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We have updated the "Articles" section of Accordions Worldwide. Currently with over 45 articles on a variety of interesting subjects, there is something for everyone. If you would like to contribute, please email: news@accordions.com

Wayne Knights Webmaster

The Ottawa Chamber Music Festival will run for over two weeks in August with five concerts daily in seven venues. As one of the largest chamber music festivals in the world, up to 1,400 are expected to attend each concert, with over 100,000 expected to attend the entire event. CBC and Societe Radio Canada will record the vast majority of concerts, which will be broadcast to over 1 million on both English and French radio systems.

Accordionist Joseph Petric will perform at St John's Church on August 1st with violinist Kai Glusteen, pianist Judy Ginsburg and soprano Joanne Kolomeyec. Their program will include works influenced by the Gypsy spirit including Dark Eyes and Moscow Nights along with vocal works and milongas by Piazzolla. The following day Joseph will perform solo at the same venue, featuring works by Bentzon, Antonio Soler, Domenico Scarlatti and the electroacoustic work "Orbiting Garden" by Christos Hatzis.

For further details email: jpetric@interlog.com

Contributed by Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions

For the third time Friedrich Lips was invited to participate in the Finnish accordion seminar, held in Toholampi from June 27th to July 4th. Organized by Sinikka Juttila, over 50 students had the chance to attend a variety of workshops by not only Lips, but also M. Rantanen, H. Velamo, M. Tynkkinen, H. Kymäläinen, R. Ahonen and L. Holm.

Lips also performed a variety concert, which included works by Schnittke, Cholminow, Podgaiz, Mozart and Norbaak.

Contributed by Tania Lukic-Marx and Milan Tomic

The 11th International Festival of Accordion Artists was held in Kragujevac, Yugoslavia, from July 4th to 14th. Three accordion events were held as part of this festival:

• International Accordion Summer School
• Festival of Accordion Soloists
• Yugoslav Federal competition

From the Federal competition, competitors were selected to represent Yugoslavia at the 2001 Coupe Mondiale and 51st Trophy Mondiale International Accordion Competitions.

Tutors at the Accordion School were Elizabeth Moser (Hannover, Germany) and Radomir Tomic (Yugoslavia). Participants from Yugoslavia, France and Croatia were in attendance, which was held in the form of an open class. Successful participants performed at the Farewell concert held at the conclusion of the Festival.

Festival concerts were held daily and the enthusiastic audience had the opportunity to hear winners of prestigious international accordion competitions. The huge international line-up in included Dragan Vasiljevic, Dmitrij Hramkov, Konstantin Ischenko, Jan Majsl, Konstantions Raptors, Ajdar Gajnulin, Snezana Nesic and Elizabeth Moser.

Ten competitors from the Yugoslav Federal Selection competition were selected to represent Yugoslavia at the following international competitions:

Trophy Mondiale (Lorient, France)

• Nenad Stojkovic (junior)
• Nenad Stojanovic (junior)
• Ljubomir Mitorvic (junior)

Coupe Mondiale (London, England)

• Miljan Beloica (junior)
• Vladimir Marinkovic (junior)
• Ivan SImic (junior)
• Miroslav Stevic (junior)
• Dragan Vasiljevic (senior)
• Milos Milivojevic (senior)
• Branko Dzinovic (piano accordion)
  
  

Accordionist Sandy Brechin will perform with his band "Burach" at the Edinbane Festival in The Marshall Centre, Edinbane Village, Isle of Skye in Scotland on July 21st. Sandy will also take a workshop at the Edinbane Hotel.

This is the first time the Edinbane Music Festival has been held. Other artists include Archie MacFarlane and Farquhar MacDonald, Robin Laing, Stramash, and the Donald Du Ceilidh Band.

Following this performance "Burach" will travel to Wales to take part in the Abergavenny Festival at the Linda Vista Gardens, Abergavenny on July 27th, where they will entertain for two hours.

For further information email: sandy@squeeze.demon.co.uk

Contributed by Günther Zeilinger

The Bavarian Combined Orchestra consists of Bavarian accordionists aged from 16 to 27 years of age. Along with their conductor Fritz Dobler, they will tour Australia from July 18th to August 1st. The orchestra will perform a varied program including the Overture to "Zigenerbaron", a new piece by Fritz Dobler entitled "Keniade" along with popular German folk music.

Concerts will be held at the Brisbane German Club, Robina Community Centre (Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast), at the ASA Festival, the Melbourne German Club, Melbourne Martin three concerts at Luther College, Sydney and finish with an outdoor concert in Cairns.

For further information email: zeilinger-g@web.de

Contributed by Li Cong

Chinese accordionist Cao Xiao Qing is currently studying in Germany. With his teacher Elisabeth Moser he will return to China, to hold a seminar in Shenzhen from July 26th to 28th.

Li Yi (accordion teacher at the Shenzen Youth Centre) has organized a welcome concert, and Aidar Gainullin (student of Professor Lips) will play a solo concert in Shenzhen. Teachers and students from all over the country are welcome to attend.

For further information email: musicli@li.com.cn

A Music Exhibition will be held in Chemnitz, Germany during September that will feature the Chemnitz concertina. Sponsored by the Schlossberg Museum, the Chemnitz Concertina and Bandoneon Orchestra will perform.

The 7th International Accordion week will begin on July 21st in Alcobaça. Organised by Anibal Lea Freire from the Serenata Music School and the Associacao Acordeao Alcobaça, guest performers include Duo Monte Carlo (Christina Rossi & Alex Chmykov), Claudio Jacomucci, Viatcheslav Semionov, Quintet Moscow, Duo Dmitriev, Yuri Shushkin and Inaki Dieguez. Workshops on Accordion Repair and Interpretation will also be given by Claudio Jacomucci.

For further details phone/fax: +351 262 596790

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

After 21 years of intense cultural and artistic activity, the prestigious New Fisorchestra Liberina has changed its name from Fisorchestra (i.e. accordion orchestra) to simply Orchestra, without losing the name of Liberina.

The aim of Pasquale De Marco remains that of promoting the culture of the accordion. The new group includes three accordionists, Enzo Pedone (a member for over 16 years), Giovanni Molinaro (winner of several national and international competitions) and Pasquale De Marco who also directs.

The orchestra also includes keyboardist Marialuisa De Marco (been with the group since she was 9), drummer Domenico De Marco (in his seventh year of percussion studies at the S. Pietro a Maiella Conservatory in Naples) and vocalist Vinicio (known as "the old man"). They are also joined on special occasions by young tenor Giuseppe Talamo, Virginia Cioffi (violin), Anna Perretta, who as well as presenting the group has developed a fine singing repertoire of Latin-American songs, Carmela Sorbo, a young and very promising singer, and dancer Natascia Isolda, organiser of Latin-American dance parties.

Contributed by Séan Minnie

Traditional Boer music gatherings will resume again in August after a short break. The clubs hold regular functions and dances, encouraging younger members to participate. On August 4th the West Rand Branch will meet at the Roodepoort Town Hall and the Goudveld Branch will meet at the Flamingo Hall in Welkom.

For further details email: sminnie@mweb.co.za

San Francisco Outdoor Concert - USA

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On July 17th, accordionist Jon Hammond played at a lunchtime outdoor concert in downtown San Francisco with his band "Jon Hammond's Late Rent Session Men". The group includes John Bishop (guitar), Billy Rayford (saxophone) and Ronnie Smith (drums). They played a program of originals and standards, including Jon's new compositions "Soon I Will Be Free", "Hammond's Bolero" and the standard "My One and Only Love".

The concert was sponsored by the "Market Street Association", which is composed of local merchants, hotels, bands and the AFM Local 6 Musicians Union of San Francisco. These lunchtime concerts have been very successful and popular with workers during their lunch break, with over 100 concerts scheduled during July, August, and September. Jon's group will perform again on August 29th.

Conducted by Bernd Maltry, the Akkordeon Landesjugendorchester Baden-Württemberg will travel to the USA performing five concerts in Los Angeles from July 28th to August 2nd. They will then travel to New Zealand giving five concerts and two workshops from August 3rd to 11th, before travelling to Fiji for two concerts in Nadi and Togo. Their program will include works by Bach, Seiber, Liszt, Albéniz, Tschaikowsky and Rossini.

For further details email: news@accordions.com

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On July 7th Claudio Jacomucci performed at the "Literarisches Colloquium" in Berlin with American clarinet player Joel Rubin. Their programme included Jewish traditional music from the 19th century. The event was organised by the DVT publishing company, which recently launched Joel Rubin's book "Klezmer", a study of the culture and music of Eastern European Jews.

Contributed by Christine Adams

Five Auckland children entertained in Orewa, Auckland last week. As winners of various classes in the recent New Zealand Accordion Association (NZAA) Annual Championships and Festival, they also displayed their cups and trophies. Pieces performed from their competition programs included "German Dance", "Oh Susanna", "Trieste Overture" and "The Entertainer".

The Stonehaven Folk Festival was held from July 13th to 15th in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, with many concerts and workshops. A feature concert on Saturday evening at the Stonehaven Town Hall featured entertainment by Kristina Olsen (concertina) & Peter Grayling (cello), and Brian McNeill (concertina) & Dick Gaughan.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

The Trio Klezmer which includes Giorgio Dellarole (accordion), Antonio Sacco (violin) and Massimiliano Limonetti (clarinet) will perform traditional Jewish music at a concert in Pinerolo on July 25th. The following day the trio will perform in Gressoney (AO). For further details email: giorgio.dellarole@libero.it

On July 21st, a Balkan music and Folk dancing evening will be held at the "Ashkenaz" in Berkeley. Local favourites "Anoush" (including accordionist Dan Ziagos) will entertain at the event. For further details phone: + 1 510 525-5054

Contributed by Li Cong

The 5th Golden Accordion Examination Competition will be held in Changsha, Hunan Province in October. This year the event will be organized by the Hunan Accordion Association and sponsored by the Jiangying Golden Instrument Company and the Changsha Haiyun Instrument Co.

The first section began in May in provincial areas of Hunan Province, with winners competing in the finals in Changsha on October 3rd. President of the competition committee, Guo Wei Xiang is also the Chairman of the Hunan Accordion Association.

Contributed by Toru Katou

On July 22nd, accordionists Ryozo Yokomori and Bankyu Kaneko will perform at an Accordion Party in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, organised by enthusiasts of the Nagoya Accordion Club.

For further information phone/fax: + 81 52 796-5718