Editors Note

Welcome to our first news for 2003. We hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and happy New Year celebrations. Thanks to you all for the many emails we received with Christmas and New Year greetings. They were much appreciated.

We look forward to bringing you news of a great variety of wonderful accordion concerts, festivals, competition, CD releases etc., during the coming year. If you would like to contribute an item for the Weekly News please email Christine at: news@accordions.com

Wayne Knights Webmaster

Contributed by Olga Kopylova

The 1st International Festival of Accordion Music "Vivat, Bayan! Sergei Voitenko and his friends", began on December 9th, 2002 in the Concert Hall of the Samara Music school D. Shatalov. The Paris-Moscou Duo of Domi Emorine and Roman Jbanov opened the event with a popular and diverse program.

The festival will continue until April, 2003 with monthly concerts in Samara and the surrounding region, such as Novokuybyshevsk, Otradnyi, Pohvistnevo, Syzran', Chpaevsk, Kinel', Neftegorsk, B. Glushitsa, Isakly, Bogatoe.

At the beginning of February, 2003 performances will be given by popular Samara accordionists and winners of international competitions, Sergei Voitenko and Dmitry Hramkov (who will play a new program of duo pieces) plus the bayan ensemble "Harmonic" (led by Professor Alla Kats). In addition, young talented musicians from Samara and surrounding suburbs will perform.

Future concerts will be given by Gennady Kalmykov (Oriol, Russia), the "Non Stop" Quartet (featuring Sergei Voitenko), the Russian National Instruments Samara Pedagogical University and Samara Musical School Orchestra and Friedrich Lips (Moscow, Russia). Lips will also give a series of master classes in March, for teachers of musical schools and average and higher educational institutions about the art of modern accordion performance, covering repertoire and the technique of teaching.

The festival will conclude in April, with a performance by two accordionists from Moscow - Aidar Gainullin and Yury Medyanik. These young musicians represent the youth of Russia today, building leading positions in international events.

The festival aims to raise interest in accordion performances, to encourage new accordion students, to help beginners with their creativeness and to raise the popularity of the accordion among the youth of today.

The Zero Sette Akordeoi Orkestra (conducted by Elías Goikouria Erauzkin) entertained residents at the Hernani Pensioner Home in Gipuzkoa on December 28th, 2002. Their popular program included Christmas songs plus works by Monti, Sibelius, Bizet and Rossini.

Contributed by Piotr Biazik

An International Accordion Entertainment Festival and Competition will be held at the School of Music in Czestochowa from February 26th to 28th. The competition will be held in four age group categories, three of which are for Polish contestants and one for international contestants. An opening concert will be held at the Youth Home of Culture (MDK) in Czestochowa, which will include competition program details for competitors.

The competition jury will include Professors Walter Maurer (Austria), Raimondas Sviackevicius (Lithuania), J. Pichura (Poland) and B. Dowlasz (Poland).

Concerts will also be given by Fred Baldo (France), Trio Ars Harmonica (Poland), Raimondas Sviackevicius (Lithuania) and the Czestochowa Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. On the final day, a lecture will be held, followed by a "Winner's Concert", where the first prize winner will perform accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra. For further competition information email: piotrbiazik@go2.pl

The "Beltway Balalaikas" Ensemble played at a banquet for the District of Columbia Bar Association, held recently at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. The Russian Embassy hosts many business banquets throughout the year, and the ensemble plays there a few times each year for such banquets. The "Beltway Balalaikas" (named after the circular road that loops around Washington, D.C.) is comprised of Russian folk instruments, including the Russian bayan played by Jim Vandelly, balalaikas and domras of various sizes.

Contemporary Dance & Accordion Performance - Italy

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Accordionist Claudio Jacomucci and dancer Kathleen Delaney presented their works entitled "Road Runner" and "Madame Sosostris" at the "Foollik" in Rome on December 12th. The former is an ironic choreography inspired by a musical piece written by John Zorn, the latter an improvisation on poetry by T.S. Eliot.

Claudio will be involved during January in a series of dance and music projects with the O5 group and Marco Cappelli (guitar). For details email: hbhiac@tin.it

"Juventude União Bordeirense", which includes Nelson Conceição (accordion) plus saxophone, mandolin, tambourines, castanets and ferrinhos have had a busy start to the New Year, performing on New Year's Day at the Recreational Society of Bordeira in Faro. On January 4th they played at the Society of Paderne in Albufeira, with further concerts in the Municipal Pavilion in S. Francisco's Square in Faro and in the Recreational Society of Bordeira in Faro over the following two days.

Their next concert will be at the Recreational Society of Parragil in Loulé on January 18th. Program includes compositions by Nelson Conceição such as "Hello Bordeira", "Style", "Valseando" and "To feel Bordeira". For concert information email: n.c.@sapo.pt

Accordeon Melancolique (which includes Cherie de Boer and Jean-Pierre Guiran) will perform at the Waalse kerk (Walloon Church) in Breda on January 26th. Their program will include pieces from their latest CD "Parade des Poules", plus a variety of waltzes, tangos and folk music. For concert details phone: +31 343-513432

On December 10th, a concert was held at Fundación Santillana for Iberoamérica in Bogotá, to commemorate thirty years of Colombian accordionist Lácides Romero's artistic life. During this event, Romero performed five Baroque works by Vivaldi, Veracini and Handel plus two works in duo with the harpsichord. Romero believes this is the first time in the musical history of Latin America that a concert with these two instruments has been held. The duo played Concert Opus 4#·5 (Handel) and Spanish Serenade (Metra).

The concert finished with a performance by the duo "Contrasts" which includes Romero (accordion) and Venezuelan pianist Arnaldo García. This duo played works by Cervantes,
Nazareth and Piazzolla.

Romero would like to know of any other accordion & harpsichord duo in the world today. Please email: lacidesromero@yahoo.com

"Folk At The Royal Oak" Entertainment - England

Reg Hall, Joe Whelan and Liam Farrell entertained at "Folk At The Royal Oak" in Lewes on January 16th with a variety of old time Irish music and songs on button accordion, banjo and piano.

On January 23rd, multi-talented musician Tom Boden will perform on the melodeon, guitar, banjo and vocals. For further details email: tinvic@globalnet.co.uk

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On January 25th and 26th, the Convitto Nazionale "Regina Margherita" in Anagni (province of Frosinone) will host an accordion workshop organised by the A.P.M. Music Center. The workshop, held by Gianluca Pica is aimed at the preparation of exams and important international competitions such as the Coupe Mondiale, the World Trophy, Klingenthal, Castelfidardo, Arrasate and others. This workshop is one of a series held on the last weekend of every month between November 2002 and May 2003.

Petric Performs Piazzolla - Canada

Accordionist Joseph Petric will perform at the Algoma Conservatory of Music in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada on February 15th. His program will include Sonatas by Padre Antonio Soler, "Orbiting Garden" (by Christos Hatizs for accordion and electroacoustic element), selections from Jacques Ibert's collection L'Histoire, finishing with the performance of Piazzolla's Five Tango Sensations played with a small string orchestra from the Algoma Conservatory of Music (led by Guy Traficante). For details contact the Algoma Conservatory of Music or email: jpetric@interlog.com

Contributed by Francesca Benvenuti

Accordionist Pascal Contet will give a workshop at the Cavaillon Theatre in Cavaillon on January 17th and 18th. This event is part of an accordion festival in the region. For further information email: pascalcontet@wanadoo.fr

Well known accordion duo "Paris-Moscou" performed several concerts in St. Petersburg at the start of their Russian concert tour. The first was held at the St. Petersburg Variety Theatre on December 2nd, where they played a program entitled "Reine de Musette" arranged by the St. Petersburg Musette Ensemble. The Ensemble also performed with its soloists Svetlana Stavitskaya and Vladimir Ushakov, Ivan Medvedev (accordion), Merjem Belozerskaya (vocals), Victor Shafranov (drums), Victor Savoch (guitar) and Vladimir Bogomolov (guitar).

The audience of over 300 gave enthusiastic applause, especially for the main guest artist Domi Emorine (France), who played a wide variety of music such as "Quand Manoletta Danse", "Mysterieuse", "Ca Gaze" and "Adios Nonino".

Two days later the "Paris-Moscou" Duo were invited to perform at the Beaujolais party of the French-Russian Club. Another duo of Vladimir Ushakov and Svetlana Stavitskaya also performed at this event.

The next day over 300 people were deeply impressed by the technical abilities and artistic transcriptions of music performed by the duo at the St. Petersburg City Concert Hall. This concert included the premiere of pieces by the famous French composer Franck Angelis. The first part of the concert was dedicated to the music of this composer, whose artistry is quite new for the Russian general public. In the second part of the program, the duo performed a variety of solo and duo French and Russian music, plus some classical pieces.

The duo continued their tour in the Samara region of Russia, performing in the Novosibirsk area.

Contributed by Artur Fernandes

"Danças Ocultas" which includes accordionists Artur Fernandes, Filipe Ricardo, Filipe Cal and Francisco Miguel performed at Capela da Misericórdia in Sines on January 16th. Their next performance will be with the "Tristes Europeus" Paulo Ribeiro Dance Company at the Teatro Viriato in Viseu from January 23rd to 25th. Program includes "Escalada", "Tristes Europeus" and "Folia". For details email: afernandes@viseu.ipiaget.pt

An Accordion Showcase featuring special guest Robert Atwood (accordion) with Joanna (accordion & vocals), Dave (guitar & vocals) and Jack "The Boxman" (accordion) was held on January 7th at the Ross' Old Austin Café in Austin, Texas.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On December 16th Claudio Jacomucci performed Astor Piazzolla's Suite Punta del Este with the "Benedetto Marcello" Chamber Orchestra of Teramo conducted by Simone Genuini. The artist also played arrangements for accordion and strings of "Oblivion", "Libertango" and "Finale".

The "ArtepoverA" label recently released a live CD entitled "ContrasTango" with Claudio Jacomucci on accordion, Diego Conti (violin), Mauro De Federicis (guitar) and Jacopo di Tonno (cello). All the pieces on the CD are by Astor Piazzolla. For further information please email: hbhiac@tin.it

Graham Geddes recently released his new CD of original Scottish accordion film/TV themes entitled "My Homeland" which includes "West Coast Line", "Mithertap" and "Fight the Fight". Graham's main ambition with this recording was to compose, record and play his own Scottish accordion pieces. For CD details email: Gizasong@aol.com

The duo of Enrique Ugarte (accordion) and Raul Alvarellos (flute/clarinet) will perform at the Stadtbibliothek Reutlingen on January 24th. Their program will include classical works plus their own compositions. For details email: stadtbibliothek.musikbibliothek@reutlingen.de

The first 2003 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/aidar Information on Aidar Gainullin, winner of the 2001 Coupe Mondiale

www.accordions.com/pierremussi Updated information on French accordionist Pierre Mussi now available in Spanish, English and French.

www.accordions.com/soprani Updated information on accordionist Joseph Soprani including new contact details

www.hohner.de Information on Matt Hohner AG accordion manufacturers

www.accordions.com/aude New site with details on French accordionist Aude Giuliano, winner of the Castelfidardo Competition in October 2002.

www.accordions.com/casarzalig Updated information on the 9th International Accordion Trophy "Città di Casarza Ligure" held in Italy from May 31st to June 7th, 2003

Antique Accordion Information

Herbert Neff would like information on the 48 bass Ruatta & Crucianelli button accordion (pictured). Email: herbneff@msn.com

Accordion Information Required

Tim Gochnour would like information on the 80 bass Elettra piano accordion (pictured) which could be about 60 years old and made in Europe. Email: rediron@mac.com

Ronald Rousseau would like information and a value for insurance purposes on an Empress button "Accordeon", manufactured in Germany, which looks like it has hardly been used. Email: ron_and_dee@hotmail.com

Alan Levine would like information on a Rami accordion. Email: aslfunk@hotmail.com

Ken Claydon would like information on the 48 bass Mazzini Antoria piano accordion (pictured) made in Saxony. Email: rclaydon@ntl.sympatico.ca