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Highlights |
Review: Rita Barnea at Ksenija Sidorova Carnegie Hall Debut - USA
American Accordionists' Association (AAA) Election Results - USA
22nd Northern Ireland Open Accordion Championships, Carrickfergus – UK
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Video: Arseniy Strokovskiy Performing Scarlatti, Kragujevac - Serbia
Acme Accordion School Breathes New Life into Old Fashioned Instrument, New Jersey – USA
Cody McSherry to Perform at Kennedy Center on November 20 - USA
Future events |
Mario Milani, Somma Lombardo – Italy
Budapest Café Orchestra Tour Dates, Northamptonshire, Southampton, Dorset - UK
Ivan Filipchyk Concert, New York – USA
6th Edition de Reunion Accordeon 2018 - Reunion Island
7th Accordeon Harmonica Festival, Radstake – Netherlands
24th Festival de l’Accordeon, Châtellerault – France
Accordion Orchestra Concert, Berlin – Germany
‘Heather and Shamrocks’ Show, Sydney - Australia
‘Violette Fugasse’ Musical Drama, Paris – France
St Andrews Weekend, Scotland – UK
Festival Medard Ferrero, Drancy – France
Bavarian Evening for Charity, West Midlands – UK
Guy Klucevsek in Concert in Albuquerque on December 2 - USA
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Highlights |
Alexander Sevastian Memorial Concert, Minsk – Belarusby Rob Howard |
 A Memorial Concert for Alexander Sevastian (1976-2018) takes place at Verkhnii Gorod, Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on Saturday November 17th, 7pm. Several leading accordionists, including the Paris Moscou Duo – Roman Jbanov and Domi Emorine, will perform in homage.Alexander Sevastian died suddenly on February 16th 2018 in Mexico during a tour of South America with the Quartetto Gelato. Alexander Sevastian’s many achievements including winning 2007 CIA Coupe Mondiale in Washington, DC. In 2001 he moved to Toronto, Canada, where he was a prominent and much admired accordionist. He has been widely mourned. Alexander is survived by his wife Anna, his children Vlad and Maria, his mother Nadya and brother Vitali. |
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Review: Rita Barnea at Ksenija Sidorova Carnegie Hall Debut - USAby Rita Davidson Barnea |
 Video: Musical performance at 2015 World.Minds Annual Symposium, Zurich, Switzerland.On Saturday evening, November 10, 2018, I had the pleasure to hear accordionist Ksenija Sidorova and mandolinist, Avi Avital perform with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra to a full house at Carnegie (2,800 seat Stern) Hall, New York. At this event, they premiered two new concertos: - the Double concerto “Monomachia” for Mandolin, Accordion and Chamber Orchestra by very popular British film music composer Benjamin Wallfisch; and - J S Bach’s “Concerto for Accordion and Mandolin in C Minor, BWV 1060R” arranged by Paul Chihara. The first selection performed by Ksenija and Avi was Benjamin Wallfisch’s “Monomachia” Concerto for Mandolin and Accordion. The orchestra accompaniment included flute, oboe, clarinet bassoon, horn, trumpet, percussion and strings. Accordionist Ksenija Sidorova displays amazing talent and a fiery stage presence. I was mesmerized by her accurate, virtuosic technique and her ability to demonstrate a great range of dynamics and feelings. Ksenija and Avi performed with great virtuosity, expressiveness and intensity which made the “Double Concerto in C Minor” by Bach, a composition frequently reorchestrated, highly relevant and popular for todays audiences. After the performance of the final selection, “Hungarian Serenade, Op. 25, Ksenjija and Avital received enthusiastic and continuous applause from the appreciative audience and they returned to the stage performing a duet. Their performance was of such high quality that the audience “demanded” another encore! All would have been happy with even a third selection! I highly recommend that you attend one of their concerts. Picture below: Ksenija Sidorova, Rita Barnea and Avi Avital. |
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American Accordionists' Association (AAA) Election Results - USAby Harley Jones |
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  Voting for AAA Officers by the AAA membership has just taken place and the results were announced at the November Board meeting. The results are as follows: Current 1st Vice-President Dr Joe Ciccone (picture left) stood for President and current AAA President Mary Tokarski (picture right performing at the AAA 80th Anniversary Festival) stood and was elected AAA 1st Vice-President. Terms begin on January 1, 2019 and last for two years. Dr. Joe Ciccone – President Mary Tokarski – 1st Vice President Linda Reed – 2nd Vice President Ray Oreggia – Treasurer Rachel Quirbach – Secretary |
22nd Northern Ireland Open Accordion Championships, Carrickfergus – UKby Rob Howard |
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 The 22nd annual Northern Ireland Open Accordion Championships are being held in the Loughshore Hotel, Carrickferus, Larne, on Saturday February 23rd 2019, running from 9 am to 5 pm. The organiser is local accordion teacher Clyde Johnston (picture right). Subject to entries and agreement with the competitors some sections may be held on the Sunday morning.The Prize Presentation will take place at a Gala Concert and Ceilidh Dance on the Saturday evening in the hotel. There will also be a 'Free & Easy' concert on the Friday night from 8 pm-10 pm featuring top accordionists from the UK and Ireland. The hotel has special rates that weekend and anyone wishing to stay over should book early as it was fully booked last year. Please mention the Accordion Championships when booking. The 21st Championships held earlier this year attracted a huge entry and early indications suggest this could be surpassed in 2019 with competitors from England, Scotland and the Irish Republic as well as a strong local entry. Catering for all types of accordion music with Solo, Duet, Group, Orchestral and Marching Band Sections suitable for all ages and grades and ranging in styles from classical and continental to traditional it promises to be a musical feast with three halls in use all day. The Championships are run under the rules of the National Accordion Organisation (NAO) of the United Kingdom and are a qualifying heat for the 2019 NAO UK Championships, held at The Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, April 26th to 28th 2019. This means that any UK resident who competes in an NAO Section at the Championships will have qualified to compete in the relevant Section of the UK Championships. In addition to the NAO Sections a number of Non-NAO Sections have been introduced including Irish Traditional and, for the first time, Jimmy Shand and Shand Morino Sections. Full competition details are now available. The closing date for entries is December 31st 2018. For further information email: clydejohnston@hotmail.co.uk |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
2019 NAA Convention, "Save the Date" and "Call For Presenters" - USAby Norman Seaton |
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| 2019 National Accordion Association (NAA) Accordion Convention (Dallas area) & Call for Presenters Convention dates are: March 6-9, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency, Richardson, Texas. Convention and hotel registration opens Dec. 1, 2018. 2019 "Call for Presenters" Offer closes Nov 30, 2018. This is an accordion-driven convention. Thus, individuals interested in teaching and/or managing any events during the convention is to fill out the form. The link is on the Home Page of NAA. Interested? Go to the web page and fill out the form. Know someone who should be presenting at the convention? Send them to our web page. All of you, mark that calendar, it will be another fun National Accordion Association (NAA) Convention. Sent by Norman Seaton, NAA President Email: NatlAccordion@SBCGlobal.net |
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Video: Arseniy Strokovskiy Performing Scarlatti, Kragujevac - Serbiaby Harley Jones |
| International competition laureate Arseniy Strokovskiy (Russia) performs the Domenico Scarlatti - Sonata K69 L382 f-moll at a 2016 concert in Kragujevac, Serbia. |
Acme Accordion School Breathes New Life into Old Fashioned Instrument, New Jersey – USAby Rob Howard |
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| The following article was published in the New Jersey Monthly magazine: For Joanna Darrow (picture above), the accordion is more than an instrument. She describes it as “an extension of your soul and your whole being.” Darrow teaches accordionists of all ages at the Acme Accordion School, a 70-year-old institution in Haddon Township. Darrow’s late husband, Stanley, opened the school in 1948, at a time when interest in the accordion seemed to be at an all-time high. “It was the rage,” says Darrow. “Even bigger than when the guitar came through.” The accordion was squeezed out of fashion in the 1970s, but Stanley was undeterred. “He believed in the accordion,” Darrow says. “As other accordion studios around us closed up, we ended up getting the overflow of the people they could no longer take care of.” Joanna Darrow, 63, began taking lessons with Stanley at the school in 1963. From 1971 to 2000, she and Stanley performed all over Europe as an accordion duo. In 2002, they married. Today, the Acme Accordion School is decorated with old photos of Stanley and his students and ensembles. There are several practice rooms and a large rehearsal