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Editors Note
In the true tradition of our finest accordion
performers working to the benefit and improvement of the accordion, we welcome
Angel Luis Castaño, Accordion
Professor at the Superior Conservatorium of Music in Zaragoza, Spain as our new
sponsor and translator of the Accordions Worldwide Spanish Weekly News.
It is no accident, that the musical career of Castano is full of past successes
due to his efforts and great talent. We thank Castano and all those like him,
who do so much for our instrument.
Harley
Jones
Acccordions Worldwide Director
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Galla-Rini
Birthday - USA
Contributed
by Norman and Sharon Seaton
 Anthony
Galla-Rini was honored with a star-studded 100th birthday celebration on January
24, 2004. The gala event was held in Los Angeles at the Radisson hotel at LAX
Airport. A crowd of 240 plus well-wishers joined Galla-Rini in this birthday party
at a gala banquet. At a pre-dinner social gathering, guests were serenaded by
the Bonnie Birch duo and by Gordon Kohl.
After dinner, a fabulous line-up
of accordion stars provided a memorable show for him, his family, and his hundreds
of friends in attendance. Myron Floren served as master of ceremonies. Guest accordion
artists included Nick Ballarini, Johnny La Padula, Amy Jo Sawyer, Gordon Kohl,
Frank Marrocco, and Jorgen Sundequist. The Martin Accordion Orchestra also performed.
Jorgen Sundequist presented a birthday proclamation to Galla-Rini from the government
of Sweden, Sundequist's home country.
 The
highlight of the evening was the performance of a 80 member accordion orchestra,
composed of accordionists from all over the USA plus some from Europe. These musicians
came together for the express purpose of performing under the direction of Anthony
Galla-Rini on the occasion of his 100th birthday. The Maestro was in top form
as he conducted this group of accordionists who will always remember the honor
of performing under his direction on this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. As a surprise
to him, the group ended their performance with "God Bless America,"
directed by Joan Sommers.
As Sommers stated to the orchestra in one of its rehearsals, "We are ALL
indebted to Galla-Rini. What we have learned about playing the accordion has come
from him, either directly through personally studying music with him, or indirectly
because someone else learned from him and then passed it on to us."
The birthday celebration
will continue in Texas during March of 2004 at the Texas
Accordion Association which have planned their annual convention around Galla-Rini
and the accordion history involved.
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Pioneer Composer
Dies - Australia
Contributed
by Bernadette Conlon
 Michael
Easton has died suddenly at the age of 49. London born, Easton was a graduate
of the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying under Lenox Berkley. Travelling
to Australia in the early '80s, Easton with his unusual talent in composition
soon made an impact. His was a style with a distinctive French influence, beautiful,
lush "big themes", as he would call them, interspersed with comical,
witty passages.
Under
Easton's direction, the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, was one of the first
classical festivals in Australia to feature accordion when Bernadette
Conlon was invited to perform. Later, Bernadette commissioned Easton to write
a concerto for accordion, which she premiered at the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival
in 1996. This work titled Concerto for Bernadette has since been recorded by Bernadette
on a CD of Easton compositions that was released by the Naxos label.
Michael Easton's fascination
with the accordion meant that his concerto was a most interesting blend of musical
styles and techniques highlighting the accordion very effectively. Another solo
work for accordion was underway but never completed.
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Beyond the
Pale Performs in Toronto - Canada
 Toronto
based band Beyond the Pale featuring accordionist Milos Popovic made a live CD
recording in Toronto on January 24 and 25. Since their formation in 1998, Beyond
the Pale has emerged as one of the most exciting ensembles in the Canadian Klezmer
and folk scene. The band has performed at music festivals, concert theatres, community
and private events across Canada and also parts of the USA. The group is frequently
joined by guest vocalists.
Milos Popovic with his masterful technique
and eclectic tastes, fluent in styles ranging from contemporary classical to jazz
and folk, brings high energy and expert musicianship to the group. Milos has won
several contemporary new music competitions and has performed as a member of various
musical groups in the last few years. Other Beyond the Pale group members are:
Eric Stein (mandolin, cimbalom), Martin van de Ven (clarinet), Bogdan Djukic (violin)
and Bret Higgins (bass). The newly recorded CD will be released soon.
For further details
e-mail milos-popovic@rogers.com.
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The Party of
Kunming Accordion Association - China
Contributed by Li Cong
and Lian Jones of Accordion
House
 The
2004 Kunming Accordion Association Party was held in Chen Zhong Art Training School
on the 18th January in Kunming, Yunnan Province. The new and old members exchanged
their stories of activities during the past year. Chen Zhong, the President of
Kunming Accordion Association, Wu Ming, the Vice President, and Chen Yong, the
Secretary made speeches about the association's work in 2003 and outlined plans
for 2004. The association also awarded the “Excellent Member of 2003”
awards and some other special awards to its members at the party.
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70th Anniversary
of the Deffner Legacy - USA
Ernest Deffner, Inc. and
its affiliates, Pancordion, Inc.
and The Titano Accordion Company, International,
will  celebrate
the firm's 70th anniversary throughout 2004," according to an announcement
made by Faithe Deffner, who heads
the firms.
