Anthony Galla-Rini è stato il personaggio della storia della fisarmonica nel
20° secolo. Nato in America da genitori italiani, Galla-Rini ha rappresentato un altissimo livello sia
nel modo di suonare, comporre o arrangiare ed è stato in tutto il mondo l’artista che è rimasto
più a lungo associato alla fisarmonica. Malgrado il grande dolore della sua assenza (deceduto)
dobbiamo essere grati e riconoscenti per la sua grande influenza che continuerà nel futuro grazie al
suo modo d’insegnare, comporre ed interpretare le sue incisioni.
Anthony Galla-Rini (1904 – 2006) è nato a Manchester, Connecticut, USA. Ha suonato il corno dall’età di 4 anni e la fisarmonica da 6. A 7 anni si presentava sul palcoscenico del
Vaudeville teatro. Poi ha studiato teoria di musica e l’arte di dirigere l’orchestra. Come teenager, Galla-Rini insegnava la fisarmonica e componeva musica per questo strumento. Si è specializzato come concertista e si è esibito nei migliori palcoscenici dell' America (incluso l’importante Carnegie Hall di New York in diverse occasioni) e quelli della Gran Bretagna ed Europa.
Il suo primo concerto per fisarmonica lo ha composto nel 1941, il secondo nel 1976. Grandi classici di JS Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Handel, Tchaikovsky, Verdi e molti altri sono stati arrangiati da lui per la fisarmonica.
Questo grande musicista ha lavorato per molti anni a Hollywood e
‘Hans Christian Anderson’, ‘High Noon’ e ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ sono soltanto 3 films nei quali ha participato nelle colonne sonore.
Anthony Galla-Rini è stato l'artista, insegnante, lettore di master classes e workshops che nessun’altro ha durato così a lungo nel mondo della fisarmonica.
A few hours ago, on the Sunday 30th July 2006, Anthony Galla-Rini had some troubles at the nursing home where he lived. He was taken to hospital where the family quickly gathered to say their goodbyes. His son Ron told me, that Tony Galla-Rini had a massive heart attack and died, at the grand age of 102 years.
Galla-Rini had a huge influence on the development of the accordion over so many decades. He is probably the most published arranger of all time and was famous for his recordings and teaching. His arrangements were always regarded as an epitomy of accuracy and attention to detail.
I have had Tony in my life from the age of 15, so you can see how much his passing means to me. He had a lot of influence on me, personally, and for thousands of other accordionists for such a very long time. He really was a truly great musician to whom every accordionist owes a tremendous gratitude.
This is truly the end of a very historical era of the accordion!
May we all be so blessed to have such a long and productive life.
Joan Sommers
Retired
Professor of Accordion
University of Missouri, Kansas City
A full obituary of the life of Maestro Anthony Galla-Rini is on the Memorials Site along with funeral information, Saturday August 12th, including where you can send personal condolences.
L’artista finlandese Mika Väyrynen sarà presente durante il famoso ‘Pablo Casals Festival’ in Prades, Francia dal 7 al 11 Agosto. Per la 55° volta il Pablo Casals Festival è uno dei più rispettati festivals per musica da camera del mondo e l’esibizione di Mika è la prima performance di un fisarmonicista in questa manifestazione.
Mika si esibirà il 7 Agosto alle ore 17.30 al Casino de Vernet-Les-Bains, il 9 Agosto alle
ore 17.30 al Prieuré de Marcevol ed il 10 Agosto alle ore 21 nell’ Abbazia St Michel de
Cuxà nella quale presenterà Tanghi di Astor Piazzola, ‘In Croce’ per fisarmonica e Cello
di Sofia Goubaidoulina e Dvorak's 5 Bagatelles Op. 47 per 2 violini, cello e fisarmonica.
Veronika Todorova Present al Limburger Sommerfest, Limburgh - Germania
Veronika Todorova d’ Elz, Germania è la vincitrice del ’Deutschen Akkordeon - Musikpreises 2006’ e della 5° edizione del ’Premio Citta di Atri’ (Italia). Con il suo gruppo ’Veronika Todorova
Band’ sarà presente durante il Festival ’Limburger Sommerfeste’ in Serenadenhof in Limburgh
(Lahn) il 12 Agosto alle ore 20.
