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Highlights |
Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Unveils New Website
Aria, Richard Galliano and Thierry Escaich CD, Paris – France
2018 National Accordion Association (NAA) Convention, Texas - USA
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Video: Naoko and Andreas Nebl, 2017 World Harmonica Festival - Germany
Cornish Ceremony Welcomes Christchurch Bard, Heather Gladstone - UK
Gorka Hermosa Compositions, Santander – Spain
Video: Auckland Accordion Symphonietta (AAS) Concert - New Zealand
Midland Accordion Festival, Dudley – UK
Video: ‘110 Years of the Bayan’ Concert and Video, Novosibirsk – Russia
Video: Soundtrack from Star Wars: by Eternal Sound
Future events |
World of Accordions Museum Nordic Music Concert, Wisconsin - USA
Chamber ensemble ‘Musette’ Concert, Omsk – Russia
Leonard Brown and Malcolm Ross Concert, Glasgow – UK
International Master Classes, Beijing – China
Seattle Accordion Social, Washington – USA
Loris and Olivier Douyez Recital, Mons – Belgium
Andrew Purkiss @ Guildford Accordion Club, Surrey – UK
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Highlights |
III. International Accordion Days in Prague - Czech Republicby Harley Jones |
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 The III. International Accordion Days in Prague was run from November 2 to 5, 2017, Artistic Director Ladislav Horák (picture right) of the Prague Conservatory, Accordion Department.The International Jury (alphabetical order): Laszlo Ernyei, Ánibal Freire, Marcela Kysová Halmová, Stefan Hippe, Irena Holomková, Ladislav Horák, Josef Hrebík, Jan Kotrc, Diana Medeksaite, Mirco Patarini, Georg Penz, Jörgen Sundeqvist, Jirí Teml, Pavel Trojan. Thursday 2nd November: Opening concert featured Petr Fiala compositions performed by Prague Conservatory students and guests. Friday 3rd November: Seminars by Stefan Hippe (Germany) about 'New compositions for accordion orchestras' and by Ladislav Horák about 'Czech accordion literature for accordion and other instruments'. Early evening Concert by the Hohner Konservatorium and guests. Gala Concert by Ladislav Horák, String Quartet Apollon and the International Accordion Orchestra Baltic Tremolo (members from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). Saturday 4th November: Seminar: Dieter Dörrenbacher titled Accordion unlimited. Competitions during the day, evening awards and performance of festival laureates. Competition categories were: 2017Prague.pdf The top solo Category VII competition results were: 1st David Rydz (Poland), 2nd Igor Plyushko (Ukraine), 3rd Belarus All competition results at: 2017ResultsPrague.pdf Sunday 5th November: Jirí Lukeš (Czech) New techniques of accordion performance. Round table - Accordion today and its development. |
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Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Unveils New Websiteby Kevin Friedrich, CIA Ambassador |
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 The Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA), a proud member of the International Music Council (IMC) an Official NGO partner of UNESCO has just unveiled its brand new website, offering a new look for the 82 year old organization. The newly released site features all the latest technology making it adaptive for various viewing mediums, while adding updated and new content. One highlight is the addition of pictures of all of the World Champions. The first International competition was held in 1938 when it was won by the French accordionist Freddy Balta (picture left). The competition was suspended around the war years, and when it resumed in 1948, the competition was officially named the Coupe Mondiale and won by Yvette Horner. Through the extensive CIA Archive collection being held in at the CIA headquarters in Finland, and help from CIA member nations, over the course of many years, it was possible to find pictures of all the Champions, which have now been added to the site. In addition, pictures have also been added of the 12 CIA Presidents found during the CIA's 82 year history as well as other historical information. The site contains a full list of the CIA members and Award Winners, with additional information on the IMC and the various CIA projects including the World Accordion Orchestra, The World Accordion Museum Alliance, Archives and World Accordion Day. We invite you to explore the new site by visiting www.accordions.com/cia/ |
Aria, Richard Galliano and Thierry Escaich CD, Paris – Franceby Rob Howard |
 Accordionist Richard Galliano and organist Thierry Escaich have together recorded a CD, ‘Aria’, released on October 20th. The tracks include: Aria, Caruso, La Follia (d'après Arcangelo Corelli : Sonate en ré mineur "La Follia" op 5 no12), Giselle, Nostalgy, Jeanette, Adagio (d'après Alessandro Marcello : Concerto pour hautbois, deuxième mouvement, Adagio en ré mineur, 5D935), Oblivion, Siciliano (d'après Johann Sebastian Bach : Siciliano en sol mineur BWV 1031), Slovanské Tance (d'après Antonin Dvorak : Tance en mi mineur op 72 no2), Tango pour Claude, Tanti Anni Prima, Vocalise (Sergei Rachmaninov : 14 Romances Vocalise op 34 no14) To launch this CD, a concert will take place on Tuesday December 19th, 8.30pm, in the church Saint-Etienne-du-Mont in the 5th district (arrondissement) of Paris. CD available at many online stores. |
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2018 National Accordion Association (NAA) Convention, Texas - USAby Harley Jones |
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 The 31st National Accordion Association (NAA) Convention takes place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Richardson, Texas, from March 7th to 10th 2018.The event is organized by a team led by NAA President Norman Seaton (picture right) plus the 2018 Convention Team Members of Dr. Ian Fries (Digital), Dick Albreski (Band Camp, Youth), and Arlyn Visiten (15-minutes of fame). The theme of the next NAA Convention is Moving Beyond the Past - Launching the Future! "Enjoying the Journey". The Convention offers concerts, a range of workshops, ‘join the band’, jam sessions, dancing, a trade show, new instrument presentations, and a ‘swap shop’. Detailed convention schedule of events and performers is at: 2018NAASchedule.pdf The registration page will be available shortly. For further information email: natlaccordion@sbcglobal.net |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
26th International Festival of Accordion Artists, Belgrade – Serbiaby Rob Howard |
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| The 26th International Festival of Accordion Artists took place from November 6th to 10th in Belgrade. The festival was organised by the Jeunesses Musicales Belgrade and the Music Center "Ad Libitum" from Kragujevac with the support of the City Secretariat for Culture of Belgrade and the ULUS Gallery (Belgrade). The festival had a series of concerts, each featuring an international winning accordionist. 06 November, Tian Jianan (China) 07 November, Neza Torkar (Slovenia) 08 November, Vitaly Kondratenko (Russia) 09 November, José Valente (Portugal) 10 November, Nikita Vlasov (Russia). Thank you to the organisers and sponsors for providing this concert platform for these accordion competition winners. |
Video: Naoko and Andreas Nebl, 2017 World Harmonica Festival - Germanyby Harley Jones |
| Naoko and Andreas Nebl performing at the Gala Concert of the 2017 World Harmonica Festival in Trossingen. Naoko and Andreas Nebl have been performing as a duo with chromonica and accordion since 2008 and both teach at the Hohner Conservatory in Trossingen. The Harmonica Quartet Austria is featured in the second half of this video. |
Cornish Ceremony Welcomes Christchurch Bard, Heather Gladstone - UKby Lynnette Hurley |
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 The sun beamed onto the ruins of the castle at Launceston in Cornwall as the parade of Cornish Bards attending the Gorsedh Kernow made their way into the grounds. The prosession was led by flag bearers carrying the banners of Celtic groups, including the Gorsedh banner with the three rayed Awen symbol meaning inspiration, and representing the attributes of love, justice and truth. The Celtic nations of Brittany and Wales were also represented. It was quite the specatacle as the 400 men and women clad in their blue robes, reperesenting the colour of the sky, formed a circle and the annual ceremony to welcome newly chosen bards began. A piper played the Cornish bagpipes. This ancient instrument, long since lost, had been recreated from an image that had been carved onto the end of a church pew. The sound was tuneful but had a more raw, medieval sound compared to the Scottish pipes. The Grand Bard led the ceremony speaking in Cornish then translating into English. There were calls for all Celtic people to work together for peace and traditional prayers were said. Christchurch, New Zealand, Cornwall born musician, Heather Gladstone, had travelled from Christchurch in New Zealand to be a part of the ceremony. She was honored for her services to Cornish music and was bestowed with her bardic name of KERNEWES ILOWEK, meaning ‘musical Cornish woman’. The goal of the Gorsedh is to maintain the Celtic spirit of Cornwall and preserve the cutlture of Celtic people through history, language, music, art, literature, dance and sport. The honour of Bardship was awarded to Heather as someone who has given exceptional service to Cornwall by a manifestation of the Celtic spirit and service to Cornwall. Since graduating from the University of Canterbury with honours in music, Heather who is passionate about Cornish music has introduced many people to this music through programmes she has run and her work as an accordion, piano, and singing teacher. Both internationally and within New Zealand as director of the St Alban’s Community Choir, Heather provides Cornish songs and carols for others to learn and perform. She is also a lifetime member of the Christhchurch Cornish Association. Previously Heather has been honoured in New Zealand with a CCC Community Services Award in 2007, the University of Canterbury Vernon Griffiths Prize for Musical Leadership as a past student of the School of Music who has demonstrated oustanding qualities of musical leadership, in 2012 and a Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) in 2015 for services to music. This 2017 ceremony completed, people moved on to celebrations of traditional Cornish fare, poetry, music and dance. |
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Gorka Hermosa Compositions, Santander – Spainby Rob Howard |
 Important Spanish accordionist and composer Gorka Hermosa writes: "You can already download two of my latest compositions ‘Un incendio en la nieve’ and ‘Bihotz bakarra’ and more than 20 new arrangements and instrumentation (for chamber music, accordion soloist and wind orchestra, etc.) of older pieces (Paco, Anantango, Brehme, Neotango Concerto...). These are all free downloads on my website at: www.gorkahermosa.com " Thank you to Gorka Hermosa for composing his much appreciated music for accordion. Also look and listen to his CD's online (with sound samples) at: Gorka Hermosa |
Video: Auckland Accordion Symphonietta (AAS) Concert - New Zealandby Harley Jones |
| Video of Croatian Rhapsody composed by Maksim Mrvica, performed by the Auckland Accordion Symphonietta conducted by Lionel Reekie. |
Midland Accordion Festival, Dudley – UKby Rob Howard |
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  Picture above: Dudley guests on last night.The 5th Midland Accordion Festival, organised by Barry Smith, was held at The Quality Hotel, Dudley, November 3rd to 5th. This weekend festival was a great success, with the hotel completely full plus many day visitors. Attending this year was Tom Luxton, who in 1984 set a Guinness World Record by playing the accordion solo for an incredible 84 hours. This year’s guests were Valerio Russo (Italy), Amaryllis (Tracey Middleton and David Garwood), Jovan Rnjak, Helen Rich, Rosemary Wright, Nigel Pasby & Helen Newton, Alan Young, Harry Hussey, Malachy Cairns, Roy Hendrie, and the Master Butchers Band. There were many highlights, such as Valerio Russo’s brilliant performances, Sue Bennett’s hilarious bells performances, accompanied by Harry Hussey and Alan Young on accordions, and Alan Young’s dance music session on keyboard and vocals. The festival workshops included: Rosemary Wright - Intermediate Orchestra, Elementary Orchestra – Jean Hanger, Vintage Orchestra – Jean Hanger, Scottish Orchestra – Tracey Middleton, and Sue Bennett and Harry Hussey - One to one tuition. The weekend orchestras performed on Sunday afternoon, all achieving good results from limited rehearsal time. The trade show includes the Birmingham Accordion Centre, Rob Howard Publications, Alan Shute –accordions, accordinas and extras, Roy Hendrie – Limex MIDI, and Harry Kipling’s used accordions and souvenirs. Trade was brisk, and many sales deals were done. The Midland Accordion Festival this weekend raised £587.75 for C.R.Y. cardiac risk in the young. |
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Video: ‘110 Years of the Bayan’ Concert and Video, Novosibirsk – Russiaby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
 Video: Liszt -Tsygankov-Rizol "Czardas"From Hermi Kaleta: This video was made on November 2nd in the Novosibirsk State Philharmonic Hall, Russia, with the Russian Academic Orchestra at a concert titled ‘110 Years of the Bayan’. The Artistic Director and Chief Conductor is Vladimir Gusev, and the video was filmed by Rustam Dilmukhametov. The soloists in this video are: Domra: Professor Andrey Kugaevskiy and his student Artem Davtjan, and Bayan: Lecturer Mikhail Ovchinnikov and his student Nikolay Prokolev. |
Video: Soundtrack from Star Wars: by Eternal Soundby Harley Jones |
| Soundtrack from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Performance by accordion duo "Eternal Sound" Published on Aug 26, 2017 |
Future events |
João Gentil News and Tour Dates – Portugal, Argentinaby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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| Portuguese accordionist João Gentil has had a busy schedule this summer, which continues with the release of a new album and some performance dates in Portugal and Argentina this month and early December. The summer has seen him performing in Portugal, Spain and Morocco. He has also recently accompanied the singer Viviane on her album of Edith Piaf songs, commenting "It was a great pleasure to be able to record my accordion on all the themes of Viviane's work, for the prestige of this wonderful voice, and also for the importance that the accordion represents in Edith Piaf's repertoire. We recorded in the studio of Viviane herself, and it was a work that gave me great pleasure and honor in being able to do it". Tour dates: November 10th – Uxia and special guests Viviane & Tó Viegas, Clube Farense, Faro, Portugal November 11th - Uxia and João Gentil, special guests Luanda Cozetti & Norton Daiello, OuTonalidades’17, Tavira, Portugal November 29th - Pablo Hecker Program, MUSICA EN VIVO, Radio Nacional La Folklorica 98.7, Buenos Aires, Argentina December 1st - João Gentil solo, Auditorio AMR, Rosario, Argentina December 2nd - João Gentil solo, San Jorge (Sta FÉ), Argentina December 4th - João Gentil solo, El Cairo, Rosario, Argentina December 8th - João Gentil and Emiliano Faryna, La Tertulia, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
