Italian
accordionist Mauro Carra is to visit the UK for a short tour in January
2006, organised by Romano Viazzani. Mauro Carra started studying the
accordion when he was only 9 years old, taught by Piero Barbieri and
Learco Gianferrari. Bruno Aragosti, Paolo Gandolfi, Renato Benelli,
Gigi Stok, Carlo Venturi, Frédéric
Deschamps, Renzo
Ruggeri and Richard Galliano have each influenced Mauro's playing
style. To date Mauro Carra has made five recordings, and is currently
working on his sixth recording project.
Mauro has participated with success in many national and international
competitions. At International Accordion Week, held in Stradella,
Italy, in 2000, he performed as a soloist in the Varietè category.
The following year he achieved enormous success at The London Accordion
Festival held at the Wembley Complex, both as a soloist and then with
the BBC Concert Orchestra in a special Gala Concert. In 2002 he performed
in a concert with the Symphonic Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di
Bologna, playing soundtracks from the films of Charlie Chaplin. In
the same year he was chosen to represent Italy at the World Accordion
Championships where he obtained sixth place.
Mauro Carra's busy concert schedule has taken him all over Italy,
and also to France, England, Spain and Germany. The details of his
UK tour as follows:-
January 9th - Uxbridge Accordion Club, Middlesex
13th - Harlow Accordion Club, Essex
16th - Club Accord, Birmingham
17th - North Staffs Accordion Club
19th - Bruce Miller's Music Store, Aberdeen
21st - Soar Valley Accordion Club, Leicester
22nd - White Horse Accordion Club, Wiltshire
24th - Stockport Accordion Club
On
November 3rd American accordionist Peter
Soave gave a recital in the Concert Hall of the Hanoi Conservatory.
His program included music by Astor Piazzola and some his owns improvisation
pieces.
Peter Soave's playing (on both bayan and bandoneon) impressed the
Hanoi audience with his tremendously refined musical taste and virtuosity,
brilliant and breathtaking technical skills. Peter
Soave had a meeting with teachers and students of the Accordion
Department at Hanoi Conservatory.
Death
of Pamela Deakin, Birmingham - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
Accordion
teacher Pamela Deakin died, aged 69, in late November after a long
battle with cancer. Pamela Deakin, from Warley, Staffordshire, was
one of England's greatest competitive accordionists in the 1950s,
winning three All-Britain Championships amongst a host of titles.
She began studying the accordion under the guidance of the late George
Clay in 1950. Her progress was rapid, and within three years she was
a national champion, winning the All-Britain Amateur Championship
in 1953, and again in 1954.
In 1955 Pamela achieved a creditable eighth place at the CIACoupe Mondiale,
held in Brighton. Her greatest achievement came in 1956 when she won
the All-Britain Virtuoso Championship, though her second attempt at
the world title was less successful than her first, finishing fifteenth.
After her competitive career ended, Pamela Deakin became a popular
and respected accordion teacher in the Midlands.
Alexander
Sklyarov Concert, Astana - Kazakhstan
On
November 23rd in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, a brilliant concert
took place featuring the People's Artist of Russia, Alexander Sklyarov.
The concert was held in the new, recently opened Organ Hall of the
Kazakh national academy of music. The concert program included pieces
by I.Muffat, B.Bend, E.Derbenko, V.Chernikov and Alexander Timoshenko.
Alexander Sklyarov performed '3 transcriptions of Russian national
songs', by Alexander Timoshenko, which was dedicated to the memory
of the composer.
Earlier in the day a masterclass was held by Sklyarov, involving students
at the academy of music. Musicians from other cities of Kazakhstan
travelled to Astana to see and to hear the playing of this outstanding
performer. "We never heard such a performance before", was
a comment heard several times after the concert. Critics later commented
on his magnificent sound, brilliant technique and powerful dynamics.
Salomòn
Canelo Concert Tour, Mexico City - Mexico Accordionist
Salomòn Cinnamon has completed a tour of Mexico, performing
concerts in Atargea, Villagrand, Acàmbaro, Irapuato, Comonfort,
Pènjamo, San Josè Iturbide, San Diego de la Uniòn,
San Felipe, Doctor Mora, Tierra Blanca, Dolores Hidalgo and Victoria.
The tour was organised by the Government's Institute of Culture.
