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Editors
Note
The death
of Myron
Floren robs the accordion world of one of its most enduring players
and personalities. Although Myron Floren's name is usually associated
with the late Lawrence Welk, it should not be overlooked that he was
in fact a very, very capable and versatile accordionist whose playing
career dates back to the 1930s. Myron was one of the world's most
experienced accordion entertainers, and he just loved to entertain
and bring joy to people - a fine epitaph for a great man. Accordions
Worldwide extends our sympathy to Myron's family.
Rob
Howard
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Translation
Arriving Soon
Myron
Floren Dies aged 85, California - USA
Contributed
by Rob
Howard
The
accordion world mourns the passing of Myron
Floren, at the age of 85. Although he will always be remembered
for his long association with Lawrence Welk, and Welk's long-running
television show, Myron Floren was in fact an accordionist who
performed on public stages throughout his life. After
performing professionally for many years and presenting his own
radio show, and entertaining the troops during World War Two in
the European theater of war, Myron Floren joined the Lawrence
Welk troupe in 1950.
He remained with Lawrence Welk until Welk disbanded in 1982. From
most of these years, Myron Floren was seen every week on American
television, making him the most televised accordionist in history.
Floren performed solo and with bands after 1982, and was elected
into the Polka Hall of Fame in 1990.
Myron Floren never grew tired of entertaining with the accordion,
and once commented: "I'm going to keep squeezing this thing
until nobody calls anymore". He did indeed perform throughout
his life.
See Memorials for more information.
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CIA
70th Anniversary Gala Banquet, Castelo Branco - Portugal
Contributed by CIA
President - Kevin
Friedrich
The
Confédération
International des Accordéonistes (CIA) will celebrate
its 70th Anniversary with a Gala Banquet to be held in conjunction
with the 58th Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships to be
held in Castelo Branco, Portugal from October 25th to 30th.
This magnificent formal attire celebration will be hosted by CIA
Member and 2005 Coupe Mondiale host the Conservatorio Regional de
Castelo Branco. The Gala Banquet will take place on Tuesday October
25th from 5pm to 7pm and will be a great opportunity to reflect
on the many wonderful activities and rich history of the CIA, as
well as look forward to many exciting future events.
The CIA Executive Officers are honored to invite all CIA Members,
all former CIA Champions, Officers, Merit Award Recipients, Honored
Friend of the Accordion Recipients, members of the International
Jury, all International Delegates, Guests, International Press as
well as their spouses and partners.
For further
information, an on-line RSVP form and additional information on
the 2005 Coupe
Mondiale, please visit www.coupemondiale.org
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New
Attempt at Guinness World Record, Newfoundland - Canada
Contributed by Rob
Howard
The
29th Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, held in Bannerman
Park in the town of St John from August 5th to 7th, will be the
scene for an attempt to set a new world record for the number
of accordionists playing together. On July 7th of this year, Kimberly
BC set a new world record of 644 players, breaking the one established
by a festival in the Netherlands in 2000. The latest attempt will
take place on Saturday August 6th, at 4.30pm, and the Guinness
Book of Records will verify the result.
Folk Arts Council President Jean Hewson hopes so. "When the
idea of trying for the record first came up," says Hewson,
"I contacted O'Brien's Music Store just to see how many accordions
they thought might be in the St. John's area. 'Hundreds?"
I asked. They said 'absolutely, maybe even thousands'. That gave
us the encouragement we needed to say 'let's try!'"
Dave Penny, a member of the St John Folk Art Council Board of
Directors, will be the lead accordion player, and has made an
arrangement for all the assembled accordions to play. A number
of some of Newfoundland's finest accordion players will help with
the event and several are already slotted for other performances
at the festival.
For
further information email accordions@gmail.com
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Mika
Väyrynen Performs at Famous Summer Festivals - Finland
Contributed by Kevin
Friedrich
Finnish
accordionist Mika
Väyrynen was featured at several of the most famous summer
music festivals during the month of July. Mika
appeared at the 'Sonkajärvi Soi' festival in Finland, performing
'Four Tango Sensations' and 'Hommage a Liege - Concerto for Bandoneon,
Guitar and Strings', by Piazzolla. His fellow musicians included
Mr Ismo Eskelinen (Guitar), Meta4 - String Quartet and Mrs Tarja
Nyberg on Double Bass. At his second concert, he premiered his new
transcription of 'Chaconne', by J. S. Bach. Mika was later joined
by cellist Jan-Erik Gustafsson to play 'Le Grand Tango', by Piazzolla
and 'Roumanian Dances', by Bartok.
Mika also appeared at the 'Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival', which
marked the first time an accordionist has been invited to perform
a solo recital at this world famous festival. He presented 'Chaconne',
'Organ Prelude and Fuga in D-Major', and 'Three Chorals', by J.
S. Bach, as well as the Finnish Premiere of 'Tree of Life', by Patrick
Busseuil, and 'Like a Water Buffalo', by Yuji Takahashi.
At his second concert at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, Mika
premiered 'Chamber Concerto for Accordion and String Quintet', by
Mr Paavo Korpijaakko. An extremely important event, this chamber
concerto is only piece that the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival commissioned
this year! Mika also performed on the final concert on bandoneon,
playing 'Bagatelles', by Dvorak with string trio.
