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Highlights |
Video: Jörgen Sundeqvist, Success for the Accordion King at Norrlandsoperan - Sweden
Video: Viivi Maria Saarenkylä & Savonlinna Orchestra - Finland
'Duo Nebl & Nebl' at Viennese Festival and Touring Austria
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Video: Zoltán Orosz & Mihály Borbély - Libertango/Hungarian folk song/Balkan Boogie - Hungary
John Torcello with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles - USA
Video: Having Fun with the Accordion - Peru
14 Years Ago: Emily Smith Wins BBC Young Traditional Musician Award 2002
Video: Natalie Emmons from EnterTalk Radio Interviewing at NAMM, Los Angeles - USA
Future events |
Jane Christison Entertains, Kansas City – USA
Roberto Lucanero & Marco Meo Concert, Torreglia - Italy
Claudio Allodi @ Harlow Accordion Club, Essex - UK
Guy Klucevsek Concerts, New York - USA
Video: Alan Kelly Gang’s American Tour Dates – USA
Vincent Lhermit’s Final Doctorate Recital, Paris – France
2016 AAMS Festival, New Jersey – USA
New and Updated Sites |
CIA Winter Congress Site Updated
Site Updated: American Accordionists' Association (AAA) Site Updated - USA
CD Reviews |
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |
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Highlights |
2016 Strumenti & Musica Festival, Spoleto - Italyby Federica Celesti, President, Italian Accordion Culture (IAC) |
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 From 18th to 22nd May, Spoleto, a beautiful and famous cultural city in the center of Italy, will host the 2016 Strumenti & Musica Festival. The schedule will include the Premio Strumenti & Musica (national competitions for young accordionists) to qualify for the 69th Coupe Mondiale (CIA) being held, 7th to 11th September, in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The Premio Strumenti & Musica competition to be held at the Teatro Nuovo Giancarlo Menotti, is sponsored by the Italian Accordion Culture (IAC), the Italian member of the CIA in collaboration with Ars Spoletium Publishing and Recording. Download the Rules, Regulations & Entry in Italian and English: 2016Spoleto.pdf The accordion and piano competitions (Premio Pianistico Internazionale “Città di Spoleto”) are expected to again attract a significant number of young and talented musicians. The two Artistic Directors (picture left), Mirco Patarini (accordion) and Michele Rossetti (piano), have repeatedly reaffirmed the importance and prestige that Spoleto region plays in the musical and cultural world. They will shortly announce, the concerts and artists performing, at the 2016 Strumenti & Musica Festival. For further information email: federica.celesti@arspoletium.com |
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Video: Jörgen Sundeqvist, Success for the Accordion King at Norrlandsoperan - Swedenby Curt Ivan Ericsson |
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| Some translated excerpts from the Accordion Magazine "Dragspelsnytt" Nr. 2, 2016, review by Curt Ivan Ericsson The Accordion King (composed by Fredrik Högberg), an innovative multimedia work for accordion and symphony orchestra, was very successful before a full audience at Norrland Opera in Umeå, 4th February. The concert began with music by the Norrland Opera Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elim Chan, the first female winner of the Donatella Flick London Symphon Orchestra Conducting Competition. So we waited for our accordion virtuoso Jörgen Sundeqvist, soloist in The Accordion King. It was noticeable that the relatively young crowd in the packed concert hall was most excited and interested in Fredrik Högberg's Accordion King. The concert was almost sold out. It is quite unusual for the accordion, but wonderfully gratifying. The audience with a lot of musicians from both far and near had come to Umeå. The Accordion King is well varied and Fredrik Högberg has composed his accordion part requiring phenomenal technique which Jörgen Sundeqvist executed masterfully. There was superb orchestral playing with surprising sounds, awesomely fast paced. Jörgen made it elegant and earned the audience's standing ovation. The world premiere of this work, also by Jörgen Sundeqvist, was held in 2015. You can read more about this most interesting work at: http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=30-Jan-2015&lang=en#art9881 |
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Video: Viivi Maria Saarenkylä & Savonlinna Orchestra - Finlandby Harley Jones |
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 Video 1: World premiere of the symphonic version of ‘Anantango’, composed by well known Spanish accordionist Gorka Hermosa, was performed by Viivi Maria Saarenkylä and the Savonlinna Orchestra directed by Hannu Vesioja on Sunday January 31st, 3pm.Video 2: Tango Italiano composed by Renzo Ruggieri Excerpts from a concert review in the local newspaper Itä-Savo by Esko Alanen, translated to English. "Seems like Sunday afternoon in January was well chosen time for a concert by the Savonlinna Orchestra and the accordion virtuoso Viivi Maria Saarenkylä, as the concert was sold out. No doubt the majority of the audience were there to listen to the accordion performance of Saarenkylä, who is originally from Savonlinna and has already gained success internationally. Expectations were high and not for nothing. Saarenkylä played gracefully and expressively. Fast patterns and motifs were Saarenkylä’s trademark in every piece. However virtuosity was not the purpose. Saarenkylä gave priority to the interpretation of each composition and the audience could listen the latin rhythms swinging smoothly and rich in nuances. Liaison with the orchestra was seamless even despite some rather difficult rhythms. Size of the orchestra was perfect for accompanying the accordion and the balance was good with good hall acoustics. Especially memorable was Renzo Ruggieri’s composition Tango Italiano. It was nice to hear the well-known classic Libertango (Piazzolla) and the last piece Tