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International Entertainment
Competition - Finland
Contributed
by Kevin Friedrich
 The
Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival is pleased to announce a new International
Accordion Competition called the 'Primus Ikaalinen' - to be held in Ikaalinen,
Finland, on the 1st July 2005. Featuring entertainment music, prize money will
total 7,000 Euros, with the final being broadcast on live TV while being accompanied
by a professional band.
In order to take part in the competition, the contestant
should play 4 or 5 pieces of his/her own choice and record it on a tape, video,
CD, DVD or minidisk. The tape, a completed entry form and other attachments mentioned
on the entry form should be sent to the organiser by the 31st January 2005. The
Competition Committee will then select 8 to 10 contestants to take part in the
competition in Ikaalinen. Selected finalists will be provided with free accommodation
in Ikaalinen and a travel grant to attend the competition.
Primus Ikaalinen
is part of the weeklong Sata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival featuring a large
variety of accordion music, with different styles and versatile artists from both
Finland and abroad. For complete competition information, please visit: www.accordions.com/finland
or contact Festival Competition Organiser Minna Kulmala minna.kulmala@satahamesoi.fi
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Tsunami Relief
Accordion Concert Re-scheduled, Oregon - USA
The
concert in aid of Tsunami Relief funds, set for January 16th, as announced in
last week's news, was regrettably postponed due to very bad weather, and has now
been re-arranged for the following week. The basic details are therefore repeated
in the next paragraph. The Rose City Accordion Club has organised a concert in
aid of the Tsunami relief funds.
Top accordionists from around the Greater
Portland area will contribute their talents for this important fundraising event.
This concert takes place at The Milwaukie Center, 54440 SE Kellogg Creek Drive,
Milwaukie, Oregon, January 23rd, commencing at 2pm. Suggested donations of $5
will be distributed between the American Red Cross and the Mercy Corps.
For
further information email Glevear@aol.com
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Delicia Company Ceases Production - Czech Republic
The
Delicia Company ceased production on December 31st 2004, ending 85 years of accordion
manufacture. The company was founded in 1920 by Josef Keberle, and situated in
the town of Hoøovice, in what was then the new state of Czechoslovakia
(formed in 1919 as a result of the Treaty of Versailles).
Delicia
were renowned for manufacturing modestly priced accordions that were robust and
made with good quality reeds relative to price. Their accordions were sold in
more than 40 countries worldwide, and were popular first choice purchases with
many people who were new to the accordion due to their affordability and the wide
choice of instruments available. Delicia also manufactured a wide range of guitars.
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Accordionist
Appears in Hansel and Gretel, Northampton - UK
Contributed
by Ron Bennett
 London-based
accordionist Lisa-Lee Leslie has recently completed 60 consecutive performances
of the Royal & Derngate Theatres Production of the pantomime 'Hansel and Gretel'.
The 3-piece band - who were visible on stage for most of the show - included a
clarinet & double bass player in addition to Lisa-Lee on accordion. Accordionist
Ron Bennett, who saw the show with wife Sue and young son George, commented: "This
showed the versatility of the accordion to its maximum, as I am sure that a full
orchestra could not have improved on this unique & full sound."
"Lisa-Lee
had an important and pivotal role in the band, who were in costume and very much
a part of the show. I found it most interesting to see how her accordions were
effectively amplified, as she had been 'wired-up' by the clever sound engineer
with 'Sennheiser' radio microphones on each wrist (attached by micropore tape).
The reason for this was that she had a number of accordion changes from scene
to scene during the pantomime. Lisa used two accordions, one a 5 row (B system)
accordion with stradella and free bass, and the second, a 4 row B system musette
tuned accordion (as pictured)."
"The sound quality & performance
from Lisa was of the highest standard, as she could be clearly heard from all
corners of the auditorium. Her accordions sounded beautiful throughout her faultless
performance - I didn't, however, envy her having to memorise the entire 2 hour
plus score (in only 2 weeks) - surely a credit to the talented Lisa-Lee and her
musical education and background. Well done Lisa - we are so proud of you!"
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Dragan
Vasiljevic Concerts - Spain, USA
Contributed
by Holda Paoletti-Kampl
 Dragan
Vasiljevic, one of the world´s leading young accordionists, originally
from Serbia and now living in Spain, is in the process of developing an international
concert career. He has the following concert appearances:-
January 21st - Almeria,
Spain
28th - Almendralejo - Badajoz, Spain
February 17th - Alcaj, Spain
23rd - Badajoz, Spain
May 24th - Alt-Spice Festival, New York, USA. Solo and
chamber music with students from Zaragoza Conservatory (Spain).
May 26th/27th
- Concert in Miami, Florida, with students from Zaragoza Conservatory.
For
further information email draganvasi@hotmail.com
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Accordionist
Commemorated with Special CD - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
The
late Stuart Thomas, from Manchester, England, was an accordionist well known for
playing at accordion festivals and clubs during the 1980s and 1990s. Although
not famed as a concert performer, Stuart was usually to be found at the trade
stands, playing accordion classics and musette music with considerable flair,
and was often surrounded by admirers of his fine technique.
Stuart
died in tragic circumstances in June 2000, and the recent issue of a CD produced
from a homemade tape recording has commemorated his playing. Scottish accordionist
Alan Helm, who knew Stuart Thomas well, has digitally remastered this poor quality
recording, removing the imperfections and greatly enhancing the sound quality.
He has added in accompaniment of his own, using bass guitar, on some of the ten
tracks.
For further information email ANHentertainment@v27anh.fsnet.co.uk
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Gary Blair's Tour
of Southern England - UK
 Popular
Scottish accordionist Gary Blair embarks on his annual tour of Southern England,
February 11th to 20th.
11th - Crawley Accordion Orchestra with Harry Hussey,
Cranleigh Arts Centre, Surrey.
12th - Mid Sussex Caledonian Society - Ceilidh/Dance,
Ditchling, Sussex
13th - Basingstoke Accordion Club, Ceilidh/Concert
14th
- Uxbridge Accordion Club, West Drayton, Middlesex
15th - Club Accord, Birmingham
16th
- Private Function
17th - Harlow Accordion Club - concert presented by Jean
Hanger, Harlow, Essex
18th - Accordion Variety Show, Allendale Centre, Womborne,
Dorset
19th - Ovingdean Village Hall - Village Ceilidh, Brighton, East Sussex
20th
- Burgess Hill, Sussex - Scottish Fun Party Night, Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
Also featuring the brilliant Ricky T Sargent & Shaz, Cockney Capers'.
For further information email Ron Bennett accordionfriends@aol.com
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National and International
Competition, Atri - Italy
Contributed
by Renzo Ruggieri
The
third edition International Competition of Atri will take place June 29th, 30th
and May 1st. The sections include Classic Accordion, Accordion Variété,
Pianoforte and Keyboard. The artistic directors are Professors Renata Tepore and
Rinaldo Tepore.
For further information email info@renzoruggieri.it
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Amélie-Les-Crayons
on TV - France
Entertainer
Amélie-Les-Crayons and her band, featuring Michel on accordion, will appear
on the television channel France 3 on January 30th, at 12.50am. Amelie has won
several awards in France and also in Montreal, Canada.
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Information
Required
Debra
Miller has inherited an accordion and the only information she has is that there
is a label that says 'Joseph Jiran 1333 W. 18th, Chicago'. Can anyone provide
any further information? Email: red_zinfadel@excite.com
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Accordionist
Chango Spasiuk (pictured),
a leading exponent of the indigenous Argentinean style of music known as Chamame,
has recently released a new CD titled 'Tarefero De Mis Pagos'. Issued by Piranha
Records, this is Chango Spasiuk's seventh recording, but his first major international
release.
The
teachers of free reed instruments include Dan Newton - picture right (musette,
tango, folk and American) and Simo Tesla (Serbian) - piano accordions; Nils Olof
Söderbäck (Swedish and Klezmer), Vicki Yancy (French) and Evo Bluestein
(Cajun and Zydeco), Alan Keith (Scottish, Irish and French) - button accordions;
Jack Gilder - picture left (Irish) - Anglo concertina. 