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Highlights |
Shanghai /Paris Teacher Cooperation 5 Years of Success - China
Friedrich Lips Accordion Workshop, Carinthia – Austria
Australian International Accordion Championships and Festival - Australia
Antonio Spaccarotella Tour India 2014 - Italy, India
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Video: Mika Väyrynen Performs in Helsinki - Finland
Confédération Mondiale de l’Accordéon News (CMA) - France
Video: Una Sinistra Perform Meditango by Astor Piazzolla - Russia
‘Tango Dreams’ CD by CT Tango Ensemble, Cape Town – South Africa
Video: Maria Selezneva Recent Videos - Russia
‘14 Years Ago’: Robert Davine Honoured in the USA
Future events |
Video: Ludovic Beier, Frankfurt Musikmesse - Germany
Martynas Levickis Guest Soloist with Camerata, Manchester – UK
Video: Pietro Roffi Solo Recital, Italian Culture Institute, Beijing - China
Eric Noltkamper @ Milwaukee Accordion Club, Wisconsin - USA
Video: Kimmo Pohjonen and Minna Tervamäki - Bright Shadow
Helen Rich @ Black Country Accordion & Music Club, West Midlands – UK
Milos Miliojevic Concert News, London, Scotland – UK
Daniel Mille Concerts – Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil
Contemporary Music and Dance Performances, Amsterdam – Netherlands
Stephane Chapuis Appearing at La Fête de la musique d'Orsières - Switzerland
International Agora Summer Academy, Leysin – Switzerland
New and Updated Sites |
Alexander Poeluev Updated Site - Russia
Finland Recording Site Update adding sound samples - Finland
Karen Fremar New Site for CD 'Night at the Pla-Mor' - USA
CD Reviews |
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |
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Highlights |
Video: 868 Accordionists Celebrate Together!, Almirante Tamandaré do Sul – Brazilby Rob Howard |
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 Video above: On Thursday April 17th, at the 8th Gaitasso Accordion Festival, Almirante Tamandaré do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 868 accordionists plus other instrumentalists and singers all celebrated and performed together, inspired by the forthcoming soccer World Cup that takes place in Brazil, June 12th to July 13th.The Gaitasso annual festival attracted a total of 1,117 accordionists of all ages, mainly piano accordion players, of which, 868 took part in the grand finale shown on the video. |
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Shanghai /Paris Teacher Cooperation 5 Years of Success - Chinaby Harley Jones |
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 Some 5 years ago, famous Chinese accordion professor Li Cong, now President of the China Accordion Association (CAA) and Head of Department of Music College, Shanghai Normal University (SHNU), initiated and organized a regular Shanghai/Paris teaching cooperation.Highly successful Paris teacher Frédéric Deschamps was invited by Li Cong to be a "guest" professor at SHNU and to visit Shanghai every 2-3 months for master classes. The most recent master class was again booked many months in advance - see pictures. This Shanghai/Paris teacher connection has also resulted in Chinese students attending Deschamps courses in France including groups, often led by SHNU accordion tutor Crystal Wang, regularly attending. The student successes from this cooperation include the first Chinese senior entertainment category winners Liu Zhao (Coupe Mondiale 2011) and Tan Jia Liang (Primius Ikaalinen 2012). This teacher cooperation also extends to training "Childrens Palace" accordion teachers for these specialised centers where all musical instruments and artistic activities are represented, for training young talent. With the one child policy and the dramatic expansion of the Chinese economy, the children have parents able to devote time and income to a high quality education. Nearly 12,000 children are allowed free tuition in the Childrens Palace. The teachers of these specialized centers must always get their college degree and in Shanghai, Frédéric Deschamps has assisted with tutor training. The Childrens Palace were orginally established in Shanghai and the idea has extended to many other Chinese cities. The Childrens Palace accordion program is also connected with the Chinese Accordion Association, and the Shanghai Accordion Association, who are responsible for that area of China. Internationally known Crystal Wang is the newly appointed President of the Shanghai Accordion Association which is one of the largest regional accordion associations in China and assumes the relationship between Children Palaces, associations municipal, domestic and international. The Shanghai Accordion Association also runs training courses and a very large examinations system for students. |
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Friedrich Lips Accordion Workshop, Carinthia – Austriaby Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions |
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 This year’s Friedrich Lips accordion workshop in Austria will be held during Musikforum Viktring, Carinthia, near Klagenfurt, from July 14th to 18th. Picture of the historic venue above. Friedrich Lips, concert artist, acclaimed tutor, is head of the famous Bayan/Accordion Department of the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow. He will give solo lessons to participants giving his view of how to solve musical and technical problems, performance on stage, etc. Application at www.musikforum.at For further information email: herbert@accordion-cd.co.at 26 CD's or eTracks MP3 albums download, available online at: Friedrich Lips |
Australian International Accordion Championships and Festival - Australiaby Harley Jones |
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 Video above: Lionel Reekie vocalist with the World Accordion Orchestra at the 2013 Coupe Mondiale in Canada, conductor/arranger Joan Sommers.Entry closing date is 1st May for the 2014 Australian International Accordion Championships and Festival, taking place on June 7th and 8th at the Club Marconi, Sydney, New South Wales. This year’s special guest is Mirco Patarini of Italy. Tania Lukic-Marx, President of the Australian Accordion Teachers Association (AATA) writes: "It is my pleasure to personally invite you to come to join the 20th anniversary celebration and be a part of our special International Massed Orchestra. It is our aim to have all the winners, place-getters, guest artists and adjudicators from the past 2 decades celebrate the camaraderie of the accordion in Australia at the 20th AATA Anniversary Festival. Come and join us in our celebration of the accordion”. Well known accordion/vocal performer Lionel Reekie from New Zealand will conduct the International Massed Orchestra and be performing. Rules and regulations for the international competition categories are online at: AATA. A number of these categories have the same rules as the equivalent Coupe Mondiale categories. Competition entries received so far from China, Croatia, New Zealand and Australia. For further information email: tats64@gmail.com |
Antonio Spaccarotella Tour India 2014 - Italy, Indiaby Harley Jones |
 The tour to India in April is the first part of a 2014 world tour that will take Antonio Spaccarotella to India, USA, Brazil and China where he will perform concerts, masterclasses and seminars.The tour to India is lasting 10 days, sponsored by Scandalli Accordions, Italy, the historic factory making accordions for the world market. A valuable contribution to the tour has also been made by the municipality of Cetraro that has embraced the tour to India as an intercultural tour working in conjunction with consular authorities. Antonio Spaccarotella met accordionist Amit Vaydia of India, accordionist and promoter of the tour. Among the biggest and most important concerts include: 30 April at the Kolkata Art Auditorium (Calcutta) and; May 02 at the Amanora Mall Theater (Pune). In addition to the theaters of Mumbai, Kolkata and Pune, Antonio Spaccarotella will be the guest of various television and radio broadcasts, plus masterclasses and workshops in some very prestigious institutions of higher education. |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Steve Albini Performs for Hollywood Elite, California – USAby Rob Howard |
