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PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION - PHOTOS TO BE ADDED |
President of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Kevin Friedrich
presented to Prof. Walter Maurer CIA Honorary Membership for over 30 years of work
on the Executive of the CIA and for all his other activities on both a national level and
an international level that have helped the development of the accordion. In the
background is Georg Hettmann, regional DHV Director for Bavaria who translated
the speech honoring Walter Maurer by Kevin Friedrich.
Wiener Akkordeon-Kammerensemble (WAKE) TV progam 1974
1st row: Sylvia Zobek, Walter Maurer, Werner Weibert
2nd row: Anton Barinka, Herbert Scheibenreif, Günther Zobek, Margarete Gebauer, Peter Forst
Walter Maurer TV program 1974
Walter Maurer TV program 1974
CIA Congress, circa late 1980's.
Left to right front row: Walter Maurer, Faithe Deffner, Veikko Huuskonen (Finland).
Middle row: Lindy Baumgarten (Canada), John Leslie (UK), Milan Blaha (Czech)
Back Row: Francis Lebecq, (France), Paul Marchant (France),
Ove Hahn (Sweden - President), Vera Ublová (Czech).
| English by Walter Maurer |
| A life for the accordion. On May 6, 1931 you opened your eyes for the first time. At the age of two years, you were already on the way to Siberia, as you travelled with your mother your father. Very courageous – especially for those early times, a trip that took 8 days and 7 nights – to Novosibirsk. Two years later, you came back to Vienna, where in the autumn of 1937 you started school. In August 1939, a few days prior to the start of World War II, your father dies without any information about where he was buried. I think that your life has always been accompanied by this question, which was never clarified. In school, you have a classmate, who is the son of a music teacher, who always played the accordion in class. This inspired your wish to also play the accordion. So that’s, where it all begun. It is complicated to find an instrument. Not until 1944 (you are 12 years old) when your mum finds, with a bit of luck, a little accordion with the brand of Hohner – an Imperial IIA with 25 keys and 32 basses. Now your lessons start – at the father of your classmate – Mr. Johannes Löw. You experience the end of World War II in Bavaria near Bad Tölz. After your return, you enter the teacher training institute in 1946. In 1951, you graduated with honors - including the mistake of your mathematics professor. We have heard this anecdote at various times. In the meantime you re-established contact with Johannes Löw and that developed into a long important musical cooperation. In the years 1949 to 1952, you played with your teacher at various events. Mr. Löw also played the violin. You especially enjoyed the harmony between accordion and violin. You were invited to join Mr. Löw's accordion orchestra and you arrived with your little accordion. Immediately, you are advised that you cannot play in the orchestra with such a "doggy" instrument. This is how you became familiar with a 120 bass accordion. What a special challenge! It was a very large instrument with "curved" keys and with this, you began playing in the Vienna Urania Orchestra in 1947. In 1951 you founded with Hr. Löw an association. This is the starting point of the "FIRST WIENER AKKORDEONCLUB VINDOBONA". This is followed by a young orchestra under your control in 1952. You remember, the first rhythm you should conduct with a shudder!!! But you did enjoy conducting very much and that's how you've improved it, all the time. This is followed by concerts that are very popular. As a result, the festival halls are growing larger and larger, and Maxi Böhm accompanies you and announces at the concerts. In 1956, your accordion teaching begins at the adult education center Favoriten - the beginning of the group lessons - the method for this comes from you - you have developed this by yourself. At the beginning, only 4 students registered - too few for a course. But what started with only 10 students should grow to 350 students per year. 1957 - the first participation at the Viennese festival weeks (Wiener Festwochen). And a few more festivals follow. In 1958 you take over the conductor's role from Johannes Löw. From now on, you are in charge of his orchestras. In 1960 you win the International competition for Accordion Orchestra in Ancona with your orchestra. The prize is the great medal of Pope John XXIII and a sewing machine. A small detail, but worth mentioning for you! And of course, that's not the last competition you won. Standard level, advanced level, art level - everything is included. Then in February 1971, at a concert in Neunkirchen, there is the first performance of the "Viennese Accordion Chamber Ensemble" (WAKE). An ensemble that travels the world and is well known to real connoisseurs in the accordion scene. After further concerts, symposiums and lectures, the 12-part television program "Spiel mit uns Akkordeon" (Play With Us Accordion) is produced in 1974 and broadcast on the Austrian TV. You even composed and played the signature tune. At the concert "Swinging Accordion" at Kurhalle Oberlaa in 1978, more than 1,000 audience attended and in 1981, you opened the Favoritner Festival weeks with the opening speech of Helmut ZILK. In 1983, your book entitled "ACCORDION" is presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair. You compose, arrange classical music for your orchestras and your ensemble and much more. For that you sit for weeks, months - it felt like a few years - always with infinite endurance and passion. The company HOHNER is active in Trossingen (Germany). After the founding of the publishing house "Harmonia" you have been there for years. In the last years of your professional career you are also a Managing Director of the company HOHNER. The circle closes to your first accordion - a HOHNER Imperial IIA in 1943. Dear Dad, Your life is the accordion. You conducted your orchestras with passion and experienced a lot with the Viennese Accordion Chamber Ensemble. Who can say that he was playing at Carnegie Hall or at Epcot Center? You have lived your life in peace and contentment. You took things as they came along in your life. Quiet, collected - rarely, almost never, we heard you complaining about something. It is also this inner contentment and calmness that makes you so special. That is really admirable - almost enviable and you followed your mother with that. In this very calmness and peace you fell asleep. You were husband, father, grandfather, very important person in one’s life, companion, friend, mentor, role model and much much more. Puchberg am Schneeberg (Lower Austria) is a special place for you. A fixed point, retreat, place of work, power source and recreational area. You spread your hand over this place and you will always be here like a guardian angel for your children. We can be sure that we can always come here to you. Your world was the stage. You stay in our hearts - until our curtain falls as well. |
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Composer, Author, Conductor and Teacher of Accordion |
Walter Maurer was born in Vienna, 6th May 1931 and lived his life in Vienna, passing away 1st December 2017. Positions: - Secretary General: Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) (1975 to 2006); - President: Harmonikaverband Österreichs (HVO), (Austian Accordion Association) (1993 to 2009); - President des Internationalen Akkordeon-Orchester-Verbandes (IAOV) now Europäische Akkordeon-Föderation (EAF); - Board Member: Österreischer Musikrat (Austrian Music Council). |
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| Prof. Walter Maurer making a welcome speech in his capacity as President of the Internationalen Akkordeon-Orchester-Verbandes (IAOV) (International Accordion Orchestra Association) for the Opening Evening of the 9th International World Music Festival in Innsbruck. |
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| Walter Maurer holding the trophy to present it at the 1976 Coupe Mondiale in the USA. Left to right: Bob Sattler (USA candidate), 1st Victor Filtchev (Russia) and here is Alexander Kovtun being presented 3rd prize, CIA Secretary General Walter Maurer, CIA President Dr. Karl Majer, and right you have Herbert Scheibenreif (Austria) and Frédéric Guérouet (France). |
Education Qualifications and Musical Achievements: - Studied in Vienna and in Germany; at University in Vienna: Psychologic and Music-Science; - 1952 - 1964 Teacher at Grammar and secondary schools in Vienna; - 1964 - 1994 Teacher at Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in VIENNA (equivalent to University of Music); - 1956 - 1995 University Lecturer at education classes for accordion (Specialty: teaching in groups); - 1967 - 1995 Lecturer for accordion-teacher training for more as 150 music-schools and now at the summer-seminar for teachers (special offer: accordion-orchestra); - 1982 Professor at Franz Schubert Conservatory in Vienna; - 1967 Leader and player of Wiener Akkordeon-Kammerensemble (WAKE), (Viennese Accordion Chamber Ensemble), successful concerts in many countries in Europe, at Carnegie Hall (New York) and concert tours in Europe, USA, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, 4 CD's and 1 video;  1971 Concert, Wiener Akkordeon-Kammerensemble (WAKE) - Walter Maurer in the middle, in Neunkirchen. Sylvia Zobek, Melanie Stippel/Mayer, Günther Zobek, Walter Maurer, Margarete Gebauer, Werner Weibert  1985 Wiener Akkordeon-Kammerensemble (WAKE) picture. 1st row: Werner Weibert, Sylvia Zobek, Erna Forst, Margarete Gebauer, Peter Forst 2nd row: Walter Maurer, Herbert Scheibenreif, Anton Barinka, Walter Dietz, Günther Zobek - 1972 Leader of Vienna Accordionclub-Favoriten (Accordion-orchestra), 1st prizewinner of national and international competitions on highest level;  - Author and Publisher: Has written more then 100 articles in Austrian and international magazines, many lectures at universities and conservatories in Europe, accordion methods and about 40 volumes for accordion solo, music for accordion orchestra and about 60 transcriptions.General Information: As a nationally and internationally known music teacher, he has prepared the way for the accordion in Austria in recent decades to progress from folk music to classical music and then to entry into the conservatories. His request was from the first, was to show and prove that the accordion rightly claimed a place in the highest level concert halls. As musical director of the orchestras of the Viennese accordion club Favoriten, Walter Maurer contributed significantly to the cultural and musical diversity of Vienna, the city of music. Prof. Maurer began in 1941 with Kapellmeister Johannes Löw, a founding member and the first president of the Accordion Association of Austria, to learn the accordion. Since there was no opportunity to study accordion at the University of Music at that time, he learned also violin and piano. His preference was always the accordion.  Left to right: Kimmo Mattila (Finland), Kevin Friedrich (USA), CIA President Ove Hahn, Frederic Deschamps (France), Tibor Racz (Slovakia) and Raymond Bodell (Great Britain). Every person in this picture was to become or already was, on the CIA Executive. As early as 1951, Walter Maurer initiated the founding of the First Vienna Accordion Club Vindobona, in which he began conducting a junior orchestra in 1955. This club became the model for many other accordionists in Austria, with young people being developed in accordion orchestras and in solo lessons. 
