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http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=24-Oct-2008&lang=es&s=307
http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=24-Oct-2008&lang=es&s=307
24-Oct-2008
by Rene Mairis
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 The Eastbourne Festival had it all and much, much more. The event was a sell out so take note of warnings to book early in future. Word has got out, Eastbourne is the place to be.The virtuoso playing of Italy’s Marco Valenti was unforgettable. Each evening he gave a faultless performance, playing favourites such as Monti’s ‘Czardas’ and ‘The Carnival of Venice’; works by Piazzolla e.g. ‘Libertango’, ‘Oblivion’; and pieces from the classical repertoire – ‘Caprices’, by Paganini, Liszt’s ‘Hungarian Rhapsody No.5’, and my favourite, ‘Toccata’, by Paradisi. Marco showed his technical mastery and musicianship and charmed us all with his gentle manner. The newly crowned UK Roland V-Accordion champion Johnny-Lee Leslie displayed his superb technical command of the instrument, and his programme included some wonderful Bach (‘Prelude and Fugue, BWV 554’), Scarlatti, Piazzolla, Galliano and Brahms. As well as this we had not ‘Girl Power’ but ‘Pearl Power’ as our much loved Pearl Fawcett-Adriano played each evening. Her programmes included classical gems like ‘Dance of the Comedians’ (Smetana) and ‘Hungarian Dance No.5’ (Brahms); some of her own compositions (‘Musette Italiano’, ‘Sleepy Blues’), and pieces by Deiro and Frosini. I was particularly taken with ‘Robins at Sunrise’ (Frosini), which is full of unexpected harmonies and nuances and showed Pearl’s wonderful control of touch and bellows which makes her playing so unique. The Crawley Accordion Orchestra, conducted by Shaun Hunter, entertained with such pieces as ‘The Thunderer’, by Sousa, suites (e.g. ‘Henry Mancini in Concert’), ‘Domino’, Chappell’s ‘Melodeon Cocktail No.2’, ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’, ‘Cavatina’, Renato Bui’s ‘Fantasy in Concert’, and many others. Andrew Lukins delighted the audience with a most entertaining recital on the xylophone accompanied by his dad, David, on the accordion. Andrew also played with his parents as part of ‘Corn Rigs’, providing the music for a barn dance. The classes included orchestra with Jean Hanger, a teaching seminar on ‘Libertango’, with Trevani, beginners’ class with Sue Bennett, jazz with Harry Hussey, a folk dance group with Angie Lukins, and a seminar on bellows control with Pearl Fawcett-Adriano. In the afternoons we mortals were given the chance to perform and/or listen, and there never seems to be a shortage of victims/volunteers for these sessions. The next Eastbourne Festival Weekend will be February 20th-23rd 2009 at a new venue, the Queen’s Hotel, which is right by the pier. For further information email: jr@eastbourne-music-festivals.co.uk |