CIA
Archives Receive Further Donations, Ikaalinen - Finland
Contributed by Harley
Jones, CIA
Public Relations Manager
The
archives of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes
(CIA), a member of the International Music Council (IMC-UNESCO),
are beginning to take shape with a recent donation of material from
the New Zealand
Accordion Association (NZAA) and a substantial donation from
former CIA Vice President Maddalena Belfiore, who has kindly donated
all her material pertaining to the CIA to the archives center. A
Vice President for 16 years and recipient of the CIA Merit Award,
Maddalena Belfiore has donated all of her material including CIA
News Books from as early as 1954, CIA Program Books dating to 1961
and minutes and general correspondence spanning several decades.
The
archives are housed at the Hanuritalo (Accordion House) in Ikaalinen,
Finland, which is also the home of the Finnish Accordion Association,
a CIA
member. Many other accordion activities are centered in Ikaalinen,
including the Finnish Accordion Institute, an accordion museum, an
accordion factory and repair center, and the Sata-Häme Soi International
Accordion Festival. With so many accordion activities in Ikaalinen,
it is not surprising that even this bird (picture on the accordion
bellows) checks into an accordion birdhouse located outside the Hanuritalo.
The archives will collect all materials pertaining to the CIA such
as all Test Pieces, program books, information such as recordings
and biographies of all CIA winners, Merit and Honored Friend award
recipients, press coverage, mark sheets and results from previous
competitions, minutes of General Assembly Meetings, News Books,
correspondence and much more. Not only does it profile the history
of the CIA, but also the important evolution of the accordion and
the accordion movement in each country.
Making
his second trip to Finland with material for the archives, CIA President
Kevin Friedrich
travelled to Ikaalinen on November 14th to16th 2005 to personally
hand deliver the material from Maddelena Belfiore and the New Zealand
Accordion Association, make preliminary inventory reports as well
as conduct a Press conference with CIA Vice President and President
of the Finnish Accordion Association, Kimmo Mattila. With the archive
center creating considerable interest in Finland, the press conference
attracted some of the largest newspapers in Finland which each featured
stories and pictures of the work being done.
The first archive donation of many CIA Test Piece scores was made
by Ernest Deffner, Inc, the parent company of Ernest Deffner Publications,
commemorating the firm's own 70th anniversary. The president of
the firm, Faithe Deffner, is a long time friend of the CIA and has
been a United States delegate to the CIA for more than 32 years.
Anyone interested in donating their material pertaining to the CIA
to the Archives is invited to do so, by sending the material to:
CIA Archives - Hanuritalo
Kyrösselänkatu 3, Ikaalinen, 39500, Finland
Tel: 358 3 4400221 Fax: 358 3 4509071
E-mail: cia.archives@harmonikkaliitto.net
To conclude the CIA 70th Anniversary year, an official CIA Archive
ribbon cutting ceremony will officially open the archives during the
CIA Winter Congress meeting in Ikaalinen from February 24th to 27th
2006.
Accordionist and composer William
Schimmel will release a new recording
entitled: 'IN THE SHADOW - where the Symphonies of Beethoven meet
the Fado Bar'. Due to its concept, it will be available as an MP3
album - although a limited amount of autographed hard copies will
be made available. It will be available for download at the end of
December 2005. Dr.
Schimmel refers to this work as 'A Cyber Symphony in Six parts'. It
is 53 minutes in length and the titles of the parts are as follows:
'Raga and Rondo', 'Shoo-Bert', 'In the Shadow', 'The Absinthe of Something',
'Capriccio Brasilia' and 'Reality en Rose'.
It is scored for Solo Accordion, which is played by Schimmel. The
work also features the vocals and melodica of Allyssa Lamb and the
assistance of Dragica Banic-Curcic on accordion.
Both Allyssa Lamb and Dragica Banic-Curcic are recipients of the Neupauer
Conservatory Order of the Shield Diploma, in 1986 and 2001 respectively.
