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http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=28-Aug-2020&lang=en&s=16789
http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=28-Aug-2020&lang=en&s=16789
28-Aug-2020
40 Years after the Dream Came True - 1980 Coupe Mondialeby Kevin Friedrich, CIA Ambassador |
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 1980 Historical website Report, Pictures and Results at: 1980CoupeMondialeHistory"Could we in New Zealand, host the Coupe Mondiale? Would it not be a great event both for New Zealand and the accordion?" These were questions posed to a group of New Zealand Accordion Association (NZAA) committee members in the late 1970s by prominent Auckland lawyer, Gerald Ryan, who was a keen supporter of the accordion movement, with several of his children learning the instrument. With added encouragement from Harley Jones and his father Allan, both of whom had considerable contact with overseas accordion organizations, it became first a feasibility study and finally developed into a definite project. The New Zealand offer to host the Coupe Mondiale in Auckland was presented to the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) in March 1979 at the Winter Congress and provisionally accepted. It was obvious that competitors, especially those from Europe, would have to travel further than they were accustomed, to take part in a Coupe Mondiale held in New Zealand. Even on the few occasions the Coupe Mondiale had been held in the USA, it had posed financial problems for European competitors. Travel cost was a major obstacle to a bid to host the event in New Zealand. The acceptance was confirmed when at the "Summer Congress" of 1979 in Cannes, France, Harley Jones and David Lilico presented a promotional film of New Zealand, and gave assurance of an air fare subsidy of $1000 per competitor, with a similar amount offered to several executives of the CIA. This was actually increased to $1500 at the time of the Coupe Mondiale and a smaller subsidy of $600 was provided for all delegates attending. The 1980 event was the first time the Coupe Mondiale had been held in the South Pacific and was also the first international music competition ever held in New Zealand. Now, reflecting upon this milestone event in New Zealand and in CIA history, a review of the event has been published to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the staging of the Coupe Mondiale in New Zealand. Very few pictures and documents are available from this time, however all such materials have been correlated to make this souvenir review. 1980 was the first Coupe Mondiale that famous French teacher Jacques Mornet attended and to this day he always reflects that 1980 was was one of the finest Coupe Mondiales he enjoyed attending. It is interesting to see that most of those accordionists competing at that time have gone on to maintain an active role in the accordion world. Myself, shaking the hand of CIA President Dr. Karl Majer, as 9th Place winner could never have imagined that I would go on to have the honor of serving as the CIA President myself. My fellow New Zealand contestant Marcel Riethmann now serves as the Chairman of the Accordion Examinationa Board of New Zealand, Dan Mastroianni has enjoyed a lifelong career as a musician, composer, accordionist and pianist, Australian competitors Nerida Farmer and Catherine Day Jackett both maintain busy accordion activities performing and teaching in their homeland, Alain Musichini (France) went on to win the Coupe Mondiale and is one of the most sought after performers in France with Bal Musette, Peter Soave (USA) also went on to win the Coupe Mondiale and established himself as one of the most respected concert artists on both accordion and bandoneon, Krystof Olczek (Poland) is now a prolific composer and accordionist and teaches an accordion class, conducts chamber ensembles and teaches a facultative course entitled “20th-century music performance practice” in the Music Academy in Gdansk, Alfred Melichar is Professor of Accordion at Bruckner University in Linz in his native Austria, Christianne Bonnay (France) is Professor of Accordion at the Academy of Music in Monaco and winner Werner Glutsch teaches at the Hohner Conservatory in Trossingen. 1980 Historical website Report, Pictures and Results at: 1980CoupeMondialeHistory For reviews of other Coupe Mondiale festivals, please visit: Coupe Mondiale Below: Political cartoon created for New Zealand Herald in reference to the New Zealand Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Muldoon opening the Coupe Mondiale - August 1980 before an audience of 1,800 people. The Prime Minister was also the Minister of Finance and renowned for being very "thrifty with money" so the "economic squeeze" had real political relevance at the time in New Zealand. |
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