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Highlights |
Mika Väyrynen to Embark on Monumental Recording Project - Finland
National Accordion Association 25th Annual Convention Awards - USA
Kevin Friedrich Honored at Dargaville Concert - New Zealand
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
‘Johnny Meijer, Master on the Accordeon’ DVD, Amsterdam – Netherlands
Anniversary of the NME, London – UK
‘14 Years Ago’ – 2,000 accordionists playing on board ship!!
Future events |
Guardia Nueva Concert, Helsinki - Finland
Marco Lo Russo Concerts, Sperlonga, Latina – Italy
Marcelo Caldi Concert, Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
Russian Folk Ensemble @ RNCM, Manchester – UK
Erika Plays for Dancing – Belgium
Festival Européen de l’Accordeon, Baileux – Belgium
Brass Monkey Tour News - UK
Marko Kassl Dates – Germany, Netherlands
Bert Santilly @ White Horse Accordion Club, Wiltshire – UK
Arizona Accordion Club Concerts, Phoenix, Scottsdale – USA
New and Updated Sites |
The Music of Eugene Ettore Performed by Rita Davidson is Released - USA
CNIMA J.Mornet Website Now in 11 Languages
Lionel Reekie eTracks MP3 Album site updated
CD Reviews |
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |
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Highlights |
2012 World Accordion Day 24 Hour Live Streaming Plans - Internationalby Grayson Masefield |
 For the past three years on May 6th the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) has been promoting World Accordion Day.This year, the CIA will take embark on a new adventure to celebrate World Accordion Day with a live streaming 24 Hour Celebration of the Accordion, similar to the TV coverage of New Years Eve, whereby celebrations are viewed on an ongoing basis as the time zones elapse around the world (i.e. beginning in New Zealand +12GMT then traveling west across the world through Asia and Europe finishing in the Americas -8GMT). This year, for World Accordion Day, each CIA member is invited to submit either a 'live event' via technology such as streaming video and Skype etc... at a pre-scheduled time, or, you may pre-record your contribution. This will provide viewers from around the world the opportunity to see another side of the accordion and promote your countries accordion activities. It would also be greatly appreciated if traditional or modern/popular accordion music from your country could be included in some way. The production will be available for viewing live throughout the day with 24 separate hours of archived video coverage which will be available for viewing anytime after the event. World Accordion Day event is not exclusive to just CIA members and many people in the accordion world will be invited to participate. For further information contact Grayson Masefield. |
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Mika Väyrynen to Embark on Monumental Recording Project - Finlandby Kevin Friedrich |
 Finnish accordionist Mika Väyrynen will begin recording a series of four CDs over the next year. The project will begin in cooperation with a grant from the Wihuri Foundation. The purpose of the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation is to promote and support cultural and economic development in Finland, and will provide a grant for six months to launch the series of recordings. Two recordings will include Bach works such as ‘Six French Suites’, ‘Prelude in B Minor’, ‘Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor’, between now and 2013. A third CD will be made in cooperation with Angel Luis Castano, performing works by Bach, Mozart, Wessman and Piazzolla, and the fourth will feature original works for the accordion, including several World Premiere recordings. As the summer recording sessions conclude in May, Mika will be appearing at several renowned Finnish Music Festivals between June and August, before accepting international engagements beginning in September. For more information please visit the website of Mika Väyrynen. |
National Accordion Association 25th Annual Convention Awards - USAby Laura Niland, President of the San Antonio Accordion Association |
