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Accordions Worldwide has updated information on the history of the accordion in Italy, written by Beniamino Bugiolacchi in Italian and English. This will be online soon. Please check the History section details for your country and if you have any updated information please send it to: tatiana@accordions.com Wayne Knights Webmaster |
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Contributed by Clifton Buck-Kauffman This year's Cotati Accordion Festival, held at La Plaza Park, Cotati, California on August 26th and 27th is the tenth anniversary of the event, which is a multi-cultural celebration of the accordion. Thirteen acts can be heard each day on the two side-by-side main stages. Performers include Art Van Damme, The O'Grady Family, Julio Morgani, Sev Garcia, Daran Krevanh, Bellows & Bows, Nester & Shollack Duo, Gina & Romany Rye (England), Robin Flower & Libby McLaren, Los Compas featuring Rene Pena Gavey, The Pick pocket Ensemble, Matapat (Canada), Dick Contino, Phillip Parsons with Bart Beninco, Sebastopol, Miss Cybeluis Monroe, Georges Lammam, Arizona Button Accordion Band, Sourdough Slim with Blackwood Tom, Parlando and Kevin Roche. A "Polka tent" will feature a cushioned wooden dance floor with music by the Steve Balich Polka Band. Popular groups Zydeco Flames and Gator Beat will host the Cajun/Zydeco Dance Party at the well known nightclub "The Inn of the Beginning", located adjacent to La Plaza Park. Those Darn Accordions (Saturday) and Polkacide (Sunday) will close the show. The festival is a non-profit community fundraiser, which benefits Performing Arts and Recreation Programs for the children of Cotati and Rohnert Park (adjoining Cotati). They have successfully raised about US$20,000 per year in the past. For further details email: info@cotatifest.com |
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Accordionist Vladimir Zubitsky held a Master Class at the Principat d'Andorra Summer Music School from July 3rd to 14th. Organized by the Munizipalitet of Escaldes-Engordany, the Spanish Embassy and the "Harmonia") Music School the master class included individual lectures on performers, composers and ensembles of chamber music, improvisation etc. |
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Contributed by Toru Katou "Django 2000 in Nagano" will be held at the Fujimi Panorama Skiing Ground, Fujimi Heights, Nagano Prefecture on August 5th and 6th. Workshops and concerts will be given by accordionists Misuzu Minou, Mitsuyo Sakamoto and Kenroku Tsuda. For further information email: cato@ipc.hiroshima-u.ac.jp |
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The show was prepared by Pascal Sevran and Didier Ouvrad during a recent Mediterranean cruise, in which many Accordéon Magazine readers took part. The entertainers gave played solos, duets and trios then Jérôme Richard "set the audience (15-35 years of age) on fire!" A wonderful promotion for our instrument! |
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 Contributed
by Kevin L. Friedrich
The other international guest Vitali Dmitriev (St. Petersburg, Russia) also took the convention by storm, performing a tremendous array of more serious music, also receiving many standing ovations. Both guests have won the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships in their respective categories, and were part of the ATG 60th Anniversary Celebrations. Not limited to these two outstanding musicians, the ATG also featured jazz legend Frank Marocco, who performed in concert, presented workshops and was a co-conductor for the 80 strong Millennium Festival Orchestra. The Orchestra was also conducted by Joan C. Sommers and 97 year old ATG President Emeritus, Anthony Galla-Rini.
