Editors Note
Accordions Worldwide staff Tatiana Lanchtchikova, Christine Adams, Kevin Friedrich and Wayne Knights attended the successful New Zealand Accordion Association South Pacific Championships and Festival this weekend in Auckland. Kevin was a guest performer and judge at the event, Tatiana's student Campbell Bettridge won the New Zealand Solo Championship, Wayne and Christine assisted with the running of the event and Christine also competed in the New Zealand Accordion Orchestra Championship (as a conductor and player) and the Intermediate Orchestra Championship, gaining first place in both classes.

I hope all the rest of the world's accordionists had as enjoyable a weekend as we did. Please see the news item below for further details and results.

Wayne Knights Webmaster

Contributed by Christine Adams

Les Andrews, Gary Daverne, Silvio de Pra and John Statham

The New Zealand Accordion Association South Pacific Championships and Festival was held in Auckland from June 1st to 3rd. It is the largest annual accordion event in the Southern Hemisphere. The event included 30th birthday celebrations and a special tribute to accordionist Silvio de Pra (who has always been willing to adjudicate at the competitions and often appeared as a guest artist during the last 30 years), Chairman of the Accordion Examination Board since its inception in 1972 and Chief Examiner since 1992.

Auckland composer Gary Daverne was commissioned to write a special piece for this event entitled "Musical Party". This piece was performed by a massed orchestra of over 80 accordionists from USA, New Zealand, China and Australia in a final concert held on Sunday afternoon. Guest performers included the "K" Trio (USA), Kevin Friedrich and competition winners. Well known Auckland artist Les Andrews (and long time friend of Silvio's) compeered a "This is Your Life" presentation for Silvio de Pra. He then took the stage with Silvio to sing some favourite pieces (in English and Italian) to the excited audience.

Results:

South Pacific Piano Accordion Solo Competition: 1st: Adam Thorpe (New Zealand)
New Zealand Solo Champion: Campbell Bettridge (who will represent New Zealand at the Coupe Mondiale in England this October)
15 years and under South Pacific Championship: 1st - Wu Yu (China)
New Zealand 15 years and under Solo Champion: Kristina Panzic
12 years and under South Pacific Championship: 1st - Calum Anderson (New Zealand)
New Zealand Open Solo: 1st - Alex Selman
New Zealand Accordion Orchestra Championship: 1st - North Shore Musicale Orchestra
Open Entertainment Accordion Orchestra Championship: 1st - Christchurch Accordion Orchestra

International Competition PrixAzzola-Zolotarjev - France

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

The international accordion competition PrixAzzola-Zolotarjev organized by Jean-Marc Fabiano took place from June 2nd to 4th in the theatre Le Comoedia in Aubagne, Marseille. The international jury included famous names in the accordion world such as Mika Väyrynen (Finland), Vladimir Zubitsky (Italy), Anibal Freire (Portugal), Jean-Marie Geiser (Switzerland), Jacque Mornet, Philip Bride, Christine Prost, Bernard Albaynac, Jean-Pierre Moreau and Mark Perrone (all from France), Livio Bollani and Mirko Patarini (both from Italy). Results of the various categories of entertainment and classical music will be published in next week's news edition.

Accordionists Vladimir Zubitsky and Angel Luis Castano will hold a Master Class in Escaldes-Ergordany, Andorra from July 2nd to 14th. The Master class will include players from beginners to advanced levels. For details email: harmonia-music@andorra.ad

Contributed by Angel Russo

The popular accordion "peñas" with the motto "bring your accordion and play your favourite song" will be held regularly on the first and third Sunday of each month (from 6pm to midnight) in Buenos Aires. Accordionists are welcome to play all types of popular songs and dances. For further details email: maquinapastarusso@fullzero.com.ar

The New Hampshire Highland Games will be held in the White Mountain National Forest, Lincoln, New Hampshire from September 14th to 16th. The event will feature "All things Scottish" such as an All Instrument Competition (adjudicated by accordionist Sylvia Miskoe), Gathering of the Clans, Massed Bands, Sheepdog Trials and Celtic World Music Concerts. For further details email: info@nhscot.org

Contributed by Joanna Tordjeman

The 10th MRA (Roman Medal for Accordion) competition took place in May in Alle, Switzerland organized by Reflets d'Ajoie. Jury members included Benjamin Oleinikoff, Stéphane & Lionel Chapuis, Claudine & José Cintas, Ghislaine Roos, Milan Novotny, Georges Zaugg (invited Jury Member), Jonas Kocher, Suzanne Zuchuat, Christophe Dufaux and Daniel Cloux. The Prize giving ceremony was conducted by Lionel Chapuis.

Results:
Standard bass classes - 1st placings were awarded to: Laura Gremion, Valentin Nicolet, Mélanie Thévenaz, Marion Romanens, Tony Mangiola, Simon Chèvre, Cédric Rondez, Sophie Girardin, Yves Moulin, Jane Savoy (superior) and Yann Sarreboubée (excellency).

Free Bass classes - 1st placings were awarded to: Mard Rudaz, Nathalie Gaudard, Julien Tudisco, Lucia Genilloud, Dimitri Bouclier, Joanna Tordjeman (superior) and Véronique Berthoud (excellency).

Duet winners: Christine Glardon & Régine Giband, Joëlle Hevriet & Magalie Minder, Marc Présard & François Membrez (superior).

All of the above competitors given "excellency" certificates will qualify for the finale Accordion Swiss Cup competition, held on November 11th in Aesh.

Chamame Accordion Concerts - Japan

Contributed by Yoshiya Watanabe

Yuki Makita (pupil of the famous Argentine chamame accordionist Raul Barboza) will give concerts at Latin live music spots in Tokyo this month. Yuki was recently featured in the May issue of the Yomiuri Newspaper, which included a large article about her activities in introducing the chamame genre to Japanese audiences. Another article appeared in the June 6th Nihon Keizai Shinbun culture column. Hailed by Raul Barboza as a very promising accordionist, her popularity is increasing rapidly in Japan. For further details email: yoshwat@df6.so-net.ne.jp

Contributed by Ludger Kosel

Accordionist Alexander Gataullin (Moscow) will perform as a guest artist at a matinee concert and brunch at the Restaurant Jaegerhof in Recklinghausen on June 24th. The event will include a meal with sparkling wine and Russian delicacies.

Following the brunch Gataullin will perform at a Kindergarten and Community Party in the Liebfrauen-Church. Ulrich Schmuelling (Intermusik publisher) will also attend the event to answer questions regarding the topic "Accordion Culture in the Present Time".

Gataullin has performed successfully at the Coupe Mondiale and Klingenthal Competitions. For further details email: lukos@t-online.de

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

The ISMA 2001 (Simposio Internazionale di Acustical Musicale) Perugia Classico Accordion event will be held at the theater Morlachi in Perugia from September 13th to 16th. The event (which will be held in the historical centre of Perugia) will include concerts, master classes, seminars, meetings, demonstrations and exhibitions. The opening concert will include entertainment by Richard Galliano and the Symphony Orchestra of Perugia, directed by Giuliano Silveri.

Guest performers include Gianni Coscia, Luciano Biondini, Ivano Battiston and Patrizia Angeloni, Roberto Fuccelli, Luciano Titi and Ambrogio Sparagna. Meetings will be conducted by Richard Galliano and Paolo Picchio. For further information email: classico@perusia.it

A concert and master class took place at the Grande Synthe Music School in Dunkerke on May 18th and 19th. Participants were entertained by the Duo Paris-Moscou (Domi Emorine and Roman Jbanov) and an accordion orchestra under the direction of Mr & Mrs Quetel. The duo also took part in the master class, revealing some of their secret interpretations and techniques!

Accordionist Jon Hammond will perform at the "New Orleans By The Bay" music festival held at the Shoreline Ampitheatre in Mountain View, California on June 23rd and 24th. Organized by the SFX concert booking agency the event will include well known US performers such as "Funky Meters", "Beausoleil" and "The Zydeco Travelers". For further details email: laterent@webtv.net

Contributed by Raimondas Sviackevicius

The annual Summer Seminar & Festival (organized by the Lithuanian Accordion Association and its President, Professor Ricardas Sviackevicius and Vice President, Eduardas Gabnys) will be held at Stasys Vainiunas Music School in Palanga (a health resort city by the Baltic Sea) from August 8th to 16th.