He finished his summer festival performances at the 'Savonlinna
Opera Festival' with a concert that celebrated the 70th birthday
of Professor Aulis Sallinen. Mika performed Sallinen's 'Chamber
Music 5 - Barabbas Variations', with String Quintet
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Jazz
Accordion Festival, Pineto - Italy
Contributed
by Holda-Paoletti-Kampl
The
2005 Pineto
Jazz Accordion Festival was a success beyond expectations. The
festival's events and concerts drew local and national television
presence, plus daily newspaper coverage. This festival was an excellent
showcase for the accordion in the field of jazz, with some outstanding
performances.
A concert by Renzo
Ruggieri, on July 15th, with the famous guitar player Patruno
Linen ended in a standing ovation. The performance of Art Van Damme,
July 16th, with his famous quintet, generated strong interest within
the Italian jazz world, with many well-known musicians being present
at this special event.
The final concert of the Big Band of Foggia, with Peppino Principe,
on July 17th, entertained a crowd of more than 1,000 persons. The
Marching Band, featuring an accordionist, paraded near the seaside
of the beautiful Italian city.
The
special award 'Golden Sail 2005' was presented to the well-known
accordion teacher Vittorio Pomante. Thanks were given for the great
support of the council member Filippo D' Augustin and the Mayor
Filippo Monticello.
Renzo Ruggieri (Artistic Director) and Peppino
Principe (Honorary President), who have strongly supported the
initiative, announced that plans for the next festival are already
in preparation.
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Dartmoor
Folk Festival, Devon - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
The
28th Dartmoor Folk Festival takes place from August 5th to 7th.
The guests include accordionists John Kirkpatrick and Chris Parkinson,
known as the 'Sultans of Squeeze'. Other acts include The Posh Band
(featuring Simon Ritchie on melodeon and harmonica), Mawkin (with
Alex Goldsmith on melodeon), The Dartmoor Pixie Band, whose members
include Mark Bazeley on diatonic accordion and Jason Rice on piano
accordion.
For further information email enquiries@dartmoorfolkfestival.co.uk
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5th
International
Golden Accordion Competition, Benevento - Italy
Contributed
by Holda-Paoletti-Kampl
Thanks
to the large number of entries last year from Italy, Russia, Greece,
France, Austria, Poland, Serbia and the USA, this year's festival
is expected to include several international categories.
These include: Under 13 years old (Student), as well as the Junior
(up to 16 years) and Senior (over 16 years), a section for Jazz
accordion, and the institution of a prize devoted the best interpretation
of compositions (or arrangements) of Peppino Principe; all categories
have prizes of notable value.
In addition to the Classical and Jazz sections, this year is added
a section for compositions in Variété (virtuoso entertainment)
style. The best prize is the 'Fisarmonca d'Oro' (an artistic trophy
with a substantial prize) assigned to the candidate (or group) that
have distinguished themselves amongst all the categories. There
is no entrance fee for any category, and there are no test pieces.
The festival this year widens to involve collaborations with other
competitions in Canada and Australia, with a strong cultural exchange
among the respective events. The Competition will take place in
Benevento (Italy) on July 16th and on 17th September.
For further information email info@fisarmonicadoro-benevento.com
or see the website www.fisarmonicadoro-benevento.com
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Help
required
Serkan
Kazan, from Turkey, is sixteen years old and a keen accordionist.
He has been playing accordion for eight years, and is studying at
music school. He needs classical transcriptions for accordion, also
and cello and violin. Any assistance would be very much appreciated.
Email mailto:nbingul3@hotmail.com
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The Coupe Mondiale website
by the Confédération
International des Accordéonistes (CIA) offers updated
information about the 58th Coupe Mondiale to be held in Castelo
Branco, Portugal from October 25th to 30th. Site includes on-line
entry and registration forms, competition venue and hotel accommodation
information, schedule and details on the 70th CIA Anniversary Banquet.
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James
O' Brien - composer,
arranger and performer, releases another 4
new works for accordion available for purchase online. 'The
Dying Stockman' (traditional), 'Twa Sisters o Binnorie' (traditional),
'Vo Polye Berioza Stoyala' (traditional), 'With Sounds of Pipes'
(traditional). Samples of this music are 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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A
new site selling a book titled Book
3 Seasoning Solos. Original Compositions for Accordion by Stas
Venglevski.
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A new site selling
a book titled Book
4 Seasoning Duets. Original Compositions for Accordion by Stas
Venglevski.
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Accordionist
Gary
Morin now provides sound files featuring samples from the three
CD recordings he has for sale on his website.
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Accordionist
Jimmy Bubaloni
has just released a new CD. His website has been updated to provide
information and sound file samples of several of the tracks.
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Accordionist
and Composer Stas
Venglevski has released a new CD entitled 'Russian Fantasy'. His
website offers information about this news CD as well as a printable
order form.
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Comprising former
CIA World Champion Iona
Reed (Accordion), Ron Kelly(Guitar) and Bill Tuttle (Drums/Percussion)
The Iona Reed Trio performs a blend of dance music that reaches out
to music lovers of all ages. The Iona Reed Trio is one of the very
few dance bands on the music scene today that performs Continental,
Latin American and Broadway Standards.
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Yehuda
Oppenheimer releases a grade 3 arrangement of 'Shalom
Bambino' and a grade 3 arrrangement of 'Mini
Twist'. This is music composed by Yehuda Oppenheimer. Samples
of the music are available online. The music is in eSheet format,
able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card.
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