NAO Accordion Championships, Scarborough - UK
Contributed by Rob Howard

2005 marks the 70th anniversary of the UK Accordion Championships, originally held at the Central Hall, Westminster, London in November 1935, and then known as the All-Britain Championships by the NAO - National Accordion Organisation of Great Britain.

This year's event, from the 22nd to 24th April, takes place at The Spa Complex, Scarborough. Scarborough is a superb location for this annual event, and The Spa Complex, a Victorian masterpiece, is an ideal venue with multiple large size competition rooms.

The UK Championships will feature competitions for all levels including solo, duo, ensemble and orchestra as well as an extensive trade show with music and instruments, a Ceilidh dance (with Gary Blair, pictured and his Ceilidh Dance Band) and performances by international guests.

This year's festival involves over 400 entries, including 180+ soloists, 30+ duets, 20+ groups, 30+ orchestras, 50+ Musette Section, 30+ Scottish and 60+ Polka Section entries. There are also 22 entries in the Frosini Section, which will now be split into two separate age categories.

The UK Championships this year for first time includes an International Solo Class, which will be conducted with the 2nd Round of the NAO UK Virtuoso Solo Championship. The large adjudicating panel includes Kevin Friedrich, pictured (President of the CIA) and Joan Summers, former Professor at the University of Kansas City, USA.

For further information email naouk@accordions.com
  

Victor Prieto Concerts, New York - USA
Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Victor Prieto is to perform in two very contrasting shows during April. The first is a tango concert, whilst the second is a tribute evening to the late Arthur Tracey (1899-1997), the Moldovan-born American singer/accordionist whose hit record 'Marta' made him an international favourite in the 1930s and 40s. The dates are:-

April 20th - 'Tango and Beyong' - Maria Cangiano (voice), Victor Prieto (accordion), Octavio Brunetti (piano), Daniel Reyes llinas (guitar), Mariana Parma (dancer) and special guest, at Joe's Pub, New York.

April 27th - 'Pennies From Heaven - The Songs of Arthur 'The Street Singer' Tracy' - Steve Ross (narrator), Gregory Moore (tenor voice), Victor Prieto (accordion) and Steve Miller (piano) plus special guest Joe Franklin, at Bruno Walter Auditorium Lincoln Center, New York, at 6pm.

From 1931, Arthur Tracy, known as 'The Street Singer', was one of America's top recording artistes and radio stars. He went on to become one of Britain's favorite singers as well. After he left show business in the late 1940s, he was largely forgotten, until the 1981 film 'Pennies From Heaven' brought him back to the public spotlight, when Tracy's recording of the title song was used on the soundtrack. Joe Franklin, America's legendary talk show host - who was one of Arthur Tracy's closest friends - will also be on hand to share some of his memories, which will be sure to make this an unforgettable evening.
 

Sharon Shannon Concert Tour - Ireland
Contributed by Rob Howard

Sharon Shannon, two-row diatonic button accordionist from County Clare in the Irish Republic, is to tour Ireland during May. Shannon has toured internationally with great success, and has done much to promote the accordion with the general public, especially the younger generations.

In 1998, Sharon Shannon toured Europe's major cities with classical violinist Nigel Kennedy, and other musicians, performing Kennedy's 'Jimi Hendrix Suite'. She has performed concerts for Irish President Mary Robinson, Lech Walesa in Warsaw, and President Bill Clinton at The White House, Washington DC.

The tour dates are:-
May 3rd - Hawkswell, Sligo
4th - An Grianan, Letterkenny
5th - Dean Crow Theatre, Athlone
6th - Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise
7th - Royal Hotel, Castlebar
8th - Mullingar Arts Centre, Mullingar
12th - Glor Music Centre, Ennis
13th - The Forum, Waterford
14th - Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny
15th - NCH, Dublin

For further information email info@daisydiscs.com
 

Australian International Accordion Championships, Sydney - Australia
Contributed by Tania Lukic-Marx, President AATA

The Australian International Accordion Championships and Festival will take place on the 28th and the 29th of May in Sydney. Organized by the Australian Accordion Teachers Association Inc., the event will include competitions and an Accordion Gala Concert to be held at the Club Marconi on the 29th of May at 1 pm. Poster-178KB.

Some of Australia's finest accordionists will be featured at the concert plus the winner of the Coupe Mondiale Piano Accordion Class - Evgeny Kochetov - left pictured (Russia), Australian Concert Ensemble, ASA Orchestra, John MacDonald right pictured, Heinz Dabernig, Sydney Balalaika Orchestra and more…

Please visit our web site for more information about the event at: www.accordions.com/aata
 

Legplaiters Concert and Ceilidh, Manchester - UK
Contributed by Rob Howard

The Legplaiters, a long established Irish music group from Manchester, England, are to hold their annual concert followed by a ceilidh at St Bernadette's, Whitefield, North Manchester on April 29th, at 8pm. All proceeds will go to the Bury Hospice, and the event is also in memory of the late Dave Weatherall (pictured), a former member of the Legplaiters.

The Legplaiters include Pete Fitzpatrick, former All Britain Accordion Champion, and Martin Hall, who plays concertina and accordion. Other musicians appearing in the concert include a team of Appalachian dancers and their accompanists.

For further information email petefitz@ntlworld.com

Trek er es Uut, Nijmegen - Netherlands

Trek er es Uut, an informal weekend dedicated to diatonic accordions and melodeons, takes place in Nijmegen, from May 5th to 8th. This annual happening at the Ascension Day holiday is both a social event and a learning experience, with many teachers from widely varied music traditions coming together to share their music. One of the teachers and performers this year is Brian Peters (pictured), the diatonic accordionist, Anglo concertina player and folk singer, from Glossop in North West England.
 

Jack Emblow and Tony Compton Concert, Leicester - UK
Contributed by Rob Howard

The ever popular Jack Emblow and Tony Compton duo are the guests at Soar Valley Accordion Club on April 9th. The venue is Rothley Village Hall, Leicester. The duo's latest CD 'Jack and Tony' reflects their concert repertoire, and includes such jazz standards as 'Summertime', 'Autumn Leaves', 'Tangerine', 'Crazy Rhythm', 'Aint Misbehavin' and 'Skylark', plus accordion compositions such as 'Il Treno (the Train)' and the valse musette 'En Amateur'.
 

What Future for the Accordion?
Open Letter To All Accordion Enthusiasts
by Beniamino Bugiolacchi

New comments have been added........

New & Updated Sites

James O' Brien - composer, arranger and performer, releases 6 new works for accordion available for purchase online. 'O Bury Me Not' (traditional), 'Loch Lomond' (traditional), 'Dubinushka' (traditional), 'Waltzing Matilda' (traditional), 'Tyrolienne' (traditional), 'A Boat from Chios' (traditional). Samples of this music are available on the site. The music is in Esheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card.
 

Douglas Ward - accordionist teacher, adjudicator, composer, arranger. A new site selling his compositions and arrangements, esheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card. Samples of the music are on the site.