"The Squeeze" 6th November 1998 |
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EDITORS NOTE |
I have been getting a lot of emails lately from people either wanting to know the value of an instrument, or about fixing it themselves. Firstly, to know the value of an instrument without actually seeing it is very difficult. The best thing one can do is to take it to a retailer for appraisal, and you can easily find the one nearest you by using the new Accordion Yellow Pages. Secondly, if your accordion is in the need of repair, take it to a repairman! If you need a tooth removed, would you do it yourself? Think of the pain you could cause your accordion! Wayne Knights Webmaster |
Contributed by Maya Niethard The Akkordeon-Club 1968 Bammental will hold their 30th anniversary concert on November 8th at the Elsenzhalle, Bammental. The 2½ hour concert will include performances by 100 accordionists and four orchestras including "Harmonikafreunde Heidelberg", "Harmonikafreunde Helmsheim", "Akkordeon-Orchester 1936 Wiesental" and "Akkordeon-Club 1968 Bammental", all conducted by Thomas Zimmermann. Over 500 people will be treated to a variety of pieces including Rhapsodia Andalusia (Götz), Sinfonia alla Barocco (Huggens), music from West Side Story (Bernstein), and The Phantom of the Opera (Webber). For further information phone: + 49 6221-636816 |
Contributed by Li Cong Shanghai Television Station's top rated television show "Five Stars Big Contests" will announce their show winner within the next few weeks. The show has annual competitions for a variety of instruments, with the accordion section beginning in April this year. Each week a winner is chosen, who returns the following week to compete again. The aim is to win ten times. Over 30 entrants aged from 9 to 12 years old have competed for the prize of a cup and US$1000. Two accordionists have now won 8 times, with many accordion enthusiasts watching for the final results. |
On November 4th, accordionist Mika Väyrynen and Marko
Kampman (guitar) recorded music for the National Broadcasting Co. The
recording included music by A. Piazzolla and Moreno-Torroba.
On November 15th, the duo will perform a concert in Lappeenranta. For further information email: mika.vayrynen@pp.inet.fi |
Contributed by Kevin Friedrich The Milwaukee Accordion Club continues to promote the amazing versatility of the accordion by sponsoring a wealth of visiting accordion artists, as well as many local activities. The International Trio (Julie & Juha Silfverberg and Kevin Friedrich) had the pleasure of being guests of the MAC this week, and were very impressed with the enthusiasm and support this club provides the accordion world. Having sponsored artists such as Friedrich Lips, Betty Jo Simon, Jean Louis Noton and Peter Soave, they have featured some of the foremost accordion artists available today! Opportunities are also provided for local artists to play, such as "Concertina Millie", pictured here playing after our concert. Anyone interested in future Club activities can phone Shirley Barry: + 1 414 543-7714 |
Contributed by David Carovillano Canadian accordionist and teacher Joseph Macerollo, has recently joined one of Canada's popular chamber ensembles, Quartetto Gelato. The group recently lost the services of accordionist Claudio Vena, and quickly sought the services of Joseph who has committed to performing with the group well into 1999, with tours to Canada, U.S.A. and Japan. Joseph has already received a number of complimentary reviews from newspaper and television critics for his performances in several American cities. The future of Quartetto Gelato looks interesting with its upcoming tours over the next 18 months. |
English group "Burach" (featuring accordionist Sandy Brechin) will be performing three concerts at the 15th annual Hong Kong Celtic Festival from November 12th to 15th. The event is organised by the Hong Kong Folk Club, who meet monthly. Past guests include Lindifarne, Ralph McTell, The Poozies and Kathryn Tickell. On Thursday 12th, the festival will begin with a live radio show from RTHK studios in Kowloon, with concerts by overseas guests on Friday 13th at the "Island School Hall" indoor/outdoor venue. Burach will perform a popular variety of pieces including "The Funky Fat Challenge", "You're Not The Only One" and "How On Earth" to audiences of over 1,000 people. On Sunday 15th Sandy Brechin will hold a 1-hour accordion workshop. For further information email: sandy@squeeze.demon.co.uk |
Contributed by Vladimir Besfamilnov October was a busy month of concert activities in Ukraine, with all musicians, including accordionists, showing their skill in different types of music. The Folk Instruments Department of the Kharkov Institute of Arts held a concert in the Institute Concert Hall recently, which was devoted to the 70th anniversary of teacher and composer Vladimir Podgorny. The program included works by Podgorny, performed by teachers and students of the Institute. The following day, the final post-graduate concert of Igor Zavadsky was held in the Small Concert Hall of the Ukraine National Musical Academy, Kiev. Igor is a student of Nikolay Davidov, a professor of the Academy's Accordion Department. Music by classical and modern composers was performed. |
Contributed by Philippe Borecek Jérôme Richard has accomplished what no one has ever done before. He has won the Light Music category in all of the International competitions, setting a new record. He won the 1997 World Cup, followed by the International Klingenthal Competition in May, the World Trophy in Recoaro and the International Castelfidardo Competition in October. Frédéric Baldo, who has always followed hot on Jérôme's heels, won the 1998 World Cup and Marielle Roy, who has been breathing down Frédéric Baldo's neck all year, won first place in the Junior Light Music category at Castelfidardo. Jérôme Richard, Frédéric Baldo and Marielle Roy are all pupils of Frédéric Deschamps who, in the wake of this spate of first places, received the prize for the teacher whose pupils obtained the most 1st places at Castelfidardo and was elected President of the C.I.A.'s Musical Committee. French accordionists results at recent competitions: Light Music Category, Nijmegen - October 21st to
25th Light Music Category, World Trophy, Recoaro - October
1st to 4th Light Music Category (Junior) International Castelfidardo
Competition Light Music Category (Senior) |
Contributed by Julie Ross On November 14th, Paul Groff will give concertina class and repair workshops in Raleigh, North Carolina. Paul is a player, teacher and repairer who specialises in tuning free reed instruments. The repair workshop will cover basic concertina care, repair, and maintenance. Paul will also evaluate the condition of participant's instruments and give advice on what is necessary in the way of maintenance, repair and tuning. Following this, Paul will give a short concert on the concertina and the button box. Local musicians will be invited to take part in the session to follow. As there is a shortage of button box teachers in the Raleigh area, Paul has consented to teach this instrument also. For further information email: julia@widget.com or phone: + 1 617 499-9928 |
Contributed by Werner Stortz On November 21st the "Musical And More" gala event will be held at the Big Concert Hall, "Kieler Castle", Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein. This will be the first performance of a new tour program for the 1998/99 season. The show program will include performances by the Kiel Accordion Orchestra and winners of the "Jugend Musiziert" competition. |
Contributed by Rolf Hutter An accordion seminar was held on October 30th and November 1st in Unterägeri organised by the Musikschule Hutter. The seminar was for accordionists and orchestra directors and conductors. Lecturers included Roman Christoffel, Stefan Hippe and Wolfgang Russ. |
Contributed by The Classical Free-reed Concert accordionist Henry Doktorski and American Airlines flight attendant Mary Kay Welter (Accordionist of the Sky) announced their engagement after Henry proposed during a recent Bahama Islands vacation birthday present for Mary Kay. The couple met at a classical accordion festival in New York City "Bach! Vegas! Dog!", which was a masterclass and concert series organised by Dr William Schimmel and the American Accordionists' Association. They plan to marry sometime during the next millennium! |
Contributed by Vladimir Zubitsky The 8th National Accordion Competition was held on October 24th and 25th in Lanciano. The artistic director of the competition was Cesare Chiachiaretta and the Head of the Jury, Vladimir Zubitsky. Accordionists throughout Italy were given the opportunity to show their skill, which has reached a very high standard over the last few years. Competition winners were: The next National Accordion Competition will be held in October 1999 together with the 1st International Accordion Competition "Prize of Lanciano" with 3 million Italian lira for the winner. |
Accordion duo "Accordéon Mélancolique" which features Jean-Pierre Guiran and Cherie de Boer (both on accordion and vocals) will perform on November 10th at the Jona Theater, Driebergen. The duo play a variety of French melodies. Jean-Pierre has just returned from Ireland where he performed concerts with his group "Orkest Polytour". |
Contributed by Dr Herbert Scheibenreif To promote the achievements of his factory, Massimo Pigini organised a concert tour in France. Enthusiastic audiences in Strasbourg, Paris and Rennes had the pleasure of listening to such famous accordionists as Friedrich Lips, Inigo Aizpiolea, Christine Rossi and Aleksandr Shmykov. |
Contributed by Randy Hudson Ian Robb will perform concerts with his group "Finest Kind" in Whidbey Island (North Seattle) from November 6th to 8th. Ian will also hold an informal workshop on concertina styles on November 7th. For further information email: gerber@whidbey.com |
Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl On November 27th, Renzo Ruggieri will hold a jazz concert in Roseto degli Abruzzi (near Teramo, Italy) organised by the "Music and Culture" Association. Dr Michela De Amicis will be the artistic director. The concert will begin with a series of "guided improvisations" (a form of contemporary music invented by the artist), followed by a program of jazz pieces. The evening will include pieces from Ruggieri's first CD and will feature the best "guided improvisations" of his recent concerts. For further information email: ruggieri@net-uno.it |
Contributed by Christine Adams Organisers of a craft day in the seaside resort of Orewa, wanted to provide entertainment "with a difference", so asked local accordionists Olivia Panzic (4 years old), Kristina Panzic and Shane Adams (both 10 years old) to play. The children performed a varied 30 minute program, which included pieces such as "Injun Song", "Granada" and "Turkish March". |
http://www.accordeon.nl. Information about the invention of the new H.O.P.V. (High Output Piccolo Voice) for accordions. |