A full review of both the AAA and ATG Festivals will be included in the August Edition of the USA National News. The 2001 ATG Festival will be held in San Antonio, Texas from July 19th to 22nd, 2001. |
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Contributed by Li Cong The 8th Anhui Junior Accordion Competition was held on July 12th in Hefei, Anhui Province. This is an annual traditional children's music event in Anhui, with over 100 children competing in four different age groups. Winners:
Yi Xiao Nan performed Rhapsody No.2 (Liszt) which was well received by the judges and audience. She is a student of Huang Zhen Sheng and has gained high placings in National competitions. Yi Xiao Nan will represent all the competitors at a concert performance on July 29th in the province capital. |
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Their program will include "Hakaru Races" (which features Kath on accordion and Bill on concertina), "Farewell to the Gumfields" and "Fields of the Gum" as well as many folk dance, ragtime and calypso tunes. For further details email: songs@billkath.com |
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Contributed by Jonatan Karlsson The International Reykjavik Accordion Festival 2000 (held from July 14th to 16th) was a huge success, beginning with the opening concert performance by the Danish Youth Orchestra (Bornholm) led by Gregor Siegler, which took place in the brand new Grafarvogskirkja Church in Reykjavik. Other performers included soloists Bjarke Mogensen and Martin Noordgraaf (Denmark), Matthias Kormáksson (Iceland), Sergei Voitenko (Russia), duo Svanur & Gudbjorg, Asa, Ingunn and Hekla and duo Accordéon Mélancolique (Holland). This duo of Jean-Pierre Guiran and Cherie de Boer charmed everybody with their numerous performances which were televised on two TV channels. They were also featured in a leading Icelandic newspaper. The main event, a concert followed by a dance at Reykjavik's newest dance hall "Broadway" was the highlight of the festival, will all performers in attendance. Entertainers included Karl Jonatansson who played jazz with his band Neistar and blues singer Iben Kellermann (Denmark), The Faroe Islands Accordion Club Orchestra, Berg & Jacobsen´s Danseorkestur and Gena Churchill (USA). |
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Contributed by Jim Vandelly The Balalaika Domra Association of America (BDAA), an international organization devoted to Russian and Eastern European music and culture, held its 2000 convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from July 9th to 15th. The Festival Concert at the historic Byham Theatre was the culmination of a week of workshops, rehearsals, and nightly concerts. Vladimir Kaliazine (originally from Latvia and now living in Dallas, Texas) was the bayan section leader in the orchestra which was comprised of Russian folk instruments of all types, but primarily balalaikas, Domras, bayans and accordions. The accordion-bayan section also included Judy Meyers (USA), Hokan Sundin (Sweden) and Jim Vandelly (USA). |
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Finnish group Tango for Four (featuring accordionist Mika Väyrynen) performed two concerts at the Seinäjoki Tango Festival on July 14th and 15th. This is one of the biggest tango festivals in the world and this year over 16,000 people attended. Tango for Four performed a program of Finnish and Argentinean tangos by Piazzolla, Rantala, Kärki and Virta. |
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Contributed by Henry Doktorski, The Classical Free-Reed Colombian accordionist Lacides Romero (instructor at the Universidad Pedaggica Nacional) will travel to Europe in October giving concerts in Milan, Berna, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid and Milaga. His Milan (Italy) performances will be part of the first Colombian Art Festival, which runs from October 7th to 11th and includes dance, literature, poetry, painting, sculpture and Colombian music. For more information email: lacidesromero@yahoo.com |
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Contributed by Li Cong For decades in the accordion industry in China, accordion factories have made standard bass accordions. Recently, Shanghai Baile Accordion manufacturers made several changes to their factory and put more energy into producing the new model accordions. The 903 Technical Team have studied the Chromatic Free Bass Accordion since October last year. After six months studying and researching, they produced their Converter Chromatic Free Bass Accordion. This B system accordion has 80 bass buttons and 37 treble keys. The instrument has been completely made in China, a sign that Chinese accordion manufacturers are getting closer to the international accordion industry. The instrument will give many Chinese accordion students the opportunity to learn the free bass accordion without having to import an accordion to China. |
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Contributed by Beniamino Bugiolacchi A very interesting symposium on "Accordion Manufacturing and Musical Perspectives" took place recently in Paris during the Salon de la Musique. The event, organized by the council of the Cité, the Musée de la Musique and the Accordèon 2000 association, was aimed at outlining the present situation of the accordion in Europe and promoting new musical perspectives capable of reversing the fortunes of an instrument that is less and less popular among young people. After a welcome by Honorary President Marcel Azzola speeches on several accordion-related topics were given including "Castelfidardo, cradle of the Italian accordion" (Beniamino Bugiolacchi), "Musical originality and industrial creativity" (René Lacheze), "Italian manufacturing and foreign influences" (Marco Galeazzi from Cemex), "The Midi accordion" (Claude Cavagnolo and Sergio Tomassi), "The free bass accordion" (Thierry Paillet), "The diatonic accordion" (Marc Perrone and Massimo Castagnari), "Creation of an international notation system (Geir Draugsvoll), "Discoveries and music from the extreme margins" (Pascal Contet), "How the accordion found its place in the classical repertoire" (Pierre Gervasoni). Of particular interest were the debates that followed each speech, often provoked by well-known accordion historian Professor Pierre Monichon, US accordionist Peter Soave, Philippe Krumm and Patrick Quichaud. |
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Contributed by Steve Litwin The 17th annual Concertina Jam took place at the Seven Springs resort in conjunction with the six day Polka Fireworks festival held recently in Pennsylvania. This all acoustic "box jam" not only draws some of the finest Polish style players in the country but also brings in novice players to a venue where professional sits alongside amateur and everyone is equal. This year over 48 musicians from New York, California, Maryland, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Alabama and Illinois participated. The gathering featured songs based on the heritage of Polish polka music such as "Monday Morning", "Zip Zip", "Fortunes of War" and "Ice Cream" polkas. |
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Duo 2000 will perform daily concerts at the holiday resort "Champagne Castle Hotel" in Drakensberg from July 28th to 30th. Their program includes The Wedding March (Mendelssohn) and Granada (Albeniz). Following this, the duo will perform another of their popular house concerts on August 5th and 6th in Emmarentia. They will play a variety of pieces such as Dizzy Fingers (Confrey), Coriandoli Napoletani (Caporilli) and Prelude to La Traviata (Verdi). |
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On July 21st accordionist Cao Xiao-Qing and his cello partner played at a concert in Bochum to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Bach's death. Their program included the famous 3 Cambi Sonatas (J.S. Bach - A Major, A Major and A Minor), In Croce (Sofia Gubaidulina) and a premiere of "Meditation", a piece for accordion and cello by Austrian composer Helmut Rogl. Cao Xiao-Qing is a lecturer at the International Accordion Masterclass currently taking place at the Tianjin Music School in China until July 31st. Other lectures and seminars will be given by well-known artists Professor Elsbeth Moser, Professor Friedrich Lips and Domenique Emorine (Klingenthal winner). |
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UK group Flowers and Frolics released their new CD "Reformed Characters" at a ceilidh at Cecil Sharp House on July 21st organized by the English Folk Dance and Song Society. The group, which includes Dan Quinn (melodeon), Roger Digby (concertina), Mike Bettison, Bob King, Ted Stevens and Alex West originally formed in 1975 with a concertina, two melodeons, banjo, tuba and percussion. After releasing two LP's the group disbanded in the 1980's. At the end of 1999 the group reformed to release their new CD and perform at summer music festivals (such as Sidmouth and Towersey) during 2000. The CD includes traditional dance tunes (mostly English) including Silverton Polka (from Jimmy Shand), some jigs by the late Bob Cann (melodeon), and songs such as "The Watercress Girl". For further information email: quinn@unisonfree.net |
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The John Jeski Band (featuring accordionist John Jeski) will perform three free outdoor concerts in Connecticut during August, starting with one at Arbor Park, Ellington on August 6th. Two days later (8th) the group will play at Naugatuck Green, Naugatuck and on the 17th at Goodwin Park, Hartford. This last concert was made possible by a grant from the Evelyn W. Preston Memorial Trust Fund. See Future Events for further details. |
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The "Ceol Camloch" traditional weekend will be held from August 11th to 13th in South Armagh, in conjunction with the "Camloch Liar festival - the Feile Camloch". An anglo concertina workshop will be held, tutored by Kieran Burns. Kieran has just completed tutoring a workshop at the Willie Clancy week with Noel Hill. For further details email: ceolcamloch@hotmail.com |
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Spanish accordionist Iñaki Alberdi was a guest at the recent Kragujevac Accordion Festival in Yugoslavia. His program included works by new Spanish composers such as Torres, Erkoreka, Martínez, and De Pablo as well as better known composers Jokinen and Gubaidulina. From July 20th to 23th Iñaki was back in Spain to give a seminar to accordion orchestras in Sant Feliu de Guíxols. |
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Contributed by Li Cong Accordion master classes are currently held by the Tianjing Music Conservatory, Sichuan Music Conservatory and Xiamen University. Now the China Capital Normal University have begun accordion master classes also with tutor Deputy Professor Yang Guo Li. Yang Guo Li currently has many accordion students and gives lectures in China to assist local accordion teachers to improve their teaching abilities. He has also been invited to judge at international accordion events on a number of occasions. The University believes that the new master classes will give the accordion positive exposure and positively affect its academic position in the Chinese music world. For further information phone Mr Song Jun at: + 86 10-68902679 |
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Canadian accordionist Domenic 'the Accordion Beatles guy' Amatucci will perform on CBC Radio One's Metro Morning Show (99.1 FM) with host Andy Barrie on July 28th. The segment was taped early in May in the Spadina subway station in Toronto and is part of an ongoing feature the Metro Morning Show has been broadcasting about Toronto's subway musicians. |
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Scottish group Burach (including accordionist Sandy Brechin) will tour the USA from August 7th to 29th. Their first concert will be at the Bethlehem Musikfest in Pennsylvania from August 8th to 10th with a program of songs from their new album "Deeper" (released in May 2000) and some pieces from their other two albums. This Musikfest is one of the biggest Music festivals in the United States. Following this, the group will perform concerts in North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, California and San Francisco. Prior to the tour, Sandy will play at a charity concert on August 5th at the Ross Bandstand in the Princes St Gardens in Scotland. The event includes a Millennium march of over 10,000 pipers. Sandy will also provide backing for a hundred strong choir of nurses from the Marie Curie Organisation. The concert will be broadcast live to big screens around the world. For further details email: sandy@squeeze.demon.co.uk |
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http://www.accordions.com/novjaro Information on the Novjaro quintet (featuring accordionist Johanna Juhola), winners of the 7th international competition "Astor Piazolla" in Castelfidardo and winner of the special "Accordions Worldwide" award. |
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Rocky Otwell would like information on an accordion with the names "Gretsch", "La Tosca" and "Bolero" on it. rlodeo@tyler.net Sharon has a "Mel Phonic" piano accordion made in Italy and believed to be over 40 years old. gizelle@elknet.net Berneta Metcalf has a Scandalli accordion, made in Italy with L930/60 on it. bernetametcalf@netscape.net James would like information on a Dallape Cav. Mariano, Stradella Italia accordion. shimp1985@homestead.com |
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On
July 14th, Disney Village in Paris held a ball which was "100% accordion-driven",
with the participation of 
French
accordionist 
The
ATG also held a Virtuoso Entertainment Competition, with results as follows:
Warkworth
(New Zealand) accordionists Bill & Kath Worsfold will tour Canada from
July 30th to August 31st giving a concert in Kath's home town of Brantford
as well as performances at rural fairs in Carp and Maberley (west of Ottawa)
and a folk festival at Clarendon. They will also do a "support spot" at
a concert by Scottish/Australian singer & songwriter Eric Bogle, numerous
children's shows, workshops, play at a bush dance and enjoy some family
walk-a-round entertainment at a Garlic Festival near Ottawa. 
Contributed
by 
Contributed
by Roger Digby
Graziano
and Moreno Gianforte, two accordion students of the "Voglia d'Arte" musical
centre directed by