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  27 January 2006 This weeks news | Past News  | Send news
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Editor's Note

Accordions Worldwide welcomes the appointment of Alessandro Mugnoz as one of our CD reviewers. Alessandro has been involved with the accordion throughout his life in Italy as a performer, composer, teacher, reviewer and writer. He has also been a successful competitive accordionist, with numerous first prize wins to his credit. We are fortunate indeed to have Alessandro become a part of the Accordions Worldwide team.

Rob Howard 

 

Max Bonnay to Present Master Class, Ikaalinen - Finland
Borsini's Response to the 'Piracy in China' Article, Castelfidardo - Italy
Accordion Factory Due to Open, Jaú - Brazil
'Mika Väyrynen to Perform at the Sibelius Academy 'Feeniks Club', Helsinki - Finland
John MacDonald's Debut CD, Scotland - UK

 

International Accordion Music Festival 'From Baroque to Jazz', Wroclaw - Poland

  Andre Verchuren Performances, Paris - France
Gary Blair's Tour, Southern England - UK
Eastbourne Accordion Festival, Sussex - UK
International Montreux Accordion Camp - Switzerland
Trying to Find
Information Required



Max Bonnay to Present Master Class, Ikaalinen - Finland
Contributed by Kevin Friedrich

Each year the Finnish Accordion Institute organises a Concert and Master Class where they invite some of the finest accordion artists to teach and perform in Ikaalinen, Finland. Held during the first weekend of February, this year's invited guest is Max Bonnay, France. The Master Class positions are already booked out, but those who wish to attend to listen are welcome.

Max Bonnay is the head of the accordion division at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et Danse (CNSMD) in Paris. A milestone in the continuing advancement of the accordion in France, the inauguration of the accordion division at the CNSMD now provides opportunities for accordionists worldwide to study at the premiere conservatory in France.

Max, a winner of the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Champion and member of the CIA Music Committee, is one of the most respected accordionists in the world, having established an outstanding reputation as artist, international jury member, and teacher. A former student of Friedrich Lips in Moscow, Max makes his home near Paris, where he lives with his wife Elena and son Michael.

Held for the third consecutive year, in 2004 the Finnish Accordion Institute seminar featured Yuri Shishkin as teacher and performer, and Sergei Barinow (Chief of the Jupiter Bayan Factory, Moscow) who gave a seminar about bayan tuning. In 2005 the featured guest was Spanish accordion artist and teacher Angel Luis Castaño.

For further information email: kimmo.mattila@harmonikkainstituutti.net
  
Frankfurt Music Fair
With regard to the article published on our News of the 20th January 2006 by the magazine “Intermusik” with the title “Claimed Trademark Piracy Scandal” Accordions Worldwide is not assuming any responsibility for the content and the expressions in it referring to persons and facts.

The source and the paternity of what was reported in the article is to be exclusively ascribed to “Intermusik”, a well know international accordion newspaper, reliable among the accordionists’ community and specialized in the accordion market, without any “adhesion” by Accordions Worldwide to what was written in the publication.

Borsini
's Response to the 'Piracy in China' Article, Castelfidardo - Italy
Contributed by Giancarlo Borsini

The article about 'Piracy in China' published in last week's Accordions Worldwide news, produced the following response from the Borsini company:- "We do not agree to the publication of information involving our name in unsubstantiated news items.

If someone, in good faith, had meant to defend to us from this presumed piracy, it would have been better that they had pre-advised to us of their intention to involve our name, asking our specific approval. However, we inform all interested parties that we have been on the worldwide market for 84 years and know how to defend our brand in the world; we have always done so and we will continue to do so in the future. We would add that a brand is not defended by a journalistic scoop, but with precise contracts and strategies.

Borsini wishes all their customers and all visitors of this wonderful website a happy 2006".

 
Accordion Factory Due to Open, Jaú - Brazil
Contributed by Rob Howard

A new accordion factory will soon open in the city of Jaú, in the state of São Paulo. The factory is expected to become the largest manufacturer of accordions in South America. The manufacturing standards are to be inspected and monitored by technicians from Castelfidardo, Italy. The factory is situated close to an accordion museum, and official opening ceremony in June is to be attended by Paolo Gandolfi and Mirco Patarini, from Italy.

For further information email: acordeon@valerio.com.br
 
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Mika Väyrynen to Perform at the Sibelius Academy 'Feeniks Club', Helsinki - Finland
Contributed by Kevin Friedrich


Finnish accordionist Mika Väyrynen will begin his 2006 concert season by performing on January 30, 2006 (9 pm) at the Sibelius Academy´s 'Feeniks Club'. The concert is part of the 'Siba Fest' Winter Festival at the Academy. Performing for the first time with his new quintet, Mika will perform the music of Astor Piazzolla in a concert entitled 'La Camorra.' In addition to Mika performing on Bandoneon, the Quintet features Henrik Perello (violin), Kirmo Lintinen (piano), Ismo Eskelinen (guitar) and Tarja Nyberg (double bass).

Mika is the recipient of the prestigious artist grant from the Arts Council of Finland/Council of Music. An expert organization in the field of arts, the Arts Council of Finland/Council of Music allocates annual grants, state awards and travel grants to renowned musicians and artistes. Highly contested from musicians in all fields, artist grants are the result of a lengthy application process, at the conclusion of which Mika was awarded a monthly grant valid for two years.
 
 

Titano
John MacDonald's Debut CD, Scotland - UK
Contributed by Rob Howard

Diatonic button accordionist John MacDonald, from Stornaway, has released his first CD: 'New Horizons'. This John MacDonald of Stornaway is not to be confused with Australian based Scottish accordionist John MacDonald who also has CD's available. The Scottish John Macdonald is the son of accordionist Fergie MacDonald, and is usually to be heard as part of his father's dance band.

For further information email: jiml@musicinscotland.com
     
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International Accordion Music Festival 'From Baroque to Jazz', Wroclaw - Poland
Contributed by Rob Howard

The International Accordion Music Festival 'From Baroque to Jazz', took place in Wroclaw and Brzeg from January 6th to 30th. The festival was organised under the patronage of Lower Silesia Marshal's Office and Austria Republic General Consulate in Krakow.

The Jury Chairman was Professor of Music Academy in Lodz, Bogdan Dowlasz - composer, accordionist and pedagogue. The chief guest of the festival was Yuri Shishkin (Russia), whose international accordion competitions first places include: Klingenthal (Germany, 1988), Kansas City (USA, 1990), Castelfidardo (Italy, 1991). The festival was organised by the Private Music School 1st and 2nd grade S-ART in Wroclaw, and the Festival Director was Miroslaw Smolik.

There was a contemporary music concert in the Social and Cultural Activities Centre 'Piast' in Wroclaw, one of the festival events. The concert featured Eneasz Kubit (accordion) and Jan Skopowski (cello), students of Professor Bogdan Dowlasz from the Music Academy in Lodz. Their performance received a thunderous ovation.

The 'Piast' Centre was the venue for the stages of the competition, in which participated about 100 accordion soloists and ensembles from the Wroclaw Music School, and also from the music academies of Lodz, Katowice, Poznan, Kiev and St Petersburg.
Competition results:
Category - under 12 years of age
1st - Petr Zembron (Poland),
2nd - Krzystof Sarnicki (Poland)
3rd - Tomasz Zwolinski (Poland)
Category - under 15 years of age
1st - Natalia Lewków (Poland)
2nd - not awarded
3rd - Konrad Kratiuk (Poland)
Category - under18 years of age
1st - Martyna Chojnacka (Poland)
2nd - not awarded
3rd - Katarzyna Lisowska (Poland) / Janusz Cziomer (Poland)
Category - Open Age
1st - Andreii Golodniuk (Ukraine, Professor V. Besfamilnov)
- Olexandr Khrustevych (Ukraine, Professor V. Besfamilnov)
2nd - Anastasia Chistiakova (Russia, Profesor N. Kravtsov)
- Dmytro Tsarko (Ukraine, Professor V. Besfamilnov)
3rd - Alicja Sak (Poland, Professor B. Dowlasz)
- Andrei Akulov (Ukraine)
Category - Chamber Ensembles and Accordion Orchestras
1st - Ensemble: Young Virtuoso (Poland, R. Zmijowski)
- Duet: Bazion Valentun and Shalygin Maksym (Ukraine,
Professor V. Besfamilnov)
2nd - Ensemble from Opole (Poland, O. Srelc and D. Kownacki)
- Duet: Zwierzchlewska Katarzyna and Kaszuba Barbara
(Poland, Doctor T. Kaszuba and Professor M. Baranowski)
3rd - Ensemble from Kluczbork (Poland)

For further information email: suslov@wp.pl
 


Andre Verchuren Performances, Paris - France
Contributed by Rob Howard

Veteran accordionist Andre Verchuren, whose career began in the 1930s, continues to perform and to make recordings. He is to appear in the following towns during 2006:-

January 31st - Amiens
February 9th - St Etienne
April 9th - Nancy
April 11th - Rouen
November 9th - Auxerre
 
 

Gary Blair's Tour, Southern England - UK
Contributed by Rob Howard

Scottish accordionist Gary Blair's annual tour of Southern England takes place from February10th to 20th.

10th - Crawley Accordion Orchestra, with Harry Hussey, at Cranleigh Arts Centre, Surrey
11th - Ceilidh at Ovingdean Village Hall, Brighton, Sussex
12th - BBC Southern Counties Radio, Breakfast Show Live Broadcast; ceilidh at Burgess Hill - West Sussex
13th - Uxbridge Accordion Club, West Drayton, Middlesex
14th - Ceilidh, Weymouth
15th - Verwood, Dorset
17th - 20th - Eastbourne Accordion Festival

For further information email: AccordionFriends@aol.com
 
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Eastbourne Accordion Festival, Sussex - UK
Contributed by Rob Howard

The next Eastbourne Accordion Festival takes place from February 17th to 20th, at The Cumberland Hotel, Eastbourne. Organised by John Romero, the guest accordionists include Romano Viazzani, Gary Blair, Paul Chamberlain, Sue Coppard, Gennaro Fiondella, Harry Hussey, Lisa Lee Leslie, John Romero, and Charlie Watkins.

The trade show includes Trevani Studios, The Accordion Shop (Electronic Accordions Ltd) and WEM. In addition, leading accordion technician Stan Mayhew will be on hand for advice with accordion tuning. There will also be a series of concerts and a full range of workshops.

For further information email: jr@carillonstudios.co.uk
 
  

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International Montreux Accordion Camp - Switzerland
Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Due to popular demand, two sessions of IMAC will be held in 2006, from August 1st to 8th, and 11th to 18th. The tutors will be Peter Soave, Mady Soave (USA) and Jean-Louis Noton (France). The International Montreux Accordion Camp offers 7 days of workshops, lectures, master- classes and private instruction in a professional setting that harmonizes nature and learning.

Professional and amateur participants of all ages gather from around the world to perform, train, and share the art of the accordion. During the seminar all lectures, lessons, meals and room accommodations are hosted in a center that emphasizes camaraderie and progress in a friendly environment. Aside from music making, participants will enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the Swiss mountains!

The classes offered include: classical, tango, musette, jazz, improvisation, world music, M.I.D.I. programming and performance, articulation, fingering, phrasing, bellow techniques, solo and chamber music, history of the accordion, and computer aided music.

For further information email: info@accordioncamp.com
   

Trying to Find

Ex-professional guitarist Gordon Collinge, from Manchester, England, is trying to contact accordionist Robert (Bob) Tudor. They were both members of a band known as the New Cubanaires in 1967 and 1968. Bob, who played a Galanti accordion, came from Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester, and was by profession an optical lens maker. Email: gordon.collinge@ntlworld.com
 
Alexander
Information Required

Primo Toccafondi has an old accordion that he believes was made in Czechoslovakia around 1900 or before. The writing on the outside is 'K. Stibits Ceske Budejovice', and on the other side near the chord buttons is 'Heligonka.' Although it shows the wear of the past century, it remains quite playable. Primo asks: "Is there any information available regarding this instrument?

By way of description it has one row of what appears to be mother of pearl keys (not buttons and not piano keys) and two chord buttons. I would appreciate any information you can share".
      
Faithe Deffner
  A new CD Review:

of
Jean Louis Noton.

Review by
Paolo Picchio.


Victor Semyonkin, the winner of the Castelfidardo International Accordion Competition Special Award, of Russia.

Accordions Worldwide announces an additional new CD reviewer, Alessandro Mugnoz, from Italy.

Duet Fedorov, with new contact details:

Beniamino Bugiolacchi with new information
James O' Brien - composer, arranger and performer, releases another 6 new works for accordion available for purchase online. 'SongClick Go The Shears'(traditional), 'Jenny Lind Polka' (traditional), 'My Last Farewell to Stirling' (traditional), 'Shengndoah' (traditional), 'Take This Hammer' (traditional), 'Worried Man Blues' (traditional). Samples of this music are available on the site. The music is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card.
Sandy Brechin
Peter Piccini releases 2 new compositions of 'Canadian Rag' and 'Tonight's Waltz'. Samples of the music are available online. The music is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card.
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