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News from 8th November 1996



This weeks titles:



COUPE MONDIALE

International Competition for Accordion Soloists
Dunajska Streda, Slovakia
October 16th-20th 1996

Results

Presidents Report

The General Manager of the 1996 Coupe Mondiale in Slovakia, Prof. Tibor Racz, supported by the Conservatory of Bratislava and the City of Dunajska Streda worked hard and attracted a record number of entries to this well organised event.

From welcome drinks and reception on board the ship Zilnia cruising from Bratislava, the scene was set for three days of continuous accordion activity. There were three classes, with the new Junior class receiving great spectator interest. Also attracting crowds was the popular Virtuoso Entertainment class which was run in one enjoyable afternoon session. The Coupe Mondiale itself was run in three sections. The results of all these classes are listed below.

Also enjoyed was a number of concert items by soloists, orchestras and a concerto with symphony orchestra. Those attending had the opportunity to see the accordion performing almost every type of music imaginable.


Results

From Professor Walter Maurer
Secretary General, Confederation Internationale des Accordionistes, IMC-UNESCO

Senior Division

1st Peter Katina (Slovakia)
2nd Damir Soulatov (Kazachstan)
3rd Pavel Runov (Ukraine)

Other Finalists
Sergej Borisov (Russia), Oleg Melnikov (Russia) and Alexander Milojevic (Yugoslavia)

Second Round Candidates
Wladim Skriptschenko (Ukraine), Bojan Spica (Yugoslavia)

Other Candidates
Philippe Bourloise (France), Gintaras Mameniskus (Litavia) and Elisabeth Millard (France).

Junior Division

1st Milan Mitrovic (Yugoslavia)
2nd Sergej Tchirkov (Russia)
3rd Vladimir Blagojevic (Yugoslavia)

Other Finalists
Branko Djordjevic (Yugoslavia), Dmitr Konovalov (Russia), Tarja Allakokko (Finland), Melanie Bregant (France), Ondrj Benko (Slovakia), Carole Unal (France), Claude Souvage (France)

Other Candidates
Guillaume Hodeau (France), Ilja Kryukov (Kazachstan), Frantisek Bales (Slovakia), Mona-Lisa Malvalehto (Finland), Peter Sedlak (Czech Republic), Stepanka Oberlova (Czech Republic), Heine Skov Jensen (Denmark), Marketa Bartosova (Czech Republic), Zuzana Hrabovska (Slovakia), Marian Nedkov (Bulgaria)

Virtuoso Entertainment

1st= Julian Labro (France), Lelo Nika (Denmark)
3rd Aurelain Noel (France)

Other Candidates
Michael Carret-Dalmais (France), Stephanie Courtot-Renoux (France), Jerome Richard (France), Sebastian Debard (France), Michael Reyner (France), Alexander Leataud (France), Marielle Roy (France), Herwig Paychar (Austria), Alexander (Russia), Niclas Nyman (Sweden), Segej Barvik (Ukraine), Marian Nedkov (Bulgaria), Ilse Hansel (Germany)


CIA Presidents Report

Presented by Ove Hahn
18th October 1996
96th General Assembly of Delegates Congress



These lines are being written with feeling's of good hope for the future. I am talking about both the accordion in general and the Coupe Mondiale and its development.

Regarding the Coupe Mondiale the situation has been changing fast. Some years ago, there was one year when we did not have any Coupe Mondiale at all.

In 1995 we had reasons to be happy over a well arranged Coupe Mondiale where the competitors were many. This year the competitors are more than they have ever been (as far as I know). This is a very positive development and the reasons are two mainly.

One reason is that we've got one more category; "Junior". That means another 15 to 20 competitors. They alone are more that the whole Coupe Mondiale has sometimes been! My sincere thanks to those who came up with this "Junior" idea, replacing the tape competition!

The fact that there are so many competitors this year in Dunajska, Streda may have several reasons. One must, of course, be that the organisers in Slovakia have done very good work. Another reason may be that people in the eastern European countries did not have many possibilities to take part in an event like this. But there is also, according to my belief, one more reason.

During some recent years in the 90's we have met the phenomenon of "World music". Different types of music from different cultures have been performed more or less everywhere. Today you meet Asian, Arabian, and Carribean music as a type of popular music. Sometimes these types of music have met each other and formed new types of music like when, for instance, Arabian music meets rock. The result is "Rai". The most well known star in that style is Khaled. He is not only a tremendous singer, he also plays the accordion! And - not to be forgotten - with "World music" we are nowadays, meeting musical instruments earlier seldom seen and heard. As something quite natural we meet accordion, alp horns, singing from Lappland, bag pipes and instruments we do not even know the names of. All of this is part of the popular music world and we don't hear silly jokes about "squeeze boxes" any longer.

The way popular music trends meet "World music" has shaped more open minds. At the same time the Coupe Mondiale has grown more popular thanks to it's categories "Brilliant entertainment" and "Junior".

Let's make the most out of this situation! There is a good possibility in this fact that the Coupe Mondiale grows more popular and not only an event for specialists in contemporary original music. As the audience for the accordion grows we also get a chance to show what the original music for the accordion has to offer. But we know too well that the original music alone does not bring the instrument any new audience.

We have, apparently, found a new way to reach a wider audience. Let's go on with that!




RUDOLF WURTHNER COMPETITION RESULTS

Trossingen, Germany, October 18th to 20th 1996

From Martin Frey

ACCORDION ORCHESTRAS
Place Orchestra name Conductor Award
1st Orchestar der Akkordeonfreunde Florsheim Wolfgang R. WagnerOutstanding Cup
2nd I. Durener Akkordeonrochester Herbert Nolte Excellence Cup
3rd = Akkordia 73 e.V. Crumstadt Herma FinstererExcellence Cup
3rd = Akkordeonorchester der MS Gaggenau Hans BognerExcellence Cup
5th Harmonika-Spielring 1. Orch. Boblingen Gunther StollExcellent
6th Harmonika-Orchester Endersbach Edmund HolzwarthExcellent
7th Bremer Akkordeon-Ensemble Helmut RohlExcellent
8th Akkordeonorchester LAD Minsk/Welssrussland Wladimir ArtimowitschExcellent
9th Akkordeonorchester der Moerser Musikschule Guido WagnerVery Good
10th Akkordeonorchester 79 der MS Dortmund Manfred WeissVery Good
11th Hermonikaclub Reutlingen Horst AmannVery Good
12th Akkordeonorchester Grenzach H.F. WestphalVery Good
13th Akkordeonorchester des harmonikaclubs friedrichshafen Walter WagnerVery Good
14th Akkordeonorchester der MS Oberhausen-Bottrop Rolf DonnerVery Good
15th Akkordeonensemble Kern Stafa Silvie KernVery Good
16th Akkordeonorchester Hohnerhange Marl Ralf KruckGood
17th Konzertorchester des Harmonika-Clubs Sulzburg Slegfried DecklerGood
18th Harmonikaverein Ulm Soflingen Thomas SuechlaGood
19th Association Accordeonistes Rancennes M CottelGood
20th AO der Musikschule Dorsten Ralf KruckGood

The winner also received a special prize for the best Wurthner arrangement.

AMATEUR ENSEMBLES
Place Ensemble Name Award
1st Akkordeon-Ensemble der Kreismusikschule Erding Outstanding Cup
2nd Maiglockchen-Ensemble Outstanding Cup
3rd Durener Akkordeon Ensemble Outstanding Cup
4th Akkordeon Spielring Rielasingen/Worbingen Outstanding Cup
5th Markgraflor Akkordeon-Ensemble Excellence Plate
6th Quisitho-Quartett Excellence Plate
7th Akkordeon-Ensemble Schwabach Very Good
8th Akkordeon-Ensemble Tritonus Dortmund Very Good
9th Ensemble der Musikreunde Hochwang-Erkenbrechtsweiler Very Good
10th= Akkordeon-Ensemble der Musikschule Berlin-Neukolln Very Good
10th= Hohnenzollern-Ensemble Grosselfingen Very Good
12th Diatonisches Harmonika-Ensemble Nuenburg, Deutschland Very Good
13th Ensemble des Akkordeonorchesters Luzerne Very Good
14th Espressivo Helbronn Good
15th Ensemble des 1. Handharmonika Club 1958 Good
16th Akkordeon-Ensemble der Harmonika-Freunde Kirchhausen Good

PROFESSIONAL ENSEMBLES
Place
Ensemble Name
Award
1st Akkordeon Ensemble Schwabisch-Cmund Outstanding Cup
2nd Virtuoso Weert /NL Excellent
3rd Akkordeon-Ensemble der Hauer-Musikschule Very Good


TROPHEE MONDIALE

2nd to 6th October 1996
Avgrave, Portugal


From Holda Paoletti-Kampl

Faro, the enchanting capital of the Algrave region, situated in the far south of Portugal was the site for this 1996 competition. The town welcomed with great enthusiasm the participants from fifteen nations taking part in the 46th edition of the Trophee Mondiale of Accordion, organised by the Confederation Mondiale de l'Accordeon. For this occasion, the local tourist operators arranged two fabulous music evenings in which several of the participants performed. The young accordionists were welcomed by enthusiastic audiences each day of the competition.

The Awards Ceremony was held on the last night, with the three highest placed accordionists performing excerpts from their programme in the Gala Concert that followed. The winner, Oivind Farmen performed two pieces, which was an excellent way to finish. The date for the next Trophee Mondiale was set for the 1st October 1997 in Escaldes-Engordany in Andorra.


Results

Senior Division

1st Oivind Farman (Norway)
2nd Milos Todorvski (Macedonia)
3rd Agnes Sofie Flaten (Norway)

Other Candidates
Jana Frolekova (Solvakia), David Vendramin (Italy), Carolina Oliver (Spain), Gianluca Pica (Italy), Ivana Volf (Croatia), Susana Cenillo (Spain)

Junior Division

1st Milan Mitrovic (Yugoslavia)
2nd Marko Zivadinovic (Yugoslavia)
3rd Vladimir Blagojevic (Yugoslavia)

Other Candidates
Guillaume Hodeau (France), Claude Sauvage (France), Branko Duordevic (Yugoslavia), Pascada Goncalo (Portugal), Dario Marchese (San Marino), Fabio Mattoli (Italy), Miren Gabirondo (Spain), Christel Sautaux (Switzerland), Diego Pincarelli (San Marino), Francesca Cosenza (San Marino), David Forcellini (San Marino)

Variety

1st Renoux Ceurtot (France)
2nd Julian Labro (France)
3rd Lorenzo Munari (Italy)

Other Candidates
Milena Stevanovic (Yugoslavia), Carolie Minder (Switzerland), Carla M Henriquez (Portugal), Ana Sofia Rodriguez (Portugal), Valero Fontan (Portugal), Martin Molina (Portugal), Correia Lourenco (South Africa)




INTERNATIONAL AWARD:

"CITTA DI CASTELFIDARDO"

6th to 13th October 1996

From Holda Paoletti-Kampl

The 21st Anniversary of the International Award for accordions "Citta of Castelfidardo" was held in Italy, with contestants coming from 19 nations and a jury from 13 nations.

A large list of awards and scholarships were awarded to many of the participants. These were offered by accordion manufacturers and by the organiser of the event, the city of Castelfidardo. A special award was granted to Vitali Semionov (only 10 years old) from Moscow, who was the youngest participant. His music was greatly appreciated by all.

In addition to the classical accordion music was a new section for enthusiasts of contempory music, called "The accordion from folk to jazz and from rock to avant-garde". This was a presentation of contemporary musicians in their wide artistic variety. It showed the difference between various kinds of music and culture, and that the accordion is becoming more readily incorporated in rock, folk and jazz music performing in groups with other instruments.

During the course of the week, all passed their respects for the two recently deceased accordionists, Orfeo Burattini, Director of the Accordion Orchestra "Citta di Castelfidardo" and Gorni Kramer, internationally renowned jazz performer.

GOLDEN MASTER AWARD

Also during the weekend, the "Golden Master" trophy for services to the accordion was awarded to Gina Brannelli of England. Past recipiants of this award have been Pino Di Modugno and Gervasio Marcosignori.

Gina Brannelli has two degrees from the Musical Academy of Music, was the UK Champion twice, and represented Great Britian at the Coupe Mondiale International Competition. She has appreared numerous time on television, and for 7 years entertained on the cruiseship "Queen Elizabeth II". Today she has an accordion school with over 160 students. She wished to particularly thank Gervasio Marcosignori for his help throughout her career, and to Master for their sponsorship of the award.



AIR NEW ZEALAND ACCORDION ORCHESTRA

9th International Goodwill Concert Tour to Europe
27th August to 27th September 1996

From Martin Frey
"A festival of sound on the accordion"
"The audience went "out of their hous" (out of their skin)
"Accordion music for gourmet"
"Standing ovation for musicians with a great radiance"
"Firework for sense with music and dance"

These are some of the compliments in the journals and newspapers from the press and public relations after their performances. The orchestra performed in Vevey, Boblingen, (Stuttgart area), Zurich, three concerts in Saalfelden, Ebikon, Rheinfelden, Lodrino, Waldshut, Kirchberg, Baden Baden, Albisrieden, Lauterbrunnen, Munchen, Hochenschwand, Pforzheim, Kuppenheim, Gladenbach. Everywhere the audience was at one: We have seen and heard one of the best accordion orchestra performances, what ever they play!

On their tour through Switzerland, Austria and Germany there became a fanclub. They travelled from concert place to concert place and at each concert the fanclub grew bigger and bigger. The highest point was in Waldshut, in the full townhall, which turned out to be like a family meeting.

Besides the musical contacts, the hosts and the tour members enjoyed very much the warm personal contacts, and a lot of addresses and phone numbers were exchanged. On this tour the orchestra was not camping as much as on past tours. Instead the members enjoyed being guests in private homes and other times the orchestra was in lodging.

After each performance, the host organiser was presented with a video from New Zealand and a CD of the orchestra by Co Director Heather Masefield, who also did a wonderful job as the compere. The conductor Fay-ellen Schaw, besides all the congratulations received presents from each region and compliments for the fine concerts.

The leaders from the orchestra are:

Fay-ellen Schaw (conductor, tour organiser)
Harley Jones (sound engineer, tour organiser)
Heather Masefield (compere)
Gary Daverne (conductor, arranger and composer)
Sarah Langley (instructor and sound engineer)

Together with Lionel Reekie and Rebecca Cameron (vocalists)they all enjoyed very successful performances.

Also travelling with the orchestra was the famous accordion soloist Campbell Bettridge, a past winner of both the Australian and New Zealand Solo Championships. A highlight of his career was performing in Beijing, China for the Chinese Accordion Association. He played original works from J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel.

The spectrum of the repertoire by the Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra was outstanding. The music ranged from the original classical work 'Russian and Ludmilla' by Glinka and the famous piece 'Dance of the Furries' from the opera 'Orpheus in the Underworld' by Gluck, to folk music, to excellent arrangements of Pop and Rock 'n' Roll music. These arrangements are by Gary Daverne, who also conducted his own famous piece 'Caprice'. The audience really enjoyed this excellent composition.

It was not easy to say which piece was the best. It's really just a theoretic and philosophic question, because the orchestra was so compact and the performances so excellent, each piece had it's own charm. A journalist told me "Who knows? It's all just excellent! For me one piece that was very impressive was the piece from the opera 'La Traviata', performed by Lionel Reekie and Rebecca Cameron. Both have excellent voices for such music and it went cold down my back, when I listened to this song". Somebody likes this piece and somebody likes that piece. This is how the orchestra touched the thoughts! Music for everybody, and variety of music got a lot of positive audience reaction.

From the tour organisers, through the personal contact of Uli Ebner and Martin Frey and all of the very helpful accordion orchestras, culture associations, we have the same opinion: A very big thankyou! We'll do it all again in the year 2000 another European a concert tour for the famous Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra.



ACCORDION ON THE TELEVISION

As heard on CNN Broadcast, 26th October

Joseph Kerschbaumer, a farmer from Linz in northern Austria, has found a new way of getting a better milk yeild from his cows, by playing traditional Austrian folk music on his accordion!! He says by doing this he can get up to two more litres per cow, because they are stimulated milk is released a lot easier.

He says the cows enjoy most music, but the they have a preference for traditional Austrian polkas. He explains they get a glaze in their eyes, and become curious, and have fun.

Joseph's children are following in their father's footsteps. His six year old son Oliver practices his accordion to the pigs. They seem to find it fun also. It will be interesting to hear whether or not these pigs will produce better tasting pork!!

The announcer of this item even ended with the pun "The Sound of Mooosic!!"



OBITUARY

John Molinari

It is noted with much sadness that John Molinari passed away on October 23rd, aged 52. He was son of the accordion legend John Molinari senior, and was an excellent accordionist himself. In past years John senior and junior had made concert tours together and John junior performed on the accordion in a number of professional musicals in the USA.





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