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Highlights |
Rules Online for Coupe Mondiale International Competition for Digital Accordion – China
3rd International Competition ‘Olimpo Musicale’, Prienai - Lithuania
2011 Australian International Accordion Championships and Festival
XIII Kokkola Winter Accordion Festival - Finland
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Alpengold Blaskappeller Reunion – UK
Concert in Rostov - Russia
‘Accordion Uprising’ Blog, Vancouver – Canada
‘14 Years Ago’ – Malcolm Gee (1940-97)
Future events |
AAA Presents the 2011 Seminars, New York – USA
Milos Milivojevic Concerts, London – UK
Frédéric Deschamps Masterclasses and Courses - France, Spain, Finland, China, USA, Canada
Joe Natoli in Concert, Ohio – USA
Declan Gaynor at Club Accord, Birmingham – UK
Camille Privat’s CD Launch, Rennes – France
Marco Lo Russo’s News, Rome, Latina – Italy
Chiz Bishop Recordings Sought, Derbyshire – UK
New and Updated Sites |
Soundwear Dimbath e.K., Accordion Bag Manufacturer - Germany
February 2011 Diatonic News Now Online
February Accordion USA News Now Online
Viacheslav Bondarenko New Website - Russia
Jean-Marc Marroni New Website - France
CD Reviews |
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |
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Highlights |
Editor’s Noteby Rob Howard |
 On February 14th 1997 Accordions Worldwide reported the news of the sad and unexpected death of Malcolm Gee, at the age of 57, following a stroke (see ‘14 Years Ago’, below). Since the mid-1970s Malcolm Gee had been a tireless promoter of accordion activities in England, and his innovations such as the non-competitive accordion festival and his Accordion Record Club gave the UK accordion scene a shot in the arm when it needed one the most. Still sadly missed, his influence lives on today in the many accordion clubs and festivals inspired by his lead and presence. Rob Howard Editor |
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Rules Online for Coupe Mondiale International Competition for Digital Accordion – Chinaby Harley Jones |
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 The Coupe Mondiale International Competition for Digital Accordion category sponsored by Roland is one of the 2011 Coupe Mondiale categories and the rules and regulations are now available online on the Coupe Mondiale website. The event is being held in Shanghai, October 2nd to 6th 2011, organized by the Accordion Association of Chinese Musicians Association (CAA) and the Shanghai Musicians Association, contacts Prof. Li Cong and Assoc. Prof. Crystal Wang (pictures right). Roland have renewed their sponsorship for 2011 following the excellent success of the 2010 competition where excellent level of performances and the audience enjoyment clearly vindicated the CIA decision to add this Digital Accordion Coupe Mondiale category in 2009. The 2010 contestants performed an enormously diverse range of music and the jury marks were in a very close range. This new category is showing very exciting future promise and I am confident, more countries will also include the Digital Accordion category in their national Coupe Mondiale qualifications for the 2011. The 2011 Coupe Mondiale in Shanghai also features very attractively priced accommodation for competitors and supporters. Full details will be online nearer the time. Entries will be available online from May 1st, and entries close on August 20th 2011. For further information or organizer contact details, visit the Coupe Mondiale website. |
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3rd International Competition ‘Olimpo Musicale’, Prienai - Lithuaniaby Mindaugas Labanauskas, President, Kaunas Accordion Society |
  The 3rd international competition ‘Olimpo Musicale’ will be held from June 2nd to 5th 2011, in Prienai, Lithuania. The event is organised by the Kaunas Accordion Society (President Mindaugas Labanauskas - picture left) together with the Veiveriai Art School. The competition is unusual in that it is open to all types of young instrumentalists, soloists and ensembles (except two pianos). The closing Ceremony will be held at the Prienai Cultural Centre Concert Hall. You may download the rules and other information at: 2011 Olimpo. For further information email: mindaugas@akordeonas.lt |
