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NAO Executive Committee 2016

RAYMOND BODELL

President of the Conféderation Internationale des Accordeonistes - CIA (2009 - )

NAO Chairperson for a total of 14 years since 1992.

Vice President of the CMA (2006- ) and Principal of the British College of Accordionists.
Raymond achieved all Diplomas of the BCA by the age of 17 before gaining diplomas from the London College and Trinity College of Music. Successfully competed in many festivals including gaining first prize in the UK Virtuoso, Senior, Bell Trophy and Junior solo titles, competing internationally in various festivals. He continued his accordion studies in France for 2 years under the helm of Jacques Mornet.

Raymond has extensive adjudicating experience at numerous international festivals including the Castelfidardo (Italy), Baltica Harmonica (St. Petersburg), Ascolate (Lithuania), Harbin (China), Jeunesse Musicale (Slovakia), International Grand Prix (France & Switzerland), Samara (Russia), Sata-Häme Soi (Finland), Accordionists and Teachers Guild - ATG (USA), Roland International Digital Accordion Festival (Italy), Pula International Accordion Festival (Croatia) as well as on numerous occasions at the Coupe Mondiale events.

He believes strongly that our young accordionists are the future and to this end must be given every opportunity.

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ANNA BODELL is an active member of the NAO Executive Committee, having first served as Minute Secretary in 2001, as an Executive member since 2003 and Deputy Chairperson, NAO Internet Secretary maintaining and is now currently serving her 3rd year as NAO Chairperson. At the UK Championships she has served as Timetabler, Programme Co-ordinator and Trophy Manager. Anna is also Administrator of the British College of Accordionists.

On an International level Anna was a member of the NAO Organising Committee of the Coupe Mondiale 2001 and was the Organiser of the 2008 event held in Glasgow. She was appointed CIA Honorary Vice President for 2008 and has attended recent CIA Congresses as an NAO delegate in Austria, Italy, Germany, China, Croatia, New Zealand, Finland, Norway, Macedonia, Spain, Bratislava and when hosted by the NAO, also as a delegate at the CMA Congress in USA, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Anna is currenty Secetary of the CIA Music Committee and has been the Administrator for the CMA since 2010.

ROBERT FLETCHER is an active member, having been the NAO Treasurer for the past 16 years and the UK Trade Coordinator at the UK Championships. He has been the Co-ordinator of UK Championships and now manages the office at the championships .He plays accordion, electronic and Church organ, trombone, euphonium and bass. He has been a member of the Weaver valley Accordion Band. Robert was also a member of the NAO 2008 CIA Coupe Mondiale organising Committee and NAO Associate Award winner in 2009.

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WENDY FARRAN began to play the accordion at 11, having gained a Bachelors degree and Dip Mus. She is now a member of the Weaver Valley Accordion band, composes and arranges for the accordion as well as teaching and playing professionally.

Wendy has served on the NAO Executive Committee for many years holding various offices including previously Festival Headquarters Manager.

Alicia has played the accordion from the age of 5 having begun to take some BCA Grades and competing at her local NAO Accordion Festivals. During her childhood she continued with piano, clarinet and saxophone lessons. In her teenage years played Tenor Saxophone with the West Cheshire Schools Concert Band.

Alicia made her first appearance with the Weaver Valley Accordion Band aged 6 where she played the tambourine at the Stockport Area Festival! Alicia continues to play accordion with the Weaver Valley Accordion Band of which she is a valued member.

Having helped at the NAO National Championships and also attended the Coupe Mondiale in Salzburg 2015, Alicia now feels the time is right for her to give her time and energy to supporting the NAO in promoting the accordion

Karolyn began the accordion at the age of 9, going on to study at the Leicester school of music, gaining the LBCA Performers diploma. Karolyn a past co-opted NAO Executive officer is a well-known Composer, adjudicator, teacher, and BCA examiner.

Karolyn has been a member of the BCA Orchestra which has made numerous successful recordings and has arranged music for a variety of musical productions.

She wishes to continue to contribute to the accordion world and further actively participate in the NAO.

ALISTAIR GILLESPIE following his return from South Africa he has taken a keen interest in all things connected with the accordion in this country and is an Chief Examiner and local representative for the BCA in Scotland.

He has been an adjudicator for the NAO many years, and has always found time between his own very successful teaching commitments to give support and advice to, and promotion of the aims and ideas of the NAO and wishes to continue to contribute in whatever way he can. Alistair was the NAO Merit Award recipient in 2009.

HARRY HINCHCLIFFE started playing the accordion at the age of 8, competing in many NAO and other festivals. In 1980, he founded the Craven School of Music, preparing students successfully for both exams and competitions at all levels as well as playing professionally.

Harry has been the North Central Area Festival organiser for years, and has served for many years as an Executive Officer of the NAO.

PAULINE NOON has long been associated with the NAO (since 1958), assisting in the organisation of the National Championships "Accordion Day" from 1965 to 1970 as well as serving as NAO General Secretariat from 1998 - 2008 and is currently NAO Membership Secretary
She was appointed Secretary of the British College of Accordionists in 1965, a role she held until 2009.

Having played with the BCA Orchestra, BCA Chamber Quartet and Francis Wright Players for a number of years, she is now a member of the Leicester Accordion Orchestra. She was co-founder of the Charnwood Publishing Company. In 2003 she received the NAO Merit Award in honour of her long service to the accordion.

DOUGLAS WARD is an accordionist, adjudicator and composer. As a professional musician for many years, the accordion has taken him literally around the world, as leader of a small group aboard the world's finest ocean liners, including the original Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2). Whilst at sea, he acquired a great love for passenger ships, and went on to become a world-renowned expert in the field. He resided in the USA for 20 years, where he furthered his musical studies - including composition, and worked as an arranger and transcriber for Hansen Publications, the third largest music publisher in the USA, and accompanied opera singer Barbara Noska. He has been a governing member of the NAO since the 1960s, and has served as a member of the NAO Music Committee for several years

 

NAO Music Committee 2016

GRAHAM LAURIE - Music Committee Chairperson, Graham has served on the Executive Committee for many years including one year as NAO Chairperson and three years as Deputy Chair.

He won the All Scotland Accordion Championships on a number of occasions and went on to represent Scotland at the National Championships.

Besides his own teaching commitments at his own Music Academy, he has been an adjudicator at NAO Festivals for many years and since 2004 has regularly represented the NAO as a Jury member at the CIA (World Championships) including recently at the 2008 event in Glasgow. As a holder of BCA Diploma’s he holds the position of Vice Principal and regularly examines at centres throughout the UK.
 

LBCA(TD), ABCA(TD), LBCA

Born in 1985, Larysa achieved all three Diplomas of the British College of Accordionists by the age of 17. She successfully competed in many accordion festivals including gaining first prize in the UK Virtuoso, Senior Recital, 17 & Under and 15 & Under UK National titles and has competed internationally in various festivals including the CIA, CMA and Castelfidardo festivals.

Larysa is now an Examiner of the British College of Accordionists and a regular adjudicator and the NAO UK Championships and at Area Festivals.   In recent years she has developed her skills on the Roland Digital Accordion and In 2009 was 2nd prizewinner in the Digital category at the CIA Coupe Mondiale held in New Zealand.