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Highlights |
Professor Lech Puchnowski (1932-2014), Warsaw – Poland
2014 Strumenti & Musica Festival Grand Finale, Spoleto - Italy
Accordion Pops Orchestra Honors Carmen Carrozza, Håvard Svensrud Performing - USA
Paris-Moscow Duo @ Mundesley Accordion Festival, Norfolk – UK
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Video: Alexander Poeluev Performing - China
New Accordion Blog, Texas – USA
Iosif Purits debuts at the RAM, London – UK
Sonja Palinich Article, Auckland – New Zealand
Video: Alexander Selivanov and Denis Chefanov Perform in Castelfidardo - Italy
‘14 Years Ago’: The largest collection of accordions in Canada
Future events |
Mirjana Petercol Trio Performance, Mannheim – Germany
Ilya Yakushev Concert, New Jersey – USA
Race Meeting ‘After-Party’, New Jersey – USA
David Vernon Concert, West Dunbartonshire – UK
Accordion Concert, Seren del Grappa – Italy
‘Stage International D’accordeon’, Onet-le-Château - France
Marco Lo Russo @ ‘The week of Cuban culture’, Havana - Cuba
Charity fund raising dance, Tipperary – Republic of Ireland
Natalya Chesnova Concerts/Master Classes, Daegu - South Korea
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Highlights |
30th International Festival of Music for Accordion, St Petersburg – Russiaby Harley Jones |
 The 30th International Festival of Music for Accordion takes place from November 2nd to 4th at the White Hall, 29 Street Politekhnicheskaya (Polytechnic University) situated only 300 meters from the station M. Politekhnicheskaya, St Petersburg. For each festival, Alexander Dmitriev (picture left) has been the main organizer and in 2014 is assisted by Vitaly Pugachev and Maria Romanova. The festival guests include: Alexander Na Yun Kin, popular composer and accordionist, whose compositions are included in the repertoire of many professional accordionists. You will hear the famous and beloved works and recent compositions. The jazz duo from Italy - Paolo Sabatino (piano) and Renzo Ruggieri (accordion) will perform. Renzo is a one of the favorite accordionists of the Russian public, and will perform at the festival for the third time. Again, a new program, the theme for this concert being popular Italian songs, old to the latest. The second concert will open with the ensemble-etalon of Russian bayan ensembles - Lipetsk Trio Bayanists, who will perform works by Mikhail Glinka up to arrangements of Russian folk songs. Also performing are the duo Klaus Paier and Asja Valchich (cello), an international duet uniting Austria and Croatia. The crowning of the Festival will be a gala concert, which will include all of these artists and young winners of the Mazhdunarodnyh contests from 2014. The 2013 report and photos at: XXIX Report |
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Professor Lech Puchnowski (1932-2014), Warsaw – Polandby Rob Howard |
 Professor Wlodzimierz Lech Puchnowski, widely considered as the father figure of the modern accordion in Poland, passed away on October 14th. Born on February 28th 1932 in Warsaw, Lech Puchnowski studied the piano before taking up the accordion, at which he excelled. He studied at the University of Warsaw in the years 1951-1955, then at the Franz Liszt Hochschule in Weimar, Germany.Lech Puchowski’s teaching career began in 1954, and he entered the Chopin Academy in Warsaw as a teacher in 1961, and became a significant figure in the modern accordion world as an educator, solo performer, writer, and orchestral conductor. His many involvements include founding the Stowarzyszenia Akordeonistów Polskich (Polish Accordion Association - President 1960 to 2016); Internationale Confederation des Accordeonistes, IMC/UNESCO (Vice-President 1963–1989). In 1961 Puchowski founded The Warsaw Accordeon Quintet, which he led until 1989. The members of the Quintet were graduates of the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, where they studied with him. The highly acclaimed Quintet played in over 1600 concerts all over Europe and Asia, performing at 25 national and international festivals of contemporary music, also making six albums, numerous radio and TV appearances. Professor Puchnowski did much research into musical education, and wrote and published works about the principles of modern methods of teaching the accordion. He was the author of music books, text books, dissertations, scientific reports, prefaces to other publications, 30 studies of creative literature, music for solo accordion, accordion bands and chamber ensembles. He also wrote numerous articles published in national and international journals. There will be a State Funeral on Wednesday October 22nd in Warsaw. |
2014 Strumenti & Musica Festival Grand Finale, Spoleto - Italyby Ilaria Bellini |
