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Highlights |
Dietrich Mateschitz Touching Christmas Story, Salzburg – Austria
‘AccoHoliday’ Competition, Kiev – Ukraine
Yaniv Gershon Salutes Yehuda Oppenheimer, Jerusalem – Israel
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Walter Kasprzyk Performs with Charlotte County Symphony, Florida - USA
Variety Artists Club, Auckland - New Zealand
Håvard Svendsrud and the Bærum Symphony Orchestra Concerts - Norway
‘14 Years Ago’ – Coba’s Unusual Recording Project
Future events |
Rob Howard Interview on ‘Take the Floor’, BBC Radio Scotland - UK
Paris Moscou Duo Concerts - France
Duo Accordeon Melancolique Concerts – Netherlands
Richard Tyce’s Valentine’s Day Concert, Richmond B.C. - Canada
Victor Prieto Trio Concerts, Madrid, Vigo, Asturias – Spain
Competition ‘Trofeo Città di Greci’ - Italy
‘A Celebration of Latin American Music’, London – UK
Marco Lo Russo Live in Latina - Italy
Jack Emblow & Tony Compton @ Eastbourne Accordion Festival – UK
New and Updated Sites |
Donato Santoianni selling his new CD
Rebecca Oliver releases new music
Klaus Paier Releases New CDs
CD Reviews |
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |
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Highlights |
2012 Trophée Mondial Website In Chinese, French and Russian – USAby Harley Jones |
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 The Confederation Mondiale de L'Accordeon (CMA) constantly tries to expand and has made every effort to be global since the reorganization of its Executive Board in 2005.The CMA has now updated their website to be in English, French, Chinese and Russian languages for information about the 2012 Trophée Mondial in Spokane, Washington State, October 23rd to 27th 2012. Picture left, Patricia Bartell, 2012 CMA Organiser. This is the first time, for the Trophée Mondial to be held in North America. The website in 4 languages, contains full 2012 information such as rules and regulations, procedure for registration, proposed timetable, visa application form, information on hotels, transportation to/from Spokane and all the necessary contacts of the CMA Executive. Readers are reminded that the performances of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners of each 2011 Trophée Mondial category are online for the educational benefit of accordion teachers and students. Click 2011CMA-video to see over 40 videos downloadable to your computer. For further information visit the CMA website. |
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Dietrich Mateschitz Touching Christmas Story, Salzburg – Austriaby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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| An article in the newspaper “Kleine Zeitung”, was a touching story, that had taken place near Christmas at the business of accordion maker Peter Müller in Bad St. Leonhard, Carinzia, Austria. Stefan Wallner from Dellach, had completed his apprenticeship as a mechanic in Salzburg and wanted to buy a new Steirische Harmonika together with his father at the company Mueller. After Stefan, who has been playing the Steirische Harmonika since the age of five, tried out the instruments and decided which one he wanted, two men and a woman entered the sales area of Müller. They wanted to buy a Steirische Harmonika, but could not decide because of the large selection and therefore asked the saleswoman Margit Mellunig if she could play some songs on different Steirische Harmonikas. The vendor, who may indeed play, asked Stefan to play for them on different accordions and he did this very nicely with lots of feeling. The older of the two foreign gentlemen was so impressed by his playing that he purchased two Steirische Harmonikas. When Stefan wanted to pay for his Steirische Harmonika, the saleswoman showed him the bill for €4,600 and said she had a big surprise for him. The gentleman for whom he had played, had already paid for everything. Stefan and his father were amazed – especially when they learned who the gentleman was. It was Dietrich Mateschitz, the owner of the huge “Red Bull” empire. What a generous and wonderful Xmas Gift for helping playing the accordion! |
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‘AccoHoliday’ Competition, Kiev – Ukraineby Harley Jones |
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 The Seventh International Accordion Festival and Competition ‘AccoHoliday’ will take place in Kiev, Ukraine from April 26th to April 29th 2012. Picture left is Jan Tabachnik, President.Performers from the Ukraine, neighboring states and foreign countries (including prize winners of the national and international contests) are invited to take part in the festival and competition. The AccoHoliday Competition is held for soloists only in the following categories: category A - Academic performance in the age of 18 -32 category B - Concert performers of folk, popular music and jazz (no age limit) The closing date for entries is March 1st, to the address: 8 Ilinskaya St, “Ilinskiy” business centre, 2nd stairwell, Kyiv, 04070. Applications should be written in Ukrainian, Russian or English. For further information email: ark@ksg.kiev.ua or elenaluchyk@mail.ru |
Yaniv Gershon Salutes Yehuda Oppenheimer, Jerusalem – Israelby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
 Its not often we have two touching stories in one week.Yaniv Gershon, a student of Yehuda Oppenheimer from the age of 5 years learned, about the new book ‘The Man, the Accordion and Legend’ (Catalog No: oybook) and also about the critical health problems of Yehuda Oppenheimer. Yaniv decided to travel to Israel for 2 days from his home in the USA, and visit Yehuda at the I.C.C.U Shaare Zedek Medical Center, a hospital in Jerusalem. He picked up Yehuda’s accordion from his wife Adina at home en route, and then went and played for about 2 hours in the hospital to pay tribute to his great teacher, Yehuda Oppenheimer. Further good news is that the fine music must have helped Yehuda, as Yehuda Oppenheimer is now out of hospital and steadily improving. Accordions Worldwide thanks Yaniv Gershon for this great commitment to this worldwide acknowledged performer and wishes Yehuda Oppenheimer a good recovery as he is getting ready for his Lifetime Achievement Award on the 14 February (more about this in our next weeks news). Available online at Yehuda Oppenheimer are two CD's, sound samples, 23 original compositions, 63 arrangements of folk music and famous classics and 5 duets. |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Young Accordionists Perform ‘Take on Me’, Pyongyang – North Koreaby Rob Howard |
 In December 2011, Norwegian artist and film director Morten Traavik (pictured) travelled to North Korea looking for musicians to play in a forthcoming music festival. On a visit to the Kum Song School of Music in the capital Pyongyang, he met with pupils and presented them with a CD of the Norwegian pop band A-ha. http://www.accordion-space4u.com/user.aspx?user=14&item=6&id=316 Two days later, an accordion quintet of three boys and two girls surprised him with their own excellent arrangement of A-ha’s 1985 hit song ‘Take on Me’. Western pop music is little known in North Korea, and the music of A-ha was completely new to the quintet. Morten Traavik has tried hard in recent years to build a relationship with North Korean culture officials, musicians and artists, and is one of the few outsiders to attempt such boundary-crossing exhibitions and performances. |
Walter Kasprzyk Performs with Charlotte County Symphony, Florida - USAby Rita Davidson Barnea |
 On February 4, accordionist Walter Kasprzyk performed with the Charlotte County Symphony in Punta Gorda, Florida. The program under the direction of T. Francis Wada included the best of Mantovani. Mantovani had an arranger who was an accordionist and often included prominent parts for the accordion in his arrangements. The concert was at the symphonies permanent performance venue at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center, located in Punta Gorda on the campus of Charlotte High School. Walter Kasprzyk is part of the famous K Trio (with his sisters Mary Tokarski and Julie Cardona) and he studied at University of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Over the years, Walter has been a regular performer for the Florida Accordion Association SMASH, various functions of the Southeast Accordion Association, and at the American Accordionists' Association (AAA) events. Walter has previously performed Dominick Argento's "Valentino Dances" with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. |
Variety Artists Club, Auckland - New Zealandby Heather Masefield |
  On Monday February 6th a showcase of top variety artists was held by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to celebrate the National Holiday of Waitangi Day. This was hosted by Variety Artist Club committee member, international accordion composer, conductor and arranger Gary Daverne ONZM (picture left). Multi world champion for concert and variété music, Grayson Masefield (picture right) was in New Zealand, and was invited to perform a variété program for the audience of performers, concert artists, actors, and industry employers. Other guests on the program were producer/singer song writer Larry Killip, Dance talent Show Planners, Band leader and crooner Grant Chilcott, TV personality Max Cryer, cellist and guitarist Natarani & Sasha Witten-Hannah, and Piano Man (piano & vocals) Deryn Trainer. For further information email: ghia@ihug.co.nz |
Håvard Svendsrud and the Bærum Symphony Orchestra Concerts - Norwayby Karen Svensrud |
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 Photo above: Håvard Svendsrud and Bærum Symphony Orchestra in Modum Culture Hall in Vikersund.February 4th and 5th 2012, Håvard Svendsrud and the Bærum Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jon Terje Svendsen, performed two concerts in Norway. The concerts were at Ridehuset at Akershus Fortress in Oslo and at Modum Culture Hall in Håvard Svendsrud's hometown, Vikersund. Vikersund is later this month, the venue for the Ski Flying World Championships. In the concerts the Bærum Symphony Orchestra played music by the Norwegian composers Johan Halvorsen, Fritz Austin and Ole Olsen. Håvard Svendsrud had some solo pieces - Prelude, Op.31 by Adamo Volpi and the Italian Fantasy by Pietro Frosini. Svendsrud was also the accordion soloist in the following works: Toralf Tollefsen (1914-1994): Ski Jump Pietro Frosini (1885-1951) Arr. Alf Blyverket: La Mariposita Pietro Deiro (1888-1954): Concerto in E for accordion and orchestra Instrumentation: A.A. Gregory - Allegro non troppo - Largo - Allegro Vivace - Allegro Moderato Encore: Hora staccato (Dinicu - Heifetz). |
‘14 Years Ago’ – Coba’s Unusual Recording Projectby Rob Howard |
 Coba, alias Yasuhiro Kobayashi (born 1959) is a Japanese accordionist, composer and arranger, with CD sales in excess of 1,000,000. Coba studied the accordion in Italy, and graduated with honours. He has performed in numerous countries, and considers that his music doesn't belong to any genre. The Accordions Worldwide news for February 6th 1998 included an item about a most unusual recording project Coba had embarked upon. COBA TO RELEASE NEW TYPE OF RECORDING - JAPAN Next spring, accordionist Yasuhiro Kobayashi (Coba) will release his latest recording in two albums. "One will be 'Positive' and the other will be 'Negative'," he explained. "The songs will be the same and have the same name, but the arrangements and the atmosphere will be different, like two sides of the face, or person". |
Future events |
Alexander Sevastian and Michael Bridge Performances - USA, Canadaby Rita Davidson Barnea |
  Canadian accordionist, Michael Bridge (picture right), will perform on February 11th at 7 PM with the highly regarded Quartetto Gelato who include 2007 Coupe Mondiale World Champion accordionist, Alexander Sevastian (picture left), in Santa Barbara, California. Classic in training and eclectic by design, Quartetto Gelato thrills audiences with its multi-instrument mastery. They play a mixture of tangos, gypsy and folk songs. The concert is at the Lobero Theatre, 33 East Canon Perdido Street, Santa Barbara, California. For tickets, please call: 805-963-0761 Alexander Sevastian has a CD available from his website. Michael Bridge has recently represented Canada with distinction placing 4th in the 2011 Junior Coupe Mondiale in Shanghai and 4th in the 2011 Roland V-Accordion International Festival competition in Rome. Michael will also perform with clarinetist Kornel Wolak at the University of Toronto on Sunday, February 12, at 7 PM at Fellowship Towers, 877 Younge Street, Toronto. For further information: michael@michaelbridgemusic.com |
Rob Howard Interview on ‘Take the Floor’, BBC Radio Scotland - UKby Rob Howard |
 Rob Howard will be interviewed by host Robbie Shepherd on the BBC Radio Scotland show ‘Take the Floor’, discussing his most recent book, Vintage Accordions (picture right, catalog: robaccord05). The interview will be broadcast on February 17th, 7.05pm and repeated on February 18th at 1.05pm.Vintage Accordions is an illustrated history of the accordion, in its various forms, going right back to its origins in the 19th Century. There are 300 color pictures and info, plus some related articles. The majority of accordions featured are from the magnificent collections owned by Ken Hopkins in Northern Ireland and Caroline Hunt in the Scottish Highlands, as featured in her accordion calendars. Vintage Accordions (catalog: robaccord05) by Rob Howard is a limited edition, A4 sized hardcover printing and is available online at the Rob Howard website. |
Paris Moscou Duo Concerts - Franceby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
 The Paris Moscou duo of Domi Emorine and Roman Jbanov, perform this month, as follows: February 11th – Courcôme, Charente, South-Western France February 19th - Montceau les Mines, Burgundy February 24th – Nantes, Pays de la Loire February 26th – Rennes, Brittany For further information email: duopm@sfr.fr |
Duo Accordeon Melancolique Concerts – Netherlandsby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
 The accordion duo Accordeon Melancolique, Jean-Pierre Guiran and Cherie de Boer, perform as follows: February 12th, 11.30am – concert, Doopsgezinde Kerk, Zoutsloot 50, Aanvang February 19th, 3pm – concert, Doopsgezinde Kerk, Buorren 1, Aanvang February 26th, 3pm – concert, Thomaskerk aan de Kerkelaan 20, Katlijk March 4th, 3pm – concert, Stolphoevekerkje, Burg. Kolfschotenplein 1, Aanvang, Volendam Accordeon Melancolique’s varied repertoire includes original compositions, French musette, Italian folk tunes, Antillean waltzes, Indonesian kronchong melodies, Argentinean tangos, Jewish and Greek folk music, Swing standards, film music, Gypsy music, Classical, Merengues, Tex-Mex, and Mediterranean accordion music. For further information email: cheriedeboer@acmel.nl |
Richard Tyce’s Valentine’s Day Concert, Richmond B.C. - Canadaby Rob Howard |
 Accordionist and vocalist Richard Tyce performs in a special Valentine’s Day concert on February 14th, 7.30pm, at the River Rock Show Theatre, 8811 River Road, Richmond, B.C., Canada.Richard says, “I’m playing ‘Blue Tango’ on the accordion, to name a few, with the orchestra. Lots of fun! Singing with me are special guest singers Julie Duerichen, Rachel Steward and Peter Alexander, and featuring the 50 piece Solstice Symphony Orchestra. This is turning out to be a very exciting concert, so don't miss it. We will be performing pieces like ‘You Raise Me Up’, ‘My Heart Will Go On’, ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ (Con te partiró), ‘Pearl Fishers Duet’, and the newly orchestrated title track from my CD ‘Say You Love Me’, and some Mozart”. For further information email: s-bahn@shaw.ca |
Victor Prieto Trio Concerts, Madrid, Vigo, Asturias – Spainby Rob Howard |
| The Victor Prieto Trio, based in New York, USA, visit Spain next week to play some dates: February 22nd, 10pm - Café Berlín, Madrid February 23rd, 10.30pm - Dado Dadá, Santiago de Compostela February 24th, 12.30am - XancaraJazz, Vigo February 25th, 9pm - Villaviciosa, Oviedo More dates are likely. The trio are Victor Prieto (accordion), Edward Perez (bass), Eric Doob (drums). For further information email: victorprieto2001@yahoo.com |
Competition ‘Trofeo Città di Greci’ - Italyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
 The competition ‘Trofeo Città di Greci’ is held in Greci, Italy, from March 15th to 25th. There are sections for accordion and diatonic accordion, and for other instruments such as piano, violin, cello, guitar, saxophone, clarinet, and singing. The organizer is Vincenzo Norcia, and the closing date for entries is February 28th. For further information email: norcia.vincenzo@gmail.com |
‘A Celebration of Latin American Music’, London – UKby Rob Howard |
 ‘A Celebration of Latin American Music’ is a concert by the band Machaca at the Wigmore Hall, London, on Wednesday February 22nd, 7.30pm.Machaca is led by Mexican award-winning guitarist Morgan Szymanski, and features accordionist Phuong Nguyen (picture left). They embark on a journey through the music of Latin America’s best known composers from Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela. For further information email: boxoffice@wigmore-hall.org.uk |
Marco Lo Russo Live in Latina - Italyby Harley Jones |
| Marco Lo Russo will be performing Live, Sunday 12 February 7.00 pm at Foyer Teatro A. Cafaro, Latina, Italy. For further information email: stampa@marcolorusso.com |
Jack Emblow & Tony Compton @ Eastbourne Accordion Festival – UKby Rob Howard |
 Legendary jazz accordion entertainers Jack Emblow and Tony Compton are now booked for concerts and workshops at the Eastbourne Accordion Festival at The Cumberland Hotel, October 12 to 15th. The Festival Bookings Hotline is 01323-733700.For further information email: jr@carillonstudios.co.uk |
New and Updated Sites |
Klaus Paier selling new CD Packsby Klaus Paier |
 Klaus Paier selling new CD Packs, catalog: kpaier3Packs, catalog:kpaier6Packs and catalog:kpaier8Packs with sound samples. Music performed by Klaus Paier. Purchase online. |
Donato Santoianni selling his new CDby Donato Santoianni |
 Donato Santoianni selling new CDs titled 'That's Mine ', catalog: donato501 with sound samples. Music performed by Donato Santoianni. Purchase online. |
Rebecca Oliver releases new musicby Rebecca Oliver |
 Rebecca Oliver - accordionist, arranger, writer, releases 3 new pieces for accordion, available for purchase online. 'Brosna and Mary Willie’s Slide Set', catalog:ro402, 'Pigtown Fling and Ger the Rigger Reel Set', catalog:ro403 and 'Chief O’Neill’s and Sweep’s Hornpipe Set', catalog:ro404. The music is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card. |
Klaus Paier Releases New CDsby Klaus Paier |
  Klaus Paier selling new CDs titled 'Tango', catalog: kpaier101 and 'Accordion'. catalog:kpaier102 with sound samples. Music performed by Klaus Paier. Purchase online |
CD Reviews |
Kein Schöner Land CD by Leuchter - Melroseby Alessandro Mugnoz |
 CD Reviews Index for the Review of Kein Schöner Land CD, Italian and English, reviewed by Alessandro Mugnoz. Artist is Manfred Leuchter and Ian Melrose. |
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