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Highlights |
L’extraorinaire carrière de Veikko Ahvenainen et ses plus de 1000 enregistrementsby Kimmo Mattila |
Photo ci-dessus Veikko Ahvenainen présente son dernier CD et son premier disque. Vidéo ci-dessus : Medley International – extrait du DVD de concert du jubilée des 85 ans de Veikko Ahvenainen enregistré au Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, le 20 septembre 2014. Veikko Ahvenainen (né en 1929) a réalisé son premier enregistrement il y a 60 ans en 1955. En juin dernier son nouveau CD a été publié à Helsinki et avec cette sortie, le nombre total des ses enregistrements est porté au nombre incroyable de 1014. Ce CD fait de Veikko Ahvenainen l’artiste le plus enregistré en Finlande de tous les temps. Ce denier CD ”Täysikuu” (Pleine Lune) inclut le fameux Finnish evergreens composé par Toivo Kärki. Veikko avait 9 ans seulement quand il a débuté sa carrière d’accordéoniste. Il a été professionnellement actif dans tous les genres de musique pour accordéon depuis presque 70 ans. Veikko a également composé et arrangé plus de 1000 pièces pour l’accordéon. Il donne encore régulièrement des concerts avec son épouse Carina Nordlund. Un carrière simplement incroyable par un incroyable musicien. Photo ci-dessous :. le président de la Finlande remet la prestigieuse médaille Pro Finlandia à Veikko Ahvenainen. La médaille Pro Finlandia est la distinction la plus haute pour un artiste finlandais et c’est la première fois qu’ellle était décernée à un accordéoniste. |
4ème festival d’accordéon de Syros, île de Syros Island - Grèceby Rob Howard |
Le festival annuel d’accordéon de Syros se tiendra du 13 au 18 juillet sur l’île grecque de Syros et il propose cette année 5 concerts en différents lieux de l’île, 4 séminaires sur l’accordéon (tous au Saint Paul Mansion), une expo avec scène ouverte et atelier, et un jour des enfants. Chaque jour du festival, à la villa Tsiropina, il y aura : - une expositions d’instruments de musique et une expo d’art par les artistes de l’Open Art Studios. - un atelier de réparations et maintenance de 10h00 à 14h00 et de 18h00 à 20h00. Les artistes du festival de cette année sont le Duo Goliardi (photo de gauche) de Konstantinos Raptis (accordéon) et Dimitris Kountouras (flûte-à-bec), SaZmaN Orkestar, Stamatis Pasopoulos, Thanos Stavridis, George Tsiatsoulis, et Elpida Rigoutsou. Il y aura aussi un concert le soir par les étudiants d’écoles de musique grecques et deux soirées à scène ouverte où chaque musicien est invité à participer. Le festival annuel d’accordéon de Syros est organisé par le Syros Accordion Group qui regroupe des musiciens amateurs et professionnels, unis par leur amour de l’accordéon. Pour plus d’ information, email: accordeon.syros@gmail.com |
Les débuts du Trio AkordioM American à New York - USAby Kevin Friedrich |
Les New Yorkais se sont vu offrir une expérience musicale rare lorsque le ministère de la culture de la République de Macédoine engagea le célèbre trio macédonien d’accordéon pour un concert gratuit à la galerie MC en plein coeur de New York. Virtuose chacun dans son domaine, le dynamique et compétent ensemble comprenait pour ses débuts à New York Zorica Karakutovska, Bojan Volchevski et Filip Stamevski, tous de Skopje, Macédoine. Le Trio AkordioM a joué un répertoire varié et le concert comprenait trois oeuvres de la compositrice Bete Ilin, professeur à l’école d’état de musique et ballet Center “Ilija Nikolovski - Luj” de Skopje qui a composé de nombreuses oeuvres pour accordéon. En 2014 , Bete Ilin a été le compositeur macédonien le plus joué dans les centre culturels partout en Macédoine. Bete assistait au concert avec ses parents qui avaient fait le voyage à New York pour ce concert. Le Trio AkordioM, a joué totalement sans partitions et emmena le public pour un captivant voyage. Chaque pièce fut suivie de longs applaudissements, culminant en plusieurs standing ovations lorsqu’il donnèrent une série de bis. Programme: ‘Macedonian Paraphrase No.1’, par Bete Ilin, ‘Divertimento D Major’, (1st mov.) de Mozart, ‘Semenovna’, de E. Derbenko, ‘Fuga Y Misterio’ et ‘Libertango’, d’Astor Piazzolla, ‘Macedonian Paraphrase No. 2’, de Bete Ilin, ‘The Magnificent Seven’, d’Elmer Bernstein, ‘Spanish Dance’, de E. Derbenko, ‘Macedonian Paraphrase No. 3’, de Bete Ilin, ‘La marche de Radetzky” de J. Strauss. |