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 The 2012 National Accordion Association (NAA) Convention held its 25th Anniversary Festival at the Westin Park Central Hotel in Dallas,Texas on March 14-17, 2012. NAA President, Norman Seaton, started the event with the 2012 National Musical Achievement Awards to individuals for their work with the NAA. Award picture right.Awards went to: Dr. James Bezdek for Advancement of the Accordion in Higher Education, Dick Albreski for Youth Activities and Organizational Contributions, Nick Ballarini for Lifetime Dedication to the Accordion as Musician, Instructor and Distributor, Carl Finch of Brave Combo for Establishing New Musical Horizons Featuring the Accordion, Gordon Kohl for Lifetime Journey with the Accordion, as Musician, Instructor and Distributor, Dr. Daniel Kott for Commitment to Youth Programs Featuring Traditional Music and Dress, Bill and Louise Kucera for Preservation of Accordion-driven Polka Music, and Joe Petosa & Petosa Accordions for Organizational Support and Quest for Perfection. Congratulations to these individuals for their work in promoting the accordion. Many thanks go to the NAA Convention Planning Team led by Norman Seaton (photo right), Greg Klugiewicz, Nick Ballarini, Sharon Seaton (photo right), Louise Kucera, Judy Dillard, Chett Warzusen, Nancy Bernstein and Tom Faulkner for their work in making the 25th Annual NAA Convention was one of the most successful NAA conventions ever. A detailed report of the 2012 NAA Convention by Laura Niland is on the NAA website. |
Kevin Friedrich Honored at Dargaville Concert - New Zealandby Harley Jones |
 For the 5th time, the concert ‘Music with Kevin Friedrich and Friends’ was held in Dargaville, New Zealand at the Lighthouse Function Center. For a full report of the concert, with photos and background information: Dargaville2012This picturesque Center overlooking the town and river, was sold out with quite a few people being turned away. Dargaville was Kevin Friedrich's home town before he moved to the USA at 18 years of age, to go to UMKC University to gain his degree majoring in accordion. Kevin Friedrich returns to New Zealand annually to make this fundraising concert for the Dargaville museum where there is a permanent historical accordion display titled 'Accordion Gems - A Master Collection of Accordions Through Time'. This year included the opening of an exhibition to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the New Zealand Accordion Association (NZAA). The NZAA organized a bus from Auckland to the concert and the opening of that display. At this concert, Kevin Friedrich was presented the NZAA Life-time Achievement Award by NZAA President Sonja Palinich (picture left) to honor Kevin Friedrich for all that he has done for the accordion in New Zealand over the years. At the same time, there was also a cutting of a birthday cake in honor of Kevin's 50th birthday with the audience giving him a standing ovation. The concert included accordionists Kevin Friedrich, Lionel Reekie and Maurice Jones (picture below), the NZAA Orchestra plus dancers, singers and musicians from the Dargaville area. Full report of concert: Dargaville2012 |
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Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Gorka Hermosa’s Recent Performances – Spainby Rob Howard |
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  Recent activity by accordionist Gorka Hermosa includes appearing on two programs on Spanish National TV, the premiere of most recent composition, ‘Ka Ma Te, Ka Ora’, by Grayson Masefield, serving on the jury at international competitions, the presentation of a significant historical CD, and concerts in Estonia and Spain.The program ‘Los conciertos de Radio 3’, broadcast by TVE2 on March 20th, involved playing as the duo ‘Flamenco Etxea’ with the well known flamenco guitarist José Luis Montón, (recently also recorded on CD), and with guests such as Maria Berasarte (voice), Odei Lizaso (percussion), and Selene Muñoz (dance). ‘Pizzicato’, broadcast on March 10th, saw Gorka Hermosa appear as the special guest on a program that TVE dedicated to the accordion. Gorka played 2 pieces in a duo with the violinist Ara Malikian, and presented his CD ‘Flamenco Etxea’, and also premiered one of his latest compositions for accordion solo, ‘Goya: Capricho 43’. Gorka was on the jury in the competitions ‘XVème Grand Prix International’ in Montrond-Les-Bains, France, March 13th to 15th, and from April 25th to 28th he will be a jury member at the ‘International Accordion Festival Art’ in Sarajevo, Bosnia. On March 30th Gorka presents the CD ‘Los acordeones del s. XIX’ (The accordions of the 19th Century), which features recordings by his students of, for the first time, historical works such as the very first work written for accordion, the ‘Theme varié’, by Louise Reisner in 1836); one of the first classical duos for accordion, ‘Fantasia Fausto’, by Antonio López Almagro in 1876; works for harmonium by Liszt, Saint-Säens, Berlioz, Franck, Elgar, Janacek, and compositions for concertina by Regondi and Harcourt. In the last month he has performed in concerts with ‘Flamenco Etxea’ (Santander and Markina) and with the ‘Tangosophy Duo; (Santander), and on April 14th will be in Tallinn, Estonia, playing in a duo with the harpsichordist Silvia Márquez. For further information email: gorka@gorkahermosa.com |
‘Johnny Meijer, Master on the Accordeon’ DVD, Amsterdam – Netherlandsby Rob Howard |
 Johnny Meijer (1912-92), from Amsterdam, was long renowned as one the best accordion entertainers of his generation, and was especially well known for playing jazz and swing music. Unlike his great Dutch contemporary, jazz accordionist Mat Mathews (1924-2009), who spent the years 1952 to 1997 performing in the USA, Meijer declined lucrative offers to perform in America and around Europe, and only occasionally left Amsterdam, which has unfortunately marginalized his fame. His few foreign excursions were brief trips to Denmark, England, France and Switzerland in the late 1940s/early 50s. In Paris he accompanied Maurice Chevalier, and in January/February 1950 he appeared in a series of sell out concert dates at the London Palladium with a Dutch All Star Sextet. Meijer performed often on TV in the Netherlands, and some of these appearances plus other filmed performances are gathered together on the DVD ‘Johnny Meijer, Master on the Accordeon’. Most of the 40 clips are from the 1980s, with others dating all the way back to 1934. The music includes ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’, ‘Take the A Train’, ‘Body and Soul’, ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’, ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, ‘Lullaby of Birdland’, ‘Dark Eyes’, ‘I Got Rhythm’, ‘Un Gamin de Paris’, ‘Pietro’s Return, ‘My Florence’, and many more. DVD ‘Johnny Meijer, Master on the Accordeon’ can be obtained via some Internet dealers, including Amazon France. |
Anniversary of the NME, London – UKby Rob Howard |
 The ‘New Musical Express’, known as the NME, was launched on March 7th 1952, and has long been the flagship weekly periodical for pop music in the UK. The NME was itself based on an existing publication called ‘Accordion Times and Musical Express’, the latter being first published on October 4th 1946.The ‘Accordion Times’, sponsored by Hohner, began life in 1935 and for four years was the main journalistic voice of the accordion in Britain and Ireland. The war years 1939-45 closed down publication, and when peace came austerity and a shortage of paper caused many newspapers and magazines to amalgamate, reduce in size or go out of business. Thus it was that the ‘Accordion Times and Musical Express’ emerged, initially as a four-page newspaper. By 1949, Hohner and many of the leading accordion personalities of the time formed the National Accordion Organisation (NAO), and one of the first acts of the NAO was to re-establish the ‘Accordion Times’ as its public voice. The ‘Accordion Times’, through several changes of ownership, editor and format, was published until just a few years ago. Although the ‘Accordion Times’ was published in its own right from 1949, the ‘Accordion Times and Musical Express’ continued, with just one column about accordion activities, until it was re-vamped as the enlarged and much better known NME in 1952. For further information email: robaccord5@hotmail.com |
‘14 Years Ago’ – 2,000 accordionists playing on board ship!!by Rob Howard |
| The Accordions Worldwide news for March 27th 1998 featured a report of 2,000 plus accordionists on board a ship sailing from Finland. This must have been quite sight and sound! Did this event register with the Guinnes Book of World Records? If not, why not? 2,000 FINNISH ACCORDIONISTS PERFORM ON SHIP, MARCH 8TH TO 10TH, 1998 by Ari Haatainen From March 8th to 10th, over 2,000 accordionists performed on one of the world's biggest ships, the ‘Silja Europa’, which sailed between Turku, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden. This popular concert trip is organised annually by the Finnish Accordion Association and included well known accordionists such as Erkki Friman, Lasse Pihlajanmaa, Mika Väyrynen and Ari Haatainen, performing a variety of music including jazz, musette, and popular dance music. In addition, the Finnish Accordion Association held their national accordion championships on the ship, including the semi-final of the entertainment class. The final will be held in June in Sata Häme, Ikaalinen. |
Future events |
"Accordion of 1,000 Faces" – Solo Concerts by Zoltán Orosz - Russiaby Accordions Worldwide |