On November 11th, William
Schimmel
performed the 'Sequenza 13 (Chanson)', by Luciano Berio, at Christ
and St Stephen's Church in New York. Dr Schimmel studied with Luciano
Berio in the 1960s at the Juilliard School and appears on an early
recording of Berio's arrangements of Kurt Weill songs with singer
Cathy Berberian in the newly formed Juilliard Ensemble. The RCA recording
was released 30 years later in 1999. The concert was sponsored by
Composers' Concordance. It's co-director Patrick Hardish has composed
a number of works for Dr. Schimmel and studied composition with Schimmel
in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
On Dec 9th, Schimmel will perform his 'Civil War Tangos for solo accordion,
dancer and interactive video'. The choreography for dance and video
is by Micki Goodman. It will take place at the Graduate Center of
the City University of New York. Dr Schimmel will end 2005 and move
into 2006 with performances of Alban Berg's 'Wozzeck', with the Metropolitan
Opera at the Lincoln Center, New York.
KODA's
New CD, Scotland - UK
Contributed by
Rob
Howard
The
Scottish accordion orchestra KODA, based in Biggar, have released
a new CD. The notes on this new recording state: "They're
back with a third CD, …this high energy Scottish band release
another variety of Traditional Music and Song with a contemporary
edge".
The band has developed considerably since its early years as a conventional
accordion orchestra, and now includes singers, dancers, fiddles, bagpipes,
keyboards and percussion alongside accordionists. KODA offers a varied
programme of traditional instrumental compositions as well as modern
'alternative' arrangements of Scottish songs. Recent band performance
highlights have included appearing at the Ceilidh Stage at Scotland's
biggest Music Festival 'T in the Park' in July, and a short tour to
Hanover, Germany, in September.
M.
Hohner AG, based in Trossingen, has announced that its German
sales operation is in profit for the last financial year, despite
otherwise negative trends in the music industry. This success is the
result of the introduction of several new products including the E-piano,
a new range of guitars, and a new harmonica 'Marine and Deluxe'. The
worldwide sales of Hohner instruments, however has done less well.
This is attributed, at least in part, to the unfavourable US Dollar
rate. Dr Horst Bräuning, retiring member of the managing board
says: "One aim of the company is to inspire people to make music,
true to our motto: 'Enjoy music - play Hohner'".
'Accordions
International' 2005, Caister - UK Contributed
by Heather Smith
Organised
by Heather Smith, Editor of the 'Accordion Profile' magazine, this
festival took place from 10th to 14th November. Over 400 accordion
enthusiasts booked into the event. Many more also attended, who had
bought day/evening passes. Workshops and Masterclasses took place
throughout each day in three venues and every evening a Dance and
Cabaret was presented in the Carousel Club.
International
guest performers included Giancarlo Caporilli (Italy), Murl Allen
Sanders (USA) and Oivind Farmen (Norway), who between them played
such a wide range of musical styles that there was indeed 'something
for everyone'. UK performers included: Norvic Concordia, Charlie Watkins,
Gary Blair, Stockport Accordion Orchestra, Crawley accordion Orchestra,
Bert Santilly and Johnny Coleclough. Dance music was provided by Gary
Blair (Scottish) and Adrienne Sharpe and Peter Whiteley (Ballroom).
Performers on the first evening were Charlie Watkins (WEM) and Murl
Allen Sanders (his UK debut performance) whose unique style of playing
and singing completely captivated the audience.
The
Friday evening was taken over with a superb 'Party Night', which was
sponsored by the Crawley Accordion Orchestra. Accordeon Club des Flandres
de Lambersart were invited to the event by Crawley AO and both orchestras
played during the evening, as did Peter Ayers and Margaret Ledger
(from Norvic Concordia) and Giancarlo Caporilli (who also performed
on Sunday evening). Halfway through the evening, Gary Blair played
for Scottish dancing and immediately the dance floor was packed with
hoards of excited dancers, including many of the French guests. At
the end of the evening several accordionists had a mass busk, and
were joined by Harry Hussey (UK) and Giancarlo Caporilli. It was indeed
a 'fun-packed' night to remember!!
The
Stockport Accordion Orchestra, under the baton of MD Brian Jenkins,
gave a performance on the Saturday evening. Oivind Farmen's repertoire,
which ranged from classical to 'lighter' music by Frosini and Tollefsen,
was played with great sensitivity and incredible virtuosity, and Murl
Allen Sanders again wowed the audience with a very entertaining performance.
A surprise of the evening was a superb set of music for dancing played
by eight members from the French orchestra, resulting in a fabulous
time for the dancers who packed the floor.
'Songs of Praise' took place on the Sunday evening before the concert
began, featuring Norvic Concordia, a sextet who play pure acoustic
accordions (no mikes etc), all the music arranged by their leader
Peter Ayers. Giancarlo Caporilli, the incredible accordionist from
Rome whose vast repertoire from memory amazes everyone, playing as
always with such feeling and incredible ease, his instrument appears
to be a natural part of himself and even the most intricate composition
looks like a five-finger exercise. Following Caporilli were short
performances from Oivind Farmen, Gary Blair and Murl Allen Sanders,
which led into the Grand delight of the audience they played together
'Bel Viso', 'Spanish Eyes' and 'Auld Lang Syne', with everyone present
joining hands and singing.
The
daily workshops were very well attended, with over 50 players taking
part in each of the Elementary (MD Peter Whiteley) and Intermediate
(MD Brian Jenkins) Orchestral workshops. Other well attended workshops
included: Scottish (Gary Blair), Jazz (Bert Santilly), Vintage Accordions
(Heather Smith), Buskers (Johnny Coleclough) and Free & Easy (Adrienne
Sharpe). Masterclasses were conducted by Murl Allen Sanders (USA),
Oivind Farmen (Norway), Trevani and Geoff Holter presented a very
interesting question and answer workshop on 'How to Look After Your
Accordion'. The trade show included: WEM, Trevani, Geoff Holter Accordions
and The Accordion Shop. There was a superb 'Antique Accordion Display'
by Caroline Hunt, who travelled many hundreds of miles from the Highlands
of Scotland to present some rare instruments from her vast collection.
The festival also had nostalgic memories for many who attended because
this was the venue chosen by the late Malcolm Gee, who for many years
organised a very successful annual event there and Heather Smith,
who had previously organised four successful annual events (2001/4)
at Pakefield, Suffolk, and had attended many of Malcolm Gee's festivals
herself, felt Caister was the rightful 'home' for UK Accordion festivals.
This 'new' Caister accordion festival was a huge success and Heather
hopes to present another in 2006.
Accordion
Orchestra's 40th Anniversary Concert, Wesseling - Germany
Contributed by Holda
Paoletti-Kampl
On
November 19th, the 40th anniversary concert of the Wesseling Accordion
Orchestra took place. The orchestra, directed by Gottfried Weaver,
performed 'Rhapsodia Andaluisa' (Adolf Götz), 'Czardas' (Vittorio
Monti), 'Take Five' (Paul Desmond), 'Eloise' (Paul Ryan), and other
pieces. The Wesseling Accordion Orchestra is sponsored by the city
council in recognition of its exceptional contribution to the musical
and cultural life of the city of Wesseling.
Herbert Bolduan and Gottfried Weaver founded the orchestra in 1965,
which originally was formed with children aged of 9 to 14 years. Over
the years, the orchestra has competed successfully in many national
and international competitions For the anniversary, the orchestra
brought out the 'Anniversary CD 2005'. The CD includes 'Czardas' (Vittorio
Monti), 'The Glenn Miller story', 'Eloise' (Paul Ryan), and 'Music'
(Elton John), and many other pieces.
US
service musicians took place in a large-scale celebration of Veterans'
Day, previously known as Armistice Day, on November 11th. A large
number of musicians and singers performed a program of music in Trinity
Church, Wall St. The orchestra opened the concert with 'Fanfare for
the Common Man' (Aaron Copland).
