Lars Dyremose (born Lars Bjarne) by 1948, at 16 years of age, was playing the accordion professionally in restaurants, impressing diners with his virtuoso performances.
In 1952 and 1953, Lars Bjarne (as he was then) won the Danish Accordion Championships. In 1953, the first prize was one month's stay as a visiting student at the world's then only state school of music offering accordion instruction: the Hohner School of Music in Trossingen, Württemberg, Germany. Lars arrived, was completely overwhelmed by the experience, and in the autumn of 1953 enrolled as a regular student at the school.
In 1956, Lars graduated from Trossingen as an accordion teacher, and the following year also graduated as a solo performer.
Well known Danish accordion teacher Lars Dyremose has passed away. Further information.
The 2006 Coupe Mondiale from October 17th to 21st October is now underway with over 30 countries involved. You can read daily reports and the results online on the Coupe Mondiale site.
Jon Hammond’s Inter-Continental Schedule, New York - USA
Accordionist, organist and media personality Jon Hammond is currently involved in some hectic international travel, taking in China and Europe, that includes a CD release.
Jon recently performed as a duo with Chinese Accordion Champion Fang Lin at the Official Opening Reception of Music China in Shanghai.
The visit to China is followed by a trip to Castelfidardo, Italy. From Italy, Jon moves on to Germany, for two events to promote his new CD release ‘NDR SESSIONS Projekt’. These take place in Music Club Live in Hamburg on October 30th, from 6pm to 8pm, and the Jazzkeller in Frankfurt Nov 3rd. The musicians who played on the recording – Heinz Lichius (drums), Lutz Buchner (saxes) and Joe Gallardo (trombone), will be present for a cocktail and champagne reception. Jon Hammond played Excelsior accordion on 6 of the 12 tracks, with the Hammond XK-3 organ featured on the others.
The tour also includes visits to Vienna, Austria, and Oslo, Norway.
The BBC has established a tradition of innovative learning projects as part of their annual January Composer Weekends at the Barbican in London. Known as the Gubaidulina Weekend, the next event is scheduled for January 12th to 12th 2007.
‘With One Accord’ is an instrumental extravaganza featuring orchestral instrumentalists and accordion players of all ages, together with players from the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Led by Tim Steiner, this is a creative project and all participants will work together to compose a new work - inspired in part by Gubaidulina's ‘Bayan Concerto’.
The BBC is looking for accordionists of all ages and abilities who are interested in forming this new and exciting ensemble. Participants will need to commit to the following rehearsal schedule:-
• Saturday January 6th (all day) – BBC Maida Vale Studios
• Sunday January 7th (all day) – BBC Maida Vale Studios
• Tuesday January 9th (6 - 9pm) – BBC Maida Vale Studios
• Sunday January 14th - Dress Rehearsal (time tbc)
• Sunday January 14th - Performance (7.30pm) - Barbican Foyer
Auckland singer Indira Moala, also known as an accordionist, is now one of two finalists in the NZ Idol competition. The winner will be announced in the next week.
On October 15th she featured the accordion in her TV interview again and her sister said that she first began singing at accordion competition classes that featured accordion and vocals and showed clips of her doing this. She apparently really loved doing this and sang with her accordion as often as she could.
This was the start of her singing career!!!
Indira has competed in the New Zealand Accordion Championships, held annually in Auckland.
Los Reyes Vallenatos Mexican Tour, Vallenato – Colombia
More than 30,000 people in total attended concerts in 12 venues across Mexico during the recent tour by Los Reyes Vallenatos, a band from Colombia featuring singer Carlos Mario Zabaleta, and diatonic accordionists Ciro Meza Reales and Juan José Granados. The band’s colourful and spectacular performances drew enthusiastic audiences everywhere they went. One performance, in the Plaza Valladolid of Morelia, took place in near torrential rain, yet this did not deter the musicians or audience from enjoying themselves fully.
Professor Viktor Romanko, from Jekaterinburg in Russia, recently gave a concert at a church in Magdeburg, as part of a European tour. The audience were enthralled by Romanko’s amazing technique, especially on his performance of Vivaldi’s ‘Four seasons’. Amongst other pieces, he played several Russian traditional folk tunes, and received a standing ovation at the end of the evening.
The 4th International Accordion Competition, held in Trieste from September 30th to October 2nd, confirmed its status as one of the most important accordion competitions in Northern Italy. The organisers were Claudio Furlan and the Association Altamarea, and the adjudicating jury members included: Bogdan Kralj, Eliane Zajec, Vladmir Balyk, Igor Zobin and Renzo Ruggieri.
The winners of the various categories were:
Cat A: David Novak
Cat B: Giovanni Banelli (2nd, with first place not assigned)
Cat C: Nikolina Furic
Cat D: Stjepan Vuger
Cat E: Concert Artiste: Danjel Matkovic (2nd, with first place not assigned)
Cat F: Group - Trio SLO A3
Cat G: Orchestra - HO SGBŠ
The festival included evening concerts featuring the orchestra GM Synthesis 4, directed by Claudio Furlan, a solo performance from Renzo Ruggieri, and a Gala Concert on the last night.
Richard Galliano and Ivan Paduart Jazz Concert, Brussels – Belgium
Richard Galliano – accordion, and Ivan Paduart – piano, perform together at the Centre Culturel d'Etterbeek ASBL in Brussels on October 20th, at 8.30pm. Galliano and Paduart are performers and composers who are held in equally high esteem by their contemporaries.
Richard Galliano changed the direction of the accordion while ridding the instrument of its dusty image. He has performed at such prestigious venues as La Scala in Milan as well as in major jazz festivals such as Montreal, and has played with musicians such as Charles Aznavour, Chet Baker and Toots Thielemans. Astor Piazzolla, the great innovator introduced New Tango that took the genre back to its roots. By analogy to the ‘Nuevo Tango’ of Piazzolla, Galliano created what has been called the ‘New Accordion Music’. The mixture of jazz, tango and ‘new’ accordion music became the individual style brand of Galliano.
Oleg Sharov, Professor of Accordion at the St Petersburg Conservatory, Russia, performs in the spectacular evening concert at the 57th All Scotland Accordion Championships in the new Concert Hall in Perth on October 28th. Other performers include The Bill Wilkie Accordion Orchestra, accordionists Michael Philip and Alan Small and their Scottish dance bands, plus various dancers and entertainers.
The All Scotland & Fiddle Festival, which incorporates the All Scotland Accordion Championships, began in 1949, and is one of the long running festivals anywhere in the world to be organised continuously the same person - Bill Wilkie MBE.
For the first time, an International Accordion Championships and Festival will be held in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, from November 2nd to 6th 2006, organized by the Sarajevo Arts Agency, and coordinated by Alma Flammersberger (Bosnia).
The festival’s guest artistes include: Alexander Poeluev (Russia), Renzo Ruggieri (Italy) with the jazz band from the Czech Republic, the Accordion Orchestra from Tuzla (Bosnia), accordion duet - Alma Flammersberger (Bosnia) and Boris Lenko (Slovakia).
During the festival, Kimmo Matila, from Finland, will hold a seminar titled: ‘Music in Finland’.
Adjudicators at the first Bosnian International Accordion Championships are: Damir Buzleta (Croatia), Radomir Tomic (Serbia), Kimmo Mattila (Finland), Nihad Hrustanbegovic (Holland), Stefann Hippe (Germany), Alexander Poeluev (Russia), Vladimir Cuchran (Czech Republic), Boris Lenko (Slovakia), Bogdan Dowlasz (Poland), Renzo Ruggieri (Italy), Alma Flammersberger, Midhat Zulic (Bosnia and Hercegovina).
Guildford Accordion Club present ‘The Lukins Family Entertainers’ - accordionists David and Angie, and introducing 10year old Andrew on xylophone – as guest artistes on November 17th, from 8pm. The evening also involves a ‘playalong’, led by accordionist Bill Booth.
Guildford Accordion Club meets at The Ripley Village Hall, Ripley (near Guildford), Surrey GU23 6AF - close to M25 /A3 Junction 10.
Guildford Accordion Club, meets on the 3rd Friday of every month.
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.
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Accordionist, organist and media personality Jon Hammond is currently involved in some hectic international travel, taking in China and Europe, that includes a CD release.
The BBC has established a tradition of innovative learning projects as part of their annual January Composer Weekends at the Barbican in London. Known as the Gubaidulina Weekend, the next event is scheduled for January 12th to 12th 2007.
Auckland singer Indira Moala, also known as an accordionist, is now one of two finalists in the NZ Idol competition. The winner will be announced in the next week.
More than 30,000 people in total attended concerts in 12 venues across Mexico during the recent tour by Los Reyes Vallenatos, a band from Colombia featuring singer Carlos Mario Zabaleta, and diatonic accordionists Ciro Meza Reales and Juan José Granados. The band’s colourful and spectacular performances drew enthusiastic audiences everywhere they went. One performance, in the Plaza Valladolid of Morelia, took place in near torrential rain, yet this did not deter the musicians or audience from enjoying themselves fully.
Professor Viktor Romanko, from Jekaterinburg in Russia, recently gave a concert at a church in Magdeburg, as part of a European tour. The audience were enthralled by Romanko’s amazing technique, especially on his performance of Vivaldi’s ‘Four seasons’. Amongst other pieces, he played several Russian traditional folk tunes, and received a standing ovation at the end of the evening.
The 4th International Accordion Competition, held in Trieste from September 30th to October 2nd, confirmed its status as one of the most important accordion competitions in Northern Italy. The organisers were Claudio Furlan and the Association Altamarea, and the adjudicating jury members included: Bogdan Kralj, Eliane Zajec, Vladmir Balyk, Igor Zobin and 
The winners of the various categories were: 
Richard Galliano – accordion, and Ivan Paduart – piano, perform together at the Centre Culturel d'Etterbeek ASBL in Brussels on October 20th, at 8.30pm. Galliano and Paduart are performers and composers who are held in equally high esteem by their contemporaries.
Leading Japanese accordionist Koba is in concert at L’Archiduc, 6 Antoine Dansaert 1,000, Brussels, on October 22nd, at 5pm.
Oleg Sharov
Guildford Accordion Club Concert, Surrey – UK
Guildford Accordion Club meets at The Ripley Village Hall, Ripley (near Guildford), Surrey GU23 6AF - close to M25 /A3 Junction 10.