Joanna Arnold Darrow se produit avec le Philadelphia Orchestra - USAby Harley Jones |
Le 25 juin 2015, Joanna Arnold Darrow a joué les principales parties d’accordéon avec le Philadelphia Orchestra dans "Le parrain”". Il s’agissait d’une projection du film The Godfather avec le Philadelphia Orchestra jouant la musique en live. Le film et la musique avec un orchestre en live ont un impact grandiose. Joanna Arnold Darrow a fait redécouvrir l’accordéon aux musiciens professionnels et membres du Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra duquel elle est désormais l’accordéoniste titulaire. Le samedi, le Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra jouait avec Andrea Bocelli et Juanes au Festival des Familles du pape François et le dimanche à la messe papale de PA. En 2000 Joanna a joué le Tango de David Argento avec le Philadelphia Orchestra et le Rubaiyat d’Omar Khayyam avec le Kennett Square Symphony. Joanna Arnold Darrow a donné de nombreux concerts aux USA et en Europe, elle enseigne à l’Acme Accordion School et elle est membre depuis longtemps de l’Accordionists & Teachers Guild, International (ATG). |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Gary Daverne Book 'From the Podium' Now Released - New Zealandby Harley Jones |
Prominent New Zealand conductor, composer and arranger Gary Daverne has written a book titled "From the Podium (Musical Moments of Mystery, Madness, Mayhem and Magic) While Conducting Orchestras". Gary Daverne has strong links with accordion, with many compositions for accordion, CD's, as well as many performances with solo accordionists conducting symphony and accordion orchestras. Gary Daverne has been honored by the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) for his "outstanding contributions to the accordion movement" and so, with this background, it is no surprise, that several chapters of the book relate to his many performances with accordionists in Europe, UK, North America, China, New Zealand, Australia and even Turkey. Gary Daverne has received many other honors for his music, including the New Zealand Order of Merit from Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth. The book has many pictures of accordion related events. Its a fun read for anyone with a musical interest and especially interesting for those who conduct or play in orchestras. Books cost NZ$30 plus $12 for international post orders. Book purchase information at: Gary Daverne Sheet Music, CD's and eTracks mp3 albums at: Gary Daverne |
Video: Daniele Donadelli Performing in Soragna - Italyby Harley Jones |
Daniele Donadelli performing a 'Mix of Gigi Stok', Published on Dec 7, 2014. |
Accord Orchestra Potsdam Tour – Maltaby Rob Howard |
The Accord Orchestra Potsdam (MD Guido Roß), from Germany, toured Malta recently. Their concerts were shared with the Santa Maria Accordion Band (MD Marthese Busuttil Cassar, L.B.C.A), and it was a great experience for the Maltese band to play with the visitors. The two bands’ members exchanged experiences and learned from each other the art of accordion playing, and the concerts were a great advert for this instrument. The bands performed certain numbers alone, and some together. The German orchestra had an under 14 years section band, and an over 14 years senior band, which performed separately, but when all bands played all together in one big orchestra there were around 75 members. This was possibly the greatest accordion event in Malta since the CIA Coupe Mondiale of 1965, which was organised by the late renowned accordionist Charles Camilleri. See Charles Camilleri Memorial. The pieces performed included: ‘Medallion Calls’ (from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’), ‘La Cumparsita’, ‘Somewhere My Love’ (from ‘Dr. Zhivago’), ‘Funiculi, Funicula’, ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ (Offenbach), ‘Prelude’ (Marc-Antoine Charpentier), ‘1492 Conquest of Paradise’, ‘Hallelujah’ (Leonard Cohen), ‘Il-Maltija’ (Popular Maltese 18th Century Court Dance), ‘Phantom of the Opera’ (Lloyd-Webber), ‘William Tell’ (Rossini, ‘Brick in The Wall’ (Pink Floyd), and ‘Danza Kudura’. |
Unpublished Videos: Frank Marocco Conducting Two Original Works for Accordion Orchestra - Italyby Harley Jones |