I musicisti sono: Veronika (fisarmonica), Axel Spreitzer (percussioni) e Detlef Görke (bass). Nel loro programma: Astor Piazzolla, Richard
Galliano, Renzo Ruggieri, Vincenzo Abbracciante, Pietro Frosini e
Roman Bazhilin con trascrizioni di loro stessi.
La 19enne artista è stata scelta dal ’Deutsche Harmonika Verband’ per la partecipazione nel
’Coupe Mondiale 2006’ in Norvegia.
L’Orquestra d´Acordions de Sabadell formata nel 1991 sotto la direzione del Maestro Miguel Ángel, insegnante di fisarmonica e professore al Conservatorio di Musica a Sabadell hanno ora un nuovo sito web
L’orchestra ha vinto alcuni importanti premi durante i concorsi, fra questi il 1° premio “Città di Castelfidardo per Orchestre” ed il premio speciale di Accordions Worldwide.
Jukka-Pekka Kuusela performed R. Murray Schafer's piece ‘La testa d'Adriane’ for mezzo-soprano and accordion with Finnish soprano Mari-Anne Hilander (please see picture). ‘La Testa d'Adriane’ is a theater piece, written by the Canadian composer, R. Murray Schafer (b. 1933) in 1977. The performance received standing ovations from an enchanted audience in the beautiful Lentua Concert Hall.
"Kuhmo has always been, and will continue to be a place for championing beauty and quality and for being open to new challenges", says the artistic director Vladimir Mendelssohn.
The festival planning has gone without a hitch. "The reality of a musicians' life is a mixture of concentration, creativity, stress, control and respect for music. There is no 'easy' way for any of us, but we are not daunted by the difficulties," is the Artistic Director's view in a nutshell.
The 10th annual Rocky Mountain Accordion Celebration takes place next weekend, August 4th to 6th, in Philipsburg, Montana. Guest performers include Lidia Kaminska, Sammy Thomas, The King Bees of The Bayou, the Smilin’ Scandinavians and the Awesome Polka Babes. Accordion technique workshops wil be led by Mike and Margie Aman.
The event is described by the organisers as “a rousing weekend of dancing and listening to music, steak barbeques and outdoor pancake breakfasts, concerts in the 1892 Opera House and a parade of homemade pies.”
Russian accordionist Friedrich Lips visits several other countries in the second half of 2006. Lips’ itinerary for the remainder of 2006 includes: -
August 10th – Gubaidulina evening - Dornach, Switzerland
10th to 17th -Tour of Norway
Autumn-tour in the USA:
September 21st - Concert in the UWM, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
22nd and 23rd - Concerts in the Irish Cultural Center, Milwaukee
24th - Concert in the World of Accordions Museum, Superior, Wisconsin
25th - Concert in Elroy, Wisconsin
29th - Concert in Alabama
October 1st - Concert in San Francisco, California
5th - Concert in Seattle, Washington
October 21st - Gubaidulina: ‘Seven Words’ for Bajan, Violoncello and chamber orchestra in Vilinius, Lithuania
22nd - S. Gubaidulina: ‘Seven Words’ for Bajan, Violoncello and chamber orchestra, Minsk, Belarus
24th - S. Gubaidulina: ‘Seven Words’ for Bajan, Violoncello and chamber orchestra in Moscow, Russia
November 3rd - Solo concert and jury chairman in Tscheljabinsk, Russia
10th - E. Podgaits: ‘Ex-Animo’ for Bajan and string quartet, Moscow
21st – Gubaidulina - festival in Toronto, Canada
December 2nd - Gubaidulina: ‘in croce’ for Bajan and Violoncello, Moscow
12th - Gubaidulina: ‘Under the sign of the Scorpions’, concert for Bajan and symphony orchestra, Moscow
13th to 17th - Festival ‘Bajan and Bajanisten’, Moscow
14th - Solo concert in the festival ‘Bajan and Bajanisten’, Moscow
16th - E. Podgaits: ‘Ex-Animo’ for Bajan and string quartet, Moscow
Spanish-born, New York-based accordionist Victor Prieto performs at the following venues:-
August 1st, 7pm – Speranto, New York - Daniela W. Trio
2nd, 8pm - Olea, Brooklyn – Victor Prieto solo performance
5th, 8pm - Cafe Moto, Brooklyn - solo performance
August 13th - PJ Henlys, Brooklyn - Victor Prieto Trio
14th, 7.30pm - Immigrant Sounds Festival II, New York – solo performance
17th, 8pm - La Lanterna, New York – Trio Iberico (Victor Prieto - accordion, Brad Shepik – guitar, Alexis Cuadrado – bass)
On August 19th at 7pm, the Viennese Ensemble visiting from Vienna, Austria, and the Accordion Orchestra of Melbourne share a concert at the Austrian Club, Sheehan's Rd, Heidelberg. Virtuoso accordionist Bernadette Conlon will conduct the Accordion Orchestra of Melbourne, and will also give a solo performance.
