Editors Note

Have you checked the Accordions Worldwide Humor section recently? This section takes a look at the lighter side of the accordion, and the way the accordion world is sometimes portrayed by non-accordionists. We want to expand the jokes section and particularly find more jokes positive to the accordion. If you would like to send us a joke for this section please email: news@accordions.com

Wayne Knights Webmaster

The 15th Carrefour Mondial de L'accordeon will be held in Montmagny, Québec from August 28th to September 1st. The event has the goal of promoting cultural diversity and the discovery of many different musical styles such as folk, classic, rock, jazz and popular repertoires.

Events include an Opening Concert at the Louis-Jacques-Casault High School (Edwin-Bélanger Auditorium), conferences, exhibits at The Accordion Museum (Manoir Couillard-Dupuis), Contemporary Art Exhibit at the Migration Center, Parisian traditional music concerts, classical concerts, folk dance party, Ball Musette Evenings, Midnight Concerts, Jazz concerts, an "Improvised musical match", Kids Corner and many more.

The opening concert will bring together all of the invited artists, who will help to make the festival a unique experience!

Performers include Paris Moscou Duo, "K" Trio, Dràgoï Ion (Roumania), Nick Villarreal (USA), Max Baca (USA), Patrick Quichaud (France), Alejandro Barcelona (France), Henry Lemarchand (France) and Len Wallace (USA).

On the final day a "Goodbye Brunch" will be held at Nicole Pavilion, which will give both artists and festival-goers the opportunity to come together one last time. For details email: accordeon@montmagny.com

The III International Koszalin Festival of Accordion Music will be held at the Local Centre of Culture in Koszalin from September 25th to 28th. This year the event will include the first International Band Accordion Music Festival, which is a great opportunity to present the accordion as a band instrument, to popularize this form of making music, to integrate accordion circles and to exchange experiences and repertoires. The event is promoted by the local Cultural center and the "Akord" accordion band.

Organizers have invited interested bands from Music Schools as well as amateurs playing in music bands. The groups can include other instruments and play a variety of music such as jazz, classical and others.

For festival information email: fzma@poczta.onet.pl

39th Towersey Village Festival - England

"The Poozies" which includes accordionist Karen Tweed will perform at the 39th Towersey Village Festival, which began on August 21st and will run until the 25th. The event includes a variety of concerts, lunchtime ceilidhs, family entertainment, dances, workshops, children's band and other activities. These events will be held in an open-air Arena, special concert tent, Arts Centre Marquee & Open Stage, St Catherine's Church and the Village Memorial Hall. For further details email: towersey@mrscasey.co.uk

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Accordionist Lorenzo Munari has had a very busy performance schedule of late. With the Trio Eclecticus, comprising Cristina Bertoli (flute), and Marco Fabbri (bandoneon), he played in the picturesque Piazza Fontanesi in Reggio Emilia, at the European Music Festival of Senigallia and in Ligonchio. This original trio plays a repertoire that includes classical music (sonatas for flute, clavier and bass) and tangos by Astor Piazzolla.

Munari was also in charge of the music for two theatre shows in which he appeared as a performer, namely Discorso alla felicità at the ReGiò Theatre in Reggio Emilia and Il Canto di Etty for the municipality of Fanano (province of Modena).

As a leader of the Luigi Valcavi accordion orchestra, that he himself founded, the artist toured Elba and held several concerts in the provinces of Bologna and Modena.

Munari also played in Voghera with the Ensemble de Minut, in a multimedia show featuring music by Piazzolla, poems by Borges and slides by Lucia Baldini. At the Modena Summer Festival he played music by Purcell, Piazzolla, Galliano and Baselli alongside clarinet player Andrea Medici.

Of particular interest was the solo accordion recital he gave on August 2nd at the church of Santa Maria di Netro (province of Biella) with music by Frescobaldi, Scarlatti, Solotarev and Semionov.

Accordionist Performs at Folk Festival - Spain

The "Rao Trío", which includes Germán Diaz (hurdy gurdy), César Díez (electric bass) and Diego Martín (drums) will perform at the Getxo Folk Festival in Getxo on September 3rd with accordionist Gorka Hermosa Sánchez. Their program will include folk jazz music, traditional melodies and many different improvisations including "Pechotango", "Medallón" and "Entradilla de Segovia".

The following day (4th) Gorka Hermosa will perform at the same festival with Karton Boulevard Imbérica (KBI). This group includes Poncho Corral (violin), Nacho Corral (guitar), Gustavo Corral (percussion), María Bermejo (flute), Chuchi De La Fuente (bass), Juguillos (percussion) and Marta (vocals). They play a mix of Andalusian, Indian, Arabian and Balkan music, with influences of free jazz improvisation. The group performed on August 16th in Burgos and has future concerts in Zaragoza on August 24th and Portillo, Valladolid on September 5th.