Another two previously unpublished videos from the June 2011 Frank Marocco Accordion Orchestra Camp in Castelfidardo, Italy. Thank you very much to Joan and Dan Grauman for providing these two videos of Frank Marocco conducting the accordion orchestra. 1. Frank's Samba composed by Wolfgang Russ-Plötz conducted by Frank Marocco 2. Juntos composed by Amy Jo Sawyer conducted by Frank Marocco |
Jim Halcrow (1934-2015), Shetland - UKby Rob Howard |
Jim Halcrow, from Scalloway, Shetland, began playing the accordion in 1951, when he bought a second hand Alvari 80 bass from Forbes of Dundee for £22. Self-taught and unable to read music, Jim Halcrow nonetheless developed into one of Scotland’s finest accordionists. Jim was soon playing in ‘The New Players’, Shetland’s top band of the 1950s and 60s, after which he formed his own band, which became resident at the newly opened Lerwick Hotel. He also began playing with a local jazz band. After working in the construction and fishing industries, Jim had a career move and trained between 1972 and 1974 at a college in Newark as a piano tuner. Jim became a leading exponent of Scandinavian accordion music, and visited Norway on several occasions, leading his Hamefarers Band on a most successful tour of West Norway in 1978. His guru over the past 40 years has been Norwegian virtuoso, Arnstein Johansen, who he first met in November 1991, when Arnstein was a guest at the Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Club. Another hero Jim was to meet at the Club was Jack Emblow, but confesses to being so tongue-tied at the occasion that he didn’t make the best of it! Jim Halcrow did not often play outside Shetland, but some of his favourite memories included playing at the Mull Festival, where he met accordionist Bobby MacLeod, the trip to the Lorient Festival in Brittany with Alistair Hunter and the Lorne Band, the London Accordion Festival in 2001, and the Caister festival in 2006 where, with son David and accordionist Alan Nicolson, they met Art Van Damme, and also Jack Emblow. Some years ago with his band Jim appeared at the ‘Shetland Night’ concert at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival, where he went down a storm with the audience. A dedicated family man, married to Doreen, he was proud to hand over his daughter Hazel’s right hand in marriage to bandleader Craig McCallum in July of this year and looks forward to spending Christmas with them in their new home in Aberdeen. In 2012 he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, regarded by some as the Scottish ‘Oscars’ of the genre. His wife Doreen accompanied him at the ceremony in Fort William, which was televised live on BBC Alba. In recent times Jim played in his son David’s band, while his daughter Hazel is married to Scottish dance band leader Craig McCallum. Jim Halcrow passed away on June 18th. |
Video: Miloš Milivojević Records With Craig Ogden on latest CD - UKby Harley Jones |
Miloš Milivojevic and favourite classical guitarist Craig Ogden are performing, 8th July, at Hoylake, Chapel Road, CH47 4AA. Poster left. This performance is part of the Wirral Festival of Firsts, International Community Arts Festival with a difference! Below is an excerpt from Britic, the British Serb Magazine: "Miloš Milivojevic, one of our most accomplished musicians in Britain, performs on the CD of best-selling classical artist Craig Ogden (guitar). Picture right of Miloš and Craig at the recording session last month. Classical accordionist Miloš has delighted audiences as a soloist with heart and as part of Balkan band Paprika, the London Tango Quintet. Craig Ogden is an Australian-born classical guitarist whose albums have topped the UK classical music charts." Last month, Miloš performed as a guest on Craig Ogden’s latest CD by Classic FM titled 'Craig Ogden and friends'. They recorded Libertango composed by Astor Piazzolla. The CD is due for release on the 22nd of June. |
Video: De Rose, De Viole e Gerzomino, Marche Region - Italyby Harley Jones |