 Well known performer Steve Albini recently gave a private performance at the residence of Hollywood film producer and director Francis Ford Coppola. Steve later commented, “I had a great performance today at Mr. and Mrs. Coppola's. I performed a program of Italian music with a few Latin and American standards. I used my FR-7X and Concerto accordions. Besides the Coppolas and their family, I performed for about eighty people including Nicolas Cage, Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe, Carrot Top and George Lucas. I was very happy with how it all turned out”. |
Video: Mika Väyrynen Performs in Helsinki - Finlandby Harley Jones |
 Video: Finnish accordionist Mika Väyrynen performed on March 31st at the Helsinki Music Center, Camerata Theater, at 7pm, where he performed these two works.Video 1: Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saens, arranged by Vladimir Horowitz and adapted for accordion by Mika Väyrynen. Video 2: Chaconne in D minor by J. S. Bach, arranged for accordion by Mika Väyrynen. CD Recordings available at: Finnish Accordeon Institute |
Confédération Mondiale de l’Accordéon News (CMA) - Franceby Harley Jones |
  Confédération Mondiale de l’Accordéon (CMA) President Frédéric Deschamps reports that the CMA and Trophée Mondial international competition organized by CMA is thriving.Since Frédéric Deschamps (picture left) became CMA President in 2004, the CMA membership has grown to include members from Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, China, USA and now a new member from Portugal. Gonçalo Pescada is a professor at several conservatories and music schools in the south of Portugal. Deschamps credits the warm family atmosphere and the quality of its delegates for encouraging the growth of CMA. For two consecutive years, Gonçalo Pescada has invited Frédéric Deschamps to conduct masterclases teaching classical and entertainment, for both advanced players and young players. Deschamps reports impressive performances from 11 to 13 years age students, and wrote, that the names to remember in the next generation are Francisco Monteiro, Nelson Nunes and Luis Mira. These three young Portuguese will be joining other students from Russia, China, USA, Mexico and Chile for Deschamps seminars, to be held in France between 6th July and 15th September. The 2014 Trophée Mondial is being held, 23rd to 28th September in Kaunas, Lithuania. Full information online at: CMA |
Video: Una Sinistra Perform Meditango by Astor Piazzolla - Russiaby Harley Jones |
| The well-known duo from Moscow "Una Sinistra" of Yulia Amerikova and Alexander Selivanov perform Meditango by Astor Piazzolla. The duo "Una Sinistra" is the winner of several international competitions, including the CIA Coupe Mondiale. They are often invited to perform concerts and take part in international festivals in Russia, Europe, and Asia and perform a very varied program. |
‘Tango Dreams’ CD by CT Tango Ensemble, Cape Town – South Africaby Rob Howard |
 ‘Tango Dreams’ is a new CD by the CT Tango Ensemble, from Cape Town, South Africa. The 17 tracks are a balance between Piazzolla, older traditional Tangos, Tango-Valse, a Milonga, original compositions, and some clearly Jazz influenced compositions. The CT Tango Ensemble, formed in 1996, is the only Tango Orchestra on the African continent. It was formed by the Bulgarian-born accordionist Stanislav Angelov, who settled in Cape Town in 1992. The other members are Albert Combrink (piano), Petrus de Beer (violin), and Charles Lazar (double bass). They have performed all over South Africa and in 2011 they toured Germany. On ‘Tango Dreams’ the band is augmented by vocalists Melanie Scholtz and Juan Simon, Dan Shout (sax), Peter Narun (guitar) and Kevin Gibson (drums). Tracks: Che Tango Che, Tango for her, Volver, Whatever Lola wants, Hemel en Aarde, Otono Porteno, J’oubile, Now I told you, Los Mareados, Milonga demis amores, Don Agustin Bardi, Long as the night, Resurreccion del Angel, Beautiful dream, Pedacito de cielo, Christopher’s Bossa, La ultima curda For further information email: music@goodmusic.co.za |
Video: Maria Selezneva Recent Videos - Russiaby Harley Jones |
