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"Accordionists & Enthusiasts"
"Collectors"
"Composers & Arrangers"
"Future Events"
"Penpals/Friendship"
"Solo Performers & Conductors"
"Teachers"

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• Lithuanian Accordion Competition - Lithuania
• Frank Marocco Performs with Pavarotti - USA
• Guest Artists at Radio Charity Concert - South Africa
• Romanian Trio Concert - Netherlands
• Orchestra Performs at Fund Raising Concert - Puerto Rico
• Accordionist Releases 30th Album - Australia
• Instrument Production at Harmonica Museum - Germany
• Pauline Oliveros at the Lincoln Center - USA
• Help Required with History of the Accordion in Romania
• Frank Zucco Passes Away - USA
• "Tefukindo" Performs in Tokyo - Japan
• "Pianello Val Tidone" International Accordion Competition - Italy
• Accordionist Performs with Brooklyn Philharmonic - USA
• All-Russian National Competition "New Names" - Russia
• Windygates Concert - Scotland
• Accordionist Performs with French Vocalist - USA
• New edition of News Francais Now Online
• Quintet Performs New Arrangements - USA
• "Woodsiders" Perform at Barn Dance - England
• "La Malle" Release their first CD - France
• Leyland Accordion Club Release their Second Recording - England
• New Concertina CD - UK
• Articles
• Antique Accordion Information

Contributed by Raimondas Sviackevicius

The Lithuanian Accordion Association (President: Prof. Ricardas Sviackevicius) hold their accordion competitions every two years. This year's event will be in Vilnius from March 30th to April 1st. An international jury will judge 14 categories including soloists, groups, chamber music, light music, folk music, orchestras and a special category for international players 16 years and under. For more information please email: laa@takas.lt

Contributed by Ralph Stricker

Another accordionist has had the honor of performing with Pavarotti, this time in the USA. Acclaimed accordionist Frank Marocco appeared in concert with Pavarotti on February 11th at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles. Frank has played background music for many movies, television shows and commercials.

Ed. It is great to see the positive exposure the accordion receives when played with Pavarotti

Duo 2000 (accordionist Sergio Zampolli and harpist Amarillie Ackermann) will perform as guest artists at the Radio Today Charity Concert, Linder Auditorium, Johannesburg on February 19th. Funds raised will be donated to retirement homes for the elderly.

Their program will include "The Blue Danube" (Strauss), "Waltz of the Flowers" (Tchaikovsky) and "Spanish Fantasy" - medley of Granada (Lara) and Malaguena (Lecuona).

Contributed by Hillebrand van der Veen

On February 10th a Romanian trio, including accordionist Roberto de Brasov plus clarinet and percussion performed at the "Tropeninstituut" in Amsterdam. Their program included Romanian folk music, klezmer, jazz, French musette and Turkish folk music.

Contributed by Jane Berkovitz

The "Orquesta de Acordeones de Puerto Rico" under the direction of Esther Eugenia Bertieaux gave a concert at a fund raiser for the Conservatorio de Musica, at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Ponce on January 28th. Their program included Latin American music from Puerto Rico, Mexico, SantoDomingo and Spain. Guest of honor was the former Governor of Puerto Rico, Mr Ferrer.

The next concert by the 15-member orchestra (plus percussion and a dancer) will be at the University of Puerto Rico's campus in Aguadilla on March 21st.

Australian accordionist and entertainer John Macdonald will release his 30th album in the near future through Locrian Records. John describes his new album as a change of direction with "pan celtic" sound and although the material will be mostly Scottish/Irish content, the album will feature everything from cello, highland pipes, violin, bodhran, uilleann pipes and a few surprises.

Another Australian Record company has already shown interest and ideas for his 31st album!! Currently John features in his own show "Scotland the Brave" in Australia. For further details email: jmacshow@pnc.com.au

The Harmonica Museum in Trossingen will include demonstrations on the building and tuning of accordions on their opening day (March 26th) and on two other future dates (to be announced). Visitors will then be given the opportunity to buy the instrument that was manufactured in front of their eyes.

The museum will also feature a new exhibition "Cheers to Father Hohner!" which will open from May 26th until the end of November 2000. The exhibition will cover the harmonica "boom" 100 years ago from when Matthias Hohner staged the handover of his business to his sons in September 1900. Just after the new century had begun, two major companies in Trossingen (Hohner and Koch) entered the accordion business.