2011 Australian International Accordion Championships and Festivalby Tania Lukic-Marx |
 Organized by the Australian Accordion Teachers Association Inc, the 18th Australian International Accordion Championships and Festival will be held on June 11th and 12th 2011 at the splendid premises of Club Marconi in Sydney's West. AATA President is Tania Lukic-Marx (picture right).The competition part of the event is traditionally held on Saturday with master classes and the Accordion Gala Concert held on Sunday June 12th. Major international categories are: • International Open Accordion Championships - 12 years and under solo; • International Open Accordion Championships - 15 years and under solo; • International Junior Virtuoso Accordion Championships - 20 years and under solo; • International Open Accordion Solo Championships. The event promises to be an exciting accordion happening, with interest from Europe, NZ and China. International Guest Artists will include NZ accordionists Tracey Collins and Rebekah Greig, plus well known Australian accordionists, ensembles and orchestras. Daily Reports of Past Events at: Australian International Championships Competition Entries close on May 1st. For further information and all rules at: www.aata.org.au |
XIII Kokkola Winter Accordion Festival - Finlandby Raimo Vertainen |
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 Welcome to the XIII Winter Accordion Festival! This year, among our outstanding artists, are Jari Sillanpää, Jorma Hynninen, Jorma Uotinen, Pekka Kuusisto, Janne Rättyä, Susanna Haavisto, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Kristiina Kuusisto, Mari Mäntylä, Snekka , Matti Korkiala, and a lot of other memorable players and events.As the grand finale, we have the magnificent GNX 10th anniversary concert in Kokkola Ice Hall, featuring the Guardia Nueva tango orchestra, who charm audiences. Finnish television will broadcast this concert. Organiser Raimo Vertainen (picture right). This is the event! We will promise you and your family a city festival that is full of experiences to enjoy the whole wintry week. Welcome to Kokkola! For further information email: raimo.vertainen@pp.inet.fi |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Frank Marocco’s 50th Anniversary CD, California - USAby Rob Howard |
 Frank Marocco has a new 2 CD set, ‘Traveling “in time” with Frank Marocco’, produced by Elke Ahrenholz, includes 38 tracks recorded by this outstanding USA accordionist between 1960 and 2010, plus a 16-page booklet.Described as ‘The Ultimate Collection’, this compilation was launched at Frank’s recent 80th birthday party, and allegedly, he had no idea that this project was taking place! Frank Marocco, apart from his own recordings, has played on over 500 movie soundtracks, and has recorded for and/or worked with musicians ranging from Richard Galliano, Brian Wilson, Pink Floyd and Madonna to Luciano Pavarotti, conductor Maxim Shostakovich and composer John Williams. Upcoming concert dates for Frank Marocco include: February 13th - Jazz Vespers, Northridge United Methodist Church, Los Angeles, USA February 19th - Giannelli Square, Record release "Giannelli´s Square" March 8th – solo concert and with Concertino, ‘Martisor’ festival, Republic of Moldova March 9th, 9.15pm – concert in Rome, Italy For further information email: frankmarocco@yahoo.com |
Alpengold Blaskappeller Reunion – UKby Rob Howard |
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| Derek Jenner, from Bournemouth, an ex-Guardsman, has retired from running a Bavarian style band called the ‘Alpengold Blaskappeller’. Over the years he has employed a variety of accordion players, and all got together with other musicians that have played for the band over the years to celebrate Derek’s retirement. The evening, held at the Laguna Hotel, Bournemouth, on January 29th, was planned and coordinated by Andrew Hague, the band’s last regular accordionist. As well as wishing Derek all the best, the musicians played some of the pieces from the band’s repertoire. At a certain point in the evening there were no less than six accordionists, trumpet, two clarinets, two trombones, four tubas, and two drummers. Pictured at the get together are Andrew Purkiss, Karen Street, Sandra Evans, Tracy Goldsmith, Mike and Andrew Hague. For further information email: purkies@hotmail.com |
Concert in Rostov - Russiaby Harley Jones |
 On December 18th 2010, in the Great Hall of the Rostov State Philharmonic was held a concert titled ‘Parade of the Ensembles!’ The concert featured popular ensembles of folk instruments of southern Russia: ‘Doncy’, ‘Divo’, ‘Fun’, and an Irish folk music ensemble ‘Foggy Dew’, and ‘Gala Trio’. The concert also starred Honored Artist of Russia, one of the finest accordionists in the world, Yuri Shishkin (picture right).The concert hall was packed, and more than 700 people attended the Yuri Shishkin concert, which ended with a standing ovation and was a great success. The organizers were the International Center for Music ‘Harmony’ of Rostov - a non-profit public organization. During its existence the Centre has organized a number of significant activities in the field of musical culture in southern Russia. Among them are concerts with the legendary American accordionist Art Van Damme, the Frank Morocco Quartet, Vladimir Danilin, Festival ‘100 years of accordion’, and the French accordionist Alan Musichini. All these events were very successful, reported by the media, and attracted the widespread interest of amateur and professional accordionists. A major accordion event will be organised in December 2011, to be announced shortly. |
‘Accordion Uprising’ Blog, Vancouver – Canadaby Rob Howard |
 Bruce Triggs, from Vancouver, BC, Canada, has started up a regular accordion discussion blog at www.AccordionUprising.org He'll be posting mostly for a popular audience about the general squeezebox/free-reed family. He's working on a book on the topic, mostly about Anglo North-American squeezebox history. He's interested in why the accordion got left out of rock and roll (and the blues and most jazz), tracing that back through American popular music starting with the instrument's appearance in minstrel shows in the 1840s. The ‘Accordion Uprising’ will also cover music – "classical to punk rock" – from his Accordion Noir radio show. Accordion Noir has been broadcasting for some four years, with old shows available on-line in case you've got a few hundred hours to spare. For further information email: accordion.noir@gmail.com |
‘14 Years Ago’ – Malcolm Gee (1940-97)by Rob Howard |
 This week 14 years ago Accordions Worldwide reported the breaking news of the death of Malcolm Gee, a unique figure in the accordion scene in Britain through his ‘Pied Piper’ lead, initiatives and drive. We may never see his like again!CLUB ACCORD PRESIDENT PASSES AWAY - UNITED KINGDOM Contributed by Tracey Middleton Malcolm Gee, President and founder of Club Accord, passed away on Tuesday 11th February 1997 at Law Hospital in Lanark, Scotland. He had suffered a stroke whilst on holiday. This has come as an enormous shock to all in the accordion world and he will be greatly missed. Malcolm founded Club Accord along with many other people almost exactly 21 years ago. Not long after starting Club Accord, he launched a club newsletter, which grew to become the Accordion News. He started the National Autumn Accordion Festival which has found its home at Caister and attracts nearly 1000 accordionists each year. He toured Australia and New Zealand with Helen Kemp and spread the accordion movement around the globe. He then started the Summer Accordion Festival at St. Audries Bay and the Spring Accordion Camp by his pub, The New Inn, Pound Green Bewdley. He has promoted the accordion and supported accordion clubs tirelessly. He threw himself into the accordion world whole heartedly. If it wasn't for Malcolm, the accordion "society" in the United Kingdom would not be as successful as it is today. We owe him a great deal. Who knows what will happen to the Accordion "world" now that he has left us. I only hope that we will continue what he has started. We can not let all his ideas and enthusiasm die with him. Although Caister was almost entirely a "one man" organised event, I hope that a committee can be formed to continue it for years to come, as a tribute to Malcolm. I also hope that Club Accord will continue to thrive and see new members, and artists, enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the club, and use the opportunity to meet fellow enthusiasts and to spread the word of the accordion as Malcolm would have wished. He leaves behind a lot of friends who will miss him greatly. |
Future events |
Jean-Marc Marroni Courses - Franceby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
 Jean-Marc Marroni, 1985 Coupe Mondiale World Champion and today the Prof. Accordion at the Conservatoire d'Aix-en Provence, France, leads his annual accordion course, April 23rd to 30th, at Serre-Eyraud, Hautes-Alpes, France. These Courses with Jean-Marc Marroni are organized by Europe Accordion Arts and Cultures. Tuition includes preparation for final examinations later in the year, national with international and competitions, study of world music, tango, baroque music, etc. For further information email Veronica Marroni: veronique.marroni@wanadoo.fr |
AAA Presents the 2011 Seminars, New York – USAby William Schimmel |
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 Dr. William Schimmel, moderator/curator, will direct the American Accordionists' Association (AAA) 2011 Seminars: ‘Walton the Imperial: Crowned!’, on July 29th and 30th. The master classes are at 3 pm, and concerts take place at 7 pm. All events will be at the Tenri Cultural institute, 43a West 13 St. – between 5 and 6 Ave, New York. The weekend also includes afternoon workshops, discussions, and informal performances.All events will be at the Tenri Cultural institute, 43a West 13 St. – between 5 and 6 Ave, New York. The weekend also includes afternoon workshops, discussions, and informal performances. Download the reservations form: 2011Walton.pdf Accordion philosopher Dr. William Schimmel will be the guide throughout, supplying commentary, giving interviews as well as lecturing and performing. The weekend will cover literally every aspect of the accordion and its various dimensions – classical, jazz, ethnic, avant garde, and world music. Anyone interested in performing at one of the afternoon master classes – to receive advice, encouragement and constructive criticism from the participants, the audience, and Dr. Schimmel may contact him at 212-876-0827 – the same number for all reservations concerning the entire weekend events. The master classes on July 29th include: ‘The accordion in ordinary life’, ‘Twelve ordinary notes’, ‘The non narrative life’, ‘The accordion and FDR’, ‘More is better’, ‘Simplicity born of an inner complexity’, ‘The art of disappointment’, and ‘Turn your garbage heap into a pop art statement’. The master classes on July 30th include: ‘Performing for the homeless’, ‘Tea and tango’, ‘The tango and shopping’, ‘Glasgow – the Tokyo of the north/Tokyo of tea rooms’, ‘The art of boredom’, ‘The 400 club’, ‘The tango and how to dance it’, and ‘The house of the ordinary/ordinary people’. Admission: $20 per master class, $40 per day, $25 per concert, and $110 entire weekend. For reservations: 212- 876-0827 or download the eservations form: 2011Walton.pdf |
Milos Milivojevic Concerts, London – UKby Rob Howard |
 Accordionist Milos Milivojevic performs as follows:February 14th, 7.30pm - Valentine's Gala Concert performances, with Taro Hakase (violin), Corentin Chassard (cello), and Maciej Janas (piano), at the Cadogan Hall, London. February 21st, 8pm - All Saints Church, Lovelace Road, West Dulwich, London SE21 8JY, with the Kosmos Ensemble, performing Classical, Tango and Eastern European music. For further information email: milosmusic@hotmail.com |
Frédéric Deschamps Masterclasses and Courses - France, Spain, Finland, China, USA, Canadaby |
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| Photo above: Previous VIP Masterclass in preparation for TV, concerts and international competitions in 2011. The month of March see the resumption of intense full time educational activities by Frédéric Deschamps as he travels to Spain (March 1 to 4), Finland (March 4 to 8, Winter Congress of the CIA), USA (March 20 to 26). In between, is a course in France (March 8 to 15) which is a special preparation VIP Master Class with 14 artists from 14 countries including (China, Canada, USA, Serbia, Macedonia, Macedonia, New Zealand, Russia, and of course, some European countries - Switzerland, Italy, Finland). The VIP Master Class is preparatory to the various TV, international competitions and concerts for 2011. The next teaching courses open to all enthusiasts and young students too, is April 17 to 23 and April 24 to 30. Number of places are limited to 12 students each week. Information and registration: Frederic Deschamps 06 17 85 38 19 or frederic.deschamps @ wanadoo.fr |
