On October 27th at the Lithuanian Philharmonic Concert Hall, during the biggest contemporary music festival in Lithuania ’Gaida 2007’, accordionist Raimondas Sviackevicius will perform the premiere of ‘Promise’, a large-scale symphonic work by world known Lithuanian composer Feliksas Bajoras (picture right). ‘Promise’ is a concerto for accordion and symphony orchestra. Raimondas Sviackevicius will be accompanied by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robertas Servenikas.
‘Promise’ is the first Lithuanian work for accordion and symphony orchestra, so the concert is quite an important event.
In 2006 Raimondas performed the premiere of the first concerto for accordion and chamber orchestra, by Zibuokle Martinaityte, named ‘Breakthrough’.
The Dargaville Museum Lighthouse Function Center was filled to capacity on October 21st for the Grand Opening of the new Music Room, the latest addition to the Dargaville Museum located on top of Mt. Wesley, in Harding Park, Dargaville.
The guests and attendees were then piped through the Museum to the new music wing where Kevin Friedrich cut the ribbon signifying the official opening of the wing. A Maori blessing was given and then guests filled the room to admire the collections, including Kevin Friedrich's 90 piece 'Accordion Gems - A Master Collection of Accordions through Time' exhibit, which will serve as the anchor display. In addition to the instruments, the collection also features 300 accordion figurines and original accordion manuscripts.
At the conclusion of the ribbon cutting ceremony, a concert was held featuring the Starlight Duo (picture below), from Auckland (Maurice Jones and Lionel Reekie), the Dargaville Tamburica Orchestra, the Dargaville West Highland Pipe Band, the Kauri Chorus Choir and accordionist Kevin Friedrich who performed on many period instruments in a program called 'Old Accordion's Tales' before leading into an open jam session.
A small rural community of only 4,000 people at the time, Dargaville was once home to some six accordion bands and orchestras spread over several sizeable accordion studios.
Many pictures and memorabilia pertaining to the rich musical heritage of the area are on display in the new wing, including a special historical 30 piece accordion collection from Puhoi, New Zealand, a tiny Bohemian settlement north of Auckland, where settlers had continued the folk accordion tradition of their home land after the boat had dropped them more than a century and a half earlier. The Accordion Gems display is believed to be the only accordion exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere, and will continue to grow as further instruments become available.
For more information please visit Accordion Gems Museum display.
It is for the time that the Trophée Mondiale will be held in Russia from the 5th to 9th November in Samara. CMA President Frédéric Deschamps (right) states that “Samara is unquestionably one of the temples of the accordion thanks to its accordion history and talent. Thanks to the energy of the event organiser Sergeï Voitenko, who via Alla Kaz, at the time of the CMA International Congress of Kragujevac 2006 (Serbia), announced the invitation to the members of the CMA for the 2007 event”.
With 35 entries in the four categories from numerous countries including France, Russia, Portugal, Serbia, Croatia and New Zealand this will be a truly international event.
Plans for the 2008 event are already well established in Bosnia Herzegovinia organised by CMA delegate Zoran Rakic.
Bojan Volcevski at the ‘Interfest’ Classical Music Festival, Bitola – Macedonia
Contributed by Anica Karakutovska
’Interfest’ is an international festival of classical music, held annually in October. The program concept of this year’s 16th festival in Bitola included performances of renowned artistes from Macedonia and other European cultural centers. The festival was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia.
Accordionist Bojan Volcevski, from the class of Professor Zorica Karakutovska at the Faculty of Music Skopje, performed at the concert named ‘Evening with the Young Musicians’, from Macedonia and Turkey, in the Hall of Bitola Museum and Gallery on October 6th.
The long applause with standing ovation from the large audience after Bojan’s performance and the high praise from the music critics in the media are another indication of the great popularity and stature of the accordion in Macedonia.
Leading Scottish accordionist Gordon Pattullo has just released his first DVD, ‘Gordon Pattullo, His Accordion and Friends’.
Introduced by Bill Torrance and filmed largely at the Red House Hotel, Coupar Angus, and the Wellbank Hall, Dundee. The DVD also includes scenery from the east and west coasts of Scotland.
The guest musicians include accordionists Freeland Barbour and Tom Alexander, fiddle player Ian Powrie, and pianist John Crawford.
The 16 tracks including ‘Bonnie Strathmore’, ‘Hornpipe Selection’, ‘The Cuckoo Waltz’, ‘Tribute to Will Starr’, ‘Lament for Jack Miller’, ‘The Flying Scotsman’, ‘The Dark Island’, ‘The Four String Polka’, ‘Waltzes’, ‘Fraser's Favourites’, ‘Tribute to Sir Jimmy Shand’, ‘The Orange Blossom Special’, ‘Kiwi Pipers Medley’, ‘The Sands of Kuwait’, ‘Scotch 'n' Irish’, and ‘The Furrows End’.
Patricia Dericoux, Professor at the Conservatory of Sainte Geneviève des bois, organised a master class, October 12th to 14th, taken by Domi Emorine and Roman Jbanov. The sessions were held at the held a master class at the Centre Artistique R. NOUREEV, situated south of Paris, and was attended by all the students of Professor Dericoux.
