Editors Note

In many countries, September 1st marks the beginning of the new school year. We have a number of accordion Schools, Conservatories & Universities and Teachers listed in our Yellow Pages. If you currently have a listing in this section please check to ensure your contact details are up to date so interested accordionists can reach you. If you wish to update your details email: news@accordions.com

Wayne Knights Webmaster

Contributed by Raimondas Sviackevicius

The 9th International Accordion Festival (one of the more important accordion events in Lithuania) will be held in Vilnius from September 19th to 21st organized by the Lithuanian Accordion Association, Lithuanian Academy of Music and the Vilnius City Government. The festival will be held during the "Sostines Dienos" (days of the capital of Lithuania) event, which will include a variety of other festivals.

Performers include Mika Vayrynen, Vitaly Dmitriev, Viktor Novikov, Lodz Accordion Duet as well as many other artists form Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, China and Germany. Festival concerts, seminars and conferences are included. For further details email: sviaraim@takas.lt

Contributed by Li Cong and Dr Herbert Scheibenreif

The Tianjin International Accordion Festival was held from August 25th to 29th at the Tianjin Music Conservatory. Over 200 accordionists from Germany, Lithuania, Kasachstan, Croatia, China and Russia took part in the three sections: Competitions, Concerts & Master Classes.

Professor Friedrich Lips, Professor Oleg Sharov, Sergej Osokin (2002 Klingenthal Accordion Competition 1st prize winner) from Russia, Professor Elsbeth Moser (Switzerland), Cao Xiao-Qing (Germany), Professor Herbert Scheibenreif (Austria) and Claudio Jacomucci (Italy) all attended the festival.

Master classes and concerts were given by Friedrich Lips, Elsbeth Moser, Cao Xiao-Qing, Claudio Jacomucci and Oleg Sharov.

At the closing ceremony Yu Haichao (Vice Mayor of Tianjin City) and Yao Shengchang (Principle of the Tianjin Music Conservatory) awarded the prizes.

Winners:

Adult Class: Kirill Shtybin (Russia) - awarded RMB20.000 in prize money (Teacher: Professor Friedrich Lips)
Youth Class: Miss Zhang Weiyi - awarded RMB10.000 in prize money (Teacher: Meng Hui)

This international accordion festival will be held every two years, alternating with master classes in alternate years.

The Paris Moscou Duo (Roman Jbanov and Domi Emorine) have just returned from Casella, Italy, where they performed a concert at the city theatre organized by the commune of Casella. The duo delighted the large audience who had the opportunity to listen to a variety of accordion music. Solo performances were also given by Mario Pietrodarcchi, Roman Jbanov, Nicolas Massoutie and Emilio Cervetto.

Contributed by Kevin Friedrich

Vietnamese classical accordionist Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang will perform with the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir on September 8th as part of the choir's worldwide syndicated long-running "Music and the Spoken Word" program. The concert will take place at the Mormon Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Ms Nguyen will also perform solo at the concert.

Tango Show - Argentina

Bandoneonist and arranger, Norberto Vogel will perform as a guest with the tango group "Tango No.9". Together they will give concerts from September 27th to November 11th. Members include Catharine Clune (violin and music director), Odile Lavault (accordion & and bandoneon), Greg Stephens (trombone & composer) and Mark Wyman (piano). For details email: norbi@vogel.com.ar

Accordionist Ian Watson will perform in the show "Six Pack", which is produced by the English National Opera Studio and Tête à Tête. The show is a thesis on how a fusty art-form can be made as "sexy, sassy and design-conscious as an episode of the popular television show Sex and the City".

The mission of Six Pack is to demonstrate that contemporary opera can be engaging, fun and immediate. It's a testament to the imagination and flair of the six featured composers that the whole evening is pacy, vibrant and entertaining.

The show began on September 4th at the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds and will continue until October 17th with shows at the Phoenix Arts in Leicester, De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea, Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield, Lakeside Arts Centre in Nottingham, The Lowry in Salford Quays, Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal in Bath, and at the Gulbenkian Theatre in Cantebury as part of the Cantebury Festival. For further details email: ianwatson99@lineone.net

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

From August 25th to 31st, the town of Loreto (near Castelfidardo) hosted an Accordion Seminar by Roberto Fuccelli together with Dr. Carla Romualdi (who gave a presentation on communication techniques) and musicologist Paolo Picchio.