Video: released 11 June 2015. Performers: Roberto Lucanero, diatonic, accordion, vocal; Oberdan Cesanelli, vocal, reciter; Marco Meo, vocal, tambourine, dancer; Sara Piatanesi, dancer. Songs, dances, stories and legends of the folk tradition of the Marche, between spring and summer. A storyteller, diatonic player, folk singer and a saltarello dancer create this event, that is somewhere between a concert and a theatrical reading, as the performers guide the audience into the magical world of popular Marche region tradition. The extensive catalog of songs, dances, poems and narrative is directly from the traditional culture of Marche or indirectly, from the works of some important masters of the past who have dedicated themselves to studying Marche tradition, most notably Giovanni Ginobili, Luigi Mannocchi and Antonio Gianandrea. |
Video: Alicia Baker at the 2015 NAMM Show - USAby Harley Jones |
Video: Alicia Baker, Roland Corp, performs 'After You Have Gone' at the 2015 NAMM Show, Los Angeles. |
Future events |
Duo Folksongs Concert, Palermo - Italyby Harley Jones |
Video: Giorgio Vacchi, Fa la nana Duo Folksongs of Tiziana Portoghese and Francesco Palazzo live, 5 October 2014, Amici della Musica Monte Sant’Angelo (FG) Duo Folksongs, Francesco Palazzo (accordion) and Tiziana Portoghese (vocal) Friday 26th June at the Conservatorio di Palermo - Sala Scarlatti, 9.00 pm PROGRAM: A. Marena (Genova, 1960) Cultivo una rosa blanca (da Tre Liriche di Josè Martì) G. Rossini (1792 -1868) Canzonetta Spagnuola F. J. Obradors (1897–1945) El Vito V. Ullmann (1898 – 1944 ) Margheritchelach I. Stravinsky (1882 – 1971) Histoire pour enfants: Tilim Bom - Gusi liebiedi - Scripi noga G. Vacchi (1932 – 2008) Fa la nana T. Dallis ( 16° sec.) The willow's song M. Chiotis (1920-1970) Ta Petalakia Trad. Irish The pretty girl milking her cow A. S. Spinelli (1964) Romanó bravalipé L- Morleo (1970) Malachianta (trad.Salento) Tarantella (da Suite calabra) Trad. Giapponese Sakura F. Palazzo T. Portoghese Arirang - Ederlezi (da: Tre canti popolari) L. Berio (1925/2003) Azerbaijan love song F. Palazzo (1969) A sunny day A. Piazzolla (1921-1992) Milonga de la Annunciation Accordion solo and quartet CD's at: Francesco Palazzo |
Pascal Contet Concerts – France, Austriaby Rob Howard |
French accordionist Pascal Contet performs, as follows below. At the end of August he releases a new solo CD ‘Utopian Wind’. June 27th, 4pm – Festival des Forêts, Prieuré de St Pierre en Chastres (60), France July 3rd – with Joëlle Léandre (bass), Musée de St Briac sur mer (35) July 5th – Festival Montforter Zwischentöne , Arbogast, Austria July 12th, 6pm – soloist with the Orchestre de Picardie (conducted by Arie Van Beek), performing the concerto ‘Blaze’, composed by Benjamin Ellin, Festival des Forêts, Abbatiale de St Jean aux Bois (60), France July 18th, 7pm - ‘L’Etincelle de l’Ombre’, composed by Jean-Pierre Drouet, with Amélie Silittano – piano, Célia Hérard – harp, Raphaël Simon – percussion, Les concerts du Hameau Fleuri, Villers sur Mer (14) July 23rd, 8pm – solo concert, Festival Arsterra en Baie de Somme, Eglise de Nampont St Martin (80) July 25th, 7pm – ‘Schubert versus Cavanna’, with Marion Tassou – soprano, Fanny Robillard – violin, Louis Rodde – cello, Les concerts du Hameau Fleuri, Villers sur Mer (14) August 19th, 9pm – ‘Une histoire infinie’, (chamber music), with Eric Lacrouts – violin, Aurélien Pascal – cello, Festival Les rencontres de Calenzana, Chapelle de la Restitude à Calenzana (20) August 22nd, 9pm – ‘Au fil de Buenos Aires’, with Isa Lagarde – soprano, Catherine Jacquet – violin, Isabelle Veyrier – cello, Festival Les Nuits Romanes Musique et Cirque, Trizay (17) August 31st – release of new solo CD of his compositions, ‘Utopian Wind’; tracks – Mother, Dances and songs, Will, Play, Over the mountains, And will sing, For Bernard C, For Bruno M, With joy and light, Like a lonely song, In the Sky, Surrounded with stars, A deeply mother’s love! For further information email: pascalcontet@wanadoo.fr |
Stanislav Angelov Concerts, Stellenbosch, Cape Town – South Africaby Rob Howard |
Accordionist Stanislav Angelov performs in a concert on Sunday June 28th, 5pm, at Spier Shed, Santa Road, off Annadale Road, Stellenbosch. On Thursday July 2nd, 7pm-10pm, the CT Tango Ensemble performs at The Crypt Jazz Restaurant, Cape Town. The line-up for this concert is Stanislav Angelov – accordion, Petrus de Beer – violin, Willie van Zyl – saxophones & clarinet, Dave Ledbetter – guitar, Charles Lazar – double bass, and Frank Paco – drums. For further information email: music@goodmusic.co.za |
Paul Chamberlain Concert, Scotland - UKby Rob Howard |
