In the famous seaside town of Blackpool accordionists arrived for this year’s UK Accordion championships, This was the first time in 15 years that it moved from its previous venue in Scarborough.
The festival attracted over 450 entries ranging from aged sections as young as 7 years old to Art Level Orchestras. For the second consecutive year of the NAO International Solo Competition category, Grayson Masefield (pictured right) from New Zealand retained his title.
The weekend commenced with a the opening gala concert featuring four times world champion Julien 'Speedy' Gonzales (France - left), Grayson Masefield (New Zealand champion) and the les girls (UK).
The event organized under the helm of Raymond Bodell (NAO Chairperson & CIA Vice President) also featured the traditional Trade display, this time in the Metropole hotel throughout the Saturday and on Sunday morning.
A wonderful array of talent was heard over the 2 days highlights include 16 year old Gary Blair winning 5 solo titles, and Senior Recital winner Julie Langton. The Orchestra’s from Colchester under their MD Elaine Beecham shone both at Art Level and Preparatory as well as the Showband.
No UK championship would be complete without the Celidh with Gary Blair and his band, this year held under the stars in the Carousel Bar. A wonderful evening was had
by all.
‘Accordion Festival 2008’ takes place at the Espace culturel du parc, Place Maurice Nilès, Drancy, near Paris, from May 23rd to 25th, directed by Sergio Tomassi. The theme this year is the contribution of Russian bayan players and composers to the development of the accordion.
The chief guest artistes at the festival are Friedrich Lips (picture left), Bogdan Nesterenko, Evgenii Derbienko and Pavel Uhanov, Roman Jbanov and Domi Emorine (the Paris-Moscow Duo), Viatcheslav and Natalia Semionov, Les Tziganes du Danube, and Emy Dragoï and the Hot Club of Romania.
The concert program details are:
May 23rd, 8.30pm – accordion class from the Conservatory of Drancy (MD Marie-Hélène Brest), Bogdan Nesterenko, Roman Jbanov, Friedrich Lips. Free entrance to this concert
May 24th, 8.30pm - Evgenii Derbienko and Pavel Uhanov, Duo Semionov, Paris-Moscow Duo, Emy Dragoï and the Hot-Club de Romania
May 25th, 3pm - Les Tziganes du Danube
Accordionist Marco Lo Russo has released a new CD titled ‘Mediterranean Accordion…live’. He fronts a quartet that includes Fabrizio Mocata - piano, Tiziano Zanotti - bass, and Cludio Trotta – drums. The recording also includes strings accompaniment, and some vocals.
Marco Lo Russo, born in 1977, studied accordion with Profesor Sergio Scappini at the ‘G. Rossini’ Conservatory in Pesaro, and has since emerged as one of Italy’s most accomplished players, composers and teachers.
Fancy a night of listening to a terrific accordionist playing authentic Brazilian sounds? Well now there’s a place to take your friends along to in the heart of London’s Theatreland, just off Drury Lane. The inside of Guanabara, Parker Street, London WC2 5PW, is laid out like one of those Hollywood Musicals where diners and eat or drink at tables and stools surrounding a central dance floor. You would almost expect Carmen Miranda to appear in one of the cabaret spots!
The first Tuesday of every month at Guanabara is Gafieira night as Brazilian accordionist Chico Chagas leads a seven-piece band, creating a party atmosphere. The term "gafieira" describes the dance halls of the working class neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro. Its music is a mix of Afro-Brazilian samba rhythms, French dance forms, Argentine tango, and North American big-band music. Chico Chagas and ‘Gafieira Brasil’ are the regular band for this monthly event. The band line-up includes percussion, drums, accordion, guitar, cavaquinho and clarinet. There is no entry fee, one just pays for whatever one consumes.
A new 737 page reference book containing about 2,000 short biographies of accordionists worldwide, written by Klaus Kronibus. Titled ‘Komponisten schreiben für Akkordeon’ (Composers write for Accordion), the text is in German, and the publisher is: hrsg. v. Deutschen Harmonika-Verband e.V., Springer, Trossingen. ISBN: 978-3-9802675-4-0
Veronika Todorova Band live in Frankfurt - Germany
Contributed by Detlef Görke
On the evening of Saturday April 26th the weather was good, ensuring many people crowded into the Café-Garten, Liebighauses, Frankfurt, to hear the Veronika Todorova Band perform during an event titled ‘Night of Museums’.
Bulgarian-born accordionist Veronika Todorova gave a great performance, which went on late until after midnight, playing such pieces as the Italian ‘Tarantella’, the Piazzolla classic ‘Libertango’, Ricardo Galimi’s tango ‘Passioni’, Chic Corea’s jazz composition ‘Spain’, Frank Morocco’s ‘Lisa’, and the ‘Bulgarian Suite’ - a medley of Bulgarian folk songs interweaved together. All in all, a great performance that was enjoyed by all who attended.
Veronika Todorova performs at Apfelhof Bärbach, D-56370 Schönborn, Germany, on May 17th, 8pm.
On April 20th 2008 a solo concert took place in the Main Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Moscow, with Aidar Gaynullin, well-known musician, composer and winner of international competitions, together with the State Academic Chamber Orchestra of Russia (Konstantin Orbelyan, conductor).
