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International
Accordion Convention, Las Vegas – USA
Contributed
by Rob
Howard
 The
2005 International
Accordion Convention takes place at The Gold Coast, Las Vegas,
from June 26th to 29th. This year’s event features birthday
celebrations for three American legends of the accordion –
Art Van Damme (85), Myron Floren (85) and Dick Contino (75).
Frank Marocco, Gary Blair, Bernadette
Conlon, Peter
Soave and Mady Soave, Pete Barbutti, Mike Belitz, Stas Venglevski,
Mario Tacca & Mary Mancini, Gina Brannelli, Jerome
Richard, Ron Borelli, Gordon Kohl, Julien Labro, and the K
Trio are amongst the guests. The
theme for this year’s festival is ‘A World of Entertainment’,
focusing on the accordion’s broad appeal.
Artistes and music from around the world will be highlighted, and
the festival includes seven concerts and many workshops. The workshops
are geared for all players no matter what level of playing.
The LVAC
also includes a large trade show, presenting instruments, recorded
music, music publications, accessories and merchandise.
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First
International VIP Accordion Show, Pontarlier, France
Contributed
by Kevin
Friedrich
French accordionist Mickeal Vigneau narrowly took first prize during
an exciting international competition held this past weekend in France.
Ten contestants representing Scotland, Bulgaria, Serbia, France, Portugal,
Finland, Russia, Belarus and France took part in the 1st International
Accordion Competition in Pontarlier, France. This invitational
competition finished in dramatic style, with the top four candidates
being separated by less than one point!
After the tremendous success of the recent CIA
Coupe Mondiale in Pontarlier, city officials collaborated with
Frederic Deschamps to host this exciting interactive accordion event
combining the work of the International Jury with the vote of the
general public after a live Radio Show and public concert.
The aim of this new annual VIP World Accordion Show and Competition
is to feature the side of the contemporary accordion repertoire that
relates to entertainment music. The qualities necessary for this 'popular'
repertoire include musicality, technique, feeling and also rhythmic
sense, stage presence, rapport with the audience, the ability to work
with other instrumentalists, charisma as well as excellent style of
arrangements for the pieces chosen.
The members of the International Jury included: Kevin
Friedrich - USA (President of the Jury), Nadia Vestica - Serbia
and Montenegro, Kimmo Mattila - Finland, Sabrina Guislain - Belgium
and Raymond
Bodell – United Kingdom.
 The
opening concert featured local accordionist and 3rd Place Winner of
the CIA Virtuoso Entertainment Competition Benoit Chabod, the 2004
CIA Virtuoso Entertainment Champion Phil Bouvier, 2nd Place CIA
Coupe Mondiale Winner - Rade Mijatovic from Serbia and Montenegro
and the popular Classic Buskers comprising Ian Moore (accordion)
and Michael Copley (wind instruments) from the United Kingdom.
Contestants performed three rounds including: (1) an own choice program,
judged by the jury, (2) the broadcast of a pre-recorded piece on France
Bleu Besançon (Radio) where listeners voted by telephone and
text message and (3) a final round where contestants performed one
piece with the Jérôme
Richard International Orchestra that was judged by both the jury
and the live audience.
 The
Radio Show listeners voted Julien Gonzales (France) 1st, Simon Gachez
Mauroz (France) 2nd, and Nenad Ercegovcevic (Serbia) 3rd, while the
live audience vote saw the three French candidates Julien Gonzales
1st, Mickeal Vigneau 2nd, and Simon Gachez-Mauroz 3rd. Combined
with the work of the International Jury, the overall top results separated
by less than one point were:
1st: Mickeal Vigneau (France) 191.2
2nd. Julian Gonzales (France) 191.0
3rd. Alex Shirunov (Russia) 190.9
4th. Ann-Marie Kanniainen (Finland) 190.5
Unique to this competition was the fact that all expenses including
airfare, hotel and accommodation for the contestants were provided
for by the organizers. Due to the time limitations of organizing
this first festival, candidates were invited to attend, however future
competitions will be open to application. Further details will
be announced in the near future.
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Greek National Championships, Athens –
Greece
Contributed by Harley
Jones
 The
first National Accordion Competition was held in Athens, on May
21st and 22nd, and was deemed to be a great success by all concerned.
