Contributed by Minna Plihtari, Public Relations Manager
The
35th Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival is now taking place and
Daily Reports of this event in Finland are now online written by Kevin
Friedrich.
The festival includes all genres of accordion music, formal and informal concerts, dances set amidst the idyllic parks and wooden houses of lakeside Ikaalinen. Its one of the biggest world accordion events attracting some 30,000 visitors and 800 Finnish and foreign performers every year.
Accordion
competitions are an essential part of the festival program and include
the Finnish Accordion Folk Music Championships, The ‘Golden
Accordion’ competition will take place on June 27th, and a highlight
of the festival will be the third International Primus Ikaalinen Accordion
Competition which will be broadcast live on Finnish TV on Friday 29th
June.
Picture left is Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival Musical Director
Kimmo Mattila performing at the opening concert.
The internet Daily
Reports also include results as they are released.
Roland’s first competition for players of the Roland Virtual Accordion takes place in Italy in two phases, National and International. The National contest takes place in Aosta on August 19th, and the International in Pesaro on November 9th and 19th. It is intended that National contests will also take place in other countries, with the winners qualifying for the International event.
Roland’s publicity states: “It's dedicated to the accordionists that would like to show their creativity, originality and improvisational ability! The V-Accordion Festival is a contest with a national and international final and a special jury will decide the national accordionist winner who will win a Roland V-Accordion FR-7”.
Contributed by Harley Jones - CIA Public Relations Manager
Accordion teachers and Coupe Mondiale competitors around the world are reminded that the closing date for entries for the 2007 CIA Coupe Mondiale competitions is July 1st 2007. After that, no further entries can be accepted.
The organizers are working to schedule rehearsal and performance space
for the six categories of Coupe Mondiale plus many other events.
That scheduling can only be done when the Coupe Mondiale entries are
finalized. Candidates should finalize their entry and payment by July
1st to avoid disappointment.
All
the necessary entry forms, jury nomination forms, delegate registration
forms, travel visa invitation request forms, and hotel forms
on the www.coupemondiale.org website.
With hotel space being extremely limited, we ask everyone to quickly
complete all applications to assist the enormous work of 2007 Coupe
Mondiale Competition Organiser Faithe
Deffner.
Dr. Marion S. Jacobson, Assistant Professor of Music and Humanities at the Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany, NY 12208, USA, writes:
You are cordially invited to submit a 300-word abstract proposal for a paper (or presentation) on the topic of ‘Accordion Culture’, for the next meeting of the panel, ‘Squeezing Accordion Culture’, at the International Council on Traditional Music Conference on Monday July 9th, in Vienna. Austria, the birthplace of the accordion, would be the perfect place for us to get together and explore the unique role of the accordion in all kinds of world folk & traditional musical cultures. My current research interest is in the social history of the accordion in America, or the uses of the accordion in what might be called "middlebrow culture" of the 1930s, 40s, and 1950s.
This panel could explore the transformations of the accordion in various world cultures (including its manufacture, design, marketing and circulation), as well as modes of performance in a wide range of social, cultural and historical contexts. Presenters are encouraged to perform, demonstrate, form spontaneous accordion bands, etc., but your proposal should take the form of a scholarly paper.
Owen Murray, accordion tutor at the Royal Academy of Music, London recently suffered a mild heart attack, causing the postponement of a concert at the Wigmore Hall, London.
Owen now reports “I have fully recovered and feel great. I returned to work here at RAM on Thursday (21st June).” Congratulations to Owen Murray on his very swift and full recovery.
Rencontre Europeene De L'Accordeon, Chartres – France
Contributed by Jean Hanger
The 19th Rencontre Europeene De L'Accordeon took place on June 2nd and 3rd in the northern French city of Chartres. The weather was sunny for the two day event, and the entertainment was free.
Artistes appearing came from France, Portugal, Canada (Quebec), and Belgium, including Nelson, A Lambert, Rene Guy, Isabelle Soliel, Jose Pisco, Raymond Quellet, B. Gendron, Andre Loppe, Trio Paris Jadis, Zin Zin (Bruno De Smet), and more.
On Saturday the accordion was played in the centre of the town, restaurants, Hotel de Ville, Place Marceau, and Place des Espars, from 11am to 11pm with an ‘Open Bal’ for the public. Sunday events were in the Parc Leon-Blum, from 12pm to 7pm, again with a free ‘Open Bal’.
There was also a concert in the Hotel de Ville on Sunday afternoon, with various artistes performing.
Every year Claudine Aucher organises a nice festival featuring top players from various countries.
Mikko Luoma, Senior Lecturer in classical accordion and contemporary chamber music at Turku Music Academy, has released a solo CD titled ‘Virtuoso Accordion’. The CD’s program includes ‘Power’ (S. Haapamäki), Aufschwung, Zolo (J. Tiensuu), Carpathian Suite (V. Zubitsky), Vagabonde blu (S. Sciarrino), Passacaille (G. Grisey), and Jeux d'anches (M. Lindberg). These pieces demonstrate the full expressive range of the accordion.
Milos Milivojevic (picture right) won the prestigious Royal Academy of Music Club Prize. The final round was held in the Academy’s Duke’s Hall on 21st June.
The other three finalists were Mariangela Vacatello (piano), David Butt Philip (baritone), Maria Oldak (violin). The distinguished jury consisted of Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Vice Principal of the RAM. Dame Felicity Lott, Professor George Caird, Principal of the Birmingham Conservatoire, violinist Clio Gould and pianist Leslie Howard.
