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Editors
Note
This is the last Weekly News for 2003. It seems
only a short time ago that we were partying in the New Year and here
it is, nearly one year later. A wonderful wealth of accordion activities
and music has made 2003 a most memorable accordion year and we hope
the same for 2004. Wishing
accordionists all over the world a very happy Christmas and New Year,
with lots of joy, happiness, some wealth and lots of good health plus
lots of fine accordion music for all of 2004.
Harley
Jones
Accordions Worldwide Director
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Richard
Galliano and Valery Kovtun in Moscow - Russia
A
large accordion concert took place on 26 November in Moscow, in
the national Kremlin with over 6000 listeners. The concert was divided
into two parts: Richard Galliano and Valery Kovtun, a top class
Russian accordionist who plays popular music. The concert was organised
by Valery Kovtun and the French cultural center in Moscow. Richard
Galliano played with his septet to the large hall, full of listeners
who were inspired by his super French accordion music and music
from his latest CD "Piazzolla Forever".
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Trophy
Citta Di Atri - Italy
Contributed
by: Holda
Poeletti-Kampl
For
the New Year - from the 30th April to 1st of May 2004 in Italy - the
national and international competition "Trophy Citta' of Atri"
will again take place for electronic accordion, variété,
classic, pianoforte, keyboards, modern song and classic. The "Trophy
Citta' of Atri" artistic directors Renata and Rinaldo Tepore
intend to improve again upon the already very succeessful formula
of the previous years that saw many Italian and foreign participants
win excellent prize money and other prizes. Information regarding
regulations and registration can be found at: http://www.renzoruggieri.it/trofeocittadiatri/index.asp
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3rd
"Festival National DÁccordeon" - France
 The
3rd "Festival National DÁccordeon" is being held
on the 10 to 16 January, 2004 in the mountain area of Termignon. The
event is organised by Daniel Pichon, called "Pollux" and
Daniel Gainetdinoff, director of the Office of Tourism of Termignon.
This festival is rare including the holiday makers, skiers, the inhabitants
with music every evening in the bars and restaurants of the village.
During the day, most ski the slopes but in the evening you will hear
songs, dancing and joy until the early hours of the morning. Last
year, ages varied from 14 years to 76 years and for 2004, the performers
include; Thierry Bonnefous and his orchestra, André Loppe,
Myriam Joly and trio, Mickael Vigneau, Bénédicte Jeluin,
Mathilde Royet, Priscillia Beaudoin, Laurent Beq and many amateurs
leads by André Veron.
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Important
Afirmations For Renzo Ruggieri - Italy
Contributed
by: Holda
Poletti-Kampl
 It
has been one good summer season for the jazz accordionist Renzo
Ruggieri having had the opportunity to perform in several jazz
festivals and with many other artists. Particularly notable was performing
with the great American saxophone player Jim Gailoreto at the "Atessa
in Jazz" and "Bussi in Jazz" festivals. Renzo Ruggieri
was next performing at the Napoleon Jazz Festival in Castelvetro near
Modena with the "Single Accordion Project" and with the
gipsy music group "Manomanouche Trio".
Surely the most prestigious performances of the season have been with
orchestra Ars Music (directed by M Antonio Cericola) together with
the Renzo Ruggieri Quartet (with Paul Di Sabatino, Manzi Maximum,
Maurizio Rollings) at the Morro d'Oro Festival in Benevento and in
Castelfidardo where Ruggieri performed his own compositions and arrangements
written especially for this symphonic formation. A most successful
and musically versatile season of music for Renzo Ruggieri.
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Zolton
Orosz On TV Christmas Show - Hungary
 Accordionist
Zolton Orosz will feature on
the TV Christmas Concert show on the 24th of December to be broadcast
by MTV1 (Hungarian Television).
He will play:
1) Vivaldi - Four Sessions Winter, as leader of the "Budapest
Harmonika Trio", with Gabor Ursu (accordion) and Istvan Horwath
(bass accordion).
2) Edith Piaf - Christmas of the Street with the Podium Duo - Atitila
Bardoczy (singer) and Gabor Ursu (guitar)
3) Gabor Presser: Holiday performing with Zoran (singer).
Superb accordionist Zolton Orosz is sure to present
the accordion dynamically during this high profile TV show.
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Ho Ho
and a Merry Christmas to All
Contributed
by Gary Daverne OMNZ
Make
out your Chopin Liszt early before Debussy season, when you have time
to check out Verdi good bargains and can still get gifts Faure good
price, not having to Handel large crowds and have time to give Bach
things you decide you don't want. " Ok now, go for it. What can
you add to that?
Have a wonderful, happy, safe, fun filled Christmas.
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John
Macdonalds Christmas CD and New Years Eve Show - Australia
  Sydney
based accordionist/entertainer John Macdonald has re-released one
of his all time favourite albums. Recorded some years ago in Australia,
his "Scottish Christmas & New Year" album has been
re-mastered and produced for the STB CD Label in Australia.
Featured on the 11 Track CD are standards such as ..White Christmas,
Silent Night, We Three Kings, Come all ye Faithful, My Prayer, Jingle
Bells, Rudolph, Scottish Singalongs, Auld Lang Syne plus many more.
Next
week, John Macdonald is travelling over 1,000 km from his Sydney
base to appear live at the Scottish New Years Eve Show. Gold Coast
Arts Centre, a little south of Brisbane.
