Contributed by Harley Jones, CIA Public Relations Manager
This year the Confédération
Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) will host its 59th
International Competition
for Accordionists ‘COUPE
MONDIALE’, from October 18th to 22nd 2006 in Asker, Norway.
The CIA member, the NorskeTrekkspilleres Landsforbund (NTL), will
host this International competition for accordion soloists.
You will find detailed information about the event on our website including:
- Rules and Requirements for each of our 6 Categories
- Test Piece for the Coupe Mondiale
- On-line Entry forms
- Hotel Registration Form
- Detailed information about Norway and Asker
- Information for Travelling to Asker, Norway
- Schedule of Events
- Contact information for Competition Organizers
- International Press Page
- Bulletin Board with the latest information and announcements
In addition to the Coupe Mondiale (Senior and Junior), International Competition for Virtuoso Entertainment Music (Senior and Junior) and International Competition for Piano Accordion, the CIA is pleased to announce that this year, the Chamber Music category rules have been expanded to allow greater flexibility for the competitors. The new Chamber-Ensemble Music category now allows for multiple accordions, such as accordion duo, trio, quartet or quintet. It may also be accordion with other instruments (up to five musicians with a minimum of one accordionist.)
The
Coupe Mondiale will be held in the newly built Asker Kulturhus (left)
which features two Concert Halls, practice facilities, cafe and is
located just a few minutes walk from the Scandic Hotel (right), the
CIA Headquarters.
Asker
is located 22 km south of Oslo. The nearest airport to the hotel is
Oslo Gardermoen Airport (main airport), which is located 60 km away.
If you are going to Torp Airport (served by Ryan Air) in the southern
part of Oslo, you can take the convenient bus service to Asker. The
Hotel is very close to the last station on the Airport Express train
line from Oslo Gardermoen Airport (main airport).
The
Viennese Accordion Chamber
Ensemble (Musical Director: Werner Weibert) will be on tour in
Australia during August. Its repertory contains all styles and epochs
consisting of compositions by Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Mussorgsky, Johann
Strauss, Gershwin, Bernstein, Piazzolla and many more. Success was
also achieved through performances of original music by Rudolf Wuerthner,
Brehme, Schollum, Jacobi, Dobler or Seiber, just to mention a few.
The career of the ensemble has many accomplishments, but there are special reminiscences: A concert in the world famous Carnegie Hall 1985 was the highlight along with several performances in Disney World, or to get the Merit Award (1992) of the Conféderation Internationale des Accordeonistes (C.I.A.) as a further sign of its importance for accordion music.
Since 1984 the Viennese Accordion Chamber Ensemble has been recording three CDs and one Video. The CDs represent a cross section through the repertory including the show elements, and reveals the artistic development of the ensemble.
We hope to welcome you soon at our concerts!
Tour dates:-
August 12th and 13th - Perth
August 18th and 19th - Melbourne
August 20th - Geelong
August 23rd - Wollongong
August 25th and 26th - Sydney
National Accordion Organisation Awards, Scarborough - UK
At the NAO UK Championships 2006, the NAO were delighted to award their Merit Award for 2006 to Mr Frederick Parnell, a man who has devoted his life to music and the accordion.
He received his Diploma from the British College of Accordionists in the late 1940s and was the NAO All-Britain Virtuoso Champion in the 1950 and 1951. Since then, he has had a long and successful teaching school in Nottingham, which still continues today.
He is pictured here with Past Chairpersons Elaine Beecham and Gina Brannelli, his wife Mavis and Current Chairperson Raymond Bodell.
Receiving the new NAO Associate award for devoted support to national
accordion activities was Mrs Iris Laurie, pictured here with her two
sons Graham (NAO Deputy Chairperson) and Brian, both eminent teachers
and orchestral leaders.
New
Competition Category: ‘Film Soundtracks’, Castelfidardo
- Italy
Amongst the main innovations of the 31st International Competition ‘Città di Castelfidardo’ for soloists and accordion orchestras there is a new category dedicated to music composed for films (documentary, cinema and television). The competition takes place from the October 12th to 15th. All applications must be sent by August 31st.
The 5 main categories will be judged during the October Award: ‘Classic’, ‘Entertainment’, ‘Jazz’, ‘Astor Piazzolla’ and the newly introduced ‘Film Soundtracks’. The contestants will be able to take advantage of midi applications, but not use pre-recorded sequences or bases.