Sgt. Major Manuel Bobenrieth,
one of only two active duty accordionists in the U.S. Armed Forces,
was featured on his own arrangement of 'Milonga del Angel', written
by Astor Piazzolla. The orchestra performed a Haydn symphony before
rounding out an enjoyable afternoon concert with 'America the Beautiful'.
The perfect ending to the Veterans' Day concert culminated with service
members -- past and present -- standing to be recognized during the
Armed Forces 'Service Medley'.
Friday
Folk at the Finger Post, Stockport - UK Contributed
by Rob
Howard
An
evening of entertainment organised by Liza Austin Strange MBE features
accordionist Jamie Schofield, fiddle players Nicola Lyons and Thomas
Fairbairn, are at the Finger Post Hotel, Hempshaw Lane, Offerton,
Stockport from 7.15pm on November 25th. The concert also includes
support acts and community singing.
Zero
Sette Akordeoi Orkestra Festival Appearance, Cantabria - Spain Contributed
by Rob
Howard
On
November 26th, the Zero Sette Akordeoi Orkestra perform a concert
at the Marqués de Santillana Theatre, Torrelevega. The concert
is part of the 14th Cantabria International Accordion Festival.
Duophonies
Concerts, Paris and Marseilles - France Contributed
by Holda
Paoletti-Kampl
A
series of concerts of music by contemporary composers takes place
in the next few weeks, and two of the shows highlight collaboration
between composer Marc Monnet and guitarist Marc Ducret. These shows
also involve the participation of accordionist Germano Scurti. The
basic details are as follows:-
November 27th, at 8.30pm - La Maroquinerie, Paris
December 15th, at 9pm - Théâtre de la Criée, Marseilles
John
Kirkpatrick Christmas Shows, Lincolnshire - UK
Contributed by
Rob
Howard
Folk
singer, button accordionist and concertina player John Kirkpatrick
performs a series of one man Christmas shows in Lincolnshire on the
following dates:-
November 30th - St James' Church, Aslackby
December 1st - Greatford Village Hall, near Stamford
2nd - St Mary's Church, Fotherby, near Louth
3rd - Frampton Village Hall, near Boston
4th - Morton Village Hall, Bourne
Nutcracker
Ethnic Music and Dance Show, Minnesota - USA
Contributed by Dee
Langley
On
December 16th to 18th, there are four performances of a show with
the intriguing title 'THIS IS YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S NUTCRACKER!'
Accordionist
Dee Langley writes:
"Producing the only all-traditional
Nutcracker in town, Ethnic Dance Theatre presents authentic ethnic
dance and music from cultures all over the world, and ties them together
with strands of the original Tchaikovsky score. Klara is delighted
with Drosselmeyer's gifts of dancing dolls: Ukrainian tin soldiers,
an Appalachian clogging rag doll, Austrian music box, and a Hungarian
nutcracker. Twin City-based EDT Folk Orchestra provides the all-live,
all-authentic music soundtrack from Tchaikovsky, Hungary, China, Egypt,
Mexico, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, and more".
The performances
are on December 16th and 17th at 7.30pm, and 17th and 18th at 2pm.
The venue is Concordia University, E.M. Pearson Theatre, 312 N. Hamline
Ave, St. Paul, Minnesota.
James
O' Brien - composer, arranger and performer, releases another
6 new works for accordion available for purchase online. 'Little
Brown Jug' (traditional), 'Marianina'
(traditional), 'Mi
Tormento' (traditional), 'Midnight
in Moscow' (traditional), 'O
Du Lieber Augustine' (traditional), 'Pentozalis'
(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.
Peter
Piccini releases 3 compositions of 'Waltz
For Fina', 'Cool
Shade' and 'Valse
Pour Vouse'. Samples of the music are available online. The music
is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase
with credit card.