All present enjoyed the tuition and also the good humour of Domi and Roman, and gained much from the weekend. On the Sunday morning, the duet Domi and Emorine dazzled all present with a concert, attended by an audience that included accordion star players Marcel Azzola, Armand Lassagne, Yves Fontaine and Claude Cavagnolo.
It is with great pleasure that at the meeting of the BCA Governing Council on Friday 19th October 2007, the decision to hold the second Francis Wright Memorial Scholarship was announced.
This is to be held on September 14th 2008 and is open to all successful candidates holding BCA Grade 6 and upwards since 2002 and under the age of 25. The winner will receive a financial award to further their studies as well as a number of concert performances throughout the UK in the following 12 months.
The Veronika Todorova Band play a benefit concert helping abused children and women on Friday October 26th in the Protestant Church, near the railway station in Limburg. The concert begins at 8pm, and entrance is free.
On Tuesday October 30th the Stockport Accordion Orchestra, Musical Director Brian Jenkins, are the guests at Chester Accordion Club, which meets at The Castrol Club, Chester Road, Whitby, Ellesmere Port, 7.30 pm.
The Café Accordion Orchestra, directed by accordionist Dan Newton, perform at the The Times Bar and Cafe, 201 E. Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 27th, 9.30pm.
The Orchestra performs an eclectic mix of vintage Swing, Latin, American, and French Café music, evoking the style of the Bal Musette orchestras, popular in Parisian cafés and bistros in the 1920s through 1950s.
The 58th All Scotland Accordion & Fiddle Championships take place in Perth, Scotland, on October 27th. The festival begins with a ceilidh at The Queen’s Hotel on Friday October 26th, from 8pm.
The Saturday evening variety concert, already a sell out, features accordionists Domi Emorine & Roman Jbanov – the Paris-Moscow Duo, the Bill Wilkie Accordion Orchestra, soloist Robert Black, and the James Coutts Scottish Dance Band.
The All Scotland Accordion Championships, organised since 1949 by Bill Wilkie MBE, is probably the longest running music festival anywhere in the world organised continuously by the same person.
November marks the start of the new NAO festival season in the United Kingdom with a series of 9 regional festivals being held around the country until the end of February 2008 - culminating in the NAO UK Championships 2008. These will be held next year at the Metropole Hotel and on the Famous North Pier in Blackpool 25th -27th April.
The first two festivals of the season take place in November the Southern Area held in Wimborne, Dorset on the 3rd organised by Bob Downer, and the North West in Fleetwood, Lancashire on the 25th organised by NAO Past Chairperson, Gina Brannelli.
Norwegian accordionist Frode Haltli is in concert at the Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Los Angeles, on November 9th, 7.30pm. Admission is free.
Frode Haltli (b. 1975) studied the accordion at The Norwegian State Academy of Music and The Royal Danish Concervatory of Music. He ended his studies in 2000 and currently lives near Oslo, Norway.
“Frode Haltli is a brilliant interpreter of both contemporary and traditional Scandinavian music. His astonishing virtuosity has inspired many composers, and his kaleidoscopic improvisations that draw upon the Norwegian folk tradition explore the furthest sonic regions of the instrument” - BBC Music Magazine.
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On October 27th at the Lithuanian Philharmonic Concert Hall, during the biggest contemporary music festival in Lithuania ’Gaida 2007’, accordionist 
‘Promise’ is the first Lithuanian work for accordion and symphony orchestra, so the concert is quite an important event.
The Dargaville Museum Lighthouse Function Center was filled to capacity on October 21st for the Grand Opening of the new Music Room, the latest addition to the Dargaville Museum located on top of Mt. Wesley, in Harding Park, Dargaville.
It is for the time that the Trophée Mondiale will be held in Russia from the 5th to 9th November in Samara. 
’Interfest’ is an international festival of classical music, held annually in October. The program concept of this year’s 16th festival in Bitola included performances of renowned artistes from Macedonia and other European cultural centers. The festival was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia.
Leading Scottish accordionist Gordon Pattullo has just released his first DVD, ‘Gordon Pattullo, His Accordion and Friends’.
Patricia Dericoux, Professor at the Conservatory of Sainte Geneviève des bois, organised a master class, October 12th to 14th, taken by 
All present enjoyed the tuition and also the good humour of Domi and Roman, and gained much from the weekend. On the Sunday morning, the duet Domi and Emorine dazzled all present with a concert, attended by an audience that included accordion star players Marcel Azzola, Armand Lassagne, Yves Fontaine and Claude Cavagnolo.
It is with great pleasure that at the meeting of the BCA Governing Council on Friday 19th October 2007, the decision to hold the second Francis Wright Memorial Scholarship was announced.
The Veronika Todorova Band play a benefit concert helping abused children and women on Friday October 26th in the Protestant Church, near the railway station in Limburg. The concert begins at 8pm, and entrance is free.
Café Accordion Orchestra, Minneapolis – USA
The 58th All Scotland Accordion & Fiddle Championships take place in Perth, Scotland, on October 27th. The festival begins with a ceilidh at The Queen’s Hotel on Friday October 26th, from 8pm.
November marks the start of the new 
Norwegian accordionist Frode Haltli is in concert at the Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Los Angeles, on November 9th, 7.30pm. Admission is free.