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| Zoltan Orosz will be touring Russia in the first week of April and holding a Masterclass at the Academy of Perm on April 3rd. The Program of his concerts will contain pieces of free improvisations and of his latest CD "Contrasts" as well as Russian and Hungarian melodies. Part of his repertoire of course includes French musette, Argentine tango and South Slav music. Concerts dates: April 1, 4 pm – Moscow http://moszkva.balassiintezet.hu/index.php/ru/2012-01-31-13-00-09t April 2, 7 pm – Perm http://filarmonia.perm.ru/actions/details_122.html April 3, 3 pm - Perm - Meisterkurs (masterclass) April 4, 6 pm – Asbest April 5, 6.30 pm- Ekaterinburg http://filarmonia.e-burg.ru/afisha/?param=date&year=2012&month=04&day=5&date=1333562400 April 6, 6.30 pm – Chelyabinsk http://chel.kassy.ru/event/12470704/ April 8, 6.30 pm – Tomsk http://www.tomsk.su/relax/event/4229/ April 10, 6.30 pm – Yaroslavl http://www.yarcom.ru/event/zoltan-oros-akkordeon-vengriya For further information email: harmonika@harmonika.hu 4 CD's available online by Zoltan Orosz |
Guardia Nueva Concert, Helsinki - Finlandby Raimo Vertainen |
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 The Guardia Nueva tango orchestra, from Kokkola, Finland, perform ‘Tango – An Evening of Passion’ in the new Helsinki Music Hall on March 31st, 7pm. The concert has been sold out for two months! Guardia Nueva, conducted by Raimo Vertainen (picture right), perform music by Astor Piazzolla, Richard Galliano, Gotan Project, etc, and also Finnish music. Last autumn Guardia Nueva were seen on Finnish TV twice, in two shows recorded in the Kokkola Ice Hall. For further information email: raimo.vertainen@pp.inet.fi |
Marco Lo Russo Concerts, Sperlonga, Latina – Italyby Rob Howard |
 On Monday March 31st, 6.30pm, at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Sperlonga, Latina, accordionist Marco Lo Russo and Massimo Zagonari – flutes, saxophones and percussion – perform ‘The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross’, by Franz Joseph Haydn. The same performance will be given on April 7th, 6pm, at the community auditorium of Santa Maria, a former church, in Sperlonga. For further information email: stampa@marcolorusso.com |
Marcelo Caldi Concert, Rio de Janeiro – Brazilby Rob Howard |
 On Saturday March 31st, 7.30pm, Marcelo Caldi performs in concert on accordion and piano at the Sala Funarte Sidney Müller, 16 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro.The concert is a tribute to Luiz Gonzaga (1912-89) a prominent Brazilian folk singer, songwriter, accordionist, and poet. |
Russian Folk Ensemble @ RNCM, Manchester – UKby Rob Howard |
| The Government of St. Petersburg sponsor a performance of St. Petersburg singers and folk music ensemble and a reception at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, on Monday April 2nd, 7pm. There will be performances by the Magrigal Quartet: Igor’ Ponomarenko (domra), Maksim Tolstukh (balalaika), Artem Kuznetsov (bayan), and Boris Markelov (double bass); soloists: Anatoly Dichkovsky (baritone), Irina Mkrticheva (soprano), and Anatoly Lomanov (tenor). For further information email: randb.hulme@btinternet.com |
Erika Plays for Dancing – Belgiumby Rob Howard |
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| Musette accordionist Erika, known in Belgium as ‘La princesse de l'accordéon’, plays for dancing next week, as follows: April 1st, 3pm - Montleban April 8th, 6pm – Sprl, Incourt, Rianfra April 9th, 4pm – Chez Christian, Marche April 15th, 2.30pm – Vecchia Romana restaurant, Libramont For further information email: erika@erika.be |
Festival Européen de l’Accordeon, Baileux – Belgiumby Rob Howard |
 The Festival Européen de l’Accordeon takes place on April 22nd, 12 noon onwards, at the Salle Sudhaina, Baileux, Chimay, Belgium. Guests include André Verchuren, Michel Pruvot, André Loppe, Erika, Christian Gauchy, Florent Theault, Jérome Béroudiaux, Pierre Devos, Denys Gigot, Jacques Scourneau, Laurent Pire, and Fred Bourlard. For further information phone: 00 32 60 37 83 93 |
Brass Monkey Tour News - UKby Rob Howard |
 The English folk band ‘Brass Monkey’ have announced tour details, as follows:?Tuesday April 3rd – St David’s Hall, Cardiff Thursday April 5th – Electric Theatre, Guildford Saturday April 7th – Barnsley Acoustic Roots Festival Monday April 16th – Forest Folk, North Boarhunt, Hampshire Wednesday April 18th – The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Friday April 20th – The Assembly Rooms, Derby Saturday April 21st – The Town Hall, Selby, North Yorkshire Monday April 23rd – Nettlebed Folk Club, Oxfordshire Wednesday April 25th – Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset Friday April 27th – The Goose Is Out, East Dulwich, London Sunday June 3rd – The Gate To Southwell Folk Festival, Nottinghamshire Monday June 4th – Chippenham Folk Festival, Wiltshire Tuesday August 7th – Sidmouth Folk Week, Devon Saturday August 25th – Towersey Festival, Oxfordshire ‘Brass Monkey’, founded in the 1980s, include folk legends accordionist/singer John Kirkpatrick and guitarist/singer Martin Carthy in their ranks. The band was innovative in their use of a brass section, using trumpets. For further information email: john.kirkpatrick2@virgin.net |
Marko Kassl Dates – Germany, Netherlandsby Rob Howard |
 Marko Kassl (born 1976), from Klagenfurt, Austria, studied with Mika Väyrynen, James Crabb, Roman Pechmann and Mie Miki, and has scored many successes in international competitions. He has since performed internationally, both as a soloist and with many ensembles, and currently teaches at Detmold Academy of Music in Germany.Diary dates: April 15th, 3pm – Manfred Trojahn's opera, ‘La Grande Magia’, Musiktheater im Revien, Kennedyplatz, D-45881 Gelsenkirchen April 22nd, 6.30pm – dance theatre show ‘b.11’, Opera House, Heinrich-Heine-Allee 16a, D-40213 Düsseldorf April 27th and 28th, 7.30pm – Die Strassen von Buenos Aires, theater hinterlinks, Ritterstr.187, D-47805 Krefeld May 4th, 8.30pm – Ensemble Black Pencil – Project Pulso Llanero, Plaza Futura, Leenderweg 65, Eindhoven, Netherlands May 6th, 5pm - Ensemble TangoEscualo, Evangelischen Kirchengemeinde Kettwig, Hauptstr.83, D-45219 Essen For further information email: info@marko-kassl.de |
Bert Santilly @ White Horse Accordion Club, Wiltshire – UKby Rob Howard |
 Bert Santilly is the guest at the White Horse Accordion Club on Sunday April 15th, 2pm until 5pm. Support players are welcome.The White Horse AC meets at Westbury Leigh Hall on the A3098, Westbury Leigh, Wiltshire BA13 3GN. The organiser is Sue Coppard. For further information email: sucop@inspiration.fsworld.co.uk |
Arizona Accordion Club Concerts, Phoenix, Scottsdale – USAby Rob Howard |
 Accordionist Mario Pedone (picture right) will be the guest at the Arizona Accordion Club on April 16th, 2pm until 5pm, at St. Stephen’s Church Hall, 8141 North 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85020. The afternoon includes a styles workshop, led by Mario Pedone.The Arizona AC meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at St. Stephen’s Church Hall. Food is served 5.30 to 8pm. Pre-meeting music begins at 5.45pm, and the main program at 6.30pm. All are welcome. The Arizona Accordion Club Orchestra (MD Jack Dermody) will perform in concert on Sunday April 22nd, 2pm, at the Franciscan Renewal Center Chapel, 5803 East Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ. The program will include classics and standards. There will also be solos, duets and trios. For further information email Jack Dermody: Dermody@cox.net |
New and Updated Sites |
eTracks MP3 Albums Added Online this Weekby MusicForAccordion.com |
  New eTracks MP3 Albums have been added this week:Yuri Shishkin has now 2 eTracks MP3 Album online. Friedrich Lips now has 14 eTracks MP3 albums online. Now over 480 eTracks MP3 available of all types of music from only € 0.70 for each track. Its great value. The advantage of eTracks is that you can download the MP3 files to your computer or other sound device such as ipod, iphone etc. You can purchase the sound files individually or as an album for a special price. There are no postage costs or delivery charges. You are sent the download code within 24 hours. |
The Music of Eugene Ettore Performed by Rita Davidson is Released - USAby Rita Davidson Barnea |
 A new eTracks Rita Davidson Album titled "The Music of Eugene Ettore" has been released. This coincides with the 90th anniversary of the birth of Eugene Ettore (1921-1985).Rita Davidson writes: “For the first time, the music of Eugene Ettore is available worldwide to accordionists. As you listen to these virtuoso selections, you will realize the great value and musical contribution that he made to accordion repertoire.” Click Rita Davidson Album to read the tracks list and hear sound samples. |
CNIMA J.Mornet Website Now in 11 Languagesby Jacques Mornet |
 The CNIMA J.Mornet website has now been updated into 11 different languages. View the updated list of seminars, available with full board. |
Lionel Reekie eTracks MP3 Album site updatedby Lionel Reekie |
 Lionel Reekie, well known accordionist, vocalist and TV performer, has performed extensively throughout North America, Asia and Europe, now has a new site selling eTracks MP3 album. New information about Lionel Reekie added this week.The Lionel Reekie eTracks MP3 files are available for download. Priced at only € 0.70 a track with most albums costing € 8.00 or less its great value. Sample sound files on site. Tracks are: 1. Quando Quando 2. It's Now or Never 3. Cubanola 4. Love is all Around 5. Let's Twist Again 6. I Swear 7. Love is in the Air 8. Rave on 9. Unchained Melody 10. Lambada 11. My Way |
CD Reviews |
Kein Schöner Land CD by Leuchter - Melroseby Alessandro Mugnoz |
 CD Reviews Index for the Review of Kein Schöner Land CD, Italian and English, reviewed by Alessandro Mugnoz. Artists are Manfred Leuchter and Ian Melrose. |
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