In his summing up Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, chairman of the jury, said; ”we have been teaching the accordion here for the past 20 years (accordion tutor Owen Murray)and in that time we have become used to very high standards of performance. Tonight was no exception. This was playing of the highest level, we loved it. You brought something new to Scarlatti and Mendelssohn and Lindeberg’s Jeux d’anche was brilliant”. Milos was given a standing ovation at the presentation award.
The prize consists of a full evening recital at the RAM in January 2008 plus £1.000.
1.2 milion people were present during tghe Donauinselfest in Vienna and where they also had to say goodbye to Austrian pop-singer Georg Danzer who died on June 21st and who should have participated at the mega-festival in Vienna.
The fabulous British trio the Tiger Lillies were part of the scene who gathered a lot of youngsters into the Kulturzelt. They were looking scary – but inside the crowded tent people were singing and dancing! Also participating:the Shantel & Bucovina Club Orkestar.
Mika Väyrynen to appear at new ‘Music’ Festival - Finland
Finnish accordionist Mika Väyrynen will perform at a newly established music festival called ‘Music!’, founded by Maestro Okko Kamu, the winner of Karajan competition 1968. At this festival, Mika will perform Five tango sensations on bandoneon, and Bach on bayan on two concerts on June 30th and July 1st.
During the time of this exciting new festival, Mika will make a visit to Ikaalinen, Finland where he will join six others on the jury of the 3rd International ‘Primus Ikaalinen’ Competition which will be broadcast nationwide on live TV.
Klaus Paier leads jazz accordion workshops at the Bled Festival in Slovenia, July 2nd to 4th. Klaus Paier, from Austria, studied accordion, jazz and composition at Klagenfurt Conservatory, and has since experimented in different styles.
The Bled Festival features classical music, jazz and songs. It includes international viola and violin competitions, violinmaker workshops, and exhibitions of paintings and photos.
Renzo Ruggieri lead seminars at the Val Tidone Summer Camp, July 30th to August 4th. The seminars include recording techniques, playing jazz and developing accordion technique. There are 25 hours of tuition, with a session in a professional recording studio. Students are advised to bring a personal laptop, but teaching material will be supplied (booklet and CD-ROM with software).
Former UK Advanced Champion Craig Bradley, from Carlisle, is the guest at Stockport Accordion Club on Wednesday July 11th, at 8pm. Also appearing are the Stockport accordion Orchestra.
Stockport AC is based at Woodley Methodist Church, Chapel Street/A560 Hyde Road, Woodley, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 1BL.
The 12th annual Rotary Cajun & Zydeco Festival takes place at Sebastopol Laguna Youth Park, California, on Saturday September 8th. Artistes performing include Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Nathan and Zydeco Cha Chas, Andre Thierry and Zydeco Magic, and Gator. Festivities last from 11am until 7pm.
The Confédération Mondiale L'Accordéon - CMA website with the rules and regulations of the 2007 Trophée Mondial de l'Accordéon to be hosted in Samara, Russia.
English
Deutsch
Français
Italiano 
Español
Chinese 
Russian 
Accordion
competitions are an essential part of the festival program and include
the Finnish Accordion Folk Music Championships, The ‘Golden
Accordion’ competition will take place on June 27th, and a highlight
of the festival will be the third International Primus Ikaalinen Accordion
Competition which will be broadcast live on Finnish TV on Friday 29th
June.
Roland’s first competition for players of the 
The contest organiser is Giovanni Mangione, based at Roland, Italy. For further information and to enter the contest, please check here: 
2007 
The CIA looks forward to welcoming everyone to the 60th Coupe Mondiale, from August 13th to 18th, in Alexandria, VA (Washington DC), hosted by CIA Members, the 
All
the necessary entry forms, jury nomination forms, delegate registration
forms, travel visa invitation request forms, and hotel forms
on the 
Dr. Marion S. Jacobson, Assistant Professor of Music and Humanities at the Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany, NY 12208, USA, writes:
Owen Murray
Mikko Luoma, Senior Lecturer in classical accordion and contemporary chamber music at Turku Music Academy, has released a solo CD titled ‘Virtuoso Accordion’. The CD’s program includes ‘Power’ (S. Haapamäki), Aufschwung, Zolo (J. Tiensuu), Carpathian Suite (
Milos Milivojevic (picture right) won the prestigious Royal Academy of Music Club Prize. The final round was held in the Academy’s Duke’s Hall on 21st June.
The other three finalists were Mariangela Vacatello (piano), David Butt Philip (baritone), Maria Oldak (violin). The distinguished jury consisted of Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Vice Principal of the RAM. Dame Felicity Lott, Professor George Caird, Principal of the Birmingham Conservatoire, violinist Clio Gould and pianist Leslie Howard.
24th Donauinselfest in Vienna - Austria
Finnish accordionist 
Klaus Paier leads jazz accordion workshops at the Bled Festival in Slovenia, July 2nd to 4th. Klaus Paier, from Austria, studied accordion, jazz and composition at Klagenfurt Conservatory, and has since experimented in different styles.
Renzo Ruggieri
Master
Classes with 
Former UK Advanced Champion Craig Bradley, from Carlisle, is the guest at Stockport Accordion Club on Wednesday July 11th, at 8pm. Also appearing are the Stockport accordion Orchestra.