The Getxo Folk Festival is one of the most important folk festivals in Spain with many important foreign groups traveling to Getxo every year to perform. For concert details email: gorkahermosa2002@yahoo.es

The 3rd Annual Buddy Holly Music Festival and Symposium "Not Fade Away" will be held in Lubbock, Texas from August 28th to 31st. The event will include an Opening Reception, Keynote Luncheon, workshops, entertainment, film screenings, and panels exploring various topics related to Buddy Holly and popular music.

In conjunction with this event, an all-day music festival will be held at the Buddy Holly Center on August 31st, featuring 2 stages and 18 bands. Performers include accordionist Ponty Bone & The Squeezetones, who will join with other entertainers in a variety of rock 'n roll, country, zydeco, funk, jazz and blues. For details email: pb@pontybone.com

Stars Folk Festival - Netherlands

The Stars Folk Festival (Sterrenfolkfestival) will take place in "De Weyert", Dwingeloo (North Netherlands) from September 5th to 7th. Accordéon Mélancolique which includes accordionists Jean-Pierre Guiran and Cherie de Boer will entertain at the festival with a variety of original compositions, Italian folk tunes, Antillian waltzes, Texmex and more. For details email: J.P.Guiran@wxs.nl

The Amala Summer School held an accordion workshop in Beograd, Serbia from August 2nd to 16th. The workshop covered Serbian and Romani music, dance, and language. Two further workshops are planned in September. For details email: amala@galbeno.co.yu

Romanko Tours Switzerland

Contributed by Jutta Menn

Accordionist Viktor Romanko will tour Switzerland from September 13th to 27th. Concerts will be held at the Evangelist Church in Dietlikon, Michaels Church in Aawangen, Herzogenbuchsee, Elsau, Amriswill Cultur Bistro, Brüttisellen and a final concert at the Catholic Church Uster on September 27th. For further tour details email: Jutta.Menn@t-online.de

Contributed by Ron Bennett

The Crawley Accordion Social Club will present an "Accordion Variety Evening" at the Cranleigh Arts Centre in Cranleigh, Surrey on November 7th. The event will feature George Syrett & David Lukins with the Crawley Accordion Orchestra (directed by Bill Booth). This is a change to the previously advertised Romano Viazzani who will be touring Europe in November. Romano will now feature in one of the 2004 Cranleigh Concerts instead. For further concert details email: accordionfriends@aol.com

Renzo Ruggieri Performs at International Accordion Convention - USA

From June 22nd to 25th, Renzo Ruggieri took part in the International Accordion Convention at Las Vegas. The event, flawlessly organized by Paul Pasquali and Gina Brannelli, featured very important guests, including Art Van Damme, Dick Contino, Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi, Jean Marc Fabiano and
Mirco Patarini, who performed in front of large audiences and held a series of seminars. Ruggieri's successful performance was recorded on DVD.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Accordionist Marco Ambrosio will be busy until November 11th in a series of live performances of "Ballad for Woyzek" (directed, written and scored by Giuseppe Rizzo) and "Don Quixote - a Life for a Dream" (directed by Giuseppe Rizzo, written and scored by Sandro Gindro) with the newly formed "Teatro del Mediterraneo" theatre company.

The company, which comprises also Alberto Rumiano (clarinet) and Jino Touche (double bass), is included in the "Animated Theatre Europe" project, an initiative sponsored by the European Union. The company will stage Don Quixote on September 6th at the Animated Theatre International Festival of Gorizia, and will perform in the following months in Alpignano, Ostia, Trieste, Grugliasco, Cagliari and Benevento.

For further information please email: huyiam@tin.it

Entries for the Arrasate Hiria XI International Accordion Competition in Arrasate-Mondragón (Basque Country) close on September 30th, 2003. Organized by the "Hauspoz" Euskal Herriko Akordoei Elkartea, the Town Hall of Arrasate and the County Council of Gipuzkoa, the event will be held from December 3rd to 8th. The Jury will comprise of eminent international and national musicians.

The winner of the competition will be invited by the organizers to give a series of concerts at the XII "Arrasate Hiria" International Accordion Competition in 2004. For further details email: arrasate@hauspoz.org

Contributed by Mady Dessimoulie

The Fourth Summer Music Camp will be held in Grimentz (Valais region) from August 24th to 31st, conducted by Peter Soave and Jean-Louis Noton. Thirty participants from France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland and USA will be attending the event.

Two concerts will take place on the Friday and Saturday evening at the church of Grimentz. Students will perform music by Piazzolla, Scarlatti, Bach, Coltrane, Zappa, Metheny, Brecker, Soave and Noton. For further details email: madydessimoulie@hotmail.com

www.accordions.com/atg Updated information on the Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International, (ATG) including new slate of officers for the 2003-2005 season and information on the ATG representatives to the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships