Finnish concert accordionist Mika Väyrynen will appear in the prestigious Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo on September 25th, at 7.30pm where he will perform the complete Goldberg Variations by J. S. Bach. His concert is part of an ongoing series featuring the Goldberg Variations and the various instruments that the work has been performed on. Included in the series are performances of this approx. 75-minute work on piano, cembalo, organ and bayan. Mika was invited to perform on this concert series after Japanese Music Critics gave his CD recording of the Goldberg Variations (ALBA - ABCD191) an extremely positive review.
The Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo opened in October 1997 and is the home of the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra (NJP). The word 'Triphony' stands for the harmony of three sounds: that of the people, the artists, and the hall itself. For ticket information, please contact the Triphony Hall Ticket Center (03) 5608-1212.
Vacancy. The Hohner subsidiary Hohner Inc in Richmond, Virginia, USA, is seeking to appoint an Accordion Product Manager. Requirements for this position are a familiarity with the Accordion and the retail music products market. Experience in sales, marketing, or brand management on a national level preferred. Interested persons can view the job description for this position on the Hohner website.
A rumour that has recently been circulating that Petosa Accordions, based in Seattle, Washington, is closing down, but this is most certainly not the case. However, Petosa Music, the musical accessories side of the business is closing. Henceforward, Petosa will concentrate on acoustic accordions.
Petosa Accordions was founded in 1922 by Carl Petosa. Son Joe Petosa inherited the family business, which is now run by Joe Petosa Junior. The firm has a long-standing reputation for high quality instruments, and Petosa players include Frank Marocco, Carmen Carozza, Zhang Guoping, Dick Contino, and Tony Lovello, to name but a few.
On September 24th the Lithuanian concert accordionist and teacher Raimondas Sviackevicius will introduce his newest Project named ‘ACCOntempoReD’. A recital in two parts will be presented in Old St. Catherine‘s Church in Lithuania’s capital city Vilnius.
The audience will hear contemporary music for solo accordion, including ‘A Farewell to Arms’ by Nomeda Valanciute - dedicated to Raimondas Sviackevicius, who has now released a CD named after this work. He will also perform ‘Konzertstuck’, by Vytautas Juozapaitis, and experimental music by the American composer True Rosaschi.
Several new works will be premiered in this concert, including ‘Seseliai’ (Shadows) - for accordion, cello and electronics, by Jurgita Miezelyte; ‘TubACCOrdo DUO’ - for accordion and tuba, by Vaida Striaukaite-Beinariene; ‘Chanson’ - for accordion, violin and piano, by Vytautas Germanavicius; and ‘Unisono 2’ - for accordion, voice, computer and LIVE Electronics, by Agata Zubel.
The concert will also include contemporary free improvisations, which will be made with Janas Maksimovicius (sax) and Arkadijus Gotesmanas (percussion). The Project concert will conclude with improvisational composition by all concert members.
The small town of Mt. Angel lies in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, about 40 miles Southeast of Portland, Oregon - home to the Native Americans for centuries, the first white settlers arriving to this rich area in 1867. Then, in 1878, Mathias Butsch founded the first Catholic Church and the railroad station. He was the agent who brought the Benedictine monks to Mt. Angel. Prior Adelheml Odermatt dubbed the village ‘Mount Angel’, which was named after his own Swiss home, Engelberg.
The area flourished for decades but only held its first Oktoberfest in 1966. Mt. Angel’s Oktoberfest, now celebrating its 42nd year, is a wonderful harvest festival that brings accordionists from around the world to perform in one of the four performance venues as well as the street. Bavarian music and yodellers thrive in the Biergarten, Weingarten, Alpingarten and the village square.
Jim and Shirley O’Brien, residents of Tucson, Arizona, returned to Oktoberfest for their second time this year as performers on the town gazebo. For three afternoons, they performed popular German music for hundreds of visitors, both playing their accordions and singing in German and English. Among the favorites presented were the ‘Liechtensteiner Polka’, ‘Beer Barrel Polka’ and ‘Muss I’ Denn’.
Several highlights of this year’s festival included a visit by the famous team of Clysdale horses, a blessing of the festival by the local priest, wonderful weather, a festival Mass, incredible German food and, of course, boundless accordion music from European, Canadian and American groups. You can check out the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest website.
Italian accordionist Gerardo Amato has released his first CD ‘Terra Mia’, a recording of dance music that includes tango, meringue, polka, tarantella, mazurka, musette waltz and the original Tyrolese Waltz, and four songs with the female voice ‘Cha cha cha’, and a male Roman voice ‘Roma Eterna’, where the accordion plays together with these beautiful voices. The CD has already been heard on several radio broadcasts.
Gerardo Amato (born 1978) first started accordion lessons at the age of 9, in Ardea in the Province of Rome. He competed in various music competitions, and since 1993 has been composing his own music: dance tunes and music for easy listening, in various styles. In 1995 he graduated from the ‘L. Refice’ Academy of Music in Frosinone. Gerardo performs in clubs and concerts, often with other musicians. In addition to the accordion, Gerardo also plays the guitar and the flute.
On Sunday 16th September the Accordion Examination Board of New Zealand hosted the Allan William Jones Memorial Scholarships in the Dove Theatre at Kristin School, Auckland, New Zealand.
Scholarship Recipients were Aghilan Newman, Daniel Robinson, Rosita Hendry & Grayson Masefield.
The Annual Merit Award In Recognition of Outstanding Services to the Accordion Movement was awarded to Stephanie Poole and the Douglas Mews Rosebowl for the examination with the highest mark was awarded to her student Edward Giffney.
Performers were the NSAO conducted by Heather Masefield, Musicale conducted by Carol Yan, Music Makers conducted by Christine Adams, Major Soundz & Super Soundz both conducted by Lorraine Parnell & soloists Jessica Chen & Daisy Huang.
Iñaki Alberdi and Iñigo Aizpiolea Concert, Lodi - Italy
Spanish accordionists Iñaki Alberdi and Iñigo Aizpiolea perform in the Italian village of Lodi at the Festival ContemporaneaMente on September 21st.
The concert programme will include works by Luis de Pablo, Joan Guinjoan, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Albert Sardá, Stravinsky and the world premiere of ‘Transfiguración’ by Jesús Torres.
The 2007-2008 courses at the Accordion High School of the Istituto Musicale Pareggiato ‘G.Lettimi’ of Rimini consists in 6 master class with Claudio Jacomucci (resident teacher), Friedrich Lips (Gnessin Institute, Moscow, Russia), Geir Draugsvoll (Royal Academy of Copenhagen, Denmark), Yuri Shishkin (Russia) and Luciano Biondini (jazz accordionist, Italy). The courses are sponsored by Pigini Accordions of Castelfidardo.
The 2007 Lasarte-Oria Accordion Festival takes place on Saturday September 29th at the Casa de Cultura, Lasarte-Oria, in the Basque region of Northern Spain. Artistes performing include Enrike Zelaia (Spain), Nathalie Boucheix (France), the Elsene Accordion Orchestra (Netherlands), and the Zero Sette Akordeoi Orkestra (Spain).
Accordion Week, October 8th to 12th in Castelfidardo, features master classes, workshops and concerts involving Claudio Jacomucci, Friedrich Lips, Luciano Biondini, Egbert Spelde, Xiao Cao Qing, and Radomir Tomic.
The itinery is: Claudio Jacomucci
Monday October 8th – 9am to 12.30 and 2.30 to 6pm
Tuesday 9th - 9am to12.30pm
Friedrich Lips
Tuesday 9th – 2.30pm to 6pm
Wednesday 10th – 9am to12.30pm and 2.30 to 6pm
Luciano Biondini
Thursday 11th - 9am to12.30pm and 2.30 to 6pm
Friday 12th – 12noon to 6.30pm
’Meeting Point’ - Italy/Netherlands/China/Serbia
Concert of the best students of the High Accordion School of ‘G.Lettimi’ Institute in Rimini (M. Claudio Jacomucci), Deventer Conservatory (Egbert Spelde), Bejing Conservatory (Xiao Cao Qing), and the Accordion School of Kraguievac (Radomir Tomic)
Presentation of ‘Wonderlands’ (2007) solo CD by Claudio Jacomucci (Stravinsky, Ravel, Jacomucci, Taktakishvili, Zorn, Armenian traditional)
Those Darn Accordions Concerts and New CD, San Francisco – USA
Those Darn Accordions have released a new CD, ‘Squeeze Machine’, which recently had its official launch.
The TFA publicity writes: “Our 2007 touring season is winding down, but we've still got a few big shows to go. Two of them are old favorites -- Oregon's Columbia County Oktoberfest and the Eldorado Great Italian Festival in Reno -- and one of them is very new to us: San Antonio's International Accordion Festival. We have been eyeing this event for years, and we finally get the honor of performing there. (I hear there will even be an accordion workshop conducted by TDA squeezers.) Book your flights now!”
Dates:
September 28th and 29th - Columbia County Oktoberfest, St. Helens, Oregon
October 6th and 7th - Eldorado Great Italian Festival, Reno, Nevada
October 13th and 14th - International Accordion Festival, San Antonio, Texas
The National Accordion Organisation’s North West Championships take place at the Marine Hall, Fleetwood, Lancashire on Sunday November 25th. The organiser is Gina Brannelli, and the adjudicators are Adjudicators Frederick Parnell, Mavis Parnell, Raymond Bodell and (Wendy Farran and – at UK I am sure it was Ken only judging) Ken Farran.
Prestigious Challenge awards include ‘The Fisherman's Friend’ "Eros" Challenge Award, ‘The Les Dawson Show business Award’, ‘The Rudi Mancini’ top accordion soloist award, and International Awards: ‘The Maestro Gervasio Marcosignori Award’, ‘The Maestro Bio Boccosi Strumenti e Musica International Award’, ‘Adamo Volpi Challenge Award’ – Italy, and ‘The Paul Pasquale 'Concerto' Award’ – USA.
The festival concludes with an evening concert starring Julien ‘Speedy’ Gonzales, from France, the contest winners plus a guest accordion orchestra.
The weekend also known as the Blackpool and Wyre Accordion Festival, includes competitive sections for keyboard, piano, guitar and voice.
The first Canadian National Finals of the Roland V Accordion take place on September 27th, 7pm – 9.30pm, at Hansa Haus, 6650 Hurontario Street, Mississauga, Ontario.
After weeks of intense competition, the field has been narrowed and Roland Canada (www.roland.ca/v-accordion) will proudly present the three semi-finalists of the 1st Roland V-Accordion Festival at the National Finals. Join us for this FREE family-friendly night of music and competition!
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Finnish concert accordionist 
Hohner
A rumour that has recently been circulating that Petosa Accordions, based in Seattle, Washington, is closing down, but this is most certainly not the case. However, Petosa Music, the musical accessories side of the business is closing. Henceforward, Petosa will concentrate on acoustic accordions.
On September 24th the Lithuanian concert accordionist and teacher 
The small town of Mt. Angel lies in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, about 40 miles Southeast of Portland, Oregon - home to the Native Americans for centuries, the first white settlers arriving to this rich area in 1867. Then, in 1878, Mathias Butsch founded the first Catholic Church and the railroad station. He was the agent who brought the Benedictine monks to Mt. Angel. Prior Adelheml Odermatt dubbed the village ‘Mount Angel’, which was named after his own Swiss home, Engelberg.
Italian accordionist Gerardo Amato has released his first CD ‘Terra Mia’, a recording of dance music that includes tango, meringue, polka, tarantella, mazurka, musette waltz and the original Tyrolese Waltz, and four songs with the female voice ‘Cha cha cha’, and a male Roman voice ‘Roma Eterna’, where the accordion plays together with these beautiful voices. The CD has already been heard on several radio broadcasts.
On Sunday 16th September the Accordion Examination Board of New Zealand hosted the 
Spanish accordionists Iñaki Alberdi and Iñigo Aizpiolea perform in the Italian village of Lodi at the Festival ContemporaneaMente on September 21st.
Master Class Series, Rimini – Italy
The 2007 Lasarte-Oria Accordion Festival takes place on Saturday September 29th at the Casa de Cultura, Lasarte-Oria, in the Basque region of Northern Spain. Artistes performing include Enrike Zelaia (Spain), 
Accordion Week, October 8th to 12th in Castelfidardo, features master classes, workshops and concerts involving 
Those Darn Accordions have released a new CD, ‘Squeeze Machine’, which recently had its official launch.
German accordionist 
NAO
The 
The festival concludes with an evening concert starring 
The first Canadian National Finals of the 