The event will include master classes, united orchestra rehearsals, workshops, evening concerts and a grand final concert. Master class tutors include Alexander Dmitriev (Russia), Elena Dmitrieva (Russia), Peter Gerter (Germany), Henn Rebane (Estonia), Elisabeth Glauber(Germany) and teachers from the Lithuanian Academy of music: Assistant Professor Zita Abromaviciute, Professor Eduardas Gabnys and Professor Ricardas Sviackevicius (all from Lithuania).

Guest performers include Alexander Dmitriev, Peter Gerter, Henn Rebane as well as Lithuanian soloists and groups. Each day Ricardas Sviackevicius and Eduardas Gabnys will take orchestra rehearsals with Elisabeth Glauber who will tutor the group with her own compositions. For further details email the Lithuanian Accordion Association at: laa@takas.lt

Contributed by Raimo Vertainen

Finnish accordion trio "Fratres" has broken musical borders in many ways and this time the trio wanted to show that the accordion is a great instrument in rock music too! The trio played at a rock concert at the Ilmajoki Music Festival in Finland on June 7th, which included special lighting, sound effects and smog. Their program included old rock-classics by Deep Purple, Van Halen, Helloween, Uriah Heep, Kansas and Sting. The trio also played "electric boogie" dance music with the group "Dance Express" (led by Mikko Ahlgren, who has choreographed their performance).

The trio will also perform their "Fratres in Rock!" show at the Donaufestival in Vienna, Austria on June 29th. This concert will be broadcast on the NÖ1 Radio Station. For further details email: raimo.vertainen@pp.inet.fi

Contributed by Dirk Moede

The 7th International Accordion Festival 2001 took place from May 24th to 27th in Innsbruck, organized by the German Accordion Association (Deutschen Harmonika Verband e.V. - DHV). Over 300 accordion orchestras from ten European countries attended the event with many highly skilled accordionists who presented the varied possibilities of the accordion as an instrument.

In the category for Advanced Youth Orchestras, the "Berliner Akkordeonkinder" (from the Berlin-Hellersdorf Music School) successfully defended their title, which they won in 1998. Conducted by Ramona Nestler, they convinced the jury and the audience with a varied and lively programme, which received many standing ovations. The President of the DHV, Ernst Pfister awarded the orchestra their first prize and cup.

The musicians (aged from 12 to 22) will now prepare a "Thank You" concert for their sponsors, which made the journey to Innsbruck possible plus assisted with the production of their third CD. This concert will be held on June 23rd at the Museumpark Rudersdorf in Berlin. For further details email: dmoede@web.de

A final concert closed the event with performances from a variety of orchestras and ensembles.

ENO (one of the most successful opera companies in the UK) have commissioned six new operas from established composers, including John Webb. The great news for accordionists is that all six will contain substantial parts for accordion. This is a major coup for the accordion in the UK and will generate much publicity for the instrument when they are premiered by accordionist Ian Watson in London in January 2002. There will then be a 10 week run in London followed by performances around the UK and in Europe. For further details email: ianwatson99@lineone.net

Accordionist Frank Morocco will accompany vocalist Raquel Bitton at a concert entitled "Raquel Bitton Sings A Little Bit of Paris" at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on June 23rd. The event will include songs by Edith Piaf and others with a 20 piece orchestra. For further details email: RBitton@aol.com

Contributed by Beatrice Fontaine

The "Les Uns Les Autres a L'accordeon" Festival will be held in Paris from June 1st to July 1st. A variety of concerts will be held during the festival by international and national accordionists such as Viviane Arnoux, Raùl Barboza (Argentina), Daniel Colin (jazz and swing), Frédéric Daverio, Daniel Denecheau, Michel Ferchaud, Stéphane Fougerey, Régis Gizavo (Madagascar), Xavier Lacouture (French pieces), Henri Lemarchand, Noël Letertre (jazz), Duo of Arnaud Methivier & Otto Lechner, Sébastien Malherbe, MAM (V. Arnoux & F. Michaud - jazz), François Michaud, "Odessa" (klezmer group), François Parisi, Marc Perrone, "Pierrot", Thierry Svahn (rock), Trio Laudat-Dubanton-Le Taxin (swing) and David Venitucci (jazz). For further information email: accordeon2000@wanadoo.fr

An updated version of the East European News is now online. If you would like to contribute an item for this news please email coordinator Sergej Tchirkov at: tchirkov@accordions.com

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

A contemporary accordion solo concert will be held by Claudio Jacomucci at the Teatro dei Documenti in Rome on June 13th, 14th and 15th. His program will include "Sequenza XIII" (Luciano Berio), "Vagabonde Blu" (Salvatore Sciarrino), the Italian premiere of "Ballu" (Giorgio Tedde), the premiere performance of "7 Pezzi" (György Kurtág) and "Roadrunner" (John Zorn). For details email: hbhiac@tin.it

Claudio also performed a recent solo concert at the Teatro Europa in Aprilia with music by J. S. Bach (transcription of Passacaglia BWV 582), J. Zorn, A. Piazzolla and R. Galliano.

Japanese accordionist Maki Aozasa will perform at a concert entitled "Aozasa Maki Accordion Live" on June 30th at the "Art & Music Space GEN" in Nagoya. Her program will include "Valse Chinoise", "Adios Sevilla" and others. For further details email: ao-chan@land.linkclub.or.jp

Contributed by Olga Kopylova

The new CD by Sergei Voitenko entitled "Symphony of Time" was presented at a recent concert at the Samara Philharmonic Society concert hall. Sergei played a number of works from the CD with the symphonic orchestra of the Samara Philharmonic society (conducted by Michail Sherbakov). The CD includes four large works for accordion and orchestra by composers Viatcheslav Semionov (Basqueriad), I. Shamo (Concerto for accordion and Strings), A. Repnikov (Concert a Poem) and Vladimir Zubitsky (Rossiniana). The CD was recorded with the Ural National State Orchestra, conducted by L. Shkarupa.

A sell-out crowd of over 1,200 people attended the successful concert, which also included the premiere performance of a new work for accordion and string orchestra "Revelation". Sergei devoted this work to teacher Alla Kaz, who has taught a large number of musicians to success in national and international competitions. The work was so moving that members of the audience cried with emotion. For further CD information email: servoit@hippo.ru

Contributed by The Classical Free-Reed

Accordionist Henry Doktorski has begun recording the complete works of the great vaudeville accordionist, composer, recording artist and educator Guido Deiro (1886-1950) for a two volume compact disc set scheduled to be released in 2002. The album is being produced by the son of Guido Deiro, Count Guido Roberto Deiro, who met Doktorski when the latter performed his father's music at a recital at the City University of New York in March 2001.

In May, Doktorski recorded "My Florence", "Valse Caprice No. 1" and "Egypto", Deiro's most elaborate and ambitious work - an eight page, six minute concert fantasia for solo accordion.

Doktorski said, "Guido Deiro's genius as a composer has been neglected since his unfortunate death over fifty years ago. His melodies are exquisite with a beauty that defies description. I find his original works to be well-crafted and satisfying to perform and listen to. I am grateful to Deiro's son, Guido Jr., who has made it his mission to disseminate his father's music to the world."

For further CD information email: webmaster@henrydoktorski.com

Contributed by Luigi Luoni

The "Complesso Fisarmonicisti Citta' di Varese" accordion orchestra will perform at the Sala Concerti in Fpontanelle (Brescia Province) on June 30th. Their program will include a variety of classical and modern music. The orchestra has performed over 200 concerts in Italy and abroad since it was founded in 1984. For further information email: levetmlmr@libero.it

A new Article on the Alexander Technique & Accordion by Claudio Jacomucci is now online in English and Italian. If you would like to contribute an Article for this section please email: news@accordions.com

http://www.accordions.com/duo Information on the Paris Moscou accordion duo which includes Roman Jbanov and Domi Emorine

http://www.perugiaclassico.it Information on the Perugia Classico Accordion Meeting in Perugia, Italy from September 13th to 16th which will include concerts, master classes, seminars, meetings, demonstrations, exhibitions and a variety of concerts.

http://www.accordions.com/cma Information on the 51st Trophée Mondial de l'Accordéon competition held in Lorient, France from September 19th to 23rd, organized by the CMA, Bio Boccosi and Frédéric Deschamps.

Grace Rose would like information on a Ravenna piano accordion, believed to be made prior to 1939 with a mother-of-pearl finish. Email: G.M.Rose@rhul.ac.uk

Miguel Fontenot would like information on Paolo Soprani Artist piano accordions made in the 1960's, particularly the model similar to the one that Clifton Chenier plays. Email: alexmickey@telocity.com