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Highlights |
Fisarmoniche in Concert - Osimo/Italyby Accordions Worldwide |
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Pictures from the Opening Concert of the series of concerts in Osimo, Italy this week. |
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DAILY REPORTS: AAA 80th Anniversary Festival, Washington - USAby Harley Jones |
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The outstanding line-up of festival guest artists also includes Grayson Masefield (NZ/Switzerland), Stas Venglevski, Mary Tokarski, Lionel Reekie (New Zealand), Joan Sommers conducting the Festival Orchestra and many more. The festival features a multitude of concerts, workshops, activities, and trade show. Link to the AAA 80th Anniversary Festival Daily Reports of pictures and videos: 2018AAA80th |
World Accordion Orchestra X, Kaunas - Lithuaniaby Harley Jones |
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![]() The event will be hosted by the CIA member The Lithuanian National Accordionists's Union from the 24-30 September, 2018, with the World Accordion Orchestra X concert taking place on Sunday, September 30th, 2018. Founded in Washington DC, in 2007 by musical director and CIA Honorary member Prof. Joan Sommers, "World Accordion Orchestra X" will perform three works from three diverse American composers. 1. Serenata by Leroy Anderson 2. Recuerdos by Amy Jo Sawyer 3. West Side Story - the CIA joins the global centennial celebration in honor of Leonard Bernstein's 100th annivesary. Conductor Prof Joan Sommers was awarded the title of Professor Emerita upon her retirement from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory of Music (USA), where she established and taught the accordion degree program for forty years. This is a unique opportunity for accordionists to apply to play in a large international orchestra at the 2018 Coupe Mondiale and enjoy the experience of playing under the renowned baton of Joan C. Sommers. Full information and application form at: "World Accordion Orchestra X" Picture below: World Accordion Orchestra IX performing in Italy. |
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International Accordion Seminar, Luslawice - Polandby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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This year’s International Accordion Seminar takes place at The Krzysztof Penderecki’s European Center for Music, Luslawice, Poland, from July 20th to 29th. The event is organized by The Krzysztof Penderecki’s European Center for Music, the Polish Accordionists’ Association, and the Fryderyk Chopin Music University (Warsaw). The program of the course will consist of individual or chamber music lessons. All participants can take part in concerts during the course. The lecturers include Professor Klaudiusz Baran, Professor Jerzy Kaszuba, Professor Giorgio Dellarole (Italy), Semion Shmelkov (Russia), Rafal Grzaka, and Grzegorz Palus. For further information email: warsztatyakordeonowe@gmail.com |
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7th Encuentro Internacional Acordeones, Salto – Uruguayby Rob Howard |
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The 7th Encuentro Internacional Acordeones takes place on Friday July 20th and Saturday July 21st, 8.30pm each evening, at the Teatro Larranga, Salto, Uruguay. On Saturday July 21st, 11am, there will be the festival’s traditional parade on Uruguay Street in Salto. In addition the Cine4D Daymán will be exhibiting the film ‘Fattoruso’ by Santiago Bednarik that shows films from previous festivals. Accordionists from all over Latin America are expected to take part in this bi-annual festival, which is organized by Silvio Previale. This year’s performers include Danilo Cruces (Chile), Carmelo Napoli (Italy), Jhonatan Agudero (Colombia), Morais Do Acordion (Brazil), Claiton Scouto (Brazil), Maicon Mezquita (Brazil), Ignacio Porras (Argentina), Santhyago Rios (picture below, who will later this year represent Argentina in Castelfidardo, Italy), and the participation of Uruguayans such as Hugo Fattoruso, accompanied by Albana Barrocas and Víctor Amaralde Tacuarembó. The Accordions of Uruguay group will perform, and for the first time the Uruguayan Popular Music Workshop of Montevideo, with several participants. Also performing will be the Linares Cardoso Orchestra (MD Rosita Ramat Ferré). |
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Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Happy 80th Birthday American Accordionists' Association - USAby Harley Jones |
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![]() Mary Tokarski warmly thanked Normand Themens at the start of the Thursday lunchtime concert. Link to the AAA 80th Anniversary Festival Daily Reports of pictures and videos: 2018AAA80th |
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Excellent Media Response to the AAA 80th Festival - USAby Harley Jones |
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There has been very extensive media reporting of the AAA 80th Anniversary by most major networks to millions of Americans. The accordion was featured on Channel 9 Breakfast News, TV Station wusa9.com and you can view that at: 2018-wusa9 There were many other TV broadcasts during the last two days including the video above by Circa.com. We will add other news links as we are supplied them and they will be included in the Daily Reports of the AAA 80th Anniversary Festival. Daily Reports of pictures and videos at: 2018AAA80th |
Smythe's Accordion Center, San Francisco - USAby Rob Howard |
![]() Smythe's Accordion Center is a small Oakland storefront on Broadway with a buzzer-entrance and an animatronic clown in the window, its shelves stuffed with largely refurbished piano accordion, chromatic-style accordions and artifacts. Kimric Smythe, a congenital tinkerer, opened the shop in 1997 on the earlier site of Meni-Ketti House of Music, which accordionist Orlando Meni-Ketti founded in the 1930s. Since then, Smythe's has become a resource as well as a repository for regional accordion lore. Smythe pulled from the shelves one unique instrument after another. Smythe employs four teacher-repairers, offers lessons for piano/chromatic style accordions, and stocks accordions ranging from $260 to more than $6,000. With manufacturing irregularities and vast differences between variants such as concertinas and melodeons, maintenance requires creativity and expertise. Smythe said "I'd say the reason people still play accordion around here is because there's somewhere to come get them fixed." |
Video: Lionel Reekie at the AAA 80th Anniversary Festival - USAby Harley Jones |
![]() This very versatile entertainer is from New Zealand and has been to the USA and many countries of the world performing live concerts and TV performances. Daily Reports of pictures and videos at: 2018AAA80th |
Video: UMKC Accordion Community Ensemble, USAby Harley Jones |
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Video of the Danse Bacchanale (from the Opera Samson e Delilah) composed by Camille Saint Saëns is performed by the UMKC (University of Missouri, Kansas City) Accordion Community Ensemble. The performance was part of the 80th AAA Anniversary Festival concert on the 12 July. Players are: Betty Jo Simon, Ron Barrow, Kevin Friedrich, Samantha Wagner, Ron Dake, Cathy Weiss, Joyce Davis, Joan C. Sommers. Their program was: Fuga 9 by A. Piazzoll Danse (Tarantell Styrienne) by Claude Debussy Concerto per Archi by Nina Rota Blue Swan and Fuga by Stas Venglevski Danse Bacchanale by Saint Saëns. Daily Reports of pictures and videos at: 2018AAA80th |
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Essequintet plays Bugari EVOby Marco Cinaglia |
Facebook Marco Cinaglia posted in Bugari Evo. Marco Cinaglia September 8 at 3:31 AM Essequintet Essequintet plays Bugari EVO |
Future events |
Barry Bless @ Bastille Day event, Virginia – USAby Rob Howard |
Accordion entertainer ‘Professor’ Barry Bless performs on Saturday July 14th, 2pm, in a Bastille Day event at the restaurant Crème de la Crème, 3156 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221. |
Bal Musette, Tokyo - Japanby Rob Howard |
On Saturday July 14th, 7.30pm, Bastille Day is celebrated at the Music Palace, 1-49-2 Minami Otsuka Toshima-ku, Tokyo, with a dance to French musette music played by Iriyoshi Riko - accordion, Yoshiko Matsuo – violin, Tomoaki Sugawara – guitar, and Takasago Ogasawara – bass. Tickets - 3,500 yen. |
Bon Accords @ Annan St Andrews Accordion & Fiddle Club, Scotland – UKby Rob Howard |
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On Sunday July 15th, 7.30pm, the Bon Accords perform as guests at the Annan St Andrews Accordion & Fiddle Club, St Andrews Social Club, Standalane, Annan, Dumfries and Galloway DG12 5JW. The Bon Accords are husband and wife accordionists Robin and Deyn Waitt. Robin plays the Shand Morino 3-row British chromatic button accordion, fitted with M.I.D.I. Deryn plays piano accordion – also with M.I.D.I, and is the main vocalist. The Bon Accords play a wide variety of music, but especially Scottish and Irish ceilidh dance tunes and songs. They play at many of the traditional music festivals, and have appeared on TV and radio in Scotland and Ireland. The Bon Accords are popular in the exiled Irish communities, and have entertained in Tyneside Irish Centre on many St. Patrick’s Days. They are also proud to have appeared on shows with many of their favourite Irish artists, including Dermot O’Brien, Bridie Gallagher, Philomena Begley, The Indians, Paddy Reilly, Brendan Shine, Johnny McEvoy, The Bachelors, Foster & Allen, etc. For further information email: robinwaitt@aol.com |
Accordion Workshops, Alaska – USAby Rob Howard |
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Miroslav Nisic Concert, Berlin - Germanyby Rob Howard |
On Monday July 16th, 7.30pm, Serbian accordionist Miroslav Nisic performs in concert at Kammermusiksaal, (Berlin Philharmonie), Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße, Berlin. There is free admission. Miroslav Nisic, from Leskovac, Serbia, lives in Essen, Germany, where he has studied Bachelor and Masters degrees in accordion with Mie Miki and Heidi Luosujarvi at the Folkwang Universitat der Kunste. |
Nick Ballerini Concert, Michigan – USAby Rob Howard |
![]() Nick Ballerini accordionist, pianist, and bandleader is a versatile musician. He plays for weddings, corporate events and jazz festivals as a pianist and bandleader, as well as playing his accordion at Irish, French, Italian and German themed events. His repertoire ranges from classical to pop to the many ethnic styles associated with the accordion. During his career he has played with many prominent musicians such as Luciano Pavarotti, Mel Torme and The Chieftans. He has become a favorite of accordion clubs around the USA, and is available to play solo or with a band. |
Karen Tweed and Karen Street Concert, Bath, Bransford – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() Thursday July 19th, 7pm - Museum of Architecture, The Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel, The Paragon, Bath, Somerset BA1 5NA; tickets: £8 Friday 20th July 20th, 8pm – The Fold, New house Farm, Bransford, Worcestershire WR6 5JB; tickets: £10 (advance) / £12 (on the door); food available from 6.30pm Karen Tweed is a former All Ireland Champion, and a specialist in Irish and Scandinavian traditional folk music. Karen Street was twice an All Britain Virtuoso Champion, and is nowadays a notable jazz musician on both accordion and saxophone. Tweed and Street have recently successfully collaborated several times in special days of teaching and playing accordion with large groups of accordionists, and these events are in aid of supporting the Alzheimer’s Society. For further information email: karen@karenstreet.com |
Jazz Accordion Summer Course, Arnhem – Netherlandsby Rob Howard |
![]() Rik Cornelissen is a contemperary jazz and classical accordionist, whose broad education and knowledge of styles enable him to present the accordion as a modern and versatile instrument. Rik debuted with his solo album ‘Traveller’ in 2014, which received excellent reviews. He worked in many different projects for YoOpera, Opera Minora and Opera Zuid (as musical leader) and as a session musician for the movies ‘Zwartboek’ (Paul Verhoeven), ‘Van Gogh: een huis voor Vincent’ (Pim Hoeve) and ‘Theatershow NU!’ (Mini & Maxi). Rik studied Bachelor Classical Music and Argentinian Tango (Codarts, Rotterdam 2006) and Master Jazz & Pop (ArtEZ University of Arts, Arnhem 2009). After his studies he travelled through South and Central America for over 9 months and continued his education in Italy with the classical and contemporary accordionist Claudio Jacomucci. For further information email: info@rikcoenilissen.com |
`Ken and Mary Turbo Accordions Express` Concerts, Indiana – USAby Rob Howard |
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The `Ken and Mary Turbo Accordions Express` performs at the `Freudenfest` Oldenburg, Indiana, on Friday July 20th at 4pm and Saturday July 21st at 11am. `Freudenfest` (`Friendship Festival`) is known as the “biggest little German fest in the Mid-West”. It has an expected attendance of about 50,000. Ken and Mary have worked as an accordion duo for many years, playing all varieties of music for events mostly around the Midwest of the USA. For further information email: kenandmarymusik@yahoo.com |
Book Launch and Concert, County Cavan – Irish Republicby Rob Howard |
The launch of ‘Book 2 Bunch of Keys’ will take place in Drumkilly Hall, Kilnaleck, County Cavan, on Friday July 20th, commencing at 8pm. The programme is headlined by accordionist Mick Foster (of Foster & Allen fame) accompanied by pianist Moyra Fraser – a great night for accordion enthusiasts and Irish music lovers. There will be great music, song and entertainment on the night plus refreshments, followed by a session afterwards in The Copper Kettle, Kilnaleck. ‘Book 2 Bunch of Keys’ is a sequel, featuring Irish traditional tunes arranged by various piano accordion players and complete with a CD of the music by the players involved. |
Paolo Bertoli July Dance Gigs List – Italyby Rob Howard |
![]() Paolo Bertoli, was born in Wales, UK, of Italian parents, in 1974. He began playing the accordion at the age of seven, and later moved to Italy, where he formed a dance orchestra that performs in dance halls throughout mainly northern Italy. His orchestra has also played at a function in Paris, France, for many consecutive years. For further information email: info@orchestraballolischio.com |
New and Updated Sites |
Updated Site: Donald E. Grzanna New music - USAby Harley Jones |
![]() eSheet (pdf format) sheet music able to be emailed to you. View sample and purchase at Catalog: grza152D |
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |