There are many ideas about accordion teaching and playing methods and so many different schools of thought. From festivals and competitions we hear discussions on how to improve playing standards.

You might like to put your ideas in writing, so we invite you to submit articles to the Accordions Worldwide Articles section. We will be adding one new article every week. You can send them to us in any language. You will already find many interesting articles on such topics as history and pedagogy.

Wayne Knights Webmaster

On March 16th Finnish accordionist Mika Väyrynen will perform with the "Tango for Four" quartet in Kuusankoski. The quartet will play a variety of pieces by Piazzolla including "Adios Nonino", "Milonga del Diablo", "Libertango", "Oblivion", "Buenos Aires hora 0" and "Otono Porteno" as well as Finnish tangos. Following this they will perform in Tampere-talo on April 7th and Mikkeli on the 8th. For further information email: mika.vayrynen@pp.inet.fi

Contributed by Dr Herbert Scheibenreif

Friedrich Lips has been invited to perform concerts and seminars at the Royal Academy of Music in London by Professor Owen Murray. He will teach students of the Academy accordion class on February 28th and 29th. For further information email Professor Owen Murray: o.murray@ram.ac.uk

Prior to this event, Lips will hold a seminar and perform a concert at the Conservatory in Groningen, Netherlands from February 21st to 25th.

Contributed by Toru Katou

From February 12th to 14th bandoneonist Ryota Komatsu will perform his own composition "Enthusiastic Bandoneon" accompanied by another bandoneonist from Argentina. The piece will be played at regular intervals at the Sougetsu Hall, Minato Ward, Tokyo. For further information phone: + 81 3-3403-5278

The Accordion Concertina Music Ensemble was recently interviewed by Laura Wilder on KISS Radio 92.1 (a Duluth, Minnesota rock station). The group was asked to perform live in response to the AAA/Welk "Search for the Hottest Accordionist" campaign.

The morning program consisted of interview segments interspersed with musical selections from the group's concert repertoire. Members of the group include accordionists Helmi Harrington, Ph.D., (director), Lynda Griffith, Tony Lutzkanov and violinist, Carolyn Carver. Lutzkanov will submit a video taped audition for the Hottest Accordionist contest.

Also interviewed by telephone were Dan Lennon, brother of The Lennon Sisters, and Faithe Deffner of the AAA, who is organizing the event in association with the Lawrence Welk Theater, Branson, Missouri.

Contributed by Heather Smith

The International Accordion Festival will be held at Lytham St. Annes, Blackpool from March 18th to 22nd, consisting of various workshops throughout the day, concerts, stands and dancers. Each evening there will be a grand concert with artists booked this year including Peter Soave (USA), Jean-Louis Noton (France), Seamus Shannon (Ireland), John Kirkpatrick (UK), Gordon Glenn (UK) and Roy Hendrie (Scotland). There will be dancing in the ballroom after each concert, and Harry Hussey and his jazzmen will be entertaining in the bar. Peter Soave will also take a masterclass.

For further information email: heather@accordions.karoo.co.uk

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

During the 2 hour television show "C'era un ragazzo" on the international Italian station "RAI UNO", Gianni Morandi, one of Italy's most famous singers and songwriters, presented one of his hits "la fisarmonica" (the accordion). The music was played by Luciano Titi and highly appreciated by the audience.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On December 22nd, Jean-Louis Noton played at the official opening of the France/Senegal alliance in Ziguinchor, Casamance. Dignitaries present included the President of the Republic of Sénégal, Mr Abdou Diouf and Mr André Lewin, Ambassador of France.

Following this event, Jean-Louis held a concert at the Saint Joseph d'Oussouilles School, Casamance which included lessons for beginners.

Contributed by Faithe Deffner, President of the American Accordionists' Association

The deadline for mailing entries is rapidly approaching (Wednesday, February 10th) in the search for "America's Hottest Accordionist" competition. Those who haven't sent their videotapes in yet should rush to participate in this opportunity to win great prizes.

Contributed by Tatiana Lanchtchikova

On January 29th accordionist Vladimir Ushakov performed an evening of English traditional sea shanties. This event was organized by the "Shtandard" Club and the General Consulate of the UK The "Shtandard" Club are involved with historical restoration including the first frigate, which was built by Peter I and the "Peter's Admiralty" historical area in St Petersburg.

Over one hundred people gathered on the frigate deck, in freezing temperatures of minus 25 degrees Celsius to sing and dance to traditional English sea shanties. Among the audience were club members, representatives of UK, Holland and Norway Consulates and foreign tourists.

Contributed by Ron Bennett

French accordionist Danielle Pauly will perform at a variety of UK accordion clubs during her tour from March 19th to 27th. Starting with a performance at the Canterbury Accordion Club on the 19th, Danielle will then play at the Cambridge, Uxbridge, Norwich, Fairkytes, Harlow, Coventry and Banstead Accordion Clubs during her busy schedule.

For further information email: Accordion2@AOL.COM

Contributed by Richard Carlin

On February 13th the first "Concertina Squeeze-In" will be held at the CUNY Graduate Center for Free Reed Studies office, New York. The venue was donated by Alan Atlas. The purpose of the meeting is to meet other concertina players and to swap tunes and information. Future monthly gatherings are planned for exchanging tunes and more.

For further information email: dockboggs@aol.com

In December accordionist Eric Blin performed a world premiere of his own work "Nativité" at a Christmas charity event for Russian children. This took place at the Notre-Dame-du-Port Church, Nice in conjunction with the European Philharmonic Orchestra and Kursk Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Hugues Reiner. Eric Blin has been a hemiplegic since an accident at the age of 10, so he took up the accordion & dreamed of organizing such concerts. His program also included Impro Swing and Blues, Accordeon New Look, Concerto Pour Un Tango, La Baby-Sitter and Swing Mozart Melody.

A further concert was held two weeks later at the Notre-Dame Church, Pleudihen sur Rance, where Eric performed film music as well as "Nativité". Concert goers at both of these events were encouraged to take gifts for Russian children, which were distributed by members of the Kursk Orchestra when they returned home.

Eric performs regularly with the European Philharmonic Orchestra. This year they plan tours to France, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

Contributed by Renzo Ruggieri

Accordionist Monica D'Emidio recently took part in the staging of "Hell in the City" with the "Sicilia-Teatro" theatre company (directed by F. Tavassi) at the Borgo Verezzi Festival in Taormina. "Hell in the City" is an adaptation for theatre of the film with the same name starring Anna Magnani and Giulietta Masina. It is set in a prison where women of different and opposing personalities meet and have to learn to coexist. The music is composed by G. Zumpano, who chose to leave room for Monica's talent in extracting from her accordion the most suitable sounds for the action on stage. The show will run for two weeks in Milan during February.

Contributed by Thomas Rützel

On April 24th the "Akkordeon Orchestra Bad Vilbel" will perform a concert in Bad Vilbel at 7pm. The orchestra consists of over 70 players. The theme of the evening will be "Film and Musicals".

For ticket information email: TBello@t-online.de

Contributed by Balazs Benko

On January 29th an evening entitled "Accordion Mystery" was held at the International Buda Stage, Budapest. The enthusiastic audience was treated to over three hours accordion music by a variety of performers including "Podium Duo" (Zoltan Orosz on accordion and Gabor Ursu on guitar) who performed a variety of French music.

Also performing was blind accordionist Erno Weszely playing 1950's jazz music and Mihaly Tabanyi who has gained the nickname "Accordion King". Mihaly also introduced two of his talented students to the crowd who thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

Contributed by Rennie Guenther

The 4th annual New Braunfels Polka Fest will be held on February 13th and 14th at the Knights of Columbus Hall, New Braunfels, Texas. Performers include Bohemian Dutchmen, Jubilee Polka Band, Litt'l Fishermen, Oma and the Oompahs, Rennie Guenther & The Happy Travelers, and the Swingin' Dutchmen. A "Combined Bands Finale" will be held on Sunday 14th at 7.30pm.

Prior to the Polka Fest a "Meet the Band Leaders Night and Jam Session" will be held on the 12th at the Bavarian Village Restaurant & Biergarten.

Seating at the fest venue is limited to 500 to 600 people each day, so seats will be allocated on a "first come first served" basis. For further information email: yodler@sat.net

A new CD "L'imparfait du Cœur" by accordionists Jean-Pierre Guiran and Cherie de Boer was released in the Netherlands in 1998. The CD features 16 tracks of mainly South American and French tunes and two of Jean-Pierre's own compositions such as "Miserlou", "Ma première guitare" and "L'imparfait du cœur".

The duo will perform on March 23rd at the Jona Theater, Driebergen, Netherlands. For further information email: J.P.Guiran@wxs.nl

www.accordions.com/guimard. Arnaud Guimard is a 21 year old accordionist from France.

www.accordions.com/serenata Music school, Music instrument shop, and Pigini distributor.