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Highlights |
2016 Cotati Accordion Festival, A Joyful Experience - USA
Christian Riganelli, Artistic Director, 2016 PIF Castelfidardo - Italy
CNIMA J. Mornet: Course (Conventionné AFDAS) with Ludovic Beier - France
Admissions for the HEMU-classe d' accordéon, Lausanne - Switzerland
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
The Big Squeeze Accordion Festival, 12-14 August, Kilkenny - Ireland
Grayson Masefield Lunchtime Concert, 2016 AAA Festival - USA
Accordion Playing Cheery Asda Delivery Driver - UK
World Premieres At Harbin 2014 and Harbin 2016 International Accordion Art Week - China
Review: 'Carmen' for Accordion? Ksenija Sidorova Makes it Sing - USA
Future events |
National Folk Festival: Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys will perform in Greensboro - USA
Gail Campanella to Perform for Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society, Virginia - USA
New and Updated Sites |
Gary Dahl New Arrangement and Updated Arrangement Now Available - USA
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |
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Highlights |
Guinness Record Success!, 2016 Tacheng Accordion Festival - Chinaby Harley Jones |
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| Video: Announcement in Chinese and English. Success! The official count was 1,517 accordions playing together on 20th August at the 2016 Tacheng Accordion Festival, to break the existing Guiness World Record, which was 1,361 people playing accordion together in Shenzhen City in 2014. Read about the successful attempt in Daily Reports, competition results, pictures and video of the 2016 Tacheng Accordion Festival at: 2016Tacheng The performers of the previous record holder was collected nationwide, while this time, the performers were all amateurs from local Tacheng prefecture, except for seven accordion artists from Russia, Italy, USA, Finland, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. To prepare for the challenge, the training started from March this year, and large performing teams were established in various regions in Tacheng, as well as an accordion association. The accordion performers participating in the challenge included teachers, students, entrepreneurs, and retired employees, with the oldest 69 years old and youngest 7 years old. They were from 17 ethnic groups including Han, Kazak, Uyghur, Hui, Mongol, Daur, Tatar, and others. The successful Guinness Record attempt was one of the events of the first 2016 Tacheng Accordion Festival which is held to pass forward the distinctive accordion culture of Tacheng, and promote the cultural exchanges among the countries along the "Silk Road Economic Belt". Picture below: Chen Cuoqing, Conductor. |
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2016 Cotati Accordion Festival, A Joyful Experience - USAby Pamela Tom |
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 Photo above: Winners of many competitions and friends from three different corners of the world: Cory Pesaturo (USA), Jelena Milojevic (Canada - originally from Croatia), Tian Jianan (China), Viivi Maria Saarenkylä (Finland) and Michael Bridge (Canada).The Cotati Accordion Festival (CAF) is a non-profit organization committed to promoting the love of the accordion and supporting local youth and service organizations. To date over $400,000 has supported the community. CAF was founded by Jim Boggio (memorial statute below) and others in 1991 and is currently lead by Scott Goree and Linda Conner. Talented international (i.e., from Canada, China, Croatia, and Finland), national and local performers squeezed their accordions to a wide range of toe-tapping, jaw-dropping musical genera (jazz, western, classic, Django, etc.) as they entertained about 5,000 attendees during the August 20-21, 2016 event. The younger accordion students competed for cash prizes up to $500. Veteran performer, teacher, music arranger, and electronic accordion pioneer artist, Lou Jacklich, was recognized as the 2016 CAF Honorary Director. At CAF, the attendee can listen to acts on the center and side stages, try out accordions, dance, or just observe in the "jamming" and polka tents. Plus the Apocalypse Stage features Northern California acts that appeal to the younger crowd and there is a zydeco dance party at nearby Friar Tucks restaurant. Accordions, sheet music and books, CDs, clothing, accessories, food and more are available. According to Linda Conner the "most valuable part of the CAF is the pure joy of thousands who attend (including musicians, vendors, volunteers, students and accordion enthusiasts)." Scott Goree notes that the CAF features such a feeling of joy that not only do the international players love our festival, they want to return." Next Cotati Accordion Festival dates are: August 19-20, 2017 |
