It is with sadness, we learned that well-known accordion teacher, Zorica Karakotuvska of Macedonia recently needed to undergo surgery for appendix. She has currently been in hospital for nearly a week, having suffered complications and unfortunately, had to cancel her planned trip Norway for the Coupe Mondiale next week. Her students and friends from around the world all wish her a speedy recovery!
Renato Borghetti Tours Europe, Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil
Brazilian accordionist Renato Borghetti, a master of the rich musical gaucho traditions of southern Brazil, is to tour Europe this autumn with his band. His shows are unforgettable live events, offering a perfect mix of traditional forms such as Milonga, Chacarera and Chamamé, with elements of jazz, tango, Italian and Latin influence. Borghetti’s music is characterised by humour and a high level of musical virtuosity.
Sabina Schebrakin, who is in the process of arranging further bookings for him, arranges Renato Borghetti’s tour. Anyone interested in engaging Renato Borghetti during this tour or in the Spring and Summer of 2007 should contact her. Tour Dates:
The Trophée Mondial 2006 de l'Accordéon was held in Kragujevac, Serbia from the October 4th to 8th, 2006. Daily reports of the event plus the results and a Congress report are online now on the CMA site.
A daily photo report of some parts of the 2006 Castelfidardo Competition and Festival running from Wednesday 11th to Sunday 15th October will be put online daily. Results and Daily Reports.
From September 22nd to 24th in Lavaur (close to Toulouse), was held the 7th ‘Perles de Nacre’ festival of accordion. The festival, under the direction of Serge Salvan, wanted to show the many different facets of the accordion, able to adapt to the music of various countries and times, wind and polyphonic instrument possibilities, even interpretation for the organ, piano, harpsichord, etc. This festival was sponsored by the municipality of Lavaur plus local commercial sponsors, with Serge Salvan choosing a varied range of artistes, their talent charming the festival audience for the 3 days.
The festival was opened by two pupils of Nicolas Massoutié, Marina Busquet performed a piece by Claude Tomain and Elsa Merle performed a piece by Victor Vlasov. Then a young artiste, with several international competition successes, Guy Giuliano (picture right), performed arrangements of different styles including jazz -waltz swing and even pieces by Chik Corea. Then, the classical accordion of Roman Jbanov (picture above left), prize winner of many international competition in Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia and Andorra, was featured. He showed the different tones of the bayan accordion: deep organ type sounds, harpsichord, the orchestra, and some pieces of the Russian composer Viatcheslav Semionov. He then accompanied well-known soprano Laurence Cavagnolo (picture right), the wife of accordion manufacturer Cavagnolo and together, and they performed the works of Handel, Bellini, Schumann, Verdi, Piazzolla, and others.
The second day, the duet accordion and guitar of Ludovic Beier and Angelo Debarre shared their emotions in the jazz-manouche style with brilliant virtuosity and perfect interpretation. The group Thierry Capdeville and Friends with the participation of Patricia Lafon were then featured.
To close the festival, on the third day, was a popular bal musette by Andre Alibert and his orchestra, Jacques Demeurs, Sandrine Tarayre and Bénédicte Grimal. The 7th ‘Perles de Nacre’ accordion festival was very successful and the enthusiastic authorities have already promised the 8th edition in 2007!
Soar Valley Accordion Club staged the first concert featuring Pearl Fawcett-Adriano on Saturday October 7th. Pearl played an amazing variety of music, from ‘Dance of the Comedians’ to ‘Begin the Beguine’, featuring her own custom built ‘Dantesque’ hybrid accordion (reeds and electronics). Supporting artistes were David Price, playing mainly French and jazz numbers on his 1955 Excelsior and Mike O'Regan, playing Italian, jazz, and novelty items on his Roland FR-7 V-Accordion.
Pearl is going on to play a series of concerts in the UK.
Mika Väyrynen performs with Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Tallinn, Estonia
Finnish Accordionist Mika Väyrynen recently performed in Tallinn, Estonia, as a soloist with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. At the concert, which was dedicated to music featuring bayan and bandoneon, Mika performed ‘Seven Words for Bayan, Cello and Chamber Orchestra’, by Sofia Gubaidulina on Bayan (cellist is Mr Jan-Erik Gustafsson), and then performed ‘Concerto for Bandoneon’, by Astor Piazzolla, on bandoneon.
Mika is in the process of releasing his new CD entitled ‘The Tree of Life’. Full details will be released very soon.
Miguel Afonso Performs at Festival Finale, Zaragoza - Gran Canaria
Next Saturday, October 14th, at 9pm in the central Plaza of San Felipe, Miguel Afonso will close the Festival Pilar Folk, a festival that is organized by the City Council of Zaragoza.
Miguel Afonso, with a band that includes flute, tin whistle, lute, guitar, celtic harp and percussion will present a repertoire of local traditional music from the Canary Islands.
October 13th to 16th - Eastbourne Accordion Festival
October 28th – Pelynt, Cornwall
November 2nd to 6th - Accordions International, Caister
November 6th to 8th - Mount Hotel, Blackpool
December 11th - Club Accord, Birmingham
December 16th - Accordion Friends Xmas Fun Party, Cowley, Middlesex
December 19th - Stratford on Avon Accordion Club
John Kirkpatrick and Chris Parkinson, who perform as a duo called ‘The Sultans of Squeeze’, are the guests at Stockport Accordion Club’s new venue, Woodley Methodist Church, Hyde Road, Stockport, on October 18th. The concert begins at 8pm.
