A
new book, dedicated to the accordion and accordionists, has been
published in the UK. Written by accordionist Rob
Howard, 'An
A to Z of the Accordion and related instruments, Volume 2' is
a reference book that is also a celebration of the achievements
of accordionists, past and present. There are over 200 articles
and short biographies, and about 250 photographs and illustrations.
Most of the material is new, though there are also some archive
articles, written by eminent accordion authorities such as Charles
Camilleri, Gerald Crossman, Dave Davani, Keith Harling, John Kirkpatrick,
Graham Romani and Rosemary Wright, reproduced for the benefit of
present and future generations. There are also contributions from
accordionists Gary Blair, Jack Emblow, Shirley Evans, Pete Fitzpatrick,
Jon Hammond, Dermot O'Brien, Mike O'Regan and John Trigg.
The articles include The Story of the Accordion Bands; Accordion
Heritage; Which Accordion - Button or Piano?; Accordion Tales and
Trivia; The Art of Accompaniment; Bellows Control; Playing the British
Chromatic Accordion; Diatonics and Dancing; English Country Dance
Playing; French Musette Stars, Past and Present - The Kings and
Queens of Musette; Gerald Crossman meets Pietro Frosini; A History
of the Accordion Magazines; Inside Your Accordion; Instrument Reviews;
Ireland's Accordion Heritage; Jazz on the Accordion; Landmark Recordings;
Looking After Your Accordion; Making the Most of Your Practice Sessions;
Memorising; Memory; Musette and Java; Playing for Scottish Country
Dancing; Scottish Scene; Some Hints On Sight Reading; Tango; Technique;
Toralf Tollefsen's Last UK Appearance and World Champions…plus
much more. This book is a sequel to 'An A to Z of the Accordion
and related instruments' published two years ago. Both books retail
at £15
(plus £4 postage and packing in the UK; p/p £8.50 overseas).
As a special offer, both books can be ordered together for £25
plus postage and packing. Equivalent rates apply in Euros or dollars.
Theater
Premiere Featuring Accordionist, Plovdiv - Bulgaria Contributed by Tsvetana Kojuharova,
Bulgarian Organization of Accordionists
On November 24th, the stage of the Drama Theatre in Plovdiv will
host the premiere of one of the most popular plays in Europe - 'The
Sexual Neurosis of Our Parents' ('Die sexuellen Neurosen unserer
Eltern'). The author of the play is Lukas Bärfuss, announced
in Germany as playwright of the year 2005. The guest director Georg
Genoux will stage the play for the first time in Bulgaria. Georg
is a student of the famous Russian director Mark Zaharov.
The
music will be played live by the young accordionist from the Music
School in Plovdiv, Ventsislav Kolev. Ventsislav is a student of
Diana Stancheva and has won 6 First Prizes and 2 Special Prizes
at National and International Accordion Competitions. The music
selection in the play is from different modern American bands and
Johann Sebastian Bach, and is arranged for accordion by Diana Stancheva.
Using the language of music, Ventsislav Kolev will act the role
of a guiding angel of the central character Dora, performed by the
young actress Alexandra Vassileva.
Angel
Luis Castaño played in October at the Auditorium of Nancy
and premiered 'Fantasia para acordeón', by David del Puerto,
who has been awarded with National Prize of Music in Composition
by the Spanish Government this week, with a prize of 30,000 €.
This is the most important prize for composers in our country, and
it recognizes the work of a composer during his life. 'Fantasia'
was also performed by Angel last week on November 3rd in Paris in
the Cervantes Auditorium at a concert with Ananda Sukarlan (piano)
and Miguel Bernat (percussion).
In
December Angel Luis Castaño is scheduled to perform with
the Salamanca Chamber Orchestra, David Apellaniz (cello), and Gerard
Caussé (conductor), performing 'Seven Words for Accordion,
Cello and String Orchestra', by Sofia Gubaidulina, in Salamanca,
Medina del Campo, Zamora and Ciudad Rodrigo. On
January 5th Angel performs concerts with the Aragon String Quartet
in the Canary Islands Music Festival. Angel has recently been adjudicating
at the Coupe
Mondiale in Castelo Branco, Portugal.
Victor
Prieto Concerts and Clinics, New York - USA
Contributed by Holda
Paoletti-Kampl
Accordionist
Victor Prieto, whose new CD 'Persitencia' will soon be released
by Foxhaven records, has the following dates in his diary:-
November
2nd - Charlie's Club, Philadelphia: Victor Priero Trio (Carlo De
Rosa, bass, and Allison Miller, drums)
5th - Thishman Auditorium, New School University, New York:
Concert and Clinics - 'Tango and Beyond'
5th - Cafe Moto, New York: Victor Prieto Trio
9th - Maggie Brown Club, New York - solo performance
12th - Miami(with Kerry Willson)
15th - Talle Latinoamericano, New York - 'Tango and Beyond'
16th - Maggie Brown Club, New York - solo performance
19th - Cafe Moto, New York - solo performance
26th - Cafe Moto, New York - solo performance
Tribute
to Bobby Coghill CD Release, Scotland - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
Ross
Records have released three CDs featuring the music of diatonic
button accordionist Bobby Coghill, a well-known figure at music
events in Scotland, who died suddenly in January 2005. Bobby Coghill,
also a noted fiddle and bagpipes player, was highly regarded as
an accordionist and as a composer in Scotland. For more than twenty
years Coghill recorded a vast number of tracks of Scottish music
for Ross Records, including many of his own compositions.
Vallenato
Festival Youth Concert, Barrancabermeja - Columbia
A
concert took place during the recent Vallenato Accordion Festival,
featuring many of the younger accordionists, who were notable for
their great enthusiasm. The event was organised by Erwin Quintero,
Professor of Music and Vallenato Festival Director. Amongst the
participants were Mauricio de Santis, the 2005 Columbia Youth Accordion
Champion, Jairo de la Ossa Otero, Romario Munive, Walter Muegues
and Víctor Cuello.
Melodeons
at Witney, Oxford - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
'Melodeons
at Witney' is a weekend dedicated to all styles of melodeon playing,
involving workshops and concerts. Tutors include Issy Emeney, Katie
Howson, John Kirkpatrick, Emmanuel Pariselle, Tim Van Eyken and
Rees Wesson.
Topics covered include 'Exploring Chords', 'Morris', 'Fast or Furious?',
'Keyboard, Chords and Rhythm', 'All Over France', 'Breaking the
Habit', 'Playing Together', and 'Swamp Fever'. This course is one
of a regular series for free reed instruments organised at Witney
by 'Hands On Music Weekends'.
Irish
singer and accordionist Brendan Shine is to perform at the following
venues in November:-
15th - Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
22nd - Woodville Halls Theatre, Gravesend, Kent
23rd - The Stables, Milton Keynes
25th - St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Wigan
Brendan Shine, who regularly uses a 5-row button accordion in his
shows, has 35 international hit singles to his credit. His repertoire
includes Irish ballads, humorous songs, Country and Western songs,
and easy listening music.
Christmas
Concert, Alsace - France Contributed
by Rob
Howard
As
part of the events known as 'Christmas in Alsace', the Sundgau Accordion
Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Rey, welcomes Alexander
and Vitali Dmitriev for an exceptional concert on December 11th
at 5 pm in the church of Altkirch. The concert will include works
by Glynka, Piazzola, Vivaldi, and others. One of the concert items
is 'Winter', from Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons', performed by the orchestra
with Alexander
Dmitriev as soloist.
Help
Required Vina
Loscar, New South Wales - Australia Contributed by Jack Beecroft
Jack
Beecroft writes: "Can any one help me please? The White-Horse
Accordion Club from the South West of England are trying to find
out any information about an Australian accordion player whose stage
name was Vina Loscar. She left Australia for England in the 1970s
when she was in her 'thirties', and was at that time living at 47
Burnell Street, Fivedock, New South Wales.
Her real name was Heather Gabrielle Brown. Sadly Heather died recently
aged about 64 years. Amongst her treasured possessions is a Settimio
Soprani accordion, also a stock of accordion music and accordion
memorabilia. Any memories of Heather (Vina Loscar) and her involvement
with the accordion would be very much appreciated. Thank you".
Help
Required Wanted:
An Accordionist or Bandoneonist for Professional Tango Group -
Chicago, USA
"My Chicago-based tango quartet (plus singer) is looking
for a professional accordionist - or better yet - bandoneonist
- to play with our group. Must be able to read well. Charts include
written-out as well as lead-sheet format.
The November
edition of the United
States National Accordion News is now online featuring news
and concerts, as well as an article on the issue of copyright law.
Yehuda
Oppenheimer releases 4 arrangements of 'Soldiers
March', 'French
Song', 'Turkish
March' and 'Rasba'.
Samples of the music are available online. The music is in eSheet
format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit
card.
MusicForAccordion
is publishing two new music, mfa6003 'Josephine
Waltz' and mfa6008 'Jeanette
- Valse Musette'. Samples of the music is available on the site.
The music is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer.
Purchase with credit card.
Paul
Chamberlain releases 2 new compositions: 'Neva'
and 'La
Meije'. Samples of the music are available online. The music
is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase
with credit card.
A new site
selling a CD titled 'Accordion
Voyage', with sound samples. Music performed by Renzo
Ruggieri. Purchase online.
A new site
selling a CD titled 'Bends',
with sound samples. Music performed by Renzo
Ruggieri. Purchase online.
In
December Angel Luis Castaño is scheduled to perform with
the Salamanca Chamber Orchestra, David Apellaniz (cello), and Gerard
Caussé (conductor), performing 'Seven Words for Accordion,
Cello and String Orchestra', by Sofia Gubaidulina, in Salamanca,
Medina del Campo, Zamora and Ciudad Rodrigo. On
January 5th Angel performs concerts with the Aragon String Quartet
in the Canary Islands Music Festival. Angel has recently been adjudicating
at the 
Accordionist
Victor Prieto, whose new CD 'Persitencia' will soon be released
by Foxhaven records, has the following dates in his diary:-
Ross
Records have released three CDs featuring the music of diatonic
button accordionist Bobby Coghill, a well-known figure at music
events in Scotland, who died suddenly in January 2005. Bobby Coghill,
also a noted fiddle and bagpipes player, was highly regarded as
an accordionist and as a composer in Scotland. For more than twenty
years Coghill recorded a vast number of tracks of Scottish music
for Ross Records, including many of his own compositions.
Irish
singer and accordionist Brendan Shine is to perform at the following
venues in November:-