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http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=13-Sep-2013&lang=ru&s=7714
http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=13-Sep-2013&lang=ru&s=7714
13-Sep-2013
by Heather Masefield
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 Last weekend, was the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra tour to China in 1988. At that time, the orchestra sponsored by Air New Zealand was a New Zealand Cultural Ambassador promoting tourism to beautiful New Zealand.Such was the international interest in accordion activities in China, that the American Accordionists Association (AAA) President Faithe Deffner also came on the tour and made a report to the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) about the remarkable accordion activities in China. This was the 5th International Goodwill Concert Tour by the Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra and went to Australia, Singapore, the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong. After performing extensively at the World Expo '88 in Brisbane (over 30 concerts) the Orchestra was greatly honored to be the first foreign accordion orchestra to perform in the People's Republic of China, a country in 1988, where more people play accordion than in any other country. Performances included full concert programs in the Beijing and Shanghai Concert Halls, each fully televised as well as in Xian and Canton cities. The tour concluded with several concerts and television appearances in Hong Kong. The orchestra players, average age 16 years, played their complete 80 minute program from memory and today, accordion orchestras in China often play from memory. Conductor Fay-Ellen Schaw thanked all those present for their dedication and efforts to achieve a superb standard (standing ovations on 4 continents of the world) and for making such concert tours possible at that time. CD's of the orchestra are available at: http://www.musicforaccordion.com/inform/anzao/index.htm |