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 Videos by popular Maria Selezneva who combines accordion, composition and dance in her own unique style. Video 1: "Spain Story" - Accordeon Video 2: 'Maybe' composed by Marina Finagina, Walk in St. Petersburg. Video 3: "Carribean Caprice" composed by Maria Selezneva, performing at the Moscow Variety Theater. Maria attended the St. Petersburg University of Culture and Fine Arts with Professor N. Kravtsov, Honored Artist of Russia and also graduated from the Moscow State University of Culture and the Arts. She has travelled extensively performing in many countries of the world and been filmed extensively on TV programs in different parts of the world. |
‘14 Years Ago’: Robert Davine Honoured in the USAby Rob Howard |
 The Accordions Worldwide news for the week ending April 28th 2000 included notice of an award to Robert Davine (1924-2001), who founded the Accordion Department at the University of Denver in the 1950s. Both a highly accomplished concert performer and a renowned educator, Robert Davine was one of the leading academic forces in the development of accordion studies in the USA for many years, and also in China, where he led master classes and did much to influence and promote the study of the accordion.Professor Robert Davine Receives Distinguished Teaching Award - USA Contributed by Faithe Deffner, Ernest Deffner Publications Noted accordionist and educator Robert Davine received the ‘Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Denver where he is a faculty member. This prestigious annual award cites excellence in teaching. Davine recently returned from Budapest, where he completed arrangements for a Faculty Exchange Program between the Franz Liszt Music School (Budapest) and Lamont College of Music at the University of Denver. Professor Davine is about to conclude his compilation ‘A Bibliography of Music for Accordion with Other Instruments’, which will be published later this year in ‘The Free Reed Journal’, edited by Professor Allan Atlas of the Music Department of City College of New York. This project required six years of intense research at the Indiana University and the University of Denver libraries, the Library of Congress, as well as libraries and music information centres in England, Sweden and Norway. The Bibliography will contain over 600 entries, which will assist accordionists who are searching for such literature. |
Future events |
Ezequiel Tatich Concert, Buenos Aires – Argentinaby Rob Howard |
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| Accordionist Ezequiel Tatich, known as ‘El gringo of the accordion’, and many others perform in concert on Saturday April 26th, 9pm, at ‘La casa de los surcos’, Gorriti 496., Esq.Col.Panamericana, Bolugne-San isidro, near Buenos Aires. |
Video: Ludovic Beier, Frankfurt Musikmesse - Germanyby Harley Jones |
| Ludovic Beiere at the 2014 Frankfurt Musikmesse filmed by well known accordionist Jon Hammond. John writes that "Ludovic plays Stevie Wonder's 'Isn't She Lovely' as you never heard it before!" |
Martynas Levickis Guest Soloist with Camerata, Manchester – UKby Rob Howard |
 On Sunday April 27th, 3pm, Lithuanian born accordion virtuoso Martynas Levickis is the special guest soloist with the Manchester Camerata, at the newly refurbished Albert Hall on Peter St, Manchester (opposite the Radisson Hotel, the former Free Trade Hall). Pre-concert talk at 2pm, doors open 1.30pm. Tickets from box office Ph. 0844 907 9000 or www.manchestercamerata.co.uk |
Video: Pietro Roffi Solo Recital, Italian Culture Institute, Beijing - Chinaby Harley Jones |
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 Video of a solo recital by Pietro Roffi, 2nd April 2014 at the Theatre of Italian Culture Institute (IIC), Beijing.Video 1: Winter, from "The Four Seasons" by Antonio Vivaldi Video 2: "Revelation" by Sergey Voytenko The tour was organized by the Italian Culture Institute with concerts at: March 28th - 751 D-Park, Beijing March 29th - Western Shore Art Salon, Tianjin March 30th - Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing April 2nd - Italian Cultural Institute, Beijing For further information email: pietro.roffi@alice.it |
Eric Noltkamper @ Milwaukee Accordion Club, Wisconsin - USAby Rita Davidson Barnea |