A
very successful concert was held on August 8th, featuring the North
Shore Accordion Orchestra at the Takapuna War Memorial Hall in Auckland.
Roseanne Rosario, as the compere, set a relaxed, informal approach
to the evening.
Solo
accordionists and the young players of the Music Makers, conducted
by Christine Adams, and the NSAO, conducted by Lionel Reekie,
performed to a hall full of supportive parents and friends.
An ensemble of nine players, conducted by Lionel Reekie, is travelling
to the Gold Coast in Australia to perform at the largest accordion
concert in Australasia, to be held by the Queensland Accordion Club
at the Function Centre of the ‘Sharks’ Football Club,
Southport, at 1.45pm on August 13th.
On
hot balmy July summer evening, guest John Romero entertained the audience
at Uxbridge Accordion Club with acoustic accordion solos in his first
half performance. He later played electronically, with a combination
of MIDI and accordion microphones, the music interlaced with much
humour and audience participation. An unusual aspect of his stage
presentation was the use of a projected image of the right hand keyboard
onto a giant screen alongside.
The excellent Uxbridge Accordion Band (MD Angela Lukins) also performed, starting the second half of the evening with four familiar tunes including the themes from the BBC television comedies ‘Allo, Allo’ and ‘Last of the Summer Wine’. Organisers David and Angie Lukins invited John Romero, as a finale, to lead a mass busking session, in which all of the accordionists present joined in with great enthusiasm.
José Alfonso Valadez Alanís in Concert, Monterrey - México
Classical accordionist José Alfonso Valadez Alanís, from Monterrey, will play a solo recital, at Casa de la Cultura de Nuevo León (Culture House of Nuevo León), Colón Ave and Escobedo Step, Monterrey City, on August 16th, at 7.30pm. José’s program will include music by Rossini, Suppé, Lecuona, Schubert and Tchaikovsky. Admission is free.
José has recently been playing with his ensemble AMICI - accordion, violin, viola and cello - in a lot of private recitals and gigs.
Those
Darn Accordions, from San Francisco, California, have submitted the
following news:-
“We are set to do two shows in Oregon and two in California in the next few weeks before we head back to the Midwest for a 10-day tour. Don't miss your chance to catch up with TDA and see what the fuss is all about and how gracefully we are aging.
We will play Albany, Oregon, on Thursday August 17th, at a free outdoor
concert, and in Seaside, Ore., on August 19th, at the Elks Club. That
should be wild!
Then it's down to California for the annual Cotati Accordion Festival on August 26th. This is always a fun day, so come early and hear some great accordion playing. We go on at 4.45 pm, but you don't want to miss the Mad Maggies, which has our own bass player, Lewis Wallace, in the lineup along with several members of Polkacide. They go on at 1.10 pm. You also will get the chance to hear one of the all-time squeezebox greats, Dick Contino, at 3.45 pm.
Come enjoy the whole event, and be sure to stop by the TDA merchandise booth to say, "Hi!" We'll be there all day. The next day, Sunday, August 27th, we return to Curtis Park in Sacramento for a free outdoor show”.
Joan
Sommers, from Kansas, USA, visits Beijing this weekend, where
she will rehearse the accordion orchestra (approximately 40 members)
at the Beijing Children's Palace, conduct them on a concert on the
12th and then gives a lecture/workshop on the 13th for the teachers.
Joan Cochran Sommers established the accordion degree program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music in 1961. Professor Sommers has since retired from this position, but continues to direct the UMKC Accordion Orchestra, and also continues to teach privately. In addition, she travels widely giving master class lessons, orchestral workshops and serves as guest conductor for orchestras around the United States.
The 1st International Accordion Festival in Cogne will be held from September 1st to 3rd, with the participation of well-known international accordionists. This festival will take place every 2 years and will be enlarged with during the coming editions with master classes.
For artistes who would like to participate during this festival, there will be the possibility to do so on the 3rd of September 3rd in the morning at various locations. Please make applications before August 26th.
The Sabadell
Accordion Orchestra
perform an open-air concert in Encamp, Andorra on August 19th, at
10pm. The program includes:-
Libertango (A. Piazzolla)
Melodia en La m (A. Piazzolla)
Violentango (A. Piazzolla)
Variationen für Akkordeon Orchester (Rudolf Würthner)
Keniade (F. Dobler)
Dalmatinische Tänze (A. Götz)
West Side Story (L. Bernstein, arr. Heinz Ehne)
Ritual Fire Dance (M. de Falla)
The BBC Scotland radio programme ‘Take the Floor’ broadcasts on 92-95FM and 810MW, or can be heard through the Internet or cable television. The next broadcasts are August 19th, with the Colin Dewar Scottish Dance Band, and August 26th, with the Ian Hutson SDB as guests.
‘Take the Floor’ has been broadcasting Scottish accordion music weekly since the 1930s, and is one of the longest running programmes of its kind anywhere in the world.
8th International Competition for Concert Accordionists, Lanciano – Italy
The 8th International Competition for Concert Accordionists takes place in Lanciano on October 7th and 8th. Full details are now available from the festival director Cesare Chiacchiaretta.
The following prizes will be awarded:
1st place - a Diploma of Laureate, the ‘Città di Lanciano’ International Accordion Trophy and a prize of1000 euros
2nd place - a Diploma of Laureate, the ‘Città di Lanciano’ International Accordion Cup and a prize of 500 euros
3rd place - a Diploma of Laureate, the ‘Città di Lanciano’ International Accordion Plate and a prize of 200 euros
4th and 5th places - a Diploma of Laureate, the ‘Città di Lanciano’ International Accordion Medals and a prize of 50 euros
All other competitors will receive a certificate of participation.
The North Staffs Accordion Club, based at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, celebrates its 21st birthday with a concert and buffet at the Jubilee Hall, Stoke Town Hall on September 29th, from 7.30pm. Accordionists Jack Emblow and Tony Compton are the main guest artistes, and Rob Howard and John Jones will also be performing.
"Piazolla-studio" Tango by Friedrich
Lips (accordion), Sviatoslav Lips (piano), Vladislav Igolinsky (violin), Kirill Rodin (cello) and Mark Pekarsky (percussion).
Gary Dahl - accordionist as well as a composer, arranger, recording artist and music educator, release 1 new work for
accordion available for purchase online. 'Moon River'. 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.
The Orquestra d´Acordions de Sabadell, formed in 1991 under the direction of Miguel Ángel Maestro, accordion teacher of the Professional Conservatory of Music of Sabadell, now has its own website.
The orchestra has won several competitions, most recent of which was the special 2006 Accordions Worldwide Award for the 1st Prize at the International Competition Città di Castelfidardo for Orchestras.
English
Deutsch
Français
Italiano 
Español
Chinese 
Russian 
Competition
for Accordionists ‘
The
Coupe Mondiale will be held in the newly built Asker Kulturhus (left)
which features two Concert Halls, practice facilities, cafe and is
located just a few minutes walk from the Scandic Hotel (right), the
CIA Headquarters.
Asker
is located 22 km south of Oslo. The nearest airport to the hotel is
Oslo Gardermoen Airport (main airport), which is located 60 km away.
If you are going to Torp Airport (served by Ryan Air) in the southern
part of Oslo, you can take the convenient bus service to Asker. The
Hotel is very close to the last station on the Airport Express train
line from Oslo Gardermoen Airport (main airport).
The
National Accordion Organisation Awards, Scarborough - UK
New
Competition Category: ‘Film Soundtracks’, Castelfidardo
- Italy
North
Shore Orchestra Performance, Auckland - New Zealand
A
very successful concert was held on August 8th, featuring the North
Shore Accordion Orchestra at the Takapuna War Memorial Hall in Auckland.
Roseanne Rosario, as the compere, set a relaxed, informal approach
to the evening. 
Solo
accordionists and the young players of the Music Makers, conducted
by Christine Adams, and the NSAO, conducted by Lionel Reekie,
performed to a hall full of supportive parents and friends.
On
hot balmy July summer evening, guest John Romero entertained the audience
at Uxbridge Accordion Club with acoustic accordion solos in his first
half performance. He later played electronically, with a combination
of MIDI and accordion microphones, the music interlaced with much
humour and audience participation. An unusual aspect of his stage
presentation was the use of a projected image of the right hand keyboard
onto a giant screen alongside.
Classical accordionist José Alfonso Valadez Alanís, from Monterrey, will play a solo recital, at Casa de la Cultura de Nuevo León (Culture House of Nuevo León), Colón Ave and Escobedo Step, Monterrey City, on August 16th, at 7.30pm. José’s program will include music by Rossini, Suppé, Lecuona, Schubert and Tchaikovsky. Admission is free.
Those
Darn Accordions, from San Francisco, California, have submitted the
following news:-
Joan
Sommers
Orchestra