Over the last week, we have been working towards some positive changes on AWW. As you can see the homepage and news pages have been updated to make it easier to go from one page to another. We hope you like this new look. Please send any comments to our "Readers' Comments" section, where you will see that we also have several new comments listed about the site.

Our CD reviewer, Tania Lukic-Marx is in Yugoslavia visiting her mother after the recent sad death of her father. CD reviews will resume in December after her return home to Australia.

Wayne Knights Webmaster

• Caister Festival - England
• Cao Xiao-Qing with Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra - Germany
• Special Christmas Concerts - Japan
• Semionov Duo on tour in Austria
• Japanese Guest at Royal Academy - UK
• Second International Bayan & Accordion Festival - Russia
• Tango Argentino Production - USA
• Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition 1999 - Netherlands
• "Share a Seasonal Tune" - UK
• Jazz Festival Broadcast - Canada
• Accordionist on Popular Surfing TV Program - USA
• Tango For Four Concerts - Finland
• Renzo Ruggieri in "Iktius" - Italy
• New Accordion Club Launched - UK
• Accordionists Celebrate International Day - Argentina
• Orchestra Guests at Creative Keyboard Club - New Zealand
• Autumn Concert - USA
• Festival de Música Iberoamericana - France
• Grape Harvesting Performance - USA
• "Two into One" - A New Bass Accordion Development!
• Full House at Festival Concert - Canada
• Stolen Giulietti Accordion - USA
• Antique Accordion Information
• New Sites

Contributed by Gary Blair

The 1999 Caister Festival took place at the Haven Holiday Centre, Great Yarmouth, England from November 12th to 15th. With over 700 people in attendance, the festival included much entertainment with a variety of musical styles, concerts, dancing, trade shows, accordion displays and workshops.

Performers included The Guildford Accordion Club Orchestra, The Gary Blair Ceilidh Band (Scotland), David and Angela Lukins, Renzo Ruggieri (Italy), Weaver Valley Band, Ronmar Accordion Orchestra, Julie North and Ian Watson, Serge Duchesne (Canada), Amarylis, Julie Best and Ron Hodgson, Thames Valley Band, Emil Johansen (Norway) and Seamus O'Sullivan (Ireland).

Contributed by Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Accordionist Cao Xiao-Qing performed at the Osnabrück Town Hall with the Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Hans Zender) on November 1st. The sell out crowd, including political guests, provided thunderous applause at the completion of Schubert´s Winterreise (Winter journey) which was performed with the combined interpretation of new timbres and modern ideas.

Contributed by Toru Katou

The Richard Galliano Trio comprising of French accordionist Richard Galliano along with Furio di Castri and Massimo Manzi will perform Special Christmas Concerts at the "Blue Note Tokyo" Jazz Club, Minato Ward, Tokyo from December 20th to 25th. For further information phone: + 81 3-5485 0088

Contributed by Dr Herbert Scheibenreif, Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions

Viatcheslav and Natasha Semionov's recent tour to Austria included a masterclass at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz and six concerts in Linz, Rottenmann, Vienna, Neunkirchen, Leibnitz and St. Paul. They attracted many people who took the opportunity to hear such fine musicians. Viatcheslav performed some of his transcriptions (music by J.S. Bach, D. Scarlatti, F. Schubert, N. Paganini and F. Liszt) along with some of his original works, including Bulgarian Suite, Kalina Krasnaja and Don Rhapsody No 1. The second half of their program was dedicated to the Duo Semionov who delighted the public not only with their arrangements of popular Russian melodies but also with virtuoso and sometimes very humorous pieces. The duo received many standing ovations during this tour.

Contributed by Owen Murray

Japanese accordionist Professor Mie Miki was a guest at the Royal Academy of Music from November 4th to 7th. Academy accordion students played a concert for her on the 4th, followed by a dinner at the Academy attended by the students, Mie Miki, her husband Georg Schenck, Owen Murray and Roland Williams. Professor Miki worked with the students on Friday and on Saturday gave a recital, followed by a reception where invited guests had the opportunity to meet her. Samukawa Fuji (1st Secretary at the Embassy of Japan) attended with his family and was greatly impressed.

On Sunday, after another masterclass, the visit was completed with a dinner in London's oldest restaurant, the exclusive "Rules" in Covent Garden. Mie Miki is a musician of great stature and musicianship and her visit was very inspiring.

Contributed by Vladimir Ushakov

The Second International Bayan & Accordion Festival was held from November 2nd to 8th in Chelyabinsk (Ural), Russia organized by Natalia and Nikolay Ischenko, Head of the Culture Administration and Philharmonia of Chelyabinsk.

The opening ceremony was held in the Glinka Opera and Ballet Theatre Hall with over 1,000 people in attendance. Performances were given by the Ekaterinburg Accordion Orchestra (conducted by Leonid Bolkovsky) and the Nizhniy Tagil Accordion Orchestra (conducted by Vladimir Kapkan).

The festival was full of concert performances, workshops and conferences, which included well-known accordionists such as Friedrich Lips, Alexander Dmitriev, Radzhap Shayhutdinov, Natalia and Nikolay Ischenko, Eduard Gabnis & Gennady Savkov, Vladimir Murza, Ural Bayan Trio, Vladimir Ushakov & Sergei Likhachev, Viktor & Larisa Gerasimov, composer Nikolay Malygin, Konstantin Ischenko and Boris Poteryaev.

All concerts were broadcast by local Radio and TV. This festival has been so successful that the organizing committee have decided make it an annual event. If you would like to participate in the year 2000 festival write to: Musical Society, Nikolay Ischenko, Ul. Plekhanova 41, Chelyabinsk 454000, Russia or email: spme@infopro.spb.su

Contributed by Jeff Zahn

The "Tango Argentino" production opened at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City on November 17th and will run for nine weeks until January 9th 2000. The orchestra features four bandoneonists including Roberto Pansera (who is also the Musical Director), Horacio Romo and Rubén Oscar Gonzalez.

The program includes "Quejas de Bandoneon" (J. De Dios Filiberto), "Re-Fa-Si" (E. Delfino) and "Balada Para Mi Muerte" (A. Piazzolla).

Contributed by Frode Andersen

Norwegian accordionist Frode Haltli won 2nd prize at the International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition held in Rotterdam from October 17th to 24th. The competition is open to instrumentalists and ensembles (up to 35 years of age) performing contemporary music. Frode performed works by Magnus Lindberg, Luciano Berio, Gubaidulina, Badings, ter Veldhuis, Niels Rosing Schow and Per Magnus Lindborg.

Contributed by Jane Edwards

The Yorkshire Concertina Club meeting on December 19th will feature a "Share a Seasonal Tune" evening. Players who attend always enjoy sharing a tune, hence the plan to make it a seasonal tune. The club holds regular meetings on the 3rd Sunday of each month in West Yorkshire.

Bravo (Canada) will feature music by Argentinian bandoneonist Astor Piazzolla when it broadcasts the 1984 Montreal International Jazz Festival Concert on November 24th. The concert will be broadcast twice throughout the day!

Accordionist Valarie Morris performed three soundtracks for "Board Stories", the popular surfing and snowboarding TV program which aired recently on NBC Hawaii, Huntington Beach Cable (California), Resort Sports Network (RSN), and GAORA (Japan). These shows will soon be shown worldwide! The three tunes were from the CD "TransFormations" released in 1996 by Skyblue Productions.

Finnish accordionist Mika Väyrynen is currently performing a series of concerts with his group "Tango for Four". The group played successful concerts at the Espoo Cultural Center on November 11th, in Uusikaupunki, Malmintalo (Helsinki) and Kuusamo-talo. Final concerts will be held in Kerava-talo on the 20th and Vehkalahti and the 21st.

For further information email: mika.vayrynen@pp.inet.fi

The Pescara Music Academy recently hosted the first concert of a new group called "Iktius" as part of the "Jazz at the Academy" series. The group, led by guitarist Giovanni Finizii, includes Renzo Ruggieri (accordion), Claudia Civitarese (voice), Ivano Sabatini (double bass) and Massimo Manzi (drums).

Their performance featured music by the Abruzzi-based composer Antonio di Iorio. Program notes included, "This event is the culmination of a program of study based on the stylistic fusion of elements of folk and Afro-American music".

This debut was very well received by the audience, which cheered the group enthusiastically and requested several encores. "Progetto Iktius" will release its first CD in the near future.

Contributed by Mike O'Regan

On November 11th the Nottingham Accordion Club was launched with players giving impromptu performances on the accordion and melodeon. The club plans to meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the "Stanton Social Club" in Ilkeston, Derbys. For further information on the club phone Mike O'Regan: + 44 115 9175572

Contributed by Florencia Herrera

On November 15th, International day of the accordion was celebrated in Buenos Aires. Many accordionists performed at popular get-togethers and in parades around the city center.

Contributed by Christine Adams

On November 14th two North Shore Accordion Orchestras made a guest appearance at the North Shore Creative Keyboard Club in Auckland. Orchestra members aged from 8 to 15 years old performed a variety of solos and duets as well as group items including "Rudolph the red Nosed Reindeer" "Paloma Blanca" and "Jolly old Saint Nicholas".

Accordionist Joanna Arnold will perform with the Westmont Philharmonia Accordion Orchestra on November 21st in Westmont, New Jersey. The concert will feature accordion soloist Richard Saunders performing "Concerto in G Major" (Curt Mahr), along with a salute to Polish Contemporary music. The concert will also include a performance of "A Suite on Four Polish Carols" arranged by Henry Doktorski. For further information phone: + 1 856 854-6628

Spanish accordionist Iñaki Alberdi will perform at the "Festival de Música Iberoamericana" in Paris on November 27th. Iñaki will perform works by Astor Piazzolla with the "Tangoneando" group, which also includes violin, piano, contrabass and guitar.

On November 20th "Pros't" performed at a Weinlesen Tanz (Grape Harvesting Dance) at the Donauschaben Halle in Cincinnati, Ohio. This popular event included a variety of entertaining music such as German and American ballroom dance pieces (Tango, polka, waltzes, mambo, rhumba and marches).

The group, which includes Gerhard Albinus (accordion, trombone and vocals), Michael Duncan (drums, guitar and vocals), Terry Duncan (guitar and vocals) and Lee Duncan (guitar and vocals) has the motto "If it has notes we play it".

Contributed by Sabine Golik of Harmona Akkordeon GmbH

The "MultiSound Akkordeon" model MSA 34 is a completely new instrument developed for accordion orchestras by the Harmona accordion factory in Klingenthal, Germany.

Of interest to teachers and conductors is the very light weight (only 5.4 kg) which makes it particularly suitable for the use by children and youth-orchestras and the unique combination of natural reed bass and 10 MIDI bass sounds including octave up and down. The instrument also features modern MIDI sounds and features a good price.

You can email for a free CD which features this new instrument in a hot-rocking piece and a beautiful ballad composed by Hans Günther Kölz, a popular composer of orchestra music. We hope you enjoy the sound!

Contributed by Mario Bruneau

The Montréal Québec Festival "Coup de coeur francophone" was held recently in Canada. Bursting with energy and an infectious "joie de vivre", musician-dancer Benoît Bourque invited his friends for a night that traced almost three decades of traditional music in Québec. Benoît, who played the accordion, guitar and bones has been honored with the national journal prize of the Folkloric Festival of Klobrezeb, Poland and the public prize of the International Folkloric Festival from Moscow.

Performers included Raynald Ouellet (accordion and cello), Daniel Tonon (accordion and "vielle à roue"), Benoît Legault (piano) and Simon Lepage (double bass). The well received concert ended with an improvised ball where the capacity crowd danced in the aisles.

A black Giuliette Classic Continental accordion with 4 rows of free bass was stolen from Greensboro in North Carolina, USA together with a Bach B flat silver tuba. If you can help with any information on these instruments please email: tubatom@itiaccess.com or phone Tom: + 1 336-691-1119

Gary Sciascia would like some information on a "Venezia" accordion, hand made by Ludwig (Germany). It has the words "The Chromatic" on the front, "Picolo Piano Accordeon" on one side and "Ludwig Pine Trees brand" on the other side. The instrument has 8 silver corner pieces with the Ludwig name and a gold maple leaf design on the bellows. Gary believes that these were the first ever designs dating back to the late 17th/18th century. Please email any information to: gary.sciascia@ul.ie

Rasi Cush would like some information on a blue pearl Bomar accordion, which has five treble couplers. On the Back is stamped "Made in Italy 245. If you can help please email: DamienStarr@netscape.net

Janet Littlepage would like some information on a small Hohner accordion which she received over 35 years ago and was told it was "old" back then. The bellows are in good shape and the instrument still plays well. If you help please email: janl@ldd.net

http://www.accordions.com/casarzalig - updated information on the 6th Troffeo Internazionale competition to be held from June 3rd to 10th 2000 for accordion, keyboard, organ, guitar, wind and stringed instruments.