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The
Dargaville Museum (New Zealand) presents...
'Accordion Gems' by Kevin Friedrich
...A Master Collection
of Accordions through Time...
Aratapu
Library Purchased - June 2006
Dedication of the Accordion Gems Display - 3 December 2006
Aratapu
Library relocated to Harding Park - January 2007
Grand Opening of New Music Wing at the Dargaville Museum - 21
October 2007 at 1:00 PM
Launching of Accordion Gems Exhibit in Display Cabinets - 29
March 2009
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Dargaville,
New Zealand
the debut... |
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the three Kauri accordions were unveiled at an International Press
Conference in Ikaalinen, Finalnd on 30 January 2013, the debut
of the World's First Kauri Accordion took place on March 24, 2013
in Dargaville, New Zealand at a Concert at the Lighthouse Function
Center at the Dargaville Museum. |
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Above
and below: K1 - 'Birth' pictured in front of Tane Mahuta,
the largest Kauri tree, 2-3000 years old.
The tree that K1's wood came from, a giant Kauri that fell many hundreds of years ago,
was from quite near where Tane Mahuta grows. |
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Arthur Maich who provided the wood for the project
pictured with K1 - Birth
outside the entrance to the Dargaville Museum
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Above and below: Kevin's wish was that the first notes heard on the Kauri accordion were that of a traditional Maori song, in respect for the native New Zealand heritage pertaining to the project. Kevin is pictured perfroming Po Kare
Kare Ana (trad. Maori love song) with the
Dargaville Primary Shcool Kapa Haka Group directed
by Danielle Te Waiti and
Take Six vocal ensemble. |
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Kevin
with members of the Dargaville Primary School Kapa Haka
Group |
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The
Fantail Waltz debuted on the Kauri Accordion. |
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After the performance of the Fantail Waltz, Kevin presented a copy of the music to Laurie and Dawn Taylor |
The Fantail Waltz is a charming New Zealand odyssey that combines a wonderful
local human interest story of Dawn and Laurie Taylor’s
love of nature, in particular New Zealand birds, with an
International project  between Finland and New Zealand, resulting
in the World’s first Kauri Accordion crafted by Aaro
Luukinen, Finland.
Titled ‘Dawn’s Waltz’ for Dawn and Laurie
Taylor, this piece was dedicated to Dawn and Laurie in
appreciation of their lifelong friendship and inspiration,
in their love of life. Based on the original Fantail Waltz,
inspired by the frequent visits of their playful and noisy
Fantails (piwakawaka in Maori) at their home on Rehutai
Road in 2007, this piece has been written for the unique
Kauri accordion.
Fascinated by nature, and in particular
New Zealand birds, Dawn and Laurie noticed that as the
Fantails left marks on the windows, that looked like little
musical notes. They were then transferred to manuscript
paper, with the placement being used to make outline of the Fantail
Waltz.
The Premiere performance was dedicated to the memory
of Laurie’s Grandfather, Charles William Taylor (1848-1928)
who played a French Flutina, the earliest form of accordion,
which arrived in New Zealand on the English colonist’s
boats in the mid 1800’s. As the Flutina gave way
to the diatonic accordion and later the more traditional
piano accordion.
Charles is pictured right, in one
of the only photographs ever found in New Zealand depicting
someone playing a Flutina instrument.
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Performing two rare New Zealand Folksongs
with Take Six, a popular Dargaville Vocal ensemble.
Hilary Herd, Pat Mortenson, Pat Reed,
Mariann Warne, Lynley
Clements
and Anneke Cornor
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Kevin performing with the Dargaville
Tamburitza Orchestra, directed by Nick Puharich |
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performing
with the Kaipara Orchestra comprising the Dargaville
Tamburitza Orchestra, directed by Nick Puharich, The Ben
Emmett Reunion Ensemble, Nolene Osbaldistan (piano) and Pippa Howes (flute). |
Contact
for the Accordion Gems Exhibition: Kevin Friedrich
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Copyright©
2013 Accordions Worldwide. All rights reserved.
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