The Competition Jury consisted of Vladimir
Zubitsky (President) Alexander Tchuev, Jasmina Dimitrievic,
Spiros Melissanidis, and Giannis Klekedakis.
 Winners
of competition categories:-
Student (to 14 years)
1. Noutsou Vasiliki (Grevena), Bisiris Dimitrios (Kozani), Goritsas
Vasilios (Atalanti)
2. Vavatsika Artemis (Athens)
3. Rozis Mihail (Athens)
Junior (14-19 years )
1. Taskaris Stefanos (Ptolemaida), Zampaklis Georgios (Stavrupoli)
2. Arampatzi Maria (Thessaloniki)
3. Kalogeropoulou Argiro (Atalanti), Pouliou Dimitra (Trikala)
Senior (from 19 years)
1. Garnelis Georgios (Kerkyra), Arampatzis Dimitrios (Thessaloniki)
2. Vougioukas Dimos (Volos), Katsatsidis Stilianos (Athens)
Ensemble and Orchestra
1. ‘Orhistra Pikilis Musikis’ (Ptolemaida)
The Municipality of Grevena has decided next year, at the same time
of the year, to organize the First International Accordion Competition,
’Prize of Grevena - 2006’.
For further information alexandertchuev@yahoo.gr
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50th Anniversary Concert, Hanoi – Vietnam
Contributed
by Rob
Howard
The
50th anniversary of the founding of Hanoi National Conservatory (HNC)
was celebrated by a concert on May 21st at the Conservatory’s
Concert Hall. The program included works for accordion solo and ensemble
by great composers like B. Molique, Scarlatti, Ibert, Semyonov,
Debyanco, Ganzer, etc. Also performed in this concert was a new work
of the Vietnamese composer Nguyen Phuc Linh - ‘Trio
for Accordeon, clarinet bass and double bass’.
Participating on this program were Nguyen Tai Hung M.A.(accordion,
teacher of the Accordion-Guitar-Jazz Faculty), Nguyen Huy Phuong,
Dr. (piano, teacher of Piano Faculty) and young accordionists Nguyen
Thu Huong, and Nguyen Thi Quynh Trang.
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Club
Accord’s Concert, Birmingham – UK
Contributed
by Tracey Middleton
 The
Birmingham-based Club Accord, founded in 1976 by the late Malcolm
Gee, featured Lisa Lee Leslie as their guest artiste for a very
successful concert during April.
Before the guest artiste’s appearances, a few of the club’s
players performed, including Nancy Lewis, whose pieces included
‘Whispering’, and ‘A Nightingale sang in Berkeley
Square’. Andy Banks, with his melodeon and concertina, was
next, followed by Tony Trentham and Gary Marsden, who joined up
in duet to play some popular melodies.
The guest Lisa Lee Leslie used both straight and musette tuned accordions,
performing ‘Adios’ (Piazzolla), ‘Invention no 14’
(JS Bach), ‘Tzigan Tango’, ‘La Misma Pena’,
and ‘Fantasia no 4’, displaying her technical prowess.
Using her musette accordion, Lisa played ‘The Weird One’,
‘Princess Accordion’, ‘Plaisance Fox’ and ‘Perdus
Czardas’.
After
the interval several other players performed, both solo and combinations.
Lisa then returned, and on her straight tuned accordion, began with
‘Caravana Negra’, ‘Prepereuse’, and ‘Gigue
and Allegro’. Again changing to her musette accordion, she
invited her father John Leslie to join her and together they played
‘Esapade’, ‘We Live in a House’, ‘Valse
Militaire’, and ‘Variations’, by Eddie Harris. They
ended a sparkling performance with ‘Nanny’, by Colombo.
Club
Accord’s next evening will be on June 13th, when Russia’s
Alexander Korbakov is the guest.
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Puerto Rico Accordion Orchestra to tour Argentina
Contributed
by Kevin Friedrich
 The
Puerto Rican Accordion Orchestra, from the Accordion Association
of Puerto Rico, will be touring Argentina from June 2nd to13th,
in what is believed to be the first international accordion orchestra
to tour Argentina. The first appearance will be in Colonia
Caroya (Córdoba) for the First National and International
Meeting of Accordionists from June 3rd to 5th, where the orchestra
and members will give concerts and workshops.
A concert on Friday, June 10th at 9pm will be held at the Carlos
Gardel Hall in Buenos Aires, sponsored by Dept. of Tourism and A.I.D.A.
