Category Joao Frade, The Crawfish Kings, Mamba, the Tiit Kalluste Jump Band, Simon Thoumire and David Milligan, Tango Nuevo and many more.

During the festival accordionists will compete for the Silver Accordion (Hopeinen Harmonikka) title for children under 10 years featuring contestants: Taneli Järvenpää, Hermanni Morander, Meeri Koskinen, Vilma Avikainen, Aino Kivikallio, Liisa Niinistö, Saara Wasama and for the Golden Accordion (Kultainen Harmonikka) title which is open to all ages. Contestants are: Elisa Inkinen, Tomi Karttunen, Henna-Maija Kuki, Janne Mäkinen, Satu Sarkoranta and Jonna Pirttijoki. These accordionists were chosen as finalists during a competition held on board the Silja Europa Finnish Accordion Cruise back in March, and now will compete for the title as part of a TV Show filmed in Ikaalinen during the festival.

Held in the beautiful lakeside town of Ikaalinen, the festival will feature concerts at several venues in the area. Much of Finland accordion life is centered in Ikaalinen and includes three important groups. The Ikaalinen Accordion Festival (Sata-Häme Soi) offers performances, with the summer festival and annual cruise attracting thousands. The Finnish Accordion Institute caters to academic accordion activities with the archives of accordion activities, publishing new and past accordion works, CD's and other important accordion projects, including a museum and offering support for the summer festival and cruise. The third group is the Finnish Accordion Association which has some 5,000 plus members. This gives accordionists an opportunity to belong to a central accordion family, and an important part of this association is the regular publication of their news, a 50 plus page high quality magazine entitled "Hanuri." This terrific cooperation between three major accordion groups centered in Ikaalinen is an excellent example of groups working together for the common goal of promoting the accordion.

For information on the Sata-Häme Soi Festival, please visit their site from July 1st onwards or email: juhlat@satahamesoi.fi

Contributed by Tania Lukic-Marx

The AATA is proud to announce a new international competition class open to piano and button accordionists from any nation. This class will be held at the 2004 Australian International Accordion Championships and Festival, Nineveh Sports and Community Club in Edensor Park, NSW on May 29th and 30th (2004). Australia is becoming a very popular travel destination with reasonably priced accommodation and the AATA have already had enquires from potential competitors about this class and they are expecting more to come.

Competitors in this new class will be required to play the following program:
Own Choice selection of any one Prelude and Fugue from the Well Tempered Klavier, Book 1 or Book 2, by J S Bach plus an own choice program consisting of at least two pieces of different style, character and composer. Playing time 30 minutes minimum and 40 minutes maximum. More than one minute under the minimum playing time or more than one minute over the maximum playing shall have a 1 point penalty for each minute or part thereof. A timekeeper will be appointed independent of the jurors. Competitors must present themselves as artists to an audience; presentation, dress and stage-craft all being important

The competition closing date is April 15th, 2004. For further details email: tanialm@optusnet.com.au

The American Accordionists Association will feature the winner of the newly established CIA International Competition for Piano Accordion, Alexander Poeluev during their festival in July.

Alexander is currently a third year student at the Moscow State Music Institute where he continues studying with Viatcheslav Semionov.

His program will include works by Bach, Scarlatti, Rameau, Grieg, Paganini, Kusyakov, Piazzolla, Bouvelle, Vlasov and Semionov.

In May, the National Pedagogic University of Colombia conferred a Diploma of Honoris Causa in Musical Pedagogy to accordionist and musical educator Lácides Romero. Lácides received the diploma from the University Vice-Chancellor, Doctor Oscar Armando Ibarra. The University Council gave Romero a certificate that reads as follows:

"As a Tribute of Admiration and Appreciation, as a well deserved credit to a Self-taught person with exemplary human qualities; to his perseverance and innovative spirit; and to his enlightening effort in attaining goals, all of which position him as an example to the young and make him worthy of receiving the Diploma of Honoris Causa "Master in Musical Pedagogy".

This Diploma Honoris Causa, is the first ever given by the National Pedagogic University in its 48 years of existence. During the ceremony, Romero gave a recital in duo with harpsichord player Liliana Hernández. For further information contact: lacidesromero@yahoo.com

5th Festival Namurois de l'Accordéon - Belgium

The 5th Festival Namurois de l'Accordéon will take place at the Floreffe Abbey in Namur on October 19th. Performers include Jo Destré, Sylviane and Carine Mercier, André Loppe, and Jean-Yves Laroche.

Several younger players will also entertain at the event including Olivier Cape, Fred Bourlard and Jerome Béroudiaux under the guidance of J-J Lionel. The event will be aired on television and radio.

For further details phone: +32 475 20.58.04

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Accordionist Ivano Battiston and David Bellugi (flute) will perform at the Scuola di Musica Comunale Clara Schumann in Vicarello (Livorno) on September 4th. This concert is part of an advanced musical training course and music research workshop held from September 4th to 7th, taught by the same musicians. On September 7th the music school students will give a final performance. For further information email: musiclara@virgilio.it

Contributed by Jehanne Strepenne

Prizewinner of international accordion competitions in Ukraine, Bulgaria, Russia and Germany, Yuri Medianik won the International Dimidov Violin Competition held in Ekaterinburg, Russia earlier this month!

Over 200 violinists from all over the world played at the qualifying round in December 2002. From there only 50 violinists proceeded to the second round. The jury comprised of famous violinists including Jury President, Honoured artist of Russia, Professor at the Moscow Conservatoire and conductor of the chamber orchestra "Moscow Camerata", Igor Frolov, plus Professors Raisa Musahodzhaeva (Kazakhstan), Zigvard Steinberg (Sweden), Tkhan Buikong (Vietnam) and Vadim Klishin (Russia).

At the press conference all members of the jury declared Yuri Medianik "the sensation of this competition".

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Following intensive school work at the Lithuanian Academy of Music in the Vilnius Conservatory and Karoliniskiu Music School where many students of Raimondas Sviackevicius successfully finished their studies, top students played many concerts around the country. These performance venues included the prestigious S. Vainiunas House Chamber Hall in Vilnius.

Sviackevicius took part in the International Music Competition of the Val Tidone (Italy) in June as a member of international jury, where a large number of Lithuanian accordionists competed successfully. Sviackevicius will return to Italy in July as a jury member at the "Stefano Bizzarri Prize" in Morro D'oro (Teramo).

From August 1st to 10th, he will tutor at the International "Palanga Accordion Seminar" in Palanga (Lithuania) where his top students will perform in concert. For further information email: sviaraim@takas.lt

Accordionist Needed for Short Film - England

Film student, Mirko requires an accordionist that would like to participate in a simple acting part in his 3 minute short film. This is a no-budget film so he cannot pay for services. The accordionist will have a chance to produce the soundtrack for the film and take with him/her the final product on DVD.

The film is about a weak old lady who finds ephemeral youth by feeding her bees with a pound of meat. The film will be done in a stylistic and visually magical way. The accordionist will be a character that witnesses the whole story by playing the accordion throughout the film, setting the style of each scene with his music. For further details email: mirko@monke.co.uk

Argentinean Bandoneonist in San Francisco - USA

Argentinean bandoneonist, Norberto Vogel will play in San Francisco from July 4th to 12th with the local tango group "Notable Tango Trio" (bandoneon, piano & contrabass). The group will perform traditional tangos as part of "Nora´s tango week". For further details email: norbi@vogel.com.ar

Balkanfolk 2003 - Bulgaria

Contributed by Emil Genov

The 7th Balkan Folklore Music and Dance Workshop (Balkanfolk 2003) will be held at the Bulgarian mountain resort Pamporovo in Sofia from July 18th to 31st. The workshop will be tutored by popular Bulgarian musician Plamen Eftimov. For further information phone: +359 2 8322010

Contributed by Jonatan Karlsson

The group of featured artists at the International Reykjavik Accordion Festival 2003 now includes
Ukrainian accordionist Igor Zavadsky. Igor will join Accordéon Mélancolique (Netherlands), Killingberg´s Orkester (Norway/Canada), Karl Jonatansson (Iceland) and a variety of local groups and soloists in the opening concert at the Árbæjarsafn Reykjavik Museum on July 18th. Performers will entertain at various locations throughout the museum for four hours.

A brand new festival CD entitled "Harmonikuhatio Reykjavikur 2003" will also be presented on the first day of the festival. The CD, which features all guest performers at the festival, includes 21 accordion pieces such as "Daníel" (Karl Jónatansson), "Helena" (Accordéon Mélancolique), "Valse-Musette Indifference" (Igor Zavadsky) and "Rag of the Rags (Killingberg's Orkester). For further details email: jonatank@isl.is

The Jamberoo Valley Folk Music School will hold a workshop from July 16th to 20th at the
Jamberoo Valley Lodge, Jamberoo, NSW. Tutors will be available in the accordion, violin, whistle, mandolin, guitar and singing. The workshop aims to give students a unique opportunity to learn and celebrate folk music and cultural expression with five days of instrumental and vocal tuition, sessions, concerts and dances. Musicians of all levels welcome.

Tutors include Christine Wheeler, Dave O'Neill, Jane Brownlee, Judy Turner, Clarissa Bouas, Polly Garland and David De Santi.

On June 29th, "Cerronato" will entertain at a concert to raise funds for 3 year old Alexandria Rosalez who has leukemia. The concert will be held at Red's Scoot Inn in Austin. The band plays a variety of Colombian music. For details email: mike_maddux@rocketmail.com

English concertina player Alistair Anderson will be the guest performers at "Folk At The Royal Oak" in Lewes, East Sussex on July 3rd. For details email: tinvic@globalnet.co.uk

www.accordions.com/finland To be activated July 1st, 2003 the site will cover the annual Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival in Ikaalinen, Finland from July 1st to 6th, 2003. Site will include pictures and information on daily concerts and activities during the week long festival.

www.ameraccord.com Updated information on upcoming activities of the American Accordionists' Association including the Festival Schedule for the Annual Competition and
Festival to be held in Philadelphia, PA from July 9th to 13th and the Annual AAA
Masterclass and Concert Series to be presented by Dr. William Schimmel from August 29th to 31st in New York City

www.accordions.com/florida Information on the upcoming Annual Smash on November 14th and 15th, 2003 including scheduled guest artists

www.accordions.com/rositalee Information on Rosita Lee Music Studios and the Showstoppers Accordion Orchestra and Dancers who will be performing both in the NE United States and Canada this summer

Candace Shipp would like information on a Schubert Accordeon made in Germany, which includes the following on the instrument: Warranted Hand Made steel bronze reeds, Vienna Professional. Email: ceerblu@hotmail.com