space in the back. Vintage accordions are on display, including one made by the now defunct Acme Accordion Company, for which the school is named. Darrow and two other teachers lead ensembles, orchestras and group lessons every week. Lessons for beginners run $30 per half-hour session. As they progress, beginner students can play in a group for no additional charge. Darrow, who has performed several times with the Philadelphia Orchestra, is looking forward to National Accordion Month in November. To celebrate, her school plans an annual all-day festival of concerts on the first Sunday in November and concerts throughout the month. The accordion is, perhaps, somewhat misunderstood, but Darrow has a wonderful way of explaining the instrument, which dates to the early 19th Century. “It breathes,” she says. “It works on an air-production system. So you’re controlling the sound by controlling the air the same way a singer would. Though you’re not singing, you’re developing it through your hands, arms and your whole body. And it vibrates.” |
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Cody McSherry to Perform at Kennedy Center on November 20 - USAby Pat McSherry |
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 Video: Complete concert at Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, concert by Cody McSherry, introduction by Joan Grauman, © 2018 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Music List 2018ML.jpgFifteen year-old accordionist Cody McSherry has received a wonderful honor and opportunity. He has been asked to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Though he may be young, McSherry is a veteran performer, having performed on both the east and west coasts and as well as in Germany. For the hour-long Kennedy Center event, Cody will be performing on both piano accordion and diatonic “button box.” McSherry’s performance will be in the Kennedy’s Center’s Millennium Theater on November 20, 2018 at 6:00 PM. Admission is free and no tickets are needed. Those people who cannot attend can watch the performance on the internet as the performance will be live-streamed on the theater’s website. The performance will be archived in the theater's archives. |
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Future events |
V Festival Internacional Da Sanfona, Juazeiro - Brazilby Harley Jones |
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| The 5th V Festival Internacional Da Sanfona of Exhibitions, Workshops, Jam Sessions and Concerts, runs from 14 to 17 November in Juazeiro, Brazil. |
Mario Milani, Somma Lombardo – Italyby Rob Howard |
 On Saturday November 17th, 9pm, accordionist Mario Milani performs in concert at the church of San Vito, Somma Lombardo (VA), Lombardy, Italy.Programme: J.S.Bach - Toccata in D minor; G. Bottesini – ‘Une bouche aimée’; G.F.Rameau – ‘Le rappel des oiseaux’; E. Satie – ‘Je te veux’; D. Zipoli – ‘Largo’; G. Rossini – ‘La Danza’; V. Rachmaninov - 'Vocalise' Op. 34 No.14; M. Milani – ‘Omaggio a George’; C. Monteverrdi – ‘’Si dolce il tormento’; M. Milani – ‘Fear’ (War dance 2); H. Purcell – ‘Musik for a while’; L. Arditi – ‘Il bacio’. The arrangements are by Mario Milani. Mario Milani graduated in piano, accordion and composition at conservatories in Brescia, Pesaro, and Milan. He teaches accordion at the Conservatory "F. Torrefranca" Vibo Valentia and accordion and piano at the music school of Airolo in Switzerland. He is the conductor and soloist of the ensemble ‘Modern Accordeon’, and has composed several pieces for accordion. |
Budapest Café Orchestra Tour Dates, Northamptonshire, Southampton, Dorset - UKby Rob Howard |
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| The Budapest Café Orchestra is on tour this week and next week, as follows: November 17th, 7pm – All Saints Church, Flore, Northamptonshire November 21st, 7pm – Central Hall, Southampton November 22nd, 7pm – Evershot Village Hall, Dorset November 23rd, 7pm – Bourton Village Hall, Dorset November 24th, 7pm – Corfe Castle, Dorset November 25th, 7pm – Cranborne Village Hall, Dorset Line-up: Christian Garrick – violin, darabuka, Eddie Hession – accordion, Kelly Cantlon – double bass, and Adrian Zolotuhin – guitar, saz, domra. The Budapest Café Orchestra play traditional folk and gypsy flavoured music from across the Balkans and Russia, such as Klezmer, Romanian Doinas, Hungarian Czadas, and beautiful ballads. Evoking vivid images of Tzigane fiddle maestros, Budapest café life and gypsy campfires – plus a few surprises along the way – a show by the BCO is good enough to make you want to book that holiday down the Danube! |
Ivan Filipchyk Concert, New York – USAby Rob Howard |
