Contributed by Sergio Zampolli

South African group Duo 2000 which consists of Sergio Zampolli (accordion) and Amarillie Ackermann (harp) had their album "Song to the Evening Star" nominated for the South African Music Awards where they achieved finalist status in the category "Best Instrumental Album".

On August 2nd they performed for the seventh time in a series of concerts in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, which are held on the first Sunday of each month. Their 70 minute program included pieces from their CD plus newer arrangements such as "Granada", "Malaguena", "Spanish Fantasy" and the "Wedding March" (Mendelssohn).

Contributed by Jean-Claude Pouly

Accordionist Michel Besson (nicknamed "The Groovemaker") will perform solo at the Neuguet, Waedenswil, Zurich on August 30th. Michel will play a popular repertoire including jazz standards, rock & reggae music.

For further information phone: +41 1 780 11 35

Contributed by Jorge Moral

Accordionist Kepa Junkera (Basque) has recently released a very popular folk album. Kepa Junkera gathered many well known folk musicians together for this double CD including Phil Cunningham (accordionist, Scotland), Béla Fleck (banjo, USA), Lyam O´Flynn (uilleann pipes, Ireland), Máirtín O´Connor (irish box, Ireland), La Bottine Souriante (band, Canada), Justin Vali (valiha, Madagascar) as well as Spanish musicians.

Over 20,000 copies were sold within the first month of release. It also includes a 140-page book with photos of concerts.

For further information email: a182530702@abonados.cplus.es

Contributed by Toru Katou

On September 19th the Middle Japan Accordion Club will celebrate their 30th anniversary with a special memorial concert which will be held at the Nagoya Gei-soh Hall, Nagoya at 1.30pm. Guest accordionists include Tetsuya Kuwayama, Etsuko Makino and Masahiro Ogawa. For further information phone: +81 423-23-1491

Contributed by Suzy Thompson

The California Cajun Orchestra will perform on August 8th at "Ashkenaz", Berkeley. Orchestra members Danny Poullard (accordion), Suzy Thompson (violin), Eric Thompson (guitar), Sam Siggins (bass) and David Hymowitz (drums) play traditional Cajun music and zydeco tunes including "Dog Hill", "Lucille" and "Paper In My Shoe".

There will also be special surprise guests including another Cajun accordionist.

Contributed by Hans Rytter

The Lundeborg Accordion Festival will be held from September 4th to 6th in Lundeborg with featured guest artists "Sigmund Dehli & Knerten" from Norway. Sigmund Dehli is a well known Scandinavian accordionist who has composed and arranged many popular accordion tunes and has won nine championships in Norway. "Knerten" is a young accordionist who has also won several national championships in Norway.

At the festival, 60 bands will play concerts with over 400 musicians and folk-dancers expected to perform to over 7,000 visitors.

For further information email: hr@dalumls.dk

Contributed by Wu Jie

On August 10th, thirty children (aged from 7 to 13 years old) will give accordion performances in the Music Hall, Le-Shan. The performers study the accordion at the Le-Shan Children's Centre (tutored by Ms Yang Xiaomei).

They will perform a variety of Chinese music including pieces specially adapted for children, to an audience of over 3,000 people.

Contributed by Paul Pasquali

Accordionist Gina Branelli (Blackpool, England) and famous balladeer Romany Rye will be guest artists at this years AFNA Accordion Festival and the Cotati Accordion Festival. They will also perform concerts in San Diego, Phoenix, North Hollywood, Madera, Stockton, Rogue River, Portland, Seattle and Petaluma.

Gina has won many awards including twice English National Champion and has represented the UK in the Coupe Mondiale. She was also presented the "Golden Master Award" at the International Accordion Festival held at Castelfidardo, Italy.

Contributed by Renzo Ruggieri

The 2nd Accordion Festival will take place in Roseto degli Abruzzi (near Teramo, Italy) on August 15th, organised by "Armando Bugari Accordions" in association with local bodies. Following the success of the first festival, artistic director Ezio Talamonti secured the participation of a group of international guests including Vladimir Zubitsky, Giancarlo Di Giovanni, Alessandro Vessella and Renzo Ruggieri.

Contributed by Vladimir Ushakov.

A new poetic album consisting of poetry and songs by Mikhail Likhachiev was recently published by "Composer" Publishers, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Mikhail Likhachiev is a well known accordionist, poet and composer. He is the leader of the "Cottedzh Ensemble" (accordion, violin, percussion, clarinet and guitar) which often performs concerts in the St. Petersburg area.

In 1997 Likhachiev released his CD "Evening in Pavlovsk" which includes his own compositions and arrangements. The pieces from this album have gained much popularity in Russia and abroad, and were broadcast on local TV and Radio programs.

Contributed by Guy Klucevsek

Accordionist Guy Klucevsek will perform two 45-minute solo concerts on August 15th at "Tonic", New York as part of a series called "The New Music Series at Tonic," curated by John Zorn. He will perform his own compositions, including "Bandoneons, Basil and Bay Leaves" (written in memory of Astor Piazzolla), "Altered Landscapes" and arrangements of Burt Bacharach tunes.

Following this he will be performing concerts at the Jazz at Mulhouse Festival in France on August 21st and 22nd.

For further information email: guysqueeze@aol.com

Contributed by Christine Adams

Two of the popular "Centre National et International de Musique et Accordeon" (National and International Centre of Music and Accordion) summer accordion courses have been held so far. The courses (which are directed by Jacques Mornet) cover musette, classical, jazz and contemporary music styles. The final two courses will be held from August 17th to 22nd and August 24th to 29th.

For further information phone: + 33 4 73222745

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On Thursday, July 31st accordionist Roberto Fuccelli held a concert in the "Sacro Cuore" Institute, Grottaferrata, Italy. This successful performance was the last in a series of concerts organised by the local Association "A.Gi.Mus.". Fuccelli (concert artist and teacher) gave a captivating performance and was acclaimed for his eclecticism (demonstrated by his varied repertoire, ranging from Bach to Piazzolla) and his ability to add a personal touch in the interpretation of each piece. He also performed one of his own compositions, "Canzone per Carla", that will be featured in his new CD "Odette" due to be released in August.

Contributed by Dennis

Bennie & the Swamp Gators will be performing at a dance concert sponsored by the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce on August 9th at Memorial Park, Sierra Madre, California as part of the summer "Concert in the Park" series.

Bennie & the Swamp Gators members Dennis Gurwell (accordion), Bennie Gibbs (guitar), B.J. Deculus (bass), Monique Gibbs (rub board) and A.J. Gibbs (drums) perform all styles of zydeco music.

A pop music fair "PopKomm - Musikmesse" will be held from August 13th to 16th in Koeln. The fair is for pop music and entertainment and accordionists are encouraged to attend. For further information phone: + 49 221-91655-0

Contributed by Wu Jie

A new computer course is planned at Chengdu Accordion School, which will be compulsory for all students. Mr Ling Daorong, President of Chengdu Accordion School believes the computer courses will benefit of the students who will be taught music-related subjects including MIDI composition.

Contributed by Kevin Friedrich

Dr William Schimmel moderated a three-day series of workshops and concerts at what has become an annual affair, sponsored by the American Accordionists' Association.

Discussions centered on the significance of competitions and contests in the accordion world, and the need for versatility of the accordionist in New York, which regularly ranges from Carnegie Hall, Broadway/Off Broadway to Frozen Yogurt commercials.

A capacity audience was present at the Tenri Institute Theatre, in the Guggenheim Museum for a varied concert which included "The Lee & Bill Digital Circus" performing "The Vague Panther" (digital flute and accordion), Dr Schimmel giving a first accordion lesson to Ilona Vellios (who learnt popular Russian songs during the course of her 20 minute lesson) and "A Yiddish Festival of Song" performed by Schimmel and Paul Stein. The evening concluded with "The Rite of Fall" with Micki Goodman (dancer and choreographer) and Bill Schimmel.

Contributed by Sandie Merrill

A new cassette "Steep Path" has recently been released by Milen Slavov which is a concert and workshop practice featuring 4 accordion pieces, 3 tambura pieces and 3 folk songs. All music on the cassette is written, arranged and performed by Milen Slavov and all the pieces are in traditional Bulgarian folk style, except the title piece Stramna Pateka (Steep Path) for accordion, and the vocal piece Murgash Planino, which are both contemporary in style.

For further information email: slamafone@aol.com.

Subject: Remove listing please

I request that you pull the advertisement for the Hohner Morino VI.n placed by my father, cmicklet@aol.com ... the instrument has been sold!

Many thanks,

Steve Micklethwaite

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your email. Congratulations on the sale of the instrument! The advertisement will be removed next Monday on accordions.com and the following week on akkordeon.com.

Best wishes,

Wayne Knights
Webmaster
Accordions Worldwide
http://www.accordions.com