The company is known worldwide for its professional instruments
in the  Pancordion
and Titano accordion brands.As Ernest Deffner Publications,the company offers
an extensive catalog of accordion music and books.
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Carillon Studios
New Accordion Festival - UK
Carillon
Studios will be organizing a new accordion festival in Southern England from the
20th to 23rd February. Well known performers such as: Harry Hussey, George Syrett,
Gennaro Fiondella, John Romero, Trevani, Charlie Watkins, David Keen, David Batty,
Stan Mayhew and others will all be attending this event. The Albany Lions Hotel
in Eastbourne will be hosting the festival for which there is still a limited
number of rooms and weekend passes available.
For further details email:
AccordionFriends@aol.com.
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Maria Kalaniemi
and Tribe Performing at the Viennese Accordion Festival -  Austria
Maria Kalaniemi,
Finland's "Queen of the Accordion" is one of the world's gifted accordion
performers and composers. She will be performing at the Viennese Accordion Festival
on the 21st February. An important part of this performance is “Tribe”
including Guy Klucevsek (USA), Bratko Bibic (Slovenia), Lars Hollmer (Sweden)
and Otto Lechner (Austria). Each of these players is world recognized in classical,
jazz, folk or avant-garde music circles as being not only technically skilled
but having a profound compositional ability and an  unquenchable
thirst for adventure.Their program features solos and combinations, compositions
and collaborations from individual and collective group members.
The full
presentation is a major event in accordion creativity, a turning point for the
accordion as a contemporary instrument. The concert should be a powerful, thrilling
experience for all modern music enthusiasts lucky enough to witness it.
For further information:
pap@hoedown.com
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21st Annual Champlain
Valley Folk Festival - North America
 The
21st Annual Champlain Valley Folk Festival will be held at Kingsland Bay State
Park on Lake Champlain, Vermont, July 30th to August 1st. The event will feature
the swinging bluesing and jazzing, Gypsy Wranglers. Their music is a special blend
of Gypsy Jazz, French Musette, Cowboy Swing and Ragtime, drawing from the traditions
of such jazz greats as Django Rienhardt, Bob Wills, Louis Armstrong and Benny
Goodman. The group includes accordion, fiddle, guitar, trombone, bass and drums.
Other festival performers include: April Verch, Tüq, Rodney Miller and
Airdance, Susie Burke & Dave Surrette, Pete & Karen Sutherland, Norman
Kennedy,Sandy & Caroline Paton, Margaret MacArthur and many others.
For further details
email: craig@gypsywranglers.co
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“Moscow Nights”
and “Golden Gates” Concert - USA
  The
“Moscow Nights” and “Golden Gates” from Russia successfully
performed a tour of 10 concerts in Cleveland and Columbus areas from 20th January
to 8th February. The " Golden Gates" group, ages 5 to 16 years, has
taken part in many different cultural events, folk festivals and concerts in Russia
as well as across Europe. Their program features songs, rituals, folk stories
and games with movement and dance.
Moscow Nights is an exciting, versatile
trio of world recognized, prize-winning musicians from Russia. Their lively program
presents an authentic picture of Russian folk traditions and culture. Lilting
Balalaikas, dynamic accordion, humorous dances, and superb vocals combine for
an exhilarating performance! A musical experience that will not to be forgotten.
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Concerts of
Claudio Jacomucci –
Italy, Finland and USA
Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl
 Claudio
Jacomucci has opened 2004 with a solo concert in Cagliari for the "Friends
of Music" where he has introduced the audicence to music of Bach, Garau,
Zorn, Bonilauri and Kurtag.
Jacomucci
performed twice at the Festival Free Dans Orvieto with Pierre Favre (percussion),
Gabriel Mirabassi (clarinet) and Michel Godard (tuba). Other performances are:
- 19 February, for
Winter Accordion Festival in Kokkola (Finland), in a concert both for accordion
and a video commissioned by the festival organizers.
-
20 February for the Review of New Music in Macerata, in Red scene to the Theatre
Lauro "Road Runner" - performance with Kathleen Delaney (dance) with
video-projection. In the same evening, Jacomucci
also performs with all the musicians of the festival.
-
28 February to 2 March touring to Bolzano, Trento and Rovereto performing the
"Seven Words" by Sofia Gubadulina with Francisco Dillon (cello) and
the Haydn Orchestra directed by Ola Rudner.
-
18 March, at the Ithaca University (New York), where Jacomucci introduces a concert
of contemporary music for solo accordion and will hold a seminar for composers.
He will also perform in concert with American Joel Rubin (clarinet).
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Over
100 members attended the 
During
the AGM, the committee also set up the lucky draws. The prizes included sheet
music and CDs and a 120 bass accordion which was presented to the lucky winner.
After a buffet lunch, the members heard the Shanghai Examination Board, Merit
Accordion Performer exams. This is new to the program of examinations for 2003.
The Merit Accordion Performer exam is only available to those who have already
passed the Grade 10 examination. Each entrant must perform a program of 3 pieces,
up to 25 minutes playing time.
Professor
Solan
emerged as a band in July 1999 when Ef Wilkins (concertina), Richard Chaff (guitar
and vocals) and Chris Henderson (fiddle) started playing together in Shetland.