 New York-based Belarussian bayan accordionist, pianist and composer Ivan Filiipchyk will perform in concert on Saturday November 17th, 1pm, at the Morton Memorial Library Auditorium, 82 Kelly Street, Rhinecliff, NY 12574. Admission is free. This is an event in the inaugural Hudson Valley New Music Festival. Ivan’s programme will include will perform A. Kysyakov's ‘Images of Passing Time’, several of Ivan's original piano suites, and A. Part's ‘Fur Alina’.Ivan Filipchyk graduated from the Gnessin Academy of music in Moscow with a Master's degree in music. He takes part in various competitions and gives recitals performing (as a soloist and with ensembles) around Europe, Russia, Japan, USA, and Canada. For further information email: ivanfilipchyk91@gmail.com |
6th Edition de Reunion Accordeon 2018 - Reunion Islandby Harley Jones |
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| The 6th Edition de Reunion Accordeon 2018 of competitions for solo and ensembles is being held on 18th November, Reunion Island. Information provided by Pierre Varo. |
7th Accordeon Harmonica Festival, Radstake – Netherlandsby Rob Howard |
 On Sunday November 18th, 11am until 5.30pm, the 7th Accordeon Harmonica Festival, organized by the Akkordeon Association Heelweg Vav Varsseveld, takes place at Radstake, Netherlands. Entrance is 5 Euro. The festival will finish with a specially written number by Haider Ali (the conductor of VAV), for accordion, keyboards and harmonica, followed by a buffet. There will be non-stop music from accordion groups, harmonica groups and individual players. Performing will be Zane, Pluckermuzikanten, Harmonica company Beltrum, the Winterswijk Accordion Association, the Vielharmonica's from Bocholt, Duo Dijon, Duo Peter und der Wolf, the Tyrolean musicians, and That Halden Steirer. |
24th Festival de l’Accordeon, Châtellerault – Franceby Rob Howard |
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| The 24th Festival de l’Accordeon takes place on Sunday November 18th, 2.30pm until midnight, at Châtellerault, a commune in the Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France. The main part of the festival is dancing to the music of many guest accordionists - Romain Pruvost, Sandrine Tarayre, James Lesueur, Duo d'Amour, Sylvie Nauges, the duo Guillaume Fric and Lucia Genilloud, Marie-Laure Deduffeleer - and the orchestras of Michel Pruvot and Alain Michel. |
Accordion Orchestra Concert, Berlin – Germanyby Rob Howard |
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| On Sunday November 18th, 4pm, the orchestra Akkordia 1935 Berlin e. V. organises and performs in a concert at the Ernst-Reuter-Saal, Rathaus Reinickendorf, Berlin. The orchestra’s concert programme includes ‘Abba - Best Of’ (Medley), ‘Dornröschen-Walzer’ (P. Tschaikowsky), ‘Medley from Carmen’ (G. Bizet), ‘New York Overture’ (Kees Vlak), ‘Overture from the Opera ‘Die Stumme von Portici’ (D.F.E. Auber), ‘Slavonic Dance No 8’ (A. Dvorak), ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ (Bernie/Kenneth), ‘Eloise’ (Paul Ryan), and more. For further information email: vorstand@akkordia.de |
‘Heather and Shamrocks’ Show, Sydney - Australiaby Rob Howard |
 Accordionist John Macdonald and comedian and singer Al Showman entertain with their ‘Heather and Shamrocks’ Scottish and Irish music show on Wednesday morning November 21st, 10.30am, at Smithfield RSL, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Join us for a morning of scones and music; members $3.90 / non-Members $4.30.John Macdonald, originally from Scotland, moved to New Zealand in the early 1960s, and then to New South Wales, Australia in the 1970s, where he entertains with his Scottish traditional music. He has many recordings to his credit. He has toured with, and supported many overseas acts including Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Des O'Connor, Kenneth McKellar, Andy Stewart, Johnnie Ray, Al Martino, Frank Ifield, The Drifters, The Krankies, Sir Harry Secombe, and has also appeared on all major cruise lines throughout the world including the ‘Love Boats’. For further information email: squeezebox120@hotmail.com |
‘Violette Fugasse’ Musical Drama, Paris – Franceby Rob Howard |
 ‘Violette Fugasse’ is a musical drama on at the AKY Theatre EON, 11 rue de G. Blaise, 75011 Paris, from Wednesday November 21st to Friday December 28th, 8pm each performance. French accordionist Julien Gonzales will be the show’s main accompanist. Julien Gonzales studied the accordion with Frederic Deschamps in Paris at the Conservatory until 2008. At the same time, Julien studied Music Theory, analysis, and history of music and chamber music in the CRR of Dijon, and was awarded a diploma with the distinction of honour. He then studied in the class of Viatcheslav Semionov at the Gnessin Academy in Moscow. In competitions Julien Gonzales has had many international successes, most notably winning the CIA Coupe Mondiale ‘Virtuoso Entertainment’ section in Norway in 2006. |