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Christian Riganelli, Artistic Director, 2016 PIF Castelfidardo - Italyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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 Picture above: Christian Riganelli, Director of the Music School Paolo Soprani announcing a group of younger students at the 2015 PIF Castelfidardo.Christian Riganelli is the Artistic Director of the 2016 PIF Castelfidardo being held from 22 to 25 September. Christian Riganelli was born in Recanati in 1976 and he began studying accordion at the age of nine. He graduated in classical accordion at the Conservatory "N. Piccinni" in Bari, under the guidance of teacher and concert artist Massimiliano Pitocco. Christian Riganelli also studied at the Conservatory "G. B. Pergolesi" in Fermo, where he earned a graduate degree in Music Education and Accordion Teaching. He attended many courses of musical interpretation in Italy and abroad, with famous musicians as Claudio Jacomucci, Peter Soave, M. Hellegard and Carrado Rojac. He performed in several international music festivals in France, Germany, Denmark, England, Czech Republic, Brazil and Argentina. He is a member of the "Milonga Quintet" and in 2005 they recorded the album "Romance", produced by Wide Sound Record. Here, he performed new arrangements and experiments inspired by the music of Astor Piazzolla. He has worked with Vinicio Capossela, Riccardo Tesi and David Riondino. He has performed "The Function of the Centenary" written by Roberto De Simone, a Cantata for Tenor and Solo Accordion, double male choir and orchestra, during the 37th Edition of the Festival "Settembre al Borgo" in the Duomo di Casertavecchia. He recorded the album "Livin God", collection of poetic readings and songs inspired by sacred music, in collaboration with Marche Region. He has been a featured performer and composer in many theatre shows inspired by F.G. Lorca, D. Buzzati, L. Pirandello, G. Leopardi. Christian Riganelli has worked with Piccolo Teatro in Milan in the show "The story of the abandoned doll" written by Brecht-Sastre and featured with the poet and writer Davide Swifts in the Recital dantesco "Love that moves the Sun and other stars." He performed as a soloist with the Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana at the Teatro delle Muse, interpreting the music by B. Moretti for the ballet "Earth", which premiered in Italy. He performed in duo with Gabriele Mirabassi playing the music by the famous Brazilian composer A. Mehmari for solo accordion, clarinet soloist and orchestra, which premiered at the Sala Jardel Filho in Sao Paulo. He has an intense concert activity as a soloist and in chamber ensembles, exhibiting various repertoires ranging from classical to folk and French, from Klezmer to Chanson. He teaches accordion at Civica Scuola di Musica "Paolo Soprani" in Castelfidardo and Liceo Musicale Statale “C. Rinaldini” in Ancona. Since 2014 he has been the Director of the International Museum of Accordion in Castelfidardo. |
CNIMA J. Mornet: Course (Conventionné AFDAS) with Ludovic Beier - Franceby Harley Jones |
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 Course for soloists and groups of Jazz, Song, Entertainment ....... (conventionné AFDAS) with famed French accordionist Ludovic Beier from 26 to 30 September 2016. The course includes full board (AFDAS your files before the end of August) at CNIMA J.Mornet.For all information and contact: CNIMA J.Mornet Nathalie Boucheix, Director Phone: +33473222745 Email: cnima@wanadoo.fr |
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Admissions for the HEMU-classe d' accordéon, Lausanne - Switzerlandby Harley Jones |
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 19 Septembre Interview and examination for admissions, Class of Accordion at HEMU Lausanne.Professeur: Stéphane Chapuis (picture left) HEMU - Classe d' accordéon 2016-2017: Grayson Masefield (New Zealand) - Master de soliste 2 Augustinas Rakauskas (Lithuania) - Master de concert 2 Tiffanie Mueller (Switzerland) - Master de pédagogie 2 Naomi Sanchez (Switzerland) - Bachelor 3 Valentin Claivoz (Switzerland) - Bachelor 2 Jean-Baptiste Baudin (France) - Bachelor 1 Sara Formoso Fabregas (Spain) - Erasmus Very limited openings. For all information, email Professeur Stéphane Chapuis : stephane.chapuis@bluewin.ch |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Video: Concert of Håvard Svendsrud, Fossesholm Manor, Vestfossen - Norwayby Harley Jones |
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| Its the 4th concert at Fossesholm Manor by accordion virtuoso Håvard Svendsrud and this is one video from that successful concert held 21st August 2016. |
The Big Squeeze Accordion Festival, 12-14 August, Kilkenny - Irelandby Harley Jones |
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 The Big Squeeze Festival organiser is Noel Cleere (picture left) and the Acorn Accordion Club, and the first event attracted players from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.The Festival at St Kieran’s College was opened by Lord Mayor of Kilkenny, Patrick O Neill (picture left) who welcomed all visitors. Workshops during the weekend included ‘The accordion in pop music’, ‘The History of the Accordion’, ‘Working with MIDI’ (Richard Rea), ‘Accordion Maintenance’ (John Chilton), History of the Scottish accordion (Bruce Lindsay). The concert performers included The Cork Accordion Club, Members of the Castletown and Royal Meath Accordion Orchestras, Bruce Lindsay and The Buttons & Bows Box & Fiddle Club from Scotland and a host of special guests such as Donal Ring Jr from Cork accompanied by his father, the great ceilidh maestro Donal Ring. The Festival has been a long time dream of Noel Cleere, Chairperson of the Acorn Accordion Club, his aim being to demonstrate the true potential and significance of the accordion. |
Grayson Masefield Lunchtime Concert, 2016 AAA Festival - USAby Dan Grauman |
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| Grayson Masefield Lunchtime Concert, 2016 American Accordionists' Association (AAA) Festival - USA. Thank you to Dan Grauman for supplying the video. |
Accordion Playing Cheery Asda Delivery Driver - UKby Harley Jones |
 Britain’s cheeriest supermarket worker has started delighting his customers during home deliveries by playing them a tune on his accordion.Asda delivery driver Jimmy ‘Zoomer’ Ronin has been giving customers more than they bargained for by singing confirmation of his orders and serenading them with his favourite instrument. Video of Jimmy Ronin has since gone viral with Ronin now gaining a reputation for putting a smile on his customer’s faces. Ronin often finishes his musical performance with a cheeky: “You wouldn’t get this with Tesco!” |
World Premieres At Harbin 2014 and Harbin 2016 International Accordion Art Week - Chinaby Harley Jones |
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Video 2: 2016 World Premiere featuring Yuri Shishkin and Shao Dan
| Yuri Shishkin and Shao Dan (er hu) have performed a World Premiere at the 2014 and 2016 Harbin China Summer Music Festival International Accordion Art Week. These two superb performances were featured in the 2014 and 2016 Harbin Accordion Art Week Reports but they have never been published together. The double concerto for er hu and accordion with symphony orchestra is a beautiful combination. Enjoy. Video 1: 2014 World Premiere of "Hope For", a double concerto for er hu and accordion performed by Shao Dan and Yuri Shishkin with symphony orchestra. "Hope For" was composed by Shao Dan and Liu Qiao and compiled by Liu Qiao. The Symphony Orchestra of Music College of Harbin Normal University is conducted by Tao Yabing. Video 2: The Finale of the 2016 Opening Concert was the premiere of Snow Dance Concerto for Accordion and Erhu, composed by Liu Qiao, performed by Yuri Shishkin and Shao Dan with the Symphony Orchestra of Harbin Normal University conducted by Yue Xuefeng. Full report of 2016 Harbin China Summer Music Festival International Accordion Art Week., pictures, video and competition results at: 2016Harbin |
Review: 'Carmen' for Accordion? Ksenija Sidorova Makes it Sing - USAby Harley Jones |
 Published by Chicago Tribune, 20 August 2016, by Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune critic.Bizet's "Carmen" has inspired uncounted interpretations, revisions and reinventions, but none quite like the one that played Bennett Gordon Hall at the Ravinia Festival on Friday evening. To say that Ksenija Sidorova reconceived the landmark opera on deeply personal and thoroughly idiosyncratic terms would be an understatement. For the Latvian accordion virtuoso and her sextet took snippets, themes and turns of phrase from "Carmen" and made something radically new of them. The mere fact that an accordionist was leading the charge signaled unmistakably that whatever happened wasn't exactly going to follow Bizet's script. But the boldness of Sidorova's concept, the thoroughness with which she and her colleagues deconstructed the original and the flights of improvisation that peppered the performance made this a singular experience. Anyone expecting to hear pleasant variations on Bizet's famous themes, in other words, was in for a surprise, considering how far from the original Sidorova and friends ventured. "Don't follow the (printed) program," she warned the audience, which proved to be very good advice in light of the freewheeling "Carmen" fantasy she was about to launch. "It's not a legal document." If it had been, Sidorova might have faced statutory problems, for this performance took "Carmen" in multiple directions that no published materials could have adequately foretold: Classical, gypsy, world music, jazz and other idioms converged in Sidorova's ultra-eclectic "Carmen." Her accordion, of course, was positioned at the center of the instrumental sound. But for all of her obviously fluid technique, that's not what stood out. Instead, it was the musicianship of her playing that left the deepest impression during her Ravinia debut. Rare is the virtuoso of any instrument who will be bold enough to play extended passages of simple, single-note melody lines. The way Sidorova shaped her phrases, toyed with her tempos and shaded her tone colors made even the most understated gestures satisfying to hear. Her colleagues followed her lead, valuing musical expression over technical ostentation. And yet there were ample fireworks on display. Reentko Dirks' flamenco guitar solos emphasized the nobility of the form via taut rhythms and dramatic gestures. Itamar Doari's hand-held percussion invoked methods unique to him, the velocity of his finger work and clarity of his articulation quite something to behold. Add to this Claudio Constantini's wholly elegant playing on piano and bandoneon, Alejandro Loguercio's sweeping lines on violin and the warmly resonant low notes of bassist Gonzalo Teppa (a last-minute substitute for Roberto Koch), and you had "Carmen" as Bizet surely never envisioned it. In all, a tour de force of imagination, instrumentation and improvisation. Though Sidorova's "Carmen" was the main event, she opened the evening with a solo version of Ernesto Lecuona's "Malaguena," dusting off its cliches with the pervasive musicality of her work. The evening's first of two shows lasted barely an hour, but it contained enough musical ideas to ponder for quite awhile. Still, this performance suggested that Sidorova ought to be heard here in a full-length program, the sooner the better. |
Future events |
Sutton Accordionist Tom Hardaker Performs in Steeton with Singers - UKby Harley Jones |
 Thom Hardaker will perform at a charity concert at St Stephen’s Church in Steeton where he will join six singers performing classical, folk and theatre songs on August 27 during the concert, entitled Music For A Summer’s Evening.The singers include Doreen Smith and Beverley Shuttleworth, who have performed with Sutton’s Green Hut Theatre Company, and renowned local singer Hilda Harrison. The singers will be accompanied by musician Mary Seaford. Thom Hardaker began studying accordion as a child with teacher Harry Hinchcliffe, founder of the Craven Accordion Orchestra, at the Craven School of Music in Cross Hills. As a teenager he studied in St Petersburg under world-renowned accordion tutor Oleg Sharov and he plays in genres including folk, classical and world music. In 2009, while at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire in St Petersburg, he took first prize in the city’s Baltic Accordion Festival. The concert begins at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £5 on the door, with proceeds supporting the church and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. |
National Folk Festival: Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys will perform in Greensboro - USAby Harley Jones |
| Video: Eunice Two-Step, Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys, Published on Apr 12, 2015. As part of the National Folk Festival, Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys will perform at: 6 p.m. September 9th, Wrangler Stage, 2:45 p.m. September 10th Dance Pavilion, 9:30 p.m. September 10th Wrangler Stage, 12:00 noon September 11th Dance Pavilion 3:15 p.m. September 11th Lawn Stage Admission: Free, donations accepted. |
Gail Campanella to Perform for Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society, Virginia - USAby Joan Grauman Morse |
  The Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society (WMAS) will feature Gail Gardetto Campanella as our Guest Artist on September 18 at 4:00 pm, Sleepy Hollow United Methodist Church, Falls Church, Virginia.Gail’s interest in her mother’s old accordion resulted in her starting accordion lessons at the age of 10. She participated in annual accordion contests in Northeastern Colorado, talent shows, parades, and many other local events. Gail has extensive performing experience and has just released her first solo CD, “Discovery”, a collection of beautifully played lively selections. The CD is available online or by contacting Gail at: omzig321@cox.net For additional information contact Joan Grauman: joangrauman@verizon.net |
New and Updated Sites |
Chapter 20 Released of "Play Your Accordion Without Pain" - USAby Harley Jones |
 John Bonica PT CMP NZRP has released Chapter 20 of his book "Play Your Accordion Without Pain". Chapter 20 details "Other arm/hand conditions which affect playing your accordion." You can purchase the whole book for US$22 (or Euro equivalent) and be sent each chapter by email as it is released. This is an ebook so it will be sent to you as as Acrobat pdf. Further details about this book is at: John Bonica |
Gary Dahl New Arrangement and Updated Arrangement Now Available - USAby Gary Dahl |
 Updated Site:New arrangement of Muss i denn ... a favorite German folk tune known world wide. Note the bass lines composed by G. Dahl that add more color than the original lines. Catalog: DH0255 Updated arrangement of Catalog: DH0210 Maple Leaf Rag Any clients who have already purchased Maple Leaf Rag music may email for the updated arrangement which will be provided by email to you without charge. |
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