Accordionist Paul Chamberlain will be playing with Michael Haywood - fiddle, sax, clarinet & whistle - this Sunday June 28th in the Bandstand at Wilton Park, Hawick, in the Scottish Borders region. The concert is free and begins at 2pm. The music will include an eclectic mix of Balkan, Tango, Russian and Scottish traditional music (with a touch of Mozart and Brahms for good measure). In a fortnight they also will be recording their first CD together as Chamberlain & Haywood at Maybank Studios in Glasgow. They will also be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August where Paul will also give two solo recitals at the Royal Overseas League. For further information email: paul@theaccordionist.com |
Erika Plays for Dancing, Onhaye, Pondrome – Belgiumby Rob Howard |
The popular musician Erika, known as ‘The Princess of the Accordion’, plays for dancing this weekend. On Saturday June 27th, 4pm, Erika plays at Kermesse, Onhaye, and on Sunday June 28th, 3pm, at la salle Esperance, Pondrome, Belgium. |
Marko Kassl July Diary Dates - Germanyby Rob Howard |
Austrian accordionist Marko Kassl has the following forthcoming dates in the first week of July: July 1st, 8pm – ART Ensemble NRW, Klangraume, Berger Str.18b, D-40213 Düsseldorf July 3rd, 8pm – Tangosphere "Der Atem des Tango", Steipeler Kultursommer 2015, Dorfkirche Bochum-Stiepel, Brockhauser Straße 72, D-44797 Bochum July 4th, 8pm – ART Ensemble NRW, Klangraume, Berger Str.18b, D-40213 Düsseldorf July 5th, 5pm – Duo Mares, St Michael’s Church, Hochstraße 23, D-64367 Mühltal For further information email: info@marko-kassl.de |
Video: Concertino Accordion Band at ‘Les Nuits du Mont Rome’ – Italyby Rob Howard |
Video: December 2nd, 2014. Concertino performing in concert in Istanbul, Turkey. The Concertino Accordion Band, from Moldova, perform on Saturday July 25th, 7.30pm, in the final concert at the festival ‘Les Nuits du Mont Rome’. Formed in 2003, the Concertino Accordion Band have competed successfully many times in competitions at festivals, winning many international prizes. |
Bellowhead Call Time, Final Tour - UKby Harley Jones |
Video: Official video of Alabama by Bellowhead. Bellowhead are an English contemporary folk band formed in 2004. The eleven-piece band plays traditional dance tunes, folk songs and shanties, with arrangements drawing inspiration from a wide diversity of musical styles and influences. Albums: Revival, Broadside, Hedonism Live, Hedonism, Umbrellowhead, Matachin, Burlesque The lead singer is Jon Boden and John Spiers is the Concertina and Melodeon player. Some excerpts from the Bellowhead Newsletter: "After 11 amazing years we've decided to call it a day. It's been an incredible journey for us all and we've loved every minute of being Bellowhead but Jon has decided the time has come for him to stand down as lead singer and the rest of us don’t feel that we wish to continue without him. We have therefore decided that we should give Bellowhead the send off it deserves and go out with a bang. So we will be performing a two-part farewell tour (in November 2015 and April 2016) finishing as we started all those years back, with an intimate gig at Oxford Town Hall (on May Day 2016) - the very first venue we ever played as a band. We are all looking forward to the remaining gigs and intend to make them our best shows yet so we hope you can come along for the party. Of course Bellowhead would have been nothing without the support of our amazing fans over the last decade. We are all incredibly grateful to you for coming with us on this journey and want to thank you all for being part of the Bellowhead story." |
New and Updated Sites |
Updated Site: New Version of Just Because Polka - USAby Gary Dahl |
A new version of 'Just Because Polka' is now available. Catalog: DH0037 The polka made famous my Frankie Yankovic...sold millions of recordings . This arrangement is very complete with added harmony for more impact. eSheet music can be purchased online on the secure server and emailed to you. No postage delays or postage costs. |
CD Reviews |
CD Review: L'armonica a mantice di Giuseppe Greggiatiby Alessandro Mugnoz |
CD Reviews Index for the Review of L'armonica a mantice di Giuseppe Greggiati, in English and Italian languages. Performer Corrado Rojac, reviewed by Alessandro Mugnoz. |
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