This week we have two new Articles online. The first is an article on Alcobaça where the 50th Trophée Mondial de l'Accordéon competition will be held from September 28th to October 2nd. The event is organized by the Serenata Music School, Anibal Freire, CMA, Italy (Bio Boccosi), Associacao Acordeao Alcobaça, Camara Municpal de Alcobaça, Junta de Freguesia de Alcobaça and Regiao de turismo Leiria/Fatima.

The second is entitled "Important Symposium in Paris" submitted by Beniamino Bugiolacchi, regarding a Paris symposium on accordion, manufacturing and musical perspectives. This article is online in English and Italian.

Wayne Knights Webmaster

• Werner Brueggemann Memorial Competition - Austria
• Accordion and Flute Concert - Portugal
• Country Music Day - Germany
• Accordionist Accepts Orchestra Director Position - USA
• Sylvia Pagni in Concert in Abruzzo - Italy
• Fashion - Accordion Style - New Zealand
• National University of Bogotá Concert - Colombia
• Annual Concert Tour - Japan
• Celtic Music Festival - Poland
• New Duo 2000 CD - South Africa
• CNIMA New Season Opening - France
• Fabio Alderighi Performs in Pontecchio Marconi - Italy
• Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire Meeting - USA
• 75th Birthday Celebration - Germany
• Claudio Jacomucci Workshop - Mexico
• Celebrating Bach Concerts - Norway
• New Edition of News Francais
• "Music to Be Murdered By" - Australia
• Chestnut Night - USA
• Pitocco Plays Piazzolla - Italy
• Ludovic Beier Orchestra on the Radio - France
• Mad Pudding in the UK
• Lydie Auvray and Les Auvrettes - Germany
• New CD by Viktor Romanko - Russia
• New CD of Traditional Jazz - Italy
• Search for Eduard Lenchiner
• New Sites
• Antique Accordion Information
• Accordion Information Required

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

The Werner Brueggemann Memorial Competition will be held on November 18th in Pfarrsaal, Natternbach, Austria. Brueggemann (1936 - 1997) composed many pieces for the accordion, positively influencing accordionists in Austria. The competition, which aims to promote Brueggemann's works to accordionists of all levels, will be held in three main classes: lower level, central level and upper stage.

Competition prizes include prize money of ATS 3000 for each category. The accordionist gaining the most points will receive the "Werner Brüggemann" award and an accordion from the Hohner company, valued at ATS 20.000, presented by Eferdinger Musikhaus. For further information email Landesmusikschule Natternbach, Hubert Antlinger: ms-peuerbach.post@ooe.gv.at

On September 28th "Duo Zubitsky" (accordionist Vladimir Zubitsky and his son Stanislav - flute) will perform at the "Trophée Mondial" in Alcobaça, Portugal. Their program will include "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (Mozart), transcriptions of classical music, folk, jazz and some of Vladimir's compositions for flute and accordion.

Contributed by Uli Ebner, Director of Creativ-Shop

A Country Music Day is planned for the young accordionists in Filderstadt on October 8th. The event will include a solo and duo competition, a workshop by Stefan Hippe and a concert by the competition winners. The event finale will feature a gala concert with guests the "Landesjugendorchester Baden Württemberg" (Federal Youth Orchestra Baden Württemberg). For details see Future Events.

Accordionist Dee Langley has accepted the position of Orchestra Director for the 2000-2001 season of the Ethnic Dance Theatre, which has a full company of 25 dancers, 10 musicians, and 10 vocalists. The group has an extensive repertoire of folk dances and music from over 45 countries including Tibet, Turkey, Croatia, Costa Rica, Poland, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Bohemia, Saudi Arabia and Austria. Dee has performed with the Ethnic Dance Theatre since 1998.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Accordionist Sylvia Pagni recently gave two concerts in the Abruzzo region. The first was held on September 7th at Casal Thaolero, near Roseto degli Abruzzi, where she presented the accordion both as a traditional and as a contemporary (MIDI) instrument in front of an enthusiastic audience. The second performance (on September 10th) in the Silvi Marina pine forest during a national meeting of physicians included a classical program of pieces by Liszt, Paganini and others played on the MIDI accordion, which received a great response from the crowd.

Wellington accordionist Rebekah Grieg (who is also a dress designer) had her summer collection featured at the recent Hong Kong students Association Ball and Fashion Show. The designs were inspired by the accordion bellows and featured lots of accordion pleats!!

On September 24th Rebekah will perform with her group "Circus" at the Wellington Botanical Gardens to celebrate Tulip Day. For details see Future Events.

On September 15th, a concert entitled "The Magic of the Accordion and its Route around the World" was held in the Leon de Greiff Auditorium of the National University of Bogota. Accordionist Lácides Romero performed European folklore pieces and works by Handel, Grieg and Dvorak to the enthusiastic audience. "Trio Porteño" (which includes Ecuadorian accordionist Luis Garrido) played tangos and traditional milongas, and vallenato group "Beto Jamaica" played traditional vallenato folklore pieces.

This is the first time an accordion concert of such different musical styles has been held in Colombia.

Contributed by Toru Katou

Japanese accordionist Mie Miki and Stefan Hussong (Germany) will tour Japan from September 20th to 30th, beginning at the Minato Mirai Hall in Yokohama. Further concerts will be held in Tokyo, Niigata, Osaka and Tsukuba (Ibaraki Prefecture). For details see Future Events.

Sandy Brechin will perform at the Celtic Music Festival in Poznan from September 29th to October 1st with his group Burach. The group will perform at the two main festival concerts plus at other venues in Poznan. For further details email: sandy@squeeze.demon.co.uk

Duo 2000 are now completing the final "mix" and "edit" phase of their new CD "Song for Anna" which will be ready for release next month. Tracks Include "Ebb Tide" (Maxwell), "Pizzicato Polka" (Strauss) and "The Glow Worm Idyll" (Lincke).

Contributed by Roman Jbanov

The CNIMA began its academic year on September 11th with 30 students arriving from France, Yugoslavia, Japan and America. They will have a busy schedule, with 8 hours training per day, including individual and group lessons, courses in solfeggio, harmony, arranging, composition, music history, orchestral studies, teaching methods, a ball music course, meetings organized with famous accordionists and masterclasses. The aim is to provide as complete a musical education as possible.

Jacques Mornet - famous teacher and Director of the Centre heads an impressive list of tutors including: Nathalie Boucheix, Aurélien Noël, Stéphanie Méthot, Roman Jbanov, Pascal Meurgé, Franck Angélis and Domi Emorine.

Students of all levels of experience are welcome. For further details email: CNIMA@wanadoo.fr

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Accordionist Fabio Alderighi played recently at the Villa Griffone in Pontecchio Marconi (near Bologna) to a sell-out crowd. The concert was so successful that organizers have invited Fabio to perform there again in the near future.

Contributed by Elias Abelson

The next Strathspey & Reel Society of New Hampshire meeting will be held on September 24th in Concord, New Hampshire. Accordionist Sylvia Miskoe (the new Music Director of the society) has enthusiastic plans for the coming year that include a workshop on Breton music and introducing music she has been collecting for many years beginning with a march "Loch Ruan". Admission to the meetings is free and all ages, instruments and levels are welcome. For details email: smiskoe@aol.com

Contributed by Uli Ebner, Director of Creativ-Shop

The Harmonica Orchestra Wehr. 1930 e.V. will celebrate their 75th birthday with a concert on October 3rd at the Town Hall in Wehr. As a special birthday gift, organizers have arranged for the Pawel Smirnow Orchestra to perform. This orchestra was a guest performer in Waldshut many years ago, and now returns to the upper Rhine region. For ticket information email: antje.Raestel@t-online.de

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Claudio Jacomucci was invited by the Mexican Council of Music to give an Alexander Technique Workshop to accordionists and other musicians (voice, trumpet, guitar etc) at the Music College Ollin Yolitztli in Mexico. The workshop took place from September 11th to 15th.

Øivind Farmen will perform two concerts of J.S. Bach works this week beginning with a recital to celebrate Bach's anniversary on September 24th at the famous Ringve Museum in Trondheim. His program will include Fantasia in A minor, Excerpts from "Goldberg Variations", Prelude and Fugue in D minor and Concerto in G minor. For further details email: o-farmen@frisurf.no

A new edition on News Francais is now online and can be seen at: http://accordeon.com/francais/

On October 12th and 13th, Melbourne accordionist Bernadette Conlon will take the role of musical director at a private cabaret show for the Savage and Lyceum clubs in Melbourne, where she will accompany 15 vocalists. The theme is "Music to Be Murdered By", with music ranging from Manhattan Transfer's "Twilight Tone", to jazz standards, such as "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Miss Otis Regrets", to Rock 'n' Roll and Bach's "Toccata in D Minor".