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 The Grand Finale Concert of the 2014 Strumenti & Musica Festival included the competition winners and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Calabria and was attended by the Mayor of Spoleto, Fabrizio Cardarelli.The winners of international competitions for accordion and piano are young artists from different parts of the world: Russia, Brazil, Japan, Korea, England and Italy. The Ensemble category was won by a duo of Matteo Carbone (accordion, 14 years) and Andrea Coruzzi (harp, 16 years) and for the category piano, the winner "Giancarlo Menotti Award" was Maxim Kulagin (Russia, 26 years). "It 's a big thrill to see young musicians playing in this historic venue, displaying such a great talent" said Maria Flora Monini, President of the “Fondazione Monini”. Opening the Sunday evening concert with the 55 piece Philharmonic Orchestra of Calabria conducted by Filippo Arlia was Strumenti & Musica Festival Artistic Director Mirco Patarini (picture above), who performed the very popular "Oblivion" and "Adios Nonino" by Astor Piazzolla. Other accordion performances included Sergej Aksenov (Russia), Daniele Carabetta (Italy) performing “Tango Italiano” composed by Renzo Ruggeri and Mahatma Costa (Brazil). The evening performances from the piano section included Sofia Proietti (Italy), Kristina Sirotenko, Yu Mi Hyang (Korean ),Kulagin Maxim (Russia) and concluding the concert, Valeria Lachman (Russia) with the first movement of the "Concerto No. 3" by Beethoven. The Mayor of Spoleto Fabrizio Cardarelli spoke "I have personally witnessed the high level of competitors and I would like to thank the organizing Association, Italian Accordion Culture, for the work they do with commitment and passion." Picture below: Mayor Cardarelli, Artistic Director Mirco Patarini and compere Antonella Fabrizio |
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Accordion Pops Orchestra Honors Carmen Carrozza, Håvard Svensrud Performing - USAby Rita Davidson Barnea |
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 The Accordion Pops Orchestra, conducted by Al Terzo, will present a memorial tribute concert to Carmen Carrozza on Sunday November 2nd, 2pm, at the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse, 88 Route 173 West, Hampton, New Jersey.Featured performers include accordionist Havard Svensrud (picture let), virtuoso flautist Andrea Maurer, Lou Coppola and the Stereo Strings. Norwegian concert accordionist Håvard Svensrud will be a guest performer. Håvard has established himself as a professional performer of both classical and traditional entertainment music, performing frequently on radio and TV, as a soloist and as a group musician. He has contributed to, and released, several recordings. On occasions he has also appeared with different orchestras, including the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and Forsvarets Musikkorps. The price for the dinner and concert is $50. For tickets and further information, contact Rosemarie Cavanaugh, phone: 732-257-8198. Carmen Carrozza (1921-2013) was one of America’s most renowned and highly accomplished concert accordionists. Born in Italy, his family moved to the USA in 1930, settling in New York. He was also a past President of the American Accordionists' Association (AAA). |
Paris-Moscow Duo @ Mundesley Accordion Festival, Norfolk – UKby Rob Howard |
 The Paris Moscou Duo - Roman Jbanov and Domi Emorine – perform next week, October 20th to 24th, at the Mundesley Accordion Festival in Norfolk, England.Roman Jbanov and Domi Emorine have both won many international accordion competitions as solo artists, and have performed as a duo since 1997 with distinction at festivals, concerts and master classes in many countries. Their high calibre performances include Russian and French classical and lighter music, from the Baroque period up to the present, including music that has been transcribed or specifically written for the accordion. There are CD's available online at: Paris Moscou For further information email: duopm@sfr.fr |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Brandon McPhee Contest Success @ Royal National Mod, Scotland – UKby Rob Howard |
 Brandon McPhee last week won the Open Accordion section at the Royal National Mod, held in Inverness, for the third year in a row. His competition pieces were ‘Miss Elspeth Campbell’, ‘Dr Mackay of Halkirk’ and the Clumsy Lover.The Royal National Mod, founded in Oban in 1891, is an annual Gaelic language cultural festival that provides opportunities for people of all ages to perform across a range of competitive disciplines including Gaelic Music and Song, Highland Dancing, Instrumental, Drama, Sport and Literature. Shand Morino player Brandon, still a teenager and from Wick in the Higlands, has won numerous accordion competitions in Scotland, has three CDs and a DVD to his credit, and is an in demand performer at concerts, dances, clubs and festivals. He also sings and plays the guitar. |
Video: Alexander Poeluev Performing - Chinaby Harley Jones |
| Alexander Poeluev performing in China. Video 1: The Hunting Song, Paganini/Liszt, arranged Semionov Video 2: Kalina Krasnaia by Viatcheslav Semionov |
New Accordion Blog, Texas – USAby Rita Davidson Barnea |
 Shelia Lee, teacher and owner of Houston Accordion Performers in Houston, Texas, has created an accordion blog containing technique drills, ear training, a monthly lesson, practice tips and accordion arrangements from level 1 to 5 based on the Palmer Hughes lesson books. Arrangements for solo, duet, and trio from 1960s and 70s will be included each month.Shelia Lee, attended the 2014 International Accordion Convention in Las Vegas where she conducted two workshops and the enthusiastic response received inspired her to create the blog. Playing the accordion since she was five years old, Shelia studied with Bill Palmer and was a member of the Palmer and Hughes Accordion Symphony. Currently she performs as soloist or with bands in the Houston/Galveston area and also teaches keyboard and button accordion trough Heritage Arts Production, a non-profit organization. Many songs are included in the October upload including ‘Let It Go’, ‘Here Comes the Sun’, ‘My Girl’, ‘My Boyfriend's Back’, plus Oktoberfest and Christmas songs. For information on accessing the blog email: slee736@comcast.net |
Iosif Purits debuts at the RAM, London – UKby Rob Howard |
 Iosif Purits has recently started his post-graduate diploma course at the Royal Academy of Music in London after winning many international competitions and completing his studies under Friedrich Lips in Moscow at the Ginessin School of Music. On October 7th he made his debut concert in the RAM’s Henry Wood Room where he played a varied program that very impressed the audience. The audience enthusiastically applauded and Purits performed an encore. Iosif Purits joins a number of very successful accordionists who have studied at the RAM Accordion Department in spite of the costs of studying in London and from there, launch successful professional careers. |
Sonja Palinich Article, Auckland – New Zealandby Harley Jones |
  Sonja Palinich is an accordionist and teacher, and is the President of the New Zealand Accordion Association. Sonja Palinich BA LLB is also a lawyer, specialising in family law. She is an Auckland Central representative for the Family Law Section of the New Zealand Law Society. The Law Society publication ran a very nice article about her interest in the accordion which has just been published. NewLaw.pdf Sonja Palinich also holds the ATDNZ (Accordion Teachers' Diploma of New Zealand), and AIRMT (Associate of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers for Accordion and Music Theory). |
Video: Alexander Selivanov and Denis Chefanov Perform in Castelfidardo - Italyby Harley Jones |
| Video 1: Amaryllis by T. Sergeeva Video 2: Jasmine by T. Sergeeva The concert was sponsored by Scandalli Accordions. Download program: Selivanov-Chefanov.pdf |
‘14 Years Ago’: The largest collection of accordions in Canadaby Rob Howard |
| The Accordions Worldwide news for the week ending October 20th 2000 included an article reporting on the 300 accordions owned in Ontario, Canada, by Raymond Laforest. There are nowadays several large private collections around the world, and one of the largest is owned by Ken Hopkins in Northern Ireland, which currently numbers just over 1000 instruments, including many antique and rare accordions dating all the way back to the early years of the 19th Century. The sheer variety of accordion designs, past and recent, inspired the books ‘Vintage Accordions’ and ‘Accordion: A Pictorial History’, written by Accordions Worldwide News Editor Rob Howard. Accordion Collection – Canada Accordionist Raymond Laforest has what he believes is the largest collection of accordions in Canada with over 300 hundred in his Ontario house. Raymond, who started collecting 20 years ago, advertises in the paper for instruments, some of which he uses for spare parts. The oldest instrument in the collection was made in 1862. Raymond believes the largest collection in the world may be held by French accordionist Jeannot Perret who has over 800 instruments. |
Future events |
Pigini Music Days, Arhhem – Netherlandsby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
 The Pigini Music Days take place from October 22nd to 25th at the ArtEZ Conservatorium in Arnhem, led by Professor Rik Cornelissen. Activities include ‘Play along with the ArtEZ Accordion Big Band’, various workshops and master classes, and a concert in the Walloon Church in Arnhem. There will also be a general meeting for accordionists to share experiences and exchange ideas for the future of the accordion in the Netherlands. For further information email: info@pigini.nl |
Mirjana Petercol Trio Performance, Mannheim – Germanyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
 On Saturday October 18th, 6pm, Mirjana Petercol (accordion and gothic portative), Dorte Nienstedt (recorder), and Anne Horstmann (flute), perform ‘Ich will nicht übertreiben, ich will nicht untertreiben’.This work is composed by Professor Violeta Dinescu of University Hall, Mannheimer Schloss, for an audience of doctors and other health professionals. This concert is at the close of an all-day medical symposium. For further information email: mirjanapetercol@gmx.de |
Ilya Yakushev Concert, New Jersey – USAby Rob Howard |
 Ilya Yakushev and his father, Alexander, and the Accordion Virtuosi of Russia, perform in concert on Sunday November 2nd, 7.30pm, at the Hunterdon Central HS auditorium in Flemington, New Jersey. The concert is organised by Stanton Reformed Church of Stanton, NJ, from whom tickets may be booked by calling 908-236-2381 or at the door on the night of the concert. |
Race Meeting ‘After-Party’, New Jersey – USAby Rob Howard |
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| On Saturday October 18th, 7pm, after the Far Hills Race Meeting, H.P. & his Hot Take Out Band, featuring accordionist Bruce Gassman, will be performing their Zydeco/Surf/Rock/Blues music to the ‘After-Party’ at the Gladstone Tavern, 273 Main St, Gladstone, New Jersey. |
David Vernon Concert, West Dunbartonshire – UKby Rob Howard |
 Accordion entertainer David Vernon performs in concert on Sunday October 19th, 7.30pm, at St Kessogs Hall, Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.David Vernon and clarinet player Dick Lee will be guests next week at the Mundesley Accordion Festival in Norfolk, October 20th to 24th. |
Accordion Concert, Seren del Grappa – Italyby Rob Howard |
 A concert, styled the ‘3rd Raduno Nazionale’ (3rd National Gathering), takes place in Seren del Grappa, Italy, on Sunday October 19th, 9pm, involving accordionists Walter Losi, Tiziano Chiapelli, Romeo Aichino, Breda Gubler, and Andrea Morandini. There will also be an exhibition of accordions.Seren del Grappa is a commune in the province of Belluno in the Italian region of Veneto, located about 70 kilometres northwest of Venice and about 35 kilometres southwest of Belluno. |
‘Stage International D’accordeon’, Onet-le-Château - Franceby Rob Howard |
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| The ‘Stage International D’accordeon’ takes place from October 20th to 24th at the Theatre La Baleine, 25 place des Artistes, 12850 Onet-le-Château, southern France. Performing are Grayson Masefield, Vitaly Kondratenko, Jeremy Buirette, Elsa Gourdy, Guillaume Fric, and Romain Duouis. The main concert, involving all the guests, is on Thursday October 23rd, 8.30pm. Event organiser is Frederic Deschamps. |
Marco Lo Russo @ ‘The week of Cuban culture’, Havana - Cubaby Rob Howard |
 Accordionist Marco Lo Russo returns to Cuba and will perform a solo recital at Antigua Iglesia de San Francisco de Paula, Havana, on October 20th, 7pm, as part of a Cuban cultural festival. On October 26th at the Teatro Las Coralinas, Havana, Marco Lo Russo will accompany the choreography of the dance company Retazos, directed by Isabel Bustos. He recently visited Cuba to represent Italy at the 6th Leo Brouwer Festival of Chamber Music. For further information email: stampa@marcolorusso.com |
Charity fund raising dance, Tipperary – Republic of Irelandby Rob Howard |
 A charity fund raising dance takes place on Tuesday October 21st, 9pm, at OB’s Kilross, Tipperary, in the Irish Republic. There are several artists performing, including accordionists Patrick O’Sullian, Tom Healy, Dermot Lyons, Finbarr Denehy, Larry McEvoy, and Declan Aungier. |
Natalya Chesnova Concerts/Master Classes, Daegu - South Koreaby Rob Howard |
 Belorussian accordionist Natalya Chesnova performs in concerts on November 6th and 7th, 9pm, at Suseong Artpia, Daegu, South Korea. She will also hold master classes at this venue on these days, 10am until 12pm. Natalya Chesnova, now based in Milan, Italy, graduated from the Minsk Conservatory, Belorus, in 2004. She then worked as an accordion teacher in Minsk and as an accompanist for choreographers and dance teachers. Natalya was a member of the ensemble ‘Novyi Gorod’, who in 2001 obtained 3rd place in the competition ‘Golden Accordion’ in New York, 1st place at the International Competition in Castelfidardo, and performed dozens of concerts in all the states of the former Soviet Union, Poland, Germany and Italy, and played in many broadcasts on radio and TV in Belarus. In 2004 Natalya moved to Italy, where she married the singer Nicola Portonato, and is in demand for concerts, teaching, etc. For further information email: info@natalyachesnova.com |
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