Thanks
to an initiative of Professor Cao
Xiao Qing (picture right), a master class and a concert with
works by Sofia Gubaidulina will take place at the Central University
of Music in Beijing and at the conservatory in Tianjin (China)
from October 11th to 14th. Dr.Herbert Scheibenreif comments "It
is really a remarkable fact that one of the most outstanding composers
of our days could be invited to China for the first time by an
accordionist. Up to now, Cao
Xiao Qing is the only Chinese musician who has studied and
played the music of Gubaidulina, and who is co-operating with
her now. Thus, it's an important step not only for the development
of the Chinese avant-garde, but also for the acceptance of Gubaidulina's
music in China".
During a three-day workshop Gubaidulina will present her works
and demonstrate her techniques of composition. By a fortunate
coincidence, two of her Chinese colleagues (professor Du Mingxin
and professor Wu Zuqiang) are teaching in Tianjin. Together they
will remember their common past at the conservatory in Moscow
in the 1950s and try to discuss the development of composition
in the future. To conclude the meeting, Gubaidulina will answer
questions of students and professors on the last day.
The
main highlight of the whole event is a concert including not only
some of her works for bayan, but also contemporary works of young
Chinese composers. It is a particular fact that the works by Jia
Guo Ping ('Auf der Stille', for bayan, violin and violoncello)
and Qin whom Chen ('Five songs on the horizon, for violoncello,
bayan and strings) have similar contents and orchestration compared
to Gubaidulina's 'Silenzio' for bayan, violin and violoncello
as well as 'Seven words' for violoncello, bayan and strings.
Accordionist
Orosz Zoltán
is on tour with Hungary's most famous singer, Zoran. The concert
dates are as follows:-
October 9th - Szolnok
10th - Kecskemet
11th - Gyor
16th - Kaposvar
16th - Debrecen
18th - Tököl
19th - Pecs
26th - Tata
November 7th - Nyiregyhaza
8th - Miskolc
In addition, Zoltan and his orchestra will appear as guests on October
23rd at the evening concert at a South-Slavonic Accordion Festival
in Pecsudvard,
Roland
Unveil Virtual Button Accordion, Osaka - Japan
Contributed by Rob
Howard
Roland
have introduced the FR-7b, a five-row chromatic button version of
their successful Virtual piano accordion. This model is programmable
to include both B and C system keyboards, and as such is the first
accordion to incorporate both systems. The FR-7b includes all the
features of the piano accordion models, including the facility to
use free bass.
Instruments
made by the German bandoneon producer Uwe Hartenhauer are now
being distributed in France by Laurent Jarry, Managing Director
of 'La
boîte d'accordéon'.
These
instruments have a long tradition and are manufactured in Germany,
inspired by the famous brand du Alfred Arnold. The models produced
include: Bandonéon diatonique bi-sonore, système
argentin, and the Bandonéon chromatique uni-sonore, système
Péguri.
Accordion
Times International, Blackpool - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
The
UK's longest established accordion magazine, the monthly Accordion
Times and News has recently undergone some changes and, is now
known as the Accordion Times International. Accordionist and teacher
Gina Brannelli has now become Co-Editor with Loretta
Rolston, and the magazine now has an enhanced format. The editors
welcome contributions, information, comments and questions.
The Accordion
Times was first published in 1935, and apart from the Second World
War years and a period in the 1970s, has a line of continuity that
covers almost all the period of the accordion's history in the UK.
Alejandro
Paredes Competition Success, Buenos Aires - Argentina Contributed
by Rob
Howard
On
August 13th, Alejandro Paredes won the main trophy at the 5th San
Jorge Accordion Festival, held in the province of Santa Fe. His
prize included a trip to Italy, to compete in the Premio e Concorso
Internazionale per Fisarmonica, in Castelfidardo, from the 11th
to 16th October. His friend Florencia Herrera wishes Alejandro the
best of luck on his trip to Castelfidardo.
Renzo
Ruggieri has just returned from a successful concert tour in
Iceland, where he performed on September 23rd in Hella, the 24th
in Akureyri, and the 26th in the prestigious Salurin Theatre in
Reykjavik. At times he was playing together with other famous accordionists
and musicians such as Eythor Gunnarsson, piano, Robert Phorhalsson,
bass, Erik Quick, drums and violinist Matthias Stefansson.
Now back in Italy, Renzo Ruggieri will be conducting a Master Class
for jazz accordion at the PIMS Studio in Vasto on October 21st at
4 pm, and perform in a solo evening concert in the Enoteca Due Archi
in Vasto.
Veli
Kujala's recital at Usedomer Musikfestival - Germany
Contributed
by Rob
Howard
The
Finnish concert accordionist Veli Kujala gave a solo recital on
September 26th featuring exclusively Finnish and German contemporary
works. The recital was a part of the internationally respected Usedomer
Musikfestival, located in the northern Germany. His program included
compositions by Kalevi Aho, Sampo Haapamäki, Klaus Huber, György
Ligeti, Magnus Lindberg, Jukka Tiensuu, Vesa Valkama and Helmut
Zapf.
A special feature was the succesful premiere performance of Pasi
Lyytikäinen's new composition 'Vuo'. This two hour concert
was very positively reviewed in the newspapers Nordkurier and Ostsee-Zeitung:
"Unbelievable how sophisticated he mastered the versatile demands
of the compositions" and "Veli Kujala belongs to the absolute
top class of accordionists."
Golden
Accordion Competition, Benevento - Italy
Contributed by Holda
Paoletti-Kampl
The
Golden Accordion Competition in Benevento, the 5th time the festival
was held, featured an excellent standard of participants, and also
prestigious evening concerts. Luigi Febbraro and Renzo Ruggieri
directed the event, with famous artistes such as Mario Balestra,
Walter Giannarelli, Massilmiliano Pitocco and the B.B. Orkestra.
Renzo Ruggieri
was the Head of the Jury. A special award has been assigned to Massimiliano
Pitocco.
The
winners of the competition were:-
'Fisarmonica D'Oro 2005' - Guy Giuliano (left picture)
'Jury Award' for best performance - Igor Zavatskj
Classic Student - Belfiore Gilles
Variété Composition - Donato Santoianni
Variété Junior - Mario D'Amario
Variété Senior - Guy Giuliano
Jazz - Antonio Spaccarotella Group
The next Golden Accordion Competition will be in July 2006
Deirdre
Adamson Concert, Stockport - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
Scottish
accordionist Deirdre Adamson is the guest artiste at Stockport Accordion
Club on October 11th. The concert begins at 8pm, and the venue is
the St John Ambulance Brigade HQ, Edgeley Road, Cheadle Heath, Stockport.
Russian
accordionist Viktor
Romanko begins his Autumn tour of Germany on October 21st. The
itinery was published in the AWW news last month, but a few of the
concert start times were either not published or were incorrect.
The list below contains correct details:-
October
21st, at 8pm - Ev. Margarethenkirche Kierspe
23rd, at 5pm - Ev. Kirche Siegen-Weidenau (Dautenbach)
30th, at 8pm - Kath. Kirche Großenseebach
November
1st, at 7.30pm - Bad Wildbad, Haus des Gastes
4th, at 8pm - Metzingen, Dietrich-Bonhoeffer Secondary School
5th, at 7pm - Oberuhldingen (Bodensee) Ev. Gemeindehaus
6th, at 7.30pm - Ev. Kirche Bad Waldsee, near Ravensburg
11th, at 5pm - Musikschule Möchengladbach
12th, at 5pm - Ahlen/Westf. Christus-Kirche
13th, at 5pm - Ev. Kreuzkirche Hamm Bockum-Hövel
Dermot
O'Brien and Fintan Stanley in Concert, Drogheda - Ireland
Contributed by Rob
Howard
Dermot
O'Brien (left) and Fintan Stanley (right), two of Ireland's most
popular and enduring accordion entertainers, perform together at
the Boyne Valley Hotel, Drogheda, County Louth on October 24th.
Dermot O'Brien, who once had a television show in Ireland that ran
for seven years, moved to New York in the 1970s, but has continued
to regularly tour Britain and Ireland. Fintan Stanley also moved
to the USA in the 1970s, and lives in Boston. Their concert in Drogheda
is one of rare occasions they have performed together.
Louisianathon
Cajun and Zydeco Festival, Washington State - USA
Contributed by Rob
Howard
The
second annual Louisianathon Cajun and Zydeco Festival takes place
on October 29th and 30th at Mercer Island VFW, close to Seattle.
The chief guests are accordionist Ray Abshire and fiddle player
Courtney Granger, and local bands include Capuchon, Cayenne, How's
Bayou, Kingbees of the Bayou and Swamp Soul. The festival MC is
Gator Man, and the concert begins on the evening of the 29th, and
from noon until 10pm on October 30th.
Accordion
Bear, New Hampshire - USA
Contributed by Rob
Howard
Laurie
and Peter Widmark are accordion enthusiasts, and own no less than
nine instruments. They are also members of the Rotary club of Dover,
New Hampshire. A fundraising event for the Club commences on October
14th and involves the auction of three one-foot high 'cast' bears
being painted by artists.
One of the artists submitted a fabulous design for 'Uncle Walter'
- the accordion bear. Uncle Walter, the accordion bear is to be
auctioned and can be viewed via the Rotary Club of Dover's website.
Thanks
to an initiative of Professor 
Accordionist
Instruments
made by the German bandoneon producer Uwe Hartenhauer are now
being distributed in France by Laurent Jarry, Managing Director
of '
The
Finnish concert accordionist Veli Kujala gave a solo recital on
September 26th featuring exclusively Finnish and German contemporary
works. The recital was a part of the internationally respected Usedomer
Musikfestival, located in the northern Germany. His program included
compositions by Kalevi Aho, Sampo Haapamäki, Klaus Huber, György
Ligeti, Magnus Lindberg, Jukka Tiensuu, Vesa Valkama and Helmut
Zapf. 
The
winners of the competition were:- 
Deirdre
Adamson Concert, Stockport - UK
Russian
accordionist 
Dermot
O'Brien (left) and Fintan Stanley (right), two of Ireland's most
popular and enduring accordion entertainers, perform together at
the Boyne Valley Hotel, Drogheda, County Louth on October 24th.
Laurie
and Peter Widmark are accordion enthusiasts, and own no less than
nine instruments. They are also members of the Rotary club of Dover,
New Hampshire. A fundraising event for the Club commences on October
14th and involves the auction of three one-foot high 'cast' bears
being painted by artists. 