(International Accordionists Association of Buenos Aires) and the
final concert will be given on June 12th, with a performance in
conjunction with the 125th anniversary of the Red Cross at San Andrés
de Giles.
The Puerto Rico Accordion Orchestra is the musical group representing
the Puerto Rico Accordionists Association, a non-profit organization
devoted to promoting the accordion. It was created in 1986
under the direction of Esther Eugenia Bertieaux, a well-known Puerto
Rican accordionist and teacher for many years. It is composed
of 18 members, all professionals in many different fields. Included
among the members are a flutist recently retired from the Puerto
Rico Symphony Orchestra after 30 years, and two percussionists.
Affiliated with the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, the orchestra
performs concerts throughout the Island of Puerto Rico and abroad.
Among the places abroad that it has played are Italy (Rome, Castelfidardo,
Parma and Verona), New Orleans, Orlando, two cruise ships (Nordic
Empress – Royal Caribbean; Norwegian Majesty - Norwegian Cruise
Line) and now Argentina.
In late 2003 it recorded its first CD of Latin American music, which
has had great success, and was selected as one of the 20 best productions
that year. Their repertoire will include a variety of classical,
popular and Latin pieces, which will give the public the opportunity
to appreciate the versatility of the accordion.
For further
details on this upcoming tour, please e-mail Jane Berkovitz at:
janeberkovitz@msn.com
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Marco
Ambrosio Performances, Turin – Italy
Contributed
by Holda
Paoloetti-Kampl
Accordionist
Marco Ambrosio appears in two shows, at different venues in Turin.
On June 4th and 5th, he is at Teatro Stabile di Torino, appearing
in ‘La Regina Degli Elfi’, performing music by Richard Strauss
and Kurt Weill. The show begins at 9pm. On June 10th, at 9pm, at the
Corso Sicilia, Turin, Marco Ambrosio performs in ‘A Fenesta’.
For further
information email Marco Ambrosio: huyiam@tin.it
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Masquerade
Performances – France
Contributed
by Holda
Paoletti-Kampl
The
French accordion quintet Masquerade, whose performances of original
music by the German composer Ralf Jung have been described as “a
spectacle of masks and music”, appear on June 3rd and 4th at
the Temple Allemand, Chaux-de-Fonds. On June 10th and 11th, they also
appear in Paris at the Festival de Malakoff. The members of the quintet
are Jean-Marie Geiser, Frederic Claude, Nicolas Page, Joseph Allimann
and Adman Krestalica.
For further information email jm.geiser@freesurf.ch
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Cajun and Scottish Accordion at Footloose Festival, Matlock –
UK
Contributed by Christine
Adams
The
annual Footloose Festival takes place at Matlock Baths, in the Roman-built
town of Matlock in Derbyshire. There is a Cajun music and dance element
in this festival, featuring the Flatville Aces on June 3rd. On June
4th, there is a traditional music concert with Celtic band Harem Scarem,
featuring Inge Thomson on accordion.
For further
information email dave@matlocklive.co.uk
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Sebastiano
Cali - Sebastiano Cali - accordionist, composer, piano tuner,
harpsichord and other early instruments maker, releases another 6
new works for accordion available for purchase online. 'Solamente
Una Vez (Subject To Copyright)' (American South-Latin), 'Rondò
Alla Turca, From ‘Sonata In A, K.331' (Classical), 'Moto Perpetuo'
(Classical), 'Cuando Calienta El Sol (Subject To Copyright)'(American
South-Latin), 'Amor, Amor, Amor (Subject To Copyright)' (American
South-Latin), '1st Gymnopédie' (Classical). The music is in
eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with
credit card.
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James
O' Brien - composer, arranger and performer, releases another
6
new works for accordion available for purchase online. 'Kerfank'
(traditional), 'La Cucaracha' (traditional), 'La Jesusita' (traditional),
'Little Fugueing' (classical), 'Mein Hut' (traditional), 'Minka' (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
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Finnish
accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen, with support from Marita Liulia ‘live
multimedia’, Antti Kuivalainen ‘live video mixing’,
and Heikki Iso-Ahola ‘sound design’, is to perform a unique
arrangement of Sibelius’ ‘Finlandia’, at the Teatro
Comunale di Ferrara, Castello Estense, on June 5th at 9.15 pm.
A
new