On the 15th October at the Castelfidardo International Competition and Festival, Artistic Director Paolo Picchio, read out a Citation in both English and Italian honoring Harley Jones and the Accordions Worldwide 10th Anniversary. This was read out at the final prizegiving concert. Citation in English. Citation in Italian.
Contestants, Delegates and Jury Members from more than 30 countries around the world gathered in Asker, Norway for the 59th Coupe Mondiale hosted by the CIA member the Norske Trekkspilleres Landsforbund (NTL). The event coincided with the 35th anniversary of the NTL and marked the first time in CIA history that the event had been held in Norway.
This year’s Coupe Mondiale was won by Vladimir Chernukh (Russia), a student of Viatcheslav Semionov (left). Capacity audiences enjoyed a spectacular array of music in the six Coupe Mondiale categories and concerts. Winners were as follows:-
Coupe Mondiale: Vladimir Chernukh, Russia
Junior Coupe Mondiale: Petar Maric, Serbia
International Competition for Piano Accordion: Vladimir Anikin, Russia
International Competition for Chamber Music: Des Concertante Trio, Portugal
Virtuoso Entertainment Category: Julien Gonzales, France
Junior Virtuoso Entertainment Category: Mario D'Amario, Italy
Coupe Mondiale winner Vladimir Chernukh also received an award for the best performance of the Test Piece 'Fractals, Op. 142', written by well known Norwegian composer Mr. Wolfgang Plagge who was in attendance to hear his work performed by the Coupe Mondiale contestants as well as at the final closing concert. He also received an award from the CIA Portuguese delegation of an all expenses paid concert tour to Portugal. The winner of the International Competition for Piano Accordion: Vladimir Anikin Piano Accordione received the special award of a concert tour to Australia and New Zealand.
Other special awards were presented including one to Carlos Semedo (Portugal) for his work in preparing the 58th Coupe Mondiale in Castelo Branco, while Pauline Noon (UK) and June Jones (Australia) were presented CIA Honored Friend of the Accordion Awards and Tibor Racz (Slovakia) the CIA Merit Award.
During the 116th General Assembly of Delegates, the CIA conducted their General Elections for the 2006-2010 term of office for all positions except that of the Presidency which was voted on the previous year. The CIA General Secretary Mr. Walter Maurer (Austria) retired from his position with the CIA after 35 years. In appreciation of his lifelong service to the CIA, he was made the first CIA Honorary member as well as being honoured several times during the festival.
The election results were as follows: Executive Officers: Vice Presidents - Raymond Bodell (United Kingdom), Tibor Racz (Slovakia) and Herbert Scheibenreif (Austria), Public Relations Manager - Harley Jones (Fiji), General Secretary/Treasurer - Kimmo Mattila (Finland) and Chairman of the Music Committee - Frederic Deschamps (France). The Music Committee also consists of Joan C. Sommers (Vice Chairperson), and members Harley Jones (Fiji), Jacques Mornet (France), Jörgen Sundeqvist (Sweden), Zorica Karakutovska (Macedonia) and Viatcheslav Semionov (Russia).
The Mayor of Asker Morton Strand attended several of the events and offered his warm welcome to all of the international visitors. Special thanks were given to 2006 CIA Honorary Vice President and Norwegian Accordion Association President Kjell Olsen and the 2006 Coupe Mondiale Organizer Lars Arnevig and their respective teams for all the work they done in preparing the outstanding event.
Looking towards the next Coupe Mondiale, 60th Anniversary Coupe Mondiale organizer Faithe Deffner (left) was appointed as the 2007 CIA Honorary Vice President. This milestone Coupe Mondiale being held in Alexandria, VA (Washington DC) from August 14th to 18th has already attracted many participants from around the world.
For a full list of the 2006 results, including all adjudicators’ marks plus a pictorial review of each day's activities, please visit www.coupemondiale.org
Finnish accordionist Mika Väyrynen has released his newest CD entitled ‘Tree of Life’ on the ALBA label.
In an interview, pianist Grigory Sokolow once said: "There is no time in music... to me, they are all alive". Agreeing with this concept about the timelessness of music, Mika has grouped the works on the CD so that the composers’ birth years are separated by more than two hundred years. Because music is timeless, the works and their composers communicate in a way that is entirely natural, mutually understanding and respectful.
Mika has transcribed the Bach works himself including the transcription of the Chaconne by Bach, which is completely new compared to the version he released on his previous CD ‘Transcriptions’. Works on the new CD include:-
Bach: Prelude and Fugue D Major (BWV 532)
Yuji Takahashi: Like a Water Buffalo
Bach: Nun Komm´der Heiden Heiland (BWV 659)
Patrick Busseuil: Arboris I - L'arbe De Vie
Bach: Jesu (bleibet) Meine Freude (BWV 147)
Bach: Erbarm Dich Mein, O Herre Gott (BWV 721)
Sofia Gubaidulina: De Profundis
Bach: Chaconne in D minor (BWV 1004)
Anne Landa has begun teaching the accordion and the Alexander Technique for musicians at the Music school of SotoMesa in Madrid, developing a new and specific pedagogical program.
Melbourne accordionist Bernadette Conlon, will release her tenth CD titled ‘Popular Light Classical Masterpieces’, which includes such pieces as ‘Finlandia’, ‘Waltz of the Flowers’, ‘In a Persian Market’ and the overtures to ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ and Rossini's ‘Italian Girl in Algiers’. This is her tenth annual Melbourne Cup Eve concert, for the Bentleigh Organ Club, and it has become the major accordion event in Melbourne over the last decade.
As well as Bernadette's CD release, the Accordion Orchestra of Melbourne, which she formed and conducts, will perform, as well as the new all girl group, Hot Stuff. The concert, which promises to be exciting, will include Bernadette's now famous request segment, where members of the audience request pieces for her to play.
Held at the Coatesville Bowling Club, corner of Mackie Rd and Tudor Step, Bentleigh, at 8p.m. The concert will feature a lavish supper, CD signing and a display of antique Free Reed instruments.
Virtuoso accordionist Rosemary Wright is the guest at Chester Accordion Club on October 31st, at 8.15pm. The concert begins at 7.30pm, and admission is free!
Chester AC meets at the Castrol Sports and Social Club, Chester Rd, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
The ‘Allons Danser’ Cajun and Zydeco club present the following:-
November 3rd – Dennis Stroughmatt and Creole Stomp play at the TK Club, East Hector and Apple Streets, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
November 10th – Roy Carrier and The Nite rockers – above venue
December 9th – Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie play at the Holy Savior Club, 436 East Main St., Norristown
London-based Russian accordionist Nikolai Ryskov performs as follows:-
‘East Meets West’
A concert of Classical music and the Tangos of Astor Piazzolla; musicians - Lola Toursunova (soprano), Nigel Foster (piano), Nikolai Ryskov (accordion), Elizabeth Levine (violin).
The concert takes place on November 4th, 7.30pm, at The Parish of Stephen, Gloucester Road, Southwell Gardens, London SW7 4RL
‘Astor Piazzolla with a Russian Flavour’
This concert, on November 18th, 7.30pm, takes place at St Peter's Church, Vere Street, London W1G 0DQ, featuring Astor Piazzolla’s compositions and the music of Russia; musicians - Elisabeth Levine (violin), Nikolai Ryskov (accordion).
‘East Meets West’
Pre-Christmas concert of Classical and Russian music
This concert takes place on December 19th, at 7.30 pm at St. Saviour's Church, Walton Place, Knightsbridge, London SW3 1SA.
The musicians involved include: Lola Toursunova (soprano), Nikolai Ryskov (accordion), Elisabeth Levine (violin), Youry Veryovkin (guitar, piano).
The band Snakefish, featuring Cathie Travers on accordion, play at Ashfield Reserve, Guildford Rd, Ashfield, New South Wales, on November 5th, from 2pm to 2.40pm.
An accordion seminar takes place in Valladolid on November 11th and 12th, organised by Raul Álvarez Martin, Secretary of the Musical association of Accordionists of Valladolid.
Frank Marocco and Nick Ballarini Camp, Arizona – USA
The location and date of the 2007 Frank Marocco - Nick Ballarini Accordion Camp have just been announced. The camp will take place at the Dobson Ranch Resort in Mesa, Arizona (a suburb of Phoenix) from January 24th to 28th 2007.
The camp will feature daily orchestra rehearsals led by composer, performer and conductor, Frank Marocco. The orchestra is open to accordionists of all levels, performing multiple part arrangements. Though the orchestra will not be performing any jazz arrangements, there will be a jazz workshop, as well as jazz music during the evening activities (some performed by Frank Marocco). The orchestra will perform a public concert on the last evening of the camp. Accordionist and bandleader, Nick Ballarini, will coordinate all activities.
Participation is limited to 50 players - there is no limit on non-players. Registration closes on November 15th 2006.
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City of 
Contestants, Delegates and Jury Members from more than 30 countries around the world gathered in Asker, Norway for the 59th Coupe Mondiale hosted by the CIA member the Norske Trekkspilleres Landsforbund (NTL). The event coincided with the 35th anniversary of the NTL and marked the first time in CIA history that the event had been held in Norway.
Capacity audiences enjoyed a spectacular array of music in the six Coupe Mondiale categories and concerts. Winners were as follows:-
The election results were as follows: Executive Officers: Vice Presidents - 
Looking towards the next Coupe Mondiale, 60th Anniversary Coupe Mondiale organizer 
Finnish accordionist 
Melbourne accordionist 
London-based Russian accordionist Nikolai Ryskov performs as follows:-
Accordion Seminar, Valladolid – Spain
The location and date of the 2007 Frank Marocco - Nick Ballarini Accordion Camp have just been announced. The camp will take place at the Dobson Ranch Resort in Mesa, Arizona (a suburb of Phoenix) from January 24th to 28th 2007.