World of Accordions Museum Nordic Music Concert, Wisconsin - USAby Rob Howard |
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| The World of Accordions Museum, 1401 Belknap St, Superior, Wisconsin, will host an ‘Evening of Nordic Music’ on Sunday November 12th, 7pm-8.30pm. The Duluth Kantele Players, directed by Harold Happoja, with be featured. An Accordion Concertina Music Band, from Minnesota, will perform several Nordic favorites; duets will be presented by Marian Syrjamaki-Kuchta and Royal Miller, and Tracey Gibbens and Dr. Paul Anderson; and Dr. Helmi Harrington will play ‘The Sakkijarven Polka’. Carolyn Carver (violin), Mary Wight (cello), and Helmi Harrington will play a variety program at the Duluth Karpeles Museum on December 3rd, 1pm to 3pm. The World of Accordions Museum will be closed from November 18th to 30th, and from December 23rd to January 2nd. |
Chamber ensemble ‘Musette’ Concert, Omsk – Russiaby Rob Howard |
 On Sunday November 12th, 5pm, the chamber ensemble ‘Musette’ performs in concert at The Concert Hall in Omsk, Russia.Formed in 1992, the chamber ensemble ‘Musette’ performs vocal and instrumental works of various styles and directions from the classics to jazz compositions, Russian folklore music, and many works in the style of French musette. They have performed around Russia, and in Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, South Korea, and Turkey. For further information email: info@musette.ru |
Leonard Brown and Malcolm Ross Concert, Glasgow – UKby Rob Howard |
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| On Monday November 13th, 7.30pm, the duo accordionist Leonard Brown and drums/percussionist Malcolm Ross perform as guests at the Glasgow Accordion & Fiddle Club, Scotstounhill Bowling Club, 633 Anniesland Rd, Glasgow, G14 9AD. Leonard Brown, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in 2012 was only the second English-born accordionist to become an All Scotland Champion (the first being Robert Whitehead in 1968). Also a pianist, Leonard Brown has become well-known for promoting accordion concerts in Scotland, including lifetime achievement tribute concerts for Tom Alexander and Davie Stewart. He has many CDs and DVDs to his credit, most notably ‘A Toast to Scotland’, a recently released double DVD celebrating the music of some of Scotland’s accordion legends such as Jimmy Shand and Will Starr. For further information email: leonardbrownaccordion@gmail.com |
International Master Classes, Beijing – Chinaby Rob Howard |
 From November 13th to 18th there will be a series of master classes at the Central Conservatory of Beijing, China, led by European accordionists Gorka Hermosa (Spain), Steffan Hussong (Germany), Petri Makkonen (Finland), and Konstantinis Raptis (Greece). The master classes will each begin at 9.30am.The week will conclude with a concert at the Central Conservatory on Sunday November 19th featuring the four master class leaders. |
Seattle Accordion Social, Washington – USAby Rob Howard |
 The Seattle Accordion Social takes place on Monday November 13th, 7.30pm, at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 4217 S.W. Oregon St, Seattle. Admission is $5. Entertainers at this convivial evening include Lyle & Toby’s Polka Parade, button accordionist Kory Tideman, and accordion soloist Mike Marinkovich. |
Loris and Olivier Douyez Recital, Mons – Belgiumby Rob Howard |
 The violin/accordion duo Loris and Olivier Douyez perform a recital on Wednesday November 15th, 8pm, at Echo des Murs, 21 Rue Notre Dame, Mons, Belgium.Accordionist Olivier Douyez and his son Loris began performing as a duo in 2014. Their eclectic repertoire includes Hungarian, Russian, classical and contemporary music, such as the works of Richard Galliano and Astor Piazzolla. For further information email: olivier.douyez@gmail.com |
Andrew Purkiss @ Guildford Accordion Club, Surrey – UKby Rob Howard |
 Accordionist Andrew Purkiss is the guest at Guildford Accordion Club on Friday November 17th, 8pm. The venue is the Ripley Village Hall, Ripley, Surrey GU23 6AF. Doors open at 7pm. Admission is £5.The club night will begin at 7.30pm with a “play-along” of familiar tunes (bring your musical instrument and join in – all levels of proficiency are welcome to play or just to listen.) Andrew Purkiss has been involved with folk music for many years. His playing draws upon a wealth of experience in other musical genres as his musical career has included playing for ‘Le Cage aux Folles’ at the London Palladium, and travelling Europe with a professional theatre company. For further information email: myrabee@btinternet.com |
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