The
archives are housed at the Hanuritalo (Accordion House) in Ikaalinen,
Finland, which is also the home of the Finnish Accordion Association,
a 
Making
his second trip to Finland with material for the archives, CIA President
The
Scottish accordion orchestra KODA, based in Biggar, have released
a new CD. The notes on this new recording state: "They're
back with a third CD, …this high energy Scottish band release
another variety of Traditional Music and Song with a contemporary
edge".
M.
Hohner AG
International
guest performers included Giancarlo Caporilli (Italy), Murl Allen
Sanders (USA) and Oivind Farmen (Norway), who between them played
such a wide range of musical styles that there was indeed 'something
for everyone'. UK performers included: Norvic Concordia, Charlie Watkins,
Gary Blair, Stockport Accordion Orchestra, Crawley accordion Orchestra,
Bert Santilly and Johnny Coleclough. Dance music was provided by Gary
Blair (Scottish) and Adrienne Sharpe and Peter Whiteley (Ballroom).
Performers on the first evening were Charlie Watkins (WEM) and Murl
Allen Sanders (his UK debut performance) whose unique style of playing
and singing completely captivated the audience.
The
Friday evening was taken over with a superb 'Party Night', which was
sponsored by the Crawley Accordion Orchestra. Accordeon Club des Flandres
de Lambersart were invited to the event by Crawley AO and both orchestras
played during the evening, as did Peter Ayers and Margaret Ledger
(from Norvic Concordia) and Giancarlo Caporilli (who also performed
on Sunday evening). Halfway through the evening, Gary Blair played
for Scottish dancing and immediately the dance floor was packed with
hoards of excited dancers, including many of the French guests. At
the end of the evening several accordionists had a mass busk, and
were joined by Harry Hussey (UK) and Giancarlo Caporilli. It was indeed
a 'fun-packed' night to remember!! 
The
Stockport Accordion Orchestra, under the baton of MD Brian Jenkins,
gave a performance on the Saturday evening. Oivind Farmen's repertoire,
which ranged from classical to 'lighter' music by Frosini and Tollefsen,
was played with great sensitivity and incredible virtuosity, and Murl
Allen Sanders again wowed the audience with a very entertaining performance.
A surprise of the evening was a superb set of music for dancing played
by eight members from the French orchestra, resulting in a fabulous
time for the dancers who packed the floor.
The
daily workshops were very well attended, with over 50 players taking
part in each of the Elementary (MD Peter Whiteley) and Intermediate
(MD Brian Jenkins) Orchestral workshops. Other well attended workshops
included: Scottish (Gary Blair), Jazz (Bert Santilly), Vintage Accordions
(Heather Smith), Buskers (Johnny Coleclough) and Free & Easy (Adrienne
Sharpe). Masterclasses were conducted by Murl Allen Sanders (USA),
Oivind Farmen (Norway), Trevani and Geoff Holter presented a very
interesting question and answer workshop on 'How to Look After Your
Accordion'. The trade show included: WEM, Trevani, Geoff Holter Accordions
and The Accordion Shop. There was a superb 'Antique Accordion Display'
by Caroline Hunt, who travelled many hundreds of miles from the Highlands
of Scotland to present some rare instruments from her vast collection.
US
service musicians took place in a large-scale celebration of Veterans'
Day, previously known as Armistice Day, on November 11th. A large
number of musicians and singers performed a program of music in Trinity
Church, Wall St. The orchestra opened the concert with 'Fanfare for
the Common Man' (Aaron Copland). 
An
evening of entertainment organised by Liza Austin Strange MBE features
accordionist Jamie Schofield, fiddle players Nicola Lyons and Thomas
Fairbairn, are at the Finger Post Hotel, Hempshaw Lane, Offerton,
Stockport from 7.15pm on November 25th. The concert also includes
support acts and community singing. 
Contributed
by 
Folk
singer, button accordionist and concertina player John Kirkpatrick
performs a series of one man Christmas shows in Lincolnshire on the
following dates:-
On
December 16th to 18th, there are four performances of a show with
the intriguing title 'THIS IS YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S NUTCRACKER!'