 Milwaukee Accordion Club’s next meeting, on Monday April 28th features the dance music of Eric Noltkamper and the Sidemen Reunion.Eric has performed in at least 27 different states, Mexico and Canada. He has performed on three polka cruises and toured the country with bands such as, Frank Yankovic, Herb Eberle, Gordon Hartmann, Verne and Steve Meisner, Jeff Winard, Grant Kozera, Bob Doszak, Jack Tady, The Versatones, Lynn Marie, and countless others. Eric Noltkamper has appeared on at least 20 recordings outside of his own, performing on the bass, banjo, button accordion, drums, guitar, piano accordion, chromatic accordion, and piano. For further information email: jrecchia@comcast.net |
Video: Kimmo Pohjonen and Minna Tervamäki - Bright Shadowby Harley Jones |
| Kimmo Pohjonen (accordion) and Minna Tervamäki Perform Bright Shadow. Kimmo Pohjonen is so often at the cutting edge of creative new ideas and concepts of performance of accordion, dance and lighting. |
Helen Rich @ Black Country Accordion & Music Club, West Midlands – UKby Rob Howard |
 Helen Rich is the guest at the Black Country Accordion & Music Club, Rowley Regis Disability Club, West Midlands, on Monday April 28th, 7.30pm. Helen has a two accordions and one of the accordions has midi, and uses these instruments to perform a large and varied repertoire. For further information email: lumicprod@aol.com |
Milos Miliojevic Concert News, London, Scotland – UKby Rob Howard |
 Accordionist Milos Miliojevic performs on Wednesday April 30th, 7.30pm, for The Osprey Music Society with violinist Harriet MacKenzie and cellist Ashok Klouda. The concert takes place at the Boat of Garten Community Hall, Reidhaven Park, Inverness-Shire PH24 3BL. The program includes music by Bach, Piazzolla, Wieniawski, Albeniz, and Vivaldi.Milos Miliojevic performed last week with Pritam Chakraborty and Nikhil Paul George (Zee Bollywood Rockstars) in a major concert presenting music across genres at the Wembley Arena, London. The following extract comes from a long report: “Pritam then introduced the Serbian accordionist Milos Milivojevic (who played those lovely accordion parts in ‘Barfi’, and also in songs like ‘Lat Lag Gayi’), on how he discovered him on youtube while on the search for an accordionist for Barfi. The song that followed was ‘Aashiyaan’, sung by Nikhil Paul George. Nikhil has said in interviews in the past that he isn’t really a singer. And his singing was with imperfections as expected, but together with Milos’ performance, it was quite enjoyable”. For further information email: milosmusic@hotmail.com |
Daniel Mille Concerts – Uruguay, Argentina, Brazilby Rob Howard |
 French accordionist and composer Daniel Mille, based in Paris, performs next week in South America, as follows:April 30th – solo concert, Montévidéo, Uruguay May 4th - solo concert, Buenos Aires, Argentina May 9th – trio with Yamandu Costa and Nicolas Krassik, Belo Horizonte Accordion Festival, Brazil |
Contemporary Music and Dance Performances, Amsterdam – Netherlandsby Rob Howard |
 Organised by Kathleen Delaney Dance Co and the Accademia Fisarmonicistica, international and trans-generational dancing performances involving accordionists will take place in May and June in Amsterdam. There will be two Dutch premieres at the Italian Cultural Institute May 3rd, 8pm, and at the Bimhuis, Amsterdam, on May 4th, 8.30 pm. Among the events on May 3rd the Istituto Italiano di Cultura will host a concert by musicians of the Italian Accordion Academy (Vincenzo De Nitto, Fabio Palma, Andrzej Grzybowski, Przemek Wojchiechowski, Marco Pasculli, Ezio Testa) who will present a musical programme with original and transcribed works for the classical accordion. Music featured will include compositions by Ligeti, Bizet, Kusyakov, Tiensuu, Krzanowski, Jacomucci, Beltrami, Takahashi, Ganzer, Pärt, Bach, Ginastera, and Komitas. At the Bimhuis, on May 4th, two compositions for choir and accordions: ‘Arcana’, a piece for choir and ensemble of accordion, commissioned to Claudio Jacomucci in 2013, which explores vocal and instrumental musical traditions of some distant cultures (Inuit, Kecac, carnatic music and shakuhachi), and ‘Olson III’ (1967), which can be considered one of the most powerful compositions by minimalist composer Terry Riley. Based on the repetition of short fragments of text, the piece is inspired by Zen philosophy, the Indian Raga, and the Balinese Gamelan. ‘Olson III’ is performed