Le parc de la Villette, Paris on August 26th and 27th will be the scene for two days of continuous accordion music, including all styles – jazz, musette, contemporary, ethnic, etc. Players already booked to appear include Daniel Mille, David Venitucci, Lionel Suarez, Didier Dullieux, Jean-Luc Amestoy, Pascal Contet, Jean-François Baëz, Man Xin, Yves Weyh and Zakarya, sheng player Wu Wei, Jean-Luc Bouffard, Ophélie Gaillard, Marianne Piketty, Bijan Chemirani, Serge Adam, Philippe Botta, Carol Robinson and Tom Mays.
Pascal Contet (pictured), the artistic director of this event, is looking for accordionists from anywhere in the world, of any age, style or experience to participate. All participants are offered food and beverage and entrance for the special cabaret evening in Sauvage on August 26th.
The Orquestra d´Acordions de Sabadell, formed in 1991 under the direction of Miguel Ángel Maestro, accordion teacher of the Professional Conservatory of Music of Sabadell, now has its own website.
The orchestra has won several competitions, most recent of which was the special 2006 Accordions Worldwide Award for the 1st Prize at the International Competition Città di Castelfidardo for Orchestras.
A new site selling a CD titled Classique Senior 1er tour, with sound samples. Music recorded from the La Coupe Mondiale 2004 by Marianne Melodie, of France. Purchase online.
A new site selling a CD titled Classique Senior 2e tour, with sound samples. Music recorded from the La Coupe Mondiale 2004 by Marianne Melodie, of France. Purchase online.
A new site selling a CD titled Classique Senior 3e tour, with sound samples. Music recorded from the La Coupe Mondiale 2004 by Marianne Melodie, of France. Purchase online.
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Anthony Galla-Rini (1904 – 2006) è nato a Manchester, Connecticut, USA. Ha suonato il corno dall’età di 4 anni e la fisarmonica da 6. A 7 anni si presentava sul palcoscenico del
Vaudeville teatro. Poi ha studiato teoria di musica e l’arte di dirigere l’orchestra. Come teenager, Galla-Rini insegnava la fisarmonica e componeva musica per questo strumento. Si è specializzato come concertista e si è esibito nei migliori palcoscenici dell' America (incluso l’importante Carnegie Hall di New York in diverse occasioni) e quelli della Gran Bretagna ed Europa.
This is truly the end of a very historical era of the accordion! 
Veronika Todorova d’ Elz, Germania è la vincitrice del ’Deutschen Akkordeon - Musikpreises 2006’ e della 5° edizione del ’Premio Citta di Atri’ (Italia). Con il suo gruppo ’Veronika Todorova
Band’ sarà presente durante il Festival ’Limburger Sommerfeste’ in Serenadenhof in Limburgh
(Lahn) il 12 Agosto alle ore 20.
L’
Jukka-Pekka Kuusela performed R. Murray Schafer's piece ‘La testa d'Adriane’ for mezzo-soprano and accordion with Finnish soprano Mari-Anne Hilander (please see picture). ‘La Testa d'Adriane’ is a theater piece, written by the Canadian composer, R. Murray Schafer (b. 1933) in 1977. The performance received standing ovations from an enchanted audience in the beautiful Lentua Concert Hall.
Rocky Mountain Accordion Celebration
The 10th annual 
Friedrich Lips
Victor Prieto Trio Performances, New York - USA
Accordion Spectacular, Melbourne – Australia
Accordion Event in Le parc de la Villette, Paris – France