The internet has given all accordionists the opportunity to gain a wealth of information about our beloved instrument. It is great to see that we now have a site on the International Accordion Museum in Castelfidardo, Italy. Castelfidardo is widely regarded as the home of the accordion with virtually the entire township built around the manufacturing of accordions. This new site shows insight into the history of Castelfidardo.

Wayne Knights Webmaster

• Ransäter Accordion Festival 2000 - Sweden
• Kimberley International Old Time Accordion Championships - Canada
• International Accordion Festival "Sanok 2000" - Poland
• Fylde Coast Accordion Festival - England
• "Salon de la Musique 2000" Accordion Celebration - France
• 4th International Folk Instruments Competition - Russia
• "Bossa-Musette Night" - Japan
• Chester Accordion Club Concert - England
• Festival in Vienna - Austria
• Art Van Damme Celebrates his 80th Birthday - USA
• Accordion Gathering in Buenos Aires - Argentina
• Easter Concert - Japan
• Jack Emblow and Tony Compton in Concert - England
• "Spring Voices" Festival - Russia
• Kitchener Waterloo Chamber Music Series - Canada
• Hotel Concerts - Jersey
• 25th Anniversary Concert - Germany
• Antique Accordion Information

Contributed by Sune Olsson

The Ransäter Accordion Festival 2000 will be held in Ransäter, Sweden from July 5th to 9th. This year's theme is "Evert Taube" with events including concerts on two stages and six dance pavilions with performers Jörgen Sundeqvist, Niklas Sundén, "Tommys Orhestra", "Hülphers", "Torgny Melins" and "Keit Elwins". Over 3,000 accordionists from throughout Scandinavia are expected to take part in this festival.

Spontaneous playing by soloists and groups is encouraged in the festival area. For further details phone Rickard Berglund: + 46 570-38 244

Contributed by William Baerg

The 26th Annual Kimberley International Old Time Accordion Championships will be held from July 3rd to 9th in Kimberley, British Colombia. Included is a competition with over (US)$12,000 prize money (in 20 categories), concerts, workshops, dances and jam sessions. Guest artists include accordionist and yodeller Kerry Christiansen.

This year ten Bursaries for players 15 years and under will be offered to assist and encourage them to enter and compete in the Championships. For further information phone: + 1 250-422-3634

Contributed by Lech Puchnowski

The International Accordion Festival "Sanok 2000" was held from April 5th to 9th with accordionists from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, Ireland and Portugal taking part. Included were 30 chamber groups (among them accordion with violin, clarinet, cello and viola), duos, quintets and trios.

Domi Emorine (France), who played at the opening concert, also performed successfully at the Warsaw Music Academy and in Krosno City.

Other performers included Klaudiusw Baran (who played Piazzolla tangos and compositions by Repnikov and Gubaidulina) and Professor V. Cuchran with his accordion orchestra. A prizewinners concert took place on April 9th with television and radio stations present.

Contributed by Gina Brannelli

The annual Fylde Coast Accordion Festival will be held in Fleetwood, Lancashire, Wyre from April 21st to 24th. Guest performers include Gervasio Marcosignori, the Colchester Accordion Orchestra, Elaine Beecham, Gina & Romany Rye and players from the Fylde Coast Accordion Club, Leyland Accordion Club and the Stockport Accordion Club. For further details email: accordions@btconnect.com

Contributed by Grégory Frénard

The "Salon de la Musique" Accordion celebration will take place in La Villette, Paris from April 28th to May 3rd, under the direction of Marcel Azzola, with the collaboration of Accordéon 2000 and Accordéon Magazine. Marcel Azzola will also be the guest of honor at a concert on April 29th.

On the 30th, the classical accordion will be featured at the Espace Fleuret, Conservatoire de Paris with guest of honor Yvette Horner. An Accordion Symposium, "A summing-up of history and prospects for the future" will take place on May 3rd with guest of honor Mac Perrone.

Contributed by Viatcheslav Semionov

The 4th International Folk Instruments Competition for young performers (named after V Andreev) was held recently in St. Petersburg. Over 440 musicians from 35 countries took part, playing the accordion, domra, balalaika, guitar and gusli (psaltery).

The jury was impressed with the high standard of playing. Performers in the Junior accordion category put up a "strong fight", with the jury awarding two players 1st equal and two players 2nd equal.