by the Coro Polifonico Durantino, Italian Accordion Academy, and dancers Kathleen Delaney and Roberto Lori. Also at the Bimhuis, there will be a performance of ‘Suite Venetienne’/‘Follow me’, a new creation by the choreographer Kathleen Delaney, inspired by the intriguing multimedia text of the photographer Sophie Calle, who followed strangers to photograph them, and that in this peculiar text documents a trip in the labyrinthine city of Venice, made in incognito to follow a man met briefly in Paris. Performed by Kathleen Delaney herself, and by Roberto Lori, the work is enhanced by the presence of Claudio Jacomucci and Daniele Roccato, respectively accordionist and double bass player who are considered to be among the most interesting musicians in the contemporary music scene. There will also be performances on June 3rd and 4th at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura and at the Bimhuis. For further information email: accordionconference@gmail.com |
Stephane Chapuis Appearing at La Fête de la musique d'Orsières - Switzerlandby Harley Jones |
 Stéphane Chapuis, leader of 'Tango Sensations' will be performing at La Fête de la musique d'Orsières, Saturday 21st June, 9:45pm - 11:00pmThe purpose of this festival according to the organisers, "is to give music its rightful place at the heart of the Orsières Village, highlight the Orsières heritage and give people the opportunity to express themselves. Orsières is a village of musicians, fans of good music, with 2 brass bands, 2 choirs and many independent musicians ... so it became clear that a music festival should be organized." Video above is SVP - Piazzolla, performers are Stéphane Chapuis (bandonéon), Johanna Hernandez, Tomas Hernandez (violin), Jorman Hernandez (bass), Janaina Salles (cello) |
International Agora Summer Academy, Leysin – Switzerlandby Harley Jones |
 For the 6th season, the International Agora Summer Academy will be held in Leysin, Switzerland, from August 4th to 8th 2014.This course, which is welcoming more and more accordionists from different European countries, is meant to help them develop their musical sensitivity, improve their instrumental technique and work with international artists and pedagogues. This year, the Summer Academy will participate to the Rameau 2014 celebrations (250th anniversary of his death) with an exceptional opening concert around the keyboard works by Rameau as well as a series of workshops for the students during the week. Teachers in 2014: Vladimir Blagojevic, Kragujevac Music Academy (Serbia) Mélanie Brégant, Conservatoire de Villeurbanne (France) Marie-Andrée Joerger, Conservatoire de Saint-Louis (France) Vincent LHermet, Lille Superior Conservatory –PSEA (France) Sylvain Tissot, Conservatoire de la Broye and Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne –HEMU (Switzerland). Registrations are open until May 30th 2014. Download the brochure: 2014Agora For further information email: rencontres.agora@gmail.com |
New and Updated Sites |
Karen Fremar New Site For 'Vivant! - River of Destiny' CD - USAby Karen Fremar |
 New site for 'Vivant! - River of Destiny' CD catalog No: kfremarCD02 Site has sound samples and eTracks MP3 downloadable files. Purchase online. |
Alexander Poeluev Updated Site - Russiaby Alexander Poeluev |
 Alexander Poeluev updated his site adding sample sound files and download eTracks (MP3) files for the album 'Live in Rostov-on-Don 2013', catalog: apoeluev01 Purchase online. |
Finland Recording Site Update adding sound samples - Finlandby Finland recordings |
 Finland Recording site updated For Duo Works For Two Accordion catalog: faicd25 with sound samples added. Music performed by Mika Väyrynen and Angel Luis Castaño. Purchase online. |
Karen Fremar New Site for CD 'Night at the Pla-Mor' - USAby Karen Fremar |
 Karen Fremar New Site for CD titled 'Night at the Pla-Mor', catalog: kfremarCD01 with sound samples and eTracks MP3 downloadable files. Purchase online. |
CD Reviews |
Live in Rostov-on-Don 2013 CD Review of Alexander Poeluevby Joan C. Sommers |
 CD Reviews Index for the Review of Live in Rostov-on-Don 2013 CD by Alexander Poeluev, Accordion, in English language, reviewed by Joan Sommers. |
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