For further details: squeezebox120@hotmail.com
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Lips
- World Premiere - USA
Contributed
by Dr
Herbert Scheibenreif,
Manager of Friedrich
Lips
Production.
 After
the very successful world premier of Sofia Gubaidulina's concerto
"Under the Sign of Scorpio" for bayan and symphony orchestra
in Stockholm, Sweden last October, Friedrich
Lips
did another important first performance in Milwaukee on the 14th December.
He performed "Ex Animo" by Efrem Podgaits for bayan and
string quartet with the famous Fine Arts Quartet. Another performance
of this work is scheduled near Grenoble (France) early next March.
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Italian Accordion
History Book by Benjamino
Bugiolacchi
Contributed
by: Holda
Paoletti-Kampl
 The
Castelfidardo City Hall has released on December 13th the book "Castelfidardo
e la Storia della Fisarmonica Italiana" - Castelfidardo and the History
of the Italian Accordion. This is a guide book for the International Accordion
Museum in Castelfidardo.The volume, published by Brillarelli is the work
of the museum's director Beniamino
Bugiolacchi.
Its ninety pages, compiled with precise care in every detail, documented
with colour images of accordions in the museum, exposed views as well as
a reproductions from the immense archive of historical information, also
contains precise references to the evolution of our popular instrument throughout
the world. This book will be an important support to the many who visit
this important museuum and will be sold at the museum bookstore (€
5) or by email: accordionsmuseum@tiscali.it
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More
Jazz and Tango with Victor Prieto in New York - USA
Contributed
by: Holda
Paoletti-Kampl
The
popular and highly reviewed Victor Prieto (accordion) and guitar maestro
Julio Santilan will be performing jazz and tangos on the 19th of December
at Les Deux Gamins, on the 20th December at Café Moto, Willamsburg
and on the 21st December at Paradou, Brooklyn.
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Pedagogical
grandson of Khachaturian plays at the concert dedicated to the hundredth
anniversary of the composer - Poland
Accordeonist
Olexiy Suslov performed at Musical School S-Art in Wroclaw, Poland
on the 10th of December at the concert dedicated to the hundredth
anniversary of the birth of Aram Khachaturian. He also performed with
the accordion orchestra Harmonica of Musical School S-Art conducted
by Galyna Suslova.
Many different works by Khachaturian were performed including the
famous Saber Dance from theGayne Ballet, which was performed with
accordion solo and accordion orchestra. The concert was a great experience
for the performers. Many in the concert were graduating from the faculty
of composition. Their professor Alexander Rudjanski was a pulpil of
Khachaturian.
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Accordion
Band On First Appearance - USA
The
Danish band, Phønix, will be playing in the Boston, USA area
for the first time on January 18, 2004. Jesper Vinther, their accordion
player is always on the lookout, particularly in Jutland, for old
traditional dance tunes passed down from generation to generation.
In 2003, their CD, Pigen & Drengen (Boys & Girls) won two
awards and three nominations for the best of Danish Folk music. Their
performances are characterized by an intensity and enthusiasm, along
with respect for tradition.
For further details email bhockett@music-for-robin.org
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Duo Will
perform Their New Programme - Switzerland
Accordionist
Sergej Tchirkov (St.
Petersburg) and cellist Annina Voellmy (Switzerland) will present
their new duo programme in concerts that will take place in the Kultursheune
Hall in Liestal, Switzerland on February 7th and 8th.
The programme entitled "La lingua del Mondo" aims to show
the versatility of different compositional techniques and approaches
to the creation of music. It will include works by J.S.Bach, Y.Takahashi,
A.Piazzolla, Ch. Gluck and G.Goltermann.
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"from
Rags to Riches" or from Accordion to Riches - Brazil
 Hans
Stern, the man behind Brazil's gemstone dynasty began his fortune
with $200 he received from the sale of his beloved accordion in 1945.
It was one of the few personal possessions he still had from Germany.
"I was very fond of it and played reasonably well, mostly at
social gatherings with my friends" he recalls. From these small
beginnings, the company H. Stern began and grew.
Today, the firm sells the majority of Brazilian aquamarines, emeralds,
topazes, amethyst and tourmalines produced and distributes them around
the world. At age 80, Hans still presides over H. Stern and still
arrives at his office every morning. His one concession to being 80,
is to now arrive at 8.30 rather than 8 am. So the old saying "from
rags to riches" does not apply to Hans Stern. You might say,
that "from accordion to riches" does apply.
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Accordion-O-Rama
has moved - USA
2003 was a big year for Accordion-O-Rama as they moved from their
long time business address in the heart of New York City to South
Amboy, New Jersey. South Amboy is a just across the Raritan River
from Manhattan yet only 15 minutes from downtown New York City. The
new premises are almost triple the size of their previous show room
offering a big selection of new and rebuilt accordions to suit every
taste and budget. Easily accessible from Manhattan by ferry, train
or car with plenty of free parking, it sure beats the traffic, tolls
and parking problems of visiting New York City. Contact www.accordion-o-rama.com
or phone (732) 727-7715.
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Accordion
Information Required
  Raimund
Ruehle has a Universal Accordeon with a tag (picture) Email: Raimund.Ruehle@t-online.de
Lesch Holga is looking for information about a piano-accordion named
"Topelli", made in the 1960s in 'Italy, with cassotto and
5+5 reeds. Email: eh@gedas.de.
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On
December 9, more than 500 people applauded "Piazzolla Forever"
- the spectacular performance of Richard Galliano's septet at the
National Palace of Culture in Sofia, Bulgaria.