Contributed by Wendy Morrison

On September 20th the group "Taylor Among the Devils" played at a Chestnut Night dance in Baltimore, Maryland organized by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington. The band includes Marty Taylor (flute & concertina), Jonathan Jenson (piano & ocarina) and Steve Hickman (violin). The band's next performance will be at the Folklore Society of Greater Washington dance in the Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom, Maryland on October 8th. For further details see Future Events.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On September 21st Massimiliano Pitocco performed with Rosario Mastroserio (piano) in Bisceglie. The duo played music by Astor Piazzolla. Pitocco's next concert will be with the Trio Solotarev (which also includes Scurti Germano and Flammini Dario) in Monfalcone on September 25th. Their program includes works by Zubitsky, Bjiorcheneim, Tiensuu and Precz.

Pitocco will have a busy concert schedule during October with concerts in Terlizzi, Chieti and Salerno with the quartet "Four for Tango" (includes Diego Conti - violin, Giovanni Rinaldi - bass and Rosario Mastroserio - piano). For further concert details see Future Events

The Ludovic Beier Orchestra performed on the France Inter Radio Station program "Interdanse" on September 17th. Prior to this performance they had the audience dancing and "on fire" during the St. Hubert's Feast in Champagne, Oise.

September 2000 is the beginning of a new concert season for the band of ten musicians and vocalists. Their program includes various musical styles such as Paris and its "valse musette", swing in the "French-style ball", Latin America with a Latino style, the USA with rhythm'n'blues and rock'n'roll plus jazz, 70's music and international light music.

Canadian celtic funk band "Mad Pudding" will perform in Belper on October 4th organized by PeakBeat. The band, which includes Amy Stephen (accordion, vocals & penny whistle) have released four CD's including "Grand Hotel", "Rattle on the Stovepipe", "Dirt and Stone" and "Bruce's Vegetable Garden". For details see Future Events

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Lydie Auvray and Les Auvrettes will be seen and heard throughout Germany in the coming months. The group will perform in Hilpolstein this weekend, followed by concerts in Celle, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Achim and Lübeck during September. They have over fifteen further concerts during October and November. For details email: Scala.Weissenberger@t-online.de

Contributed by Uli Ebner, Director of Creativ-Shop

Russian accordionist Professor Viktor Romanko has just released his new CD "Improvisationen" before starting his concert tour 2000. The CD includes works by J.S. Bach, W. Solotarjov and J. Derbenko as well as his improvisations, which were recorded in the studio and are unique. Victor says: "Improvisation is the mood of the moment I am in while playing which I cannot repeat in the same way again". For further concert information email: JBmenn@gmx.de

The Renzo Ruggieri Group recently released a new CD of traditional jazz music with the Wide Sound label. In addition to well-known accordionist Renzo Ruggieri, the ensemble includes important musicians of the Italian jazz scene such as pianist Paolo Di Sabatino, Massimo Manzi (drums) and Massimo Moriconi (double bass).

The album includes some of Ruggieri's own compositions such as "Carnevale", "Piccolo valzer francese", "I'm stupid" and others, as well as famous jazz standards. The sheet music is available free of charge. For information email: info@musicomania.it

Moldovian bayanist Oleg Fateev (now living in Holland) is currently searching for his former teacher, Eduard Efimovich Lenchiner. Eduard was a bayan teacher and conductor in the Music College of Tiraspol (Moldavia). He emigrated to Melbourne, Australia with his family in 1989. He possibly moved from Australia to New Zealand. If you can help please email: est.adams@tip.nl

http://www.abc-edition.at Information on ABC-edition Musikverlag accordion sheet music company in Austria

http://www.accordions.com/lips/comp.htm Details of the 3rd International Moscow Bayan Competition rules. The competition will be held from December 9th to 18th.

http://www.accordions.com/florida Florida has witnessed the birth of the Florida Accordion Association in September 2000, which is dedicated to promoting the accordion through public awareness.

http://www.accordions.com/gmorin Strolling accordionist Gary Morin will add some flare to your party! Visit the website for contact information and musical styles.

http://www.accordionsusa.com Just in time for the holidays, Accordions USA provides an extensive array of instruments and accordion accessories on-line with pictures, specifications and information on many different sizes and brands of instruments.

http://www.accordions.com/mucedola Updated information on accordionist Frank Mucedola who offers Swing Music recordings and several compositions. Listen to sound files in new MP3 format.

Andrew Harvey would like information on contacts suitable for minor restoration and the value of a 120 bass Frontalini piano accordion, model 316, dated 1863. email: andrew.harvey@ic24.net

Richard Van Dam would like to know the approximate value of a 30yr old Hero Accordion. email: hopeangel@fnmail.com