Joe Natoli in Concert, Ohio – USAby Rob Howard |
 Joe Natoli will be performing a special concert for WWII veterans and other members of the armed services on Sunday February 13th, 2pm, at Westerville Central High School, 7118 Mount Royal Ave, Westerville, near Columbus Ohio. Joe will be using the Roland FR7X, and one of the pieces he will be playing in the service veterans’ honour is Aaron Copland's ‘Fanfare For the Common Man’, which was commissioned from Copland for the WWII armed services. For further information email: jnatoli_yh@yahoo.com |
Declan Gaynor at Club Accord, Birmingham – UKby Rob Howard |
| Irish accordion entertainer Declan Gaynor makes a return visit as the guest at Club Accord on Monday February 14th, 8.30pm. The venue is Catshill Social Club, 13a Meadow Road, Catshill, near Bromsgrove, Birmingham B61 0JJ. Declan is a fast-fingered accordionist and a singer with a rich deep voice who specialises in Irish dance music and ballads. For further information email: catshillwmc@tiscali.co.uk |
Camille Privat’s CD Launch, Rennes – Franceby Rob Howard |
 Camille Privat launches her new classical accordion CD on Saturday February 12th, 8pm, with a concert at the Salle des Associations ‘Le Champs de Mars’, 6 cours des Alliés, Rennes, Brittany. Her CD includes music by Mozart, Brel Bach, Franck Angélis, Oleksiv, and others. Also performing in the concert, as soloists, are two of Camille’s students, Sébastien Taillard and Maryll Abbas. Free entry, and a glass of wine for attendees. The concert sponsored by ‘La maison de l'accordéon’ and the association Atoût Vent. For further information email: atout.vent@yahoo.fr |
Marco Lo Russo’s News, Rome, Latina – Italyby Rob Howard |
 Marco Lo Russo performs in a show titled ‘Les Femmes d’Or’ at the Teatro Orologio, Rome, February 8th to 13th. On February 26th, 9pm, Marco Lo Russo performs at the Teatro Cafaro, Latina, in a concert titled ‘Mediterranean Accordion... Future Tango’. For further information email: stampa@marcolorusso.com |
Chiz Bishop Recordings Sought, Derbyshire – UKby Rob Howard |
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| Alex Cadogan, based in Derbyshire, UK, has recently acquired the personal career scrapbooks and the 1961 CIA competitors’ medal previously belonging to Charles ‘Chiz Bishop’ (1927-2000), one of Britain’s greatest competitive accordionists. Chiz Bishop became the All Britain Advanced Solo Champion in 1937 at just ten years of age, then after a fourteen year hiatus due to World War Two and army service, won two more Advanced titles and an incredible seven All-Britain Virtuoso titles, spanning a period of 25 years, 1937 to 1962. Chiz went on to became a professional accordionist and organist. Alex is seeking recordings made by Chiz Bishop, and would be grateful for any assistance. For further information email: Aibattuta@aol.com |
New and Updated Sites |
The Accordion Russia News 1st February edition, now online.by Yulia Amerikova |
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| The Accordion Russia News 1st February edition, now online. |
Soundwear Dimbath e.K., Accordion Bag Manufacturer - Germanyby Soundwear Dimbath e.K. |
 Updated site by Soundwear Dimbath e.K., Accordion Bag Manufacturer of Germany. The makers of soundwear products have been designing and producing cases and accessories for musical instruments for over 50 years. Purchase online with credit card, shipping all over the world. |
February Accordion USA News Now Onlineby Rita Davidson Barnea |
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| The February 2011 Accordion USA News is now online. |
Viacheslav Bondarenko New Website - Russiaby Viacheslav Bondarenko |
 A new website in Russian and English for Viacheslav Bondarenko, the 2010 winner of the XXV International Competition "Citta di Castelfidardo" (Castelfidardo, Italy) in the top solo concert category. |
Jean-Marc Marroni New Website - Franceby Jean-Marc Marroni |
 Jean-Marc Marroni, 1985 Coupe Mondiale World Champion and today the Prof. Accordion at the Conservatoire d'Aix-en Provence, France. Advertising his four CD's with sound samples. |
CD Reviews |
Duo MARES CD Reviewby Joan C. Sommers |
 CD Reviews Index for the Review of Duo MARES CD by Joan Sommers. Performer are Duo MARES, Esra Pehlivanli (Viola) and Marko Kassl (Accordion). |
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