Left to right: 1993 in Frankfurt, Harley Jones, Walter Maurer, Faithe Deffner, Lionel Reekie, Kevin Friedrich. Dinner at the Hotel Kroner on the Rhine River.  In 2007: Famous accordion orchestra conductor Heinz Gengler (then 93 years old) with Prof. Walter Maurer. In 1956, Prof. Maurer began to teach accordion lessons in groups at the Volkshochschule Favoriten. In the following years, he put together orchestras and even performed as part of the 1974 TIG. Due to his successful work in 1965 he was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts, where he taught for 30 years. He has been teaching as a professor of accordion at the Franz Schubert Conservatory in Vienna since 1982. Under his co-operation, two associations were united in 1963 to become the Harmonikaverband Österreichs (HVO) which remains very active to this day.  Picture left: Walter Maurer with Frans De Bie (Netherlands) and Joan Sommers (USA).In 1967, Walter Maurer founded the Wiener Akkordeon-Kammerensemble (WAKE), and when he was Musical Director, recorded several albums and undertook many internationally successful concert tours. In 1972 Walter Maurer founded his own accordion orchestra, which became part of the Vienna Accordion Club Favoriten, which was founded in 1992.  Walter on his 70th birthday with his wife Silvia. I immediately think of the lovely saying: "Behind every great man is a great woman". Walter Maurer was first elected Secretary General of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) in 1975 and remained Secretary General until 2006. During the last 10 years, the CIA saw a steady growth of members and Coupe Mondiale competitors.  80th Birthday - Walter Maurer had not forgotten how to conduct!  85th birthday with WAKE. Left to right: Walter Dietz, Walter and Silvia center, Hannes Gebauer behind, Sylvia Zobek and Erna Forst. As a founding member of the Harmonikaverband Österreichs (HVO), Walter Maurer held Executive posts from 1954 to 1992, was president from 1993 to 2009 and in 2009 was made the Honorary President. He also enjoyed a great reputation in the accordion world as President of the International Accordion Orchestra Association (IAOV) and as an organizer and juror in many national and international competitions. In addition to his musical work Walter Maurer was also author of numerous text books, published many arrangements for groups and orchestras and also some books for accordion solos as well as books for accordion lessons. "Akkordeon-Bibliographie" by Walter Maurer was probably his most important and largest book, the result of intense work to make as complete as possible, a list of accordion literature. The book is organized into areas such as solo, accordion orchestra, chamber music, and distinguishes between original composition and arrangements. His other important book was "Akkordeon" (Development and history of the instrument). There was also a TV series "Spiel Mit Uns Akkordeon" (Play the accordion with me) of 12 issues. Walter Maurer was also a family man and passionate cook and is survived by his wife Silvia and his children Christine and Walter. Very sincere condolensces to the family from all the accordion world. Honors and Awards: Dr Theodor Körner Prize for the Promotion of Science and Art; Adult Education Prize for the area of Vienna; National Education Award of the City of Vienna; Merit of the Association of Austrian Adult Education Centers for special achievements in the adult education Merit Award, Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) (1972); Golden Merit Award of the Harmonikaverband Österreichs (HVO), (1974); Golden Merit Award by the City of Vienna (2001); Title Professor granted by the President of the Republic of Austria (1982); Merit mark of the Lower Austrian Music School (1986); Winner of the special prize: "for a successful life" of "Tangentiale Wien" (2000); Honorary President of the Harmonikaverband Österreichs (HVO), (2009); Honorary Member, Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA), ( 2006). |
| Other publications about Prof. Walter Maurer Celebrity Interview in 1999 at: MaurerInterview Harmonikaverband Österreichs (HVO) page about Walter Maurer Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) about Walter Maurer |
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85th birthday with extended family: Christiane (stepdaughter), Clemens (grandson), Philipp (grandson), Walter (son), Silvia (granddaughter),
Christian (stepson/half face in the back), Christine (daughter/ ¾ face J), Anna-Sopie (granddaughter), Johannes (grandson),
Silvia (wife) and Walter Maurer. Philipp, Clemens and Anna-Sophie belong to Walter
and Christiane Silvia and Johannes belong to Christine and Christian.
"AKKORDEON-BIBLIOGRAPHIE"
Dieses Buch ist das Ergebnis intensiver Arbeit, um die Akkordeon-Literatur, so komplett wie nur möglich zu erfassen. Die Bibliographie ist in Band- und Einzelausgaben, Akkordeon-Orchesterliteratur, Kammermusik und Konzerte gegliedert, wobei zwischen Originalkompositionen und Bearbeitung unterschieden wird.
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