The course topics were Argentinean tango, the music of Astor Piazzolla and Jazz in general. The young accordionists who took part were given a chance to visit several of Castelfidardo's accordion factories, as well as the recently restructured International Accordion Museum. Attendees, from the youngest (Matteo Marinelli, 10) to the oldest (Valtentina Cesarini, 20, who is studying for a diploma at the Conservatory in Florence) were captured by the beauty of the Conero coast and its beaches.

Contributed by Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions

Friedrich Lips' newest CD "Russian Bells" was released in early August. Russian composer Aleksandr Cholminov has written a series of operas, symphonies and oeuvres for choirs. His "Suite" in 4 movements (created in 1951), pointed the way for bayan players.

After half a century the composer gets back to the bayan (now rather modern in structure) and wrote a symphonic concerto for bayan solo but the composer does not see the bayan as solo instrument, but as an orchestra. With clever use of expression, the continuous development of the epic symphony is based on the depth of the Russian soul and mentality in which bells play an important role. This symphonic concerto is dedicated to Friedrich Lips, who first performed this work on the occasion of his 50th birthday.

In the course of Russian history chiming church bells were of immense importance for the people and helped to foster pride in their nation. Besides the fact that the bells told the time, they were also symbols that announced festive days as well as sad events, ringing when there were fires or wars, inviting the people to fight against enemies and natural catastrophes.

On this CD the festive chiming of the bells is to be heard in Mussorgsky's last œuvre "The Great Gate (in the capital of Kiev)". In Cholminov's symphony, bells also play an important, uniting part in the dramatic development of the œuvre.

For further CD information email: herbert@accordion-cd.co.at

Renzo Ruggieri Tours Iceland

From July 4th to 7th, in collaboration with "SEM accordions" (Castelfidardo) and Leifur Magnusson, Renzo Ruggieri toured Iceland (as he recorded his first solo CD there, entitled "Improvvisazioni Guidate"), taking part in the Isafiord 2002 Accordion Festival. During this year's event he performed solo and in duo with Tatu Kantomaa, one of the most renowned Finnish accordionists, who now resides in Iceland. The concerts were greeted with enthusiasm by the local audience.

On August 28th, Duo 2000 performed at the Wax, Arts and Music Festival at the Dutch Reformed Church Three Anchors in Sasolburg. The festival runs for one week and several other local artists were approached to perform including the famous "Black Tie Ensemble". Duo 2000 say it is a great honour that they were asked to perform.

Their program included "In a Persian Market" (Ketèlbey), "Amore Scusami" (Mescoli), "Dizzy Fingers" (Confrey) and "The Glow Worm Idyll" (Lincke).

Madrid Concert - Spain

Contributed by Sonia Pedriza

"Anaki" (which includes Indonesian pianist Ananda Sukarlan and Spanish accordionist Iñaki Alberdi) will perform at the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid on September 11th. Their program will include the colourful composition "Soinua" (Sound) which Gabriel Erkoreka wrote for the duo, as well as his solo piano and solo accordion pieces. For further details email: anaki_spain@yahoo.es

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

The Cultural Centre in Via Montebello, Stradella will host a series of accordion concerts organised in collaboration with the local Accordion Museum from September 6th to 14th. The event features prominent soloists and groups including the Duo Valla & Scurati (accordion), with its repertoire of traditional northern Italian music, the Sòfia Triò (with Claudi Bonnafous on accordion), the Suonatori della Valle del Savena ensemble, which includes three generations of musicians, Argentinean accordionist Raul Barboza and the Vruja Histriae sextet.

Contributed by Gérard Dolanc

A Weekend Accordion festival will be held at the Grande Salle du Restaurant d'Entreprise des H.B.L. 2, in Freyming-Merlebach on September 21st and 22nd to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the foundation of the Jerny Dolanc Accordion Orchestra.

The festival will begin with an official reception and concert on the 21st. Performers include the "Hohnerklang" Accordion Orchestra (Germany) directed by Hanz-Günther Kölz and several world champion harmonica players such as Brigitte Burgbacher and Kathrin Grass.

On the 22nd, an international festival of accordion orchestras will be held with participating orchestras from Brotdorf en Sarre (Germany), Esch/Alzette (Luxembourg), St-Pol/mer (Dunkirk suburbs, France), Sarreguemines (France) and Freyming-Merlebach (France). For further details email: jerny.dolanc@worldonline.fr

Contributed by Toru Katou

On September3rd, Finnish accordionist Janne Raettyae performed at the Lutheran Church in Ichigaya, Tokyo.

On September7th, accordionist Hisaji Sugimura will perform at the "Music Fair", Kureo Osaka Nishi in Osaka. For further information phone: +81 6-6622-4445

Contributed by Olga Kopylova

The Non Stop Quartet (prizewinners at International competitions) will present their new CD "Non Stop Quartet" at concerts in Samara on October 12th and 13th. Players are Sergei Voitenko (accordion), Anton Cherdakli (domra), Fedor Dyukov (balalaika) and Mikhail Rusakov (bass). The group will also present concerts in Tolyatti, Ekaterinburg, Novokuibyshevsk and Moscow.

The CD was recorded at a live concert on May 16th and includes 11 original compositions by Voitenko and Cherdakli in "cross-over" style. The CD also comes with information on the creativity of the quartet, numerous photos, plus three video clips. For further details email: servoit@hippo.ru

Contributed by Carsten Heveling

A Tango Ball will be held in the historic Ballroom of the Wuppertal Town Hall on September 21st. Entertainment will be provided by Trio Pantango, Sexteto Tango Andorinha, and vocalists Sergio Gobi & Ivan Espeche. The event will include a concert, a dance, a ball with eight hours of entertainment and dance music, a show with Sabrina Masso & Ezequiel Paludi, dance workshops (with tutors from Buenos Aires), a Tango Argentino exhibition in the foyer and many culinary delights. For further details email: ballinfo@gmx.de

"Volviò una noche" is a play written by Beppe Turletti. It narrates through music and sounds the homecoming of a farmer who had emigrated to Argentina, where he discovered Tango and much else. Staged on September 8th in the courtyard of via Berthollet, Turin, actress Mariella Fabbris will be accompanied by Saverio Miele (double bass) and Beppe Turletti on accordion.

Contributed by Kevin Friedrich

The official release of the new CD entitled "Reed Song" ("Clean Feed" Label of Portugal) by New York accordionist Will Holshouser will be held on September 9th at Knitting Factory's Old Office, New York City.

Will uses his experience in jazz, new music, and traditional accordion styles to forge his own sound. His trio also features Ron Horton (trumpet) and David Phillips (bass). The CD contains ten original pieces, with special guest Kevin Norton (drums). For further details email: willhols@aol.com

A new edition of the Accordion USA, United States National Accordion News is now online. If you would like to contribute an item for this news either send it via the online submit form or email Kevin Friedrich at: usanews@accordions.com

www.accordions.com/lips Updated information on Russian accordionist Friedrich Lips including new sound files and information on his most recent CD "Russian Bells"

www.accordions.com/coscia Updated information on jazz accordionist Gianni Coscia

Hillary would like information on the pictured 120 bass Corsani Special piano accordion, made in Italy. The instrument is heavily bejewelled with rhinestones with a floral pattern. She would also like a possible value for insurance purposes. Email: boinky@gwi.net

Dave Noble would like information on the antique Premiata Fabbrica D'Armoniche Organola (pictured) which he inherited from his late grandfather. The instrument was brought from England and could possibly be over 70 years old. Email: trkrblaz@island.net

Sue would like information on the custom built Wilkins piano accordion (pictured), made in Italy. Email: WdstkMach@aol.com

Melissa Saylor would like information on a 24 bass Silvestri accordion, made in Italy. On the back are the numbers 87. The instrument is an ugly hot pink colour, but Melissa is unsure if this is the original colour. Email: ltsblsm@goldrush.com

Bob Fallon would like help with his "Iorio Combo Rhythm" amplifier. The amp has odd six pin inputs on the back, and organ style bass and percussion built into it. It does not work in it's current state, as it is rather old and appears to have been sitting for some time. If you can help with information on how to repair please email: r.fallon@attbi.com

Sandra Byrd would like information on the pictured 120 bass Dorovi piano accordion, made in Italy, which is metallic gold and white in colour and has rhinestones on a crown on the front of the instrument. Email: eunice@ezwv.com