St Andrews Weekend, Scotland – UKby Rob Howard |
 A St Andrews Weekend takes place at the Carrbridge Hotel, Dumfries, Scotland, on Friday November 23rd and Saturday November 24th. On Friday evening the guests are the Brandon McPhee Trio and comedian Eddie Rose, and on Saturday music is by Manson Grant and the Dynamos, featuring Brandon McPhee.Shand Morino accordionist Brandon McPhee is an All Scotland Champion, and has recorded several CDs and DVDs. He is the presenter for his own show on the Caithness Sky TV channel, and is also a singer and guitarist. This year Brandon has performed in the popular ‘Sir Jimmy Shand Story’, touring Scotland and Ireland. |
Festival Medard Ferrero, Drancy – Franceby Rob Howard |
| The Festival Medard Ferrero, organised by Sergio Tommasi, takes place on Friday November 23rd, 8.30pm, and Saturday November 24th, 8.30pm, at the Espace culturel du parc, Drancy. The festival includes a special tribute to Yvette Horner, who passed away in June this year. Accordionists performing on Friday include Lucile Moury, Domi Emorine, Nathalie Bernat, MAM (Viviane Arnoux and François Michaud), Alexandra Paris, the accordion class students from the Drancy Conservatory, and students from the Conservatoire Frédéric Chopin and Conservatoire Maurice Ravel (Paris). On Saturday the performers are Domi Emorine and Thierry Moncheny, Cuarteto Lunares, Camille Privat, ‘Jazz in My Musette’ (Viviane Arnoux, François Parisi and François Michaud), Stéphanie Rodriguez, and Alexandra Paris. Medard Ferrero (1906-72) was one of the seminal figures in the musette scene in the pre and post war years in France. He was a leading player and composer, and the author of the tutor book ‘Me´thode d'accorde´on chromatique’. |
Bavarian Evening for Charity, West Midlands – UKby Rob Howard |
 On Friday November 23rd, Brook St Community Centre, Tipton, West Midlands DY4 9DD, the Barry Schmidt Bavarian Band performs a concert in aid of Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The tickets include supper and cost £12.The bandleader is accordionist Barry Smith, organizer of the annual Midland Accordion Festival at The Quality Hotel in Dudley. He is also the editor of the bi-monthly magazine ‘Accordion Post’, and the organiser of the Black Country Accordion Club. For further information email: accordions2010@hotmail.co.uk |
Guy Klucevsek in Concert in Albuquerque on December 2 - USAby Rob Howard |
 Guy Klucevsek (latest CD cover right) will present a concert of his music at Las Puertas on December 2, 2018 at 10:30 AM. Admission is $15.The program includes: Satango Pitch-Black Don’t Let the Boogie-Man Get You Ballad of Faithe Oscillation No. 2 Ratatatatouille Roundabout Now Haywire Rag Bar Talk Antonin Dvorak Largo: Variations and Theme arr. Klucevsek Performers: Guy Klucevsek: accordion Luke Gullickson: piano Carolyn Meyer: poet Excerpts from his website: Guy Klucevsek is one of the world’s most versatile and highly-respected accordionists. He has performed and/or recorded with Laurie Anderson, Bang On a Can, Brave Combo, Anthony Braxton, Anthony Coleman, Dave Douglas, Bill Frisell, Rahim al Haj, Robin Holcomb, Kepa Junkera, the Kronos Quartet, Natalie Merchant, Present Music, Relâche, Zeitgeist, and John Zorn. Guy Klucevsek is the recipient of a 2010 United States Artists Collins Fellowship, an unrestricted $50,000 award given annually to "America's finest artists.” Guy and his music are included in two documentaries about the accordion, “Behind the Bellows” and, most recently, “Accordions Rising” by Roberta Cantow. Guy has premiered over 50 solo accordion pieces, including his own, as well as those he has commissioned from Mary Ellen Childs, William Duckworth, Fred Frith, Aaron Jay Kernis, Jerome Kitzke, Stephen Montague, Somei Satoh, Lois V Vierk, and John Zorn. For further information: gklucevsek@mac.com |
New and Updated Sites |
New Site: Nova Wan Site and First Composition Released, Shanghai - Chinaby Harley Jones |
 Nova Wan is a former international competitor who achieved 3rd place in the Virtuoso Entertainment category at the 2009 Coupe Mondiale. His tutor was Crystal Wang of Shanghai Normal University (SHNU). After graduation, Nova Wan has continued composing and arranging, and is now a well known composer and arranger as well as accordion teacher and Conductor of the Shanghai Accordion Alliance Orchestra. Nova Wan is going to release his compositions over the coming months. Just released is: Catalog: nova101 Umbrella Waltz composed by Nova Wan for quartet, ensemble or orchestra. Sample of music available online, music in pdf format sent to clients by email. |
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