Contributed by Toru Katou

On April 27th, accordionist Tetsuya Kuwayama will entertain with vocalist Shigeko Suzuki at a concert entitled "Bossa-Musette Night" at Minami-Aoyama Mandala, Tokyo. For further details phone: + 81 3-5372-6379

The Chester Accordion Club is holding a concert on April 25th at the Chester Rugby Club, Cheshire, featuring Deirdre Adamson. Deirdre will play a varied program of Scottish, Continental, Latin American and light classical music. For details phone: + 44 151 339 9850

Contributed by Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions

The "Hörgänge" festival of contemporary music was held recently in Vienna. Georg Schulz, (accordion teacher at the University of Music in Graz), presented a program of contemporary music, including solo and works for chamber music together with Lukas Schiske (percussion) and Ernesto Molinari (clarinet).

It is Georg's aim to demonstrate the development of the accordion as a concert instrument. Therefore the program included the first performances of "Shadow" (Lukas Haselböck) and "The Melon-Tree" (Bernhard Gander) as well as "Dream Bird" (Zbigniew Bargielski), "Pictures in a Mirror", (Isabel Mundry) "No Place for a Meeting" (Georg Friedrich Haas) and "Acco-Music" (Ernst Krenek).

Accordionist Art Van Damme celebrated his 80th birthday last week in San Francisco. Entertainment was provided by Steve Alvini, Ron Borelli, Lou Casanuova, Jim Hillman, Don Nurisso, Roberto Rosa and Lou Soper.

Art is currently playing at The Jazz Corner, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina with his quintet until April 22nd.

Contributed by Emilio Bertrand

An "Accordion Gathering" was held on April 9th at the Villa Malcom Club, Buenos Aries, organized by the International Association of Accordionists President, Julio Erman. Over 20 accordionists performed.

The aim of the meeting is to provide a place for accordionists, friends, relatives and fans to "get together" and enjoy accordion music. The next gathering will be held on May 14th and on the second Sunday of every following month.

Contributed by Toru Katou

On April 23rd an Easter Concert will be held at the Minami-kokura Baptist Church in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Performers include "Torio Los Fandangos" (with accordionist Naoko Iwahashi). Admission is free. For further information email: j-naoko@dg7.so-net.ne.jp

Contributed by Mike O'Regan

Jack Emblow and Tony Compton will perform at the Soar Valley Accordion Club concert on May 13th at the Rothley Centre, Rothley, Leicester. The duo plays both acoustic and electronic instruments and specializes in jazz improvisation. Jack Emblow is well known in the UK as he plays every Sunday on Radio 2 "Sing Something Simple", one of the longest running programs on BBC Radio. For further information see Future Events.

Contributed by Viatcheslav Semionov

The "Spring Voices" traditional accordion festival was held in Moscow from March 23rd to 25th. Performances were given by two orchestras from Tula and Moscow, and laureates of various international accordion competitions from Voronezh, Moscow, Rostov-on Don and St. Petersburg.

Accordionist Joseph Petric will perform at the Kitchener Waterloo Chamber Music Series in Kitchener-Waterloo, Canada on May 3rd. His program will include works by Canadian composer Boyd MacDonald, with Guy Few (trumpet and piano) and Alain Trudel (trombone).

On May 9th and 10th Joseph will record works by Boyd MacDonald at the Convocation Hall, Wilfred Laurier University. For further details email: jpetric@interlog.com

Accordionist Steve Roxton will perform in seven top Hotels in Jersey, for six nights each week from May to October. As Jersey gets visitors from all over the world, his 3 hour program will include a repertoire of music and songs in several different languages, including Luci e Hombre, Bourrasque, Carnival of Venice, Plaisance Fox, Nobody's Child, Elvis and Beatles pieces, German Drinking songs, Russian and Swedish folk music and songs.

Steve will perform at the Merton Hotel and Hotel de Normandie (St Saviour), Westview Hotel (St Mary), Portland Hotel, Hotel de la Plage, Mayfair Hotel and Fort D'Auvergne Hotel (St Helier). For further details email: steve@roxton.demon.co.uk

Contributed by Norbert Pietschmann

The Akkordeon-Ensemble Musikschule Weißensee (conducted by G. Wlatschkow) performed at their 25th anniversary on April 14th. The event, which was held in Berlin included guest performers the Manfred Gustavos-Quintett.

Ken Simmonds would like some information on an old Alvari Italia Piona Accordion. Please email: ken.simmonds@ntlworld.com

A reader would like some details on an accordion made by Galizi & Sardoni, which is over 40 years old. Please email: rmurphy@suffolk.lib.ny.us

Demetri Lagarde would like information on a Soberano piano accordion. Please email: DemetriLagarde@email.msn.com