John Kirkpatrick, a legend of the British folk scene, plays diatonic 3-row button accordion, melodeons, and the Anglo concertina. He is also a singer and composer, with many recordings to his credit, and with extensive radio, television and theatre experience. Chris Parkinson plays piano accordion, melodeon, harmonica, bass accordion plus vocals, and is one of the folk world’s most respected session musicians. He has worked with the likes of Martin Carthy, Ralph McTell, Mike Harding, Billy Connolly, to name just a few.
The Renzo Ruggieri Group, with the vocalist Antonella Ruggiero, have this year given many great concerts in theatres, and appeared on national television in Italy. - Big succes of Renzo Ruggieri also made very successful solo appearances at the Buonvicino Art Festival, and at the ‘Fisa…armonie’ contest in Trieste.
Renzo Ruggieri’s next diary dates include:-
- From October 17th, Renzo begins teaching Computer Music in the Conservatory of Teramo.
- From November 8th, Renzo begins teaching Jazz and Ensemble Music in the Conservatory of Teramo.
- October 18th to 22nd, Renzo will accompany his school to Oslo (Asker), where his students have been selected to compete in the Coupe Mondiale.
- November 2nd to 7th Renzo will be at the Sarajevo Accordion Festival as organiser of the contests and will also in concert with his quartet.
- On November 18th Renzo will play in Gallarate, Italy, under the artistic direction of Max Da Loe.
Milos Milivojevic performs a recital in Reykjavik City Library, Iceland, on October 16th at 5pm. His program includes works by Domenico Scarletti, Bozanic, Angelis and Sarasati.
On Friday 28 October 28th Milos Milivojevic performs at the National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London, at 6.30pm. His program includes new works by Mark Bowden, Emily Hall, Chris Mato and Anna Meredith.
Gary Dahl - accordionist as well as a composer, arranger, recording artist and music educator, release 2 new works for accordion available for purchase online. ‘Moon River (intermediate)’, ‘Por Una Cabeaz’, ‘Adios Muchachos’. 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.
CMA website is updated with a schedule for the 2006 event plus daily reports.
New Article: British College of Accordionists - The 7th Decade (70th Year) written by new Director Raymond Bodell has an extensive history of this organisation and also obituaries of some famous English accordionists who were prominent BCA examiners/college members.
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Zorica Karakutovska Unwell and in Hospital - Macedonia
Brazilian accordionist Renato Borghetti, a master of the rich musical gaucho traditions of southern Brazil, is to tour Europe this autumn with his band. His shows are unforgettable live events, offering a perfect mix of traditional forms such as Milonga, Chacarera and Chamamé, with elements of jazz, tango, Italian and Latin influence. Borghetti’s music is characterised by humour and a high level of musical virtuosity.
Castelfidardo
From September 22nd to 24th in Lavaur (close to Toulouse), was held the 7th ‘Perles de Nacre’ festival of accordion. The festival, under the direction of Serge Salvan, wanted to show the many different facets of the accordion, able to adapt to the music of various countries and times, wind and polyphonic instrument possibilities, even interpretation for the organ, piano, harpsichord, etc. This festival was sponsored by the municipality of Lavaur plus local commercial sponsors, with Serge Salvan choosing a varied range of artistes, their talent charming the festival audience for the 3 days.
The festival was opened by two pupils of Nicolas Massoutié, Marina Busquet performed a piece by Claude Tomain and Elsa Merle performed a piece by Victor Vlasov. Then a young artiste, with several international competition successes, Guy Giuliano (picture right), performed arrangements of different styles including jazz -waltz swing and even pieces by Chik Corea. 
Then, the classical accordion of 
The second day, the duet accordion and guitar of Ludovic Beier and Angelo Debarre shared their emotions in the jazz-manouche style with brilliant virtuosity and perfect interpretation. The group Thierry Capdeville and Friends with the participation of Patricia Lafon were then featured.
Pearl Fawcett-Adriano
Finnish Accordionist 
Miguel Afonso Performs at Festival Finale, Zaragoza - Gran Canaria
October 13th to 16th - Eastbourne Accordion Festival
John Kirkpatrick and Chris Parkinson, who perform as a duo called ‘The Sultans of Squeeze’, are the guests at Stockport Accordion Club’s new venue, Woodley Methodist Church, Hyde Road, Stockport, on October 18th. The concert begins at 8pm.
John Kirkpatrick, a legend of the British folk scene, plays diatonic 3-row button accordion, melodeons, and the Anglo concertina. He is also a singer and composer, with many recordings to his credit, and with extensive radio, television and theatre experience. Chris Parkinson plays piano accordion, melodeon, harmonica, bass accordion plus vocals, and is one of the folk world’s most respected session musicians. He has worked with the likes of Martin Carthy, Ralph McTell, Mike Harding, Billy Connolly, to name just a few.
Ludovic Beier’s Roland Concert, Ascoli Picena – Italy
The Renzo Ruggieri Group, with the vocalist Antonella Ruggiero, have this year given many great concerts in theatres, and appeared on national television in Italy. - Big succes of Renzo Ruggieri also made very successful solo appearances at the Buonvicino Art Festival, and at the ‘Fisa…armonie’ contest in Trieste.
Milos Milivojevic performs a recital in Reykjavik City Library, Iceland, on October 16th at 5pm. His program includes works by Domenico Scarletti, Bozanic, Angelis and Sarasati.