Franck
Gergaud's Broadcasts and Appearances - France
Contributed by Holda
Paoletti-Kampl
Franck
Gergaud is currently appearing, with fellow accordionist Michel Pruvot,
on the Satellite television program 'Accordion Melody'. He can also
be heard on the Sunday morning program 'Viva l'Accordéon' on
Radio Côte, 100. FM, alongside Michel Pruvot, André Verchuren
and Frédéric François. Franck Gergaud is appearing
at the following venues, with dates:-
December
2nd - Soirée Dansante Téléthon Basse-Goulaine
50
4th - Salles des Fêtes, Varades 44
8th - Dancing le Canopus, Tharon Plage 44
11th - Salles des Fêtes, Martigny 53
12th - Salles des Fêtes, Les Sorinières 44
17th - Dancing la Renaissance, Le Pouliguen 44
18th - Salles des Fêtes, Abbaretz 44
20th - Salles des Fêtes le Champilambart, Vallet 44
25th - Dancing le Club 85, Le Poiré-sur-vie 85
29th - Dancing à la Porte du Golfe, Muzillac 56
31st - Auberge du Pays de Retz à Port-Saint Père 44
For further
information see the website www.franck-gergaud.com
Karen
Street Concerts, West Country - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
Accordionist
Karen Street, with Stan Sulzmann (saxophone), Mike Outram (guitar)
and Fred Baker (bass), plays the following concerts:-
December 4th - The Sandpiper Inn, Countisbury
5th - The Beaver Inn, Appledore
6th - St Ives Jazz Club, Western Hotel
7th - St Michael's Church, Beer
8th - Tor Leisure Centre, Glastonbury
Karen Street was the All Britain Virtuoso Champion in 1982 and 1983,
and a competitor in the 1984 CIACoupe Mondiale
held in Folkestone, England. She later performed on saxophone as a
member of the all female quartet the Fairer Sax, and now has returned
to the accordion, both as a player and a composer. In the near future
she is to record as a duo with accordionist Tony Compton.
Wartime
Singalongs, Stockport - UK Accordionists
Rob
Howard and John Jones lead singalongs of World War Two songs at
the Stockport Air Raid Shelters on December 5th, 8th and 15th, from
8.15pm. These shows are at the end of guided tours of the underground
shelters where in 1940 and 1941, up to 7,000 people spent the nights
to escape bombing raids. Accordionists were a regular and welcome
form of entertainment in the shelters, and the present day shows are
also proving popular with the public.
On
December 8th, diatonic button accordionist Joe Whelan, banjo player
Liam Farrell, and pianist Reg Hall will perform Irish music and songs
at the The Royal Oak Folk Club, Lewes, East Sussex. On January 5th,
button accordionist John Kirkpatrick will be the guest at the same
venue.
Annual
Accordion Orchestra Charity Concert, Macclesfield - UK
Contributed by Rob
Howard
The
Stockport Accordion Orchestra, directed by Brian Jenkins, perform
at Henbury and Broken Cross Institute, Macclesfield on December 9th,
at 8pm. Proceeds from the concert are donated to the East Cheshire
Hospice.
Free
Lunchtime Concert, London - UK On December 13th there will be a free lunchtime concert presented
by Accordions at Morley, from 1.05pm, at Morley College (close to
London's Waterloo Station).
James
O' Brien - composer, arranger and performer, releases another
6 new works for accordion available for purchase online. 'Plaisir
d'amour' (traditional), 'Psaropoula'
(traditional), 'Red
River Valley' (traditional), 'Román
Castillo' (traditional), 'The
Sailor's Hornpipe' (traditional), 'Skye
Boat Song' (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.
Paul
Chamberlain has released1 new compositions
of 'Once
more for the last time'. 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
Fantasy' with sound samples. Music performed by Peter
Piccini. Purchase online.
A new site selling
a CD titled 'Echoes
Of Europe' with sound samples. Music performed by Peter
Piccini. Purchase online.
A new site selling
a CD titled 'Cool
Change' with sound samples. Music performed by Peter
Piccini. Purchase online.
A new site selling
a CD titled 'Sounds
Italian' with sound samples. Music performed by Peter
Piccini. Purchase online.
Italian
accordionist Mauro Carra is to visit the UK for a short tour in January
2006, organised by Romano Viazzani. Mauro Carra started studying the
accordion when he was only 9 years old, taught by Piero Barbieri and
Learco Gianferrari. Bruno Aragosti, Paolo Gandolfi, Renato Benelli,
Gigi Stok, Carlo Venturi, 
On
November 3rd American accordionist 
On
November 23rd in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, a brilliant concert
took place featuring the People's Artist of Russia, Alexander Sklyarov.
The concert was held in the new, recently opened Organ Hall of the
Kazakh national academy of music. The concert program included pieces
by I.Muffat, B.Bend, E.Derbenko, V.Chernikov and Alexander Timoshenko.
Alexander Sklyarov performed '3 transcriptions of Russian national
songs', by Alexander Timoshenko, which was dedicated to the memory
of the composer.
Franck
Gergaud is currently appearing, with fellow accordionist Michel Pruvot,
on the Satellite television program 'Accordion Melody'. He can also
be heard on the Sunday morning program 'Viva l'Accordéon' on
Radio Côte, 100. FM, alongside Michel Pruvot, André Verchuren
and Frédéric François. Franck Gergaud is appearing
at the following venues, with dates:-
Accordionist
Karen Street, with Stan Sulzmann (saxophone), Mike Outram (guitar)
and Fred Baker (bass), plays the following concerts:-
The
Stockport Accordion Orchestra, directed by Brian Jenkins, perform
at Henbury and Broken Cross Institute, Macclesfield on December 9th,
at 8pm. Proceeds from the concert are donated to the East Cheshire
Hospice.