In addition to the presentation of interesting harmonicas and advertisements from that period the exhibition will also feature commercial and social history in a graphic display with photographs of Hohner's art "Nouveau Villa", which he built opposite the factory for his retirement.

Contributed by Verne Leven of Titano Accordion Co., International

Composer/accordionist Pauline Oliveros will celebrate her fiftieth year in music by performing her own creation (commissioned by the Lincoln Center) at the Center's "Out-of-Doors" festival in New York City, on August 17th. The work entitled "Lunar Opera: Deep Listening For-Tunes," will be featured at the Centre's primary event during "Deep Listening Day 2000".

Pauline has divided the outdoor settings of the Lincoln Center into cities, and envisions this performance as a series of visits, rather like a train trip, through time and space. Musicians and performers are welcome to audition and volunteer to participate in this gala event.

"Lunar Opera " workshops will take place in Spring at the Oliveros Foundation in Kingston, New York and in New York City as Pauline Oliveros prepares the new show. For full information about the project, phone: + 1 914 338-5984

Accordionist Christina Crowder (member of the group "Di Naye Kapelya") is currently pursuing a grant to study the history of the accordion in Romania. She has interviewed local accordionists but requires some help in the broader aspects of accordion history in Europe - particularly the means and mechanisms of the spread of the instrument toward Eastern Europe. Christina has found some interesting advertisements for accordions in old Romanian newspapers, which she plans to scan and put on the internet. If you can help with information please email: crowderc@codec.ro

Contributed by Tony Bertolino

Frank Zucco, long time accordion teacher in St. Louis, passed away recently at the age of 88. Frank taught many accordionists at the former "Gravois Music" (owned by Mel Bay) from 1947 to 1961 and also published accordion method books. He was a strict teacher who introduced his students to the works of Frosini, Galla-Rini and other great accordion masters. Frank played on numerous occasions in St. Louis and was a member of the Musician's Local 2-197. He will be sadly missed by his wife, June, family, students and friends. For further information see Memorials

Contributed by Toru Katou

"Tefukindo" (including accordionist Mitsuyo Sakamoto along with guitar and contrabass) will perform at "Kachatora" in Tokyo on February 27th. The trio will perform jazz, Latin, Brazillian, tango and musette music as well as original tunes. For further information email: msakamo@ce.mbn.or.jp

Contributed by Renzo Ruggieri

The prestigious Val Tidone International Competition held from May 30th to June 4th in Pianello Val Tidone, Italy will include several accordion categories (classical, variety, world music/jazz) as well as prizes for piano players, chamber ensembles and composition. The international jury will include Jean-Marie Geiser (Switzerland), Radjap Chaikhoutdinov (Russia), Jean-Marc Fabiano (France), Ermanno Melato (Italy), Renzo Ruggieri (Italy), Ricardas Sviackevicius (Lithuania) and Andrea Talmelli (Italy). The artistic director is once again Livio Bollani. The deadline for registrations is May 6th. For further details email Livio Bollani: livboll@tin.it

Accordionist Peter Soave will perform two concerts with the Brooklyn Philharmonic on February 25th & 26th at the Harvey Theatre, Brooklyn, New York. Their program includes Astor Piazzolla's double concerto for bandoneon and guitar: Homage A Liege. For details phone: + 1 718 636-4100

Laureates of the 1st open All-Russian competition "New Names" participated in a concert in the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory Concert Hall on January 30th. The evening was opened by Russian Patriarch Alexiy, followed by an award ceremony and concert performances.

The competition (for various instruments) which included over 700 entrants was held in three rounds with fifty six contestants progressing to the final round. Winner of the accordion category, Petr Dranga (15 years old) is a student of Prof. Viatcheslav Semionov.

The Gary Blair Duo performed at the Windygates Accordion Club in Fife on February 10th. With Stevie Burns on drums, they played to a packed hall entertaining their enthusiastic audience with a variety of tunes from around the world.

Accordionist Peter di Bono will accompany French vocalist Raquel Bitton at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco on February 25th as part of her eleven city U.S. tour. For details email: PDibono@aol.com

Contributed by Grégory Frénard

A new edition of "News Francais" (French National news) is now online and can be seen at: http://www.accordeon.com/francais