The program referred to ‘Astor Piazzolla - King of the Argentine Tango. And not only…’
The program consisted of various works by A. Piazzolla and really charmed the public. Aidar Gaynullin's next concerts will take place in Germany on May 8th and 9th where he will perform a program called ‘Russian Roulette’ with the quartet ‘Lawyer’.
Accordion trio won GRAND PRIX at the 46th National competition for chamber music, Skopje – Macedonia
Contributed by Anica Karakutovska
The 46th National competition for chamber music, organized by the Music and Ballet teachers of the Republic of Macedonia (member of EMCY - European Union of Music Competitions for Youth) was held on April 5th, 11th and 12th in Skopje. The competition included classes for chamber music, choir and orchestra.
The chamber ensembles from the Faculty of Music Skopje and SMBUC “Ilija Nikolovski-Luj” Skopje prepared by Professor Zorica Karakutovska were winners in their categories receiving the highest marks from the juries, consisting of eminent professors of different instruments.
Chamber ensembles awarded with special first prize (100 points):
- Accordion Trio: Zoran Kirjakovski, Filip Stamevski and Kosto Todorovski, FM Skopje;
- Accordion trio: Aleksandar Kolovski, Bojan Volcevski and Boban Peric, FM Skopje;
- Accordion trio: Aleksandar Kolovski, Elena Jovceska and Ljupce Koleski, SMBUC;
- Quartetto piccolo: Simona Manevska - flute, Dimitar Janev - clarinet in B, Sara Pancevska – violin, and Dzodze Ciric – accordion, SMBUC.
Chamber ensembles awarded with first prize:
- Accordion duo: Bojan Volcevski and Boban Peric, FM Skopje;
- Duo: Andrej Georgievski – accordion and Viktor Georgievski – piano, SMBUC.
The closing concert held on April 12th at the FM Concert Hall Skopjeincluded performances of 11 ensembles - winners of special first prizes in all competition categories.
A special jury declared an accordion trio consisting of Zoran Kirjakovski, Filip Stamevski and Kosto Todorovski, (class of Professor Zorica Karakutovska from the Faculty of Music Skopje) the winners of the GRAND PRIX at the 46th National competition for chamber music.
They will represent the Republic of Macedonia at the upcoming European Music Competition for Youth.
The Harmonika Association of Austria presents an accordion competition at the Musikum, Salzburg, from May 23rd to 25th. The competition includes sections for accordion and different types of harmonica, and about 350 accordion players are involved in various categories. The Jury includes Kevin Friedrich, President of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA).
The event begins with a jazz standards concert on Friday May 23rd, 8pm, with the MagArt Trio, featuring Marek Suchan - accordion, Bernhard Klas – saxophone, and Sabine Linecker – bass. On the Saturday, at 8pm, Die Resonanz , featuring Johannes Steiner – diatonic harmonika), Norbert Asen - clarinet, and Rober Kainar – percussion, perform what they call "music without boundaries". This trio will also introduce their new CD ’Edelbrand’. Both concerts atke place in the cellar vault of the ’Urbankeller’, Schallmooser Hauptstrasse.
Serbian-born accordionists Zivorad Nikolic and Milos Milivojevic are ‘AccordDuo’, who will be performing two separate concerts in Norfolk, East Anglia, on Wednesday May 7th.
The concerts are:
1pm - Assembly House, Theatre Street, Norwich
7.30pm - Sheringham Little Theatre, Sheringham, Norfolk
The program includes ‘Ballad’ - Torbjorn Lundquist, ‘Choral from Organ Sonata no.6 in D minor’ – Mendelssohn, ‘Sonata no.1’ -
Belositsky, ‘Winter’ from 'Four Seasons' - Vivaldi arr. The Ural Duo, ‘Introduction and Tarantella’ – Sarasate, ‘Pastorale’ for organ – Franck, and ‘3 3 2’ – Precz. Plus, at 7:30pm only: ‘Adios Nonino’ - Piazzolla arr. AccordDuo
On May 9th, 12noon, a lunch with music takes place at the Maison Folie Wazemmes, Lille, in northern France. This is an opportunity to hear and meet the members of 'BalkanTaFrite', a combination of l'Orchestre International du Vetex – Belgium, Balkanto Vero – Serbia, plus some local French musicians. Their repertoire consists of music from Beaucoup plus que de la musique des Balkans… the Balkans.
A ‘Summer Accordion Workshop’ takes place in Urbino, July 22nd to 26th, organised by the Italian Accordion Academy and led by Claudio Jacomucci. The closing date for applications is June 15th.
A series of seven master classes takes place in Urbino between October 2008 and June 2008. The teachers include Claudio Jacomucci (Italy - top left), Iñaki Alberdi (Spain - right), and Jean Luc Manca (France - bottom left). The course is intended for advanced students, professional musicians and teachers. Places are limited, and applications should be made by July 15th.
The 7th FESTICOLOR festival takes place from May 30th to June 7th at Loire dans le Loiret, featuring Marcel Azzola, Mandala, Frédéric Guérouet, the Léonnes, the Orchestra DUCOIN, Robert Santiago, John Paul Poletti and the choir of Men of Sartène, Robin McKelle (jazz), Oshen and Pauline Croze, Say 34, Michel Leeb (in trio) and many other artistes.
The French-based Cajun/Zydeco band Roger Morand & Bandzydeco have the following dates in their diary:
May 8th, 8pm - Salle de la Barasse, Marseille
17th - Manade el pitchoun, Lunel
June 7th - Festival La Pampille, Doizieux
21st - St Zachary
July 11th, 8pm - Cahors Blues Festival, Prayssac
12th, 8pm - Country Roque Festival, Laroque d'Ant�ron
19th, 9pm – Festival, Sete
28th and 30th – Espiguette, Le Grau du Roi
Bayan player Ferran Martinez is in concert as follows:
May 25th, 6pm - Salard�, Lleida
July 5th, 4pm - Mora d'Ebre, Tarragona
The program includes music by J.S. Bach, A. Piazzolla, I. Alb�niz, C.Camarero, ...
The second Accordion Art Festival, sponsored by Pigini Accordions, takes place at 9.30pm at the Teatro Acquaviva, Mosciano. This event is a concert featuring different types of free reed instruments – accordion, harmonica, melodica and diatonic button accordion – and different styles such as classical, folk and jazz. Artistes performing include Veronika Todorova, Danilo Di Paolonicola & Gionny Di Clemente Duo, and Claudio Azzaro & Strings Quartet. The Artistic Director is Renzo Ruggieri.
Peter Piccini - accordionist, composer, arranger,
performer, release 1 new work for accordion available
for purchase online. 'Dreamy Days'. Samples of these
music is available on the site. The music is in eSheet
format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase
with credit card.
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In the famous seaside town of Blackpool accordionists arrived for this year’s UK Accordion championships, This was the first time in 15 years that it moved from its previous venue in Scarborough.
The weekend commenced with a the opening gala concert featuring four times world champion 
International members of the Jury included 
Accordion Festival 2008, Drancy – France
The chief guest artistes at the festival are 
Accordionist 
Fancy a night of listening to a terrific accordionist playing authentic Brazilian sounds? Well now there’s a place to take your friends along to in the heart of London’s Theatreland, just off Drury Lane. The inside of Guanabara, Parker Street, London WC2 5PW, is laid out like one of those Hollywood Musicals where diners and eat or drink at tables and stools surrounding a central dance floor. You would almost expect Carmen Miranda to appear in one of the cabaret spots!
The first Tuesday of every month at Guanabara is Gafieira night as Brazilian accordionist Chico Chagas leads a seven-piece band, creating a party atmosphere. The term "gafieira" describes the dance halls of the working class neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro. Its music is a mix of Afro-Brazilian samba rhythms, French dance forms, Argentine tango, and North American big-band music. Chico Chagas and ‘Gafieira Brasil’ are the regular band for this monthly event. The band line-up includes percussion, drums, accordion, guitar, cavaquinho and clarinet. There is no entry fee, one just pays for whatever one consumes.
Book Review, Trossingen – Germany
On the evening of Saturday April 26th the weather was good, ensuring many people crowded into the Café-Garten, Liebighauses, Frankfurt, to hear the Veronika Todorova Band perform during an event titled ‘Night of Museums’.
Bulgarian-born accordionist Veronika Todorova gave a great performance, which went on late until after midnight, playing such pieces as the Italian ‘Tarantella’, the Piazzolla classic ‘Libertango’, Ricardo Galimi’s tango ‘Passioni’, Chic Corea’s jazz composition ‘Spain’, Frank Morocco’s ‘Lisa’, and the ‘Bulgarian Suite’ - a medley of Bulgarian folk songs interweaved together. All in all, a great performance that was enjoyed by all who attended.
On April 20th 2008 a solo concert took place in the Main Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Moscow, with Aidar Gaynullin, well-known musician, composer and winner of international competitions, together with the State Academic Chamber Orchestra of Russia (Konstantin Orbelyan, conductor).
The chamber ensembles from the Faculty of Music Skopje and SMBUC “Ilija Nikolovski-Luj” Skopje prepared by Professor Zorica Karakutovska were winners in their categories receiving the highest marks from the juries, consisting of eminent professors of different instruments.
The Harmonika Association of Austria presents an accordion competition at the Musikum, Salzburg, from May 23rd to 25th. The competition includes sections for accordion and different types of harmonica, and about 350 accordion players are involved in various categories. The Jury includes Kevin Friedrich, President of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA).
The colourful accordion ensemble Those Darned Accordions, from California, perform as follows:
Basque accordionist Iñaki Diéguez, from Irun, Guipuzcoa, performs as follows during May:
Lunch Date with Balkanta TaFrite, Lille – France
A ‘Summer Accordion Workshop’ takes place in Urbino, July 22nd to 26th, organised by the Italian Accordion Academy and led by 
Accordion High Course 2008/09, Urbino - Italy
The French-based Cajun/Zydeco band Roger Morand & Bandzydeco have the following dates in their diary:
