Contributed by Winfried Haushalter

In July 1999 the 1st Cologne Accordion Orchestra (Germany) are planning a tour to Canada to participate at the 25th anniversary of the "Kimberley International Old Time Accordion Championships".

Last year, the orchestra was invited to perform in Brazil by the Brazilian Consulate General. 35 musicians traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Niteroi, Aracaju and Porto do Mato, where they played 8 concerts, conducted by 83 year old Heinz Gengler and guest conductor Bernd Maltry. They performed a variety of music (from baroque to modern) including Die Zauberfloete (Mozart), Kaiserwalzer (Strauss), Pomp and Circumstance (Elgar) and Big Band hits to an enthusiastic audience. In Aracaju they performed with a Brazilian ballet troupe to an audience of 1,800 people.

Contributed by Jenny Cox

A two-day music course "Concertinas at Witney" will be held on September 26th and 27th 1998 at the Henry Box School, Witney, Oxfordshire. The course is for players of English, Anglo and Duet concertinas with some experience. Tutors include Alistair Anderson, Vic Gammon, Tim Laycock, Harry Scurfield, Dave Townsend and Jenny Cox.

There will be informal playing sessions at pubs around Witney, a special Concertina Concert featuring the course leaders and a trade fair for buying, selling and repairs.

For further information email Jenny Cox: Peter.Cox@bris.ac.uk

Contributed by Sandro Zelari.

Emanuele Rastelli (1994 Trophee Mondiale Champion and 1996 Citta di Castelfidardo Champion) will hold two accordion concerts on June 28th and 29th at the Mola Theatre, Capoliveri, Isola d'Elba, Italy. His program will include pieces by Piazzolla, Rastelli, Migliavacca, Giraud, Jobim and Youmans. Both concerts start at 10pm.

For further information email: Zelari@elbacom.it

Contributed by Toru Katou

In July a series of accordion concerts will be held at the Bunkamura Orchard Hall, Tokyo at 5pm on the 12th, and at the Yokahama Minato-mirai Hall at 7pm on the 13th.

Artists include French accordionists Marcel Azzola, Raul Barboza, Frederic Guerouet, Valerie Guerouet and Denis Tuveri. For further information phone: + 81 3 3461-9918

Contributed by Kevin Friedrich

Finnish accordionist Mika Vayrynen has been working with Finnish National Radio and guitarist Marko Kampman to record the "History of the Piazzolla Tango". Mika will also be performing the concerto "Aconcagua" and Tres Tangos by Piazzolla with the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra at the opening concert of the upcoming Kuopio International Dance Festival. In addition to a busy concert schedule, symphony orchestra engagements, and giving masterclasses, Mika will also be producing three new CD's before next February!

Contributed by Andrea Rautenberg

The "Tango Real Quartet" which includes musicians Paul Raackow (bandoneon), Matthias Leupold (violin), Robert Schmidt (double bass) and Peter Blazeowsky (piano), performed at the Tango-Ball at the BKA-Theater in Berlin on June 6th. This internationally well-known quartet from Berlin presented classic tangos (by Carlos Cardel) as well as "Tango Nuevo" pieces by Astor Piazzolla. "Tango Real" has also performed with singer Pablo Banchero and bandoneonist Nestor Marconi.

Contributed by Clifton Buck-Kauffman

The 8th Cotati Accordion Festival will be held on August 29th and 30th in La Plaza Park, Cotati, California. This years festival will include a variety of music including Classical, Cajun, Jazz, Tex-Mex, Russian, Irish and Scandinavian. All visitors are encouraged to bring their accordions. Planned events include an accordion "jam" tent, Polka Dancing, Accordion and performance Workshops, Cajun Dance Party and concerts. Guests include the Arizona Button Accordion Band, Dick Contino and Those Darn Accordions.

For further information email: cotatiaf@sonic.net

Contributed by Dr Herbert Scheibenreif

The "9th Eurovision Grand Prix for Young Musicians" took place last week in Vienna. Sir Yehudi Menuhin was the president of a jury consisting of internationally reknowned teachers and soloists. 18 candidates from different countries competed in the event, with eight of them performing at the final concert which was broadcast by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to 22 different countries. It was a great honour for accordionist Borut Zagoranski (Slovenia) who was chosen to perform "Concert for Bandoneon and Orchestra" (Piazzolla).

Contributed by Nini Flores

On June 3rd a concert of Chamame Argentinian music was held at Espace Herault, Paris. Accordionist Nini Flores performed works with Rudy (guitar) and Jorge Loiotile (double bass) from their recording "Por Cielos Lejanos".

Contributed by Wu Jie

On June 20th at 3pm, a concert will be held at Hui-Ming Primary School, Chengdu. Over 100 school pupils will participate in the concert including an orchestra of 20 accordionists who will perform "Our School" and "Happy Families". In addition, 10-year-old accordionist Xiao Gang will play "Speeding Train". It is estimated that there will be over 1,000 people attending this concert.

Contributed by The Classical Free-reed

On June 3rd, accordionist Henry Doktorski performed at the Frick Art Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with faculty members of the City Music Center at Duquesne University. They played "Adios Nonino" (by Piazzolla for accordion, two violins, piano and contrabass). The concert was so successful that they were asked to perform the piece again at the Duquesne University on June 6th.

Henry is currently recording "Rhapsody in Blue" (Gershwin) for accordion & chamber ensemble for his next CD.

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

On May 29th and 30th, the Modern Music Research Centre of Ascoli Piceno (Italy) and the CDMI organised the sixth Italian Competition for Electric Instruments. This competition aims to promote instruments that make use of modern technologies including MIDI accordions, keyboards, guitars, saxophones, electric organs, voice and ensemble music. The artistic directors were Ferruccio Premici (concert artist, composer and teacher) and Emidio Cecchini (well-known teacher).

The gala night included a performance by the eight finalists, a concert featuring artists Maria Grazia Ferretti, Roberto Brucchi and Francesco Ghezzi, and finally the prizegiving ceremony. This year the first prize was awarded to a MIDI accordionist whose performance amazed both the jury and the audience. The "Cittą di Ascoli Piceno" trophy went to Osvaldo Guarnieri, one of Renzo Ruggieri's students. Renzo Ruggieri received a prize for the teacher with the most prize-winning students.

Contributed by Vladimir Besfamilnov

From June 5th to 7th final exam concerts were held by students from the Ukraine National Music Academy. They performed a program of works by a variety of composers including Bach, Mozart, Scarlatti, Romantic and contemporary composers.

Coba's (Yasuhiro Kobayashi) June 6th performance at Akasaka Blitz was one of a series of June concerts in Japan. With each new venue Coba plans to change his musical program so he can "bring out magic that can be experienced only once each night" He will be performing on June 17th at the Matsuyama Shimin Kaikan Hall and June 19th at Okayama Shimin Kaikan.

The newspaper Asia Intelligence Wire recently featured an article on Coba and this concert series, saying "Coba is a cutting-edge accordion player, composer and producer. His unique application of the traditional instrument to contemporary music has earned him a big following among the youth in Europe".

In May, Coba released his CD "The Miracle Accordion" which is a re-release of an LP album recorded in 1982 under the same title. His two new CD's "Conscious Posi" and "Conscious Nega" were released in April.

Contributed by Paul Rogers

On June 18th at 8pm, "Brave Combo" will be performing in San Francisco and have asked "Those Darn Accordions" to join them at The Great American Music Hall. TDA will also be performing for the first time at The Live Oak Music Fest in Santa Barbara on June 21st at 1pm.

Contributed by Wu Jie

Accordionist Nao Tiao has been asked to play regular 2-hour nightly performances at a Bar in Lanzhou from June 18th. He will play a variety of light classical music. "This is an opportunity to promote accordion music to people who may know little about it", said Mr Nao Tiao.

Contributed by David Batty

The Leyland Accordion Club provided the music for a charity evening in aid of the Brittle Bones Society on May 27th at St Wilfreds Club, Longridge, Lancashire.

Club President David Batty was the compere and also performed along with Tom Bennett, George Hicks, Walter Perrie, Rebecca Postlewhite, Leo and Les Thurston, and Jay & Jeff Ward. They provided 3 hours of accordion solos and duets, raising £208.62 UKP for the Brittle Bones Society. The founder of the Society traveled down from Scotland to attend the event.

Contributed by Jean Hayes

On June 13th, a "Celtic Festival in Clover" will be held in Clover, South Carolina that will include The Larne Harbour Accordion Band from Ireland. The Festival is being held in conjunction with the Feis Chlobhair 1998 event from June 12th to 14th which will include a Clan tent, pipe bands and Ceilidh.

The Century Newspaper (Belfast) featured an article recently on the Larne Harbour Accordion Band. Their visit to Clover coincides with their 50th anniversary celebrations.

For further information phone: + 1 803 222-3312

Contributed by Lionel Reekie

Audiences in the New Zealand towns of Masterton and Hawera were treated to a feast of accordion music when a group including some of Australasia's best known accordionists performed between June 3rd and 5th.

International entertainer Maurice Jones opened the program with solos on MIDI accordion including Dancing Queen (Abba) and 12th Street Rag. 1998 South Pacific Accordion Champion, Bernadette Conlon (Australia) stunned the audience with her interpretations of well known classics and concert pieces, before Auckland quintet SCWALT performed a bracket of Baroque, original and traditional accordion pieces.

Lionel Reekie also entertained the enthusiastic audience with accordion and vocal pieces. Guest performers in Masterton included Rebekah Grieg (two time NZ Champion) and Paula Harris (1998 NZ Champion), both from Wellington. Hawera audiences also enjoyed performances by the local accordion group "Eldorado" and Rhonda Morrison (NZ Open Solo Champion).

Dear Wayne,

I recently had the good fortune to look through some old Accordion World Magazines (1936-1938) during a recent visit to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. and I couldn't help but notice a similarity between the old Accordion World Magazine and the new Accordions Worldwide:

Both were/are important means of communication among accordion enthusiasts and a way to keep informed about the latest news.

Indeed, Accordions Worldwide offers many services (free listings for individuals and organisations, for instance) which were not offered by Accordion World Magazine.

Please accept this letter as an endorsement for your valuable site from this humble fan: I recommend Accordions Worldwide to all accordion enthusiasts. This is not just idle talk, as I placed four links to your site in the pages of The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. many months ago.

Sincerely,

Henry Doktorski

Hello Henry,

Thank you very much for your kind words. We are always working hard to bring all accordionists together to promote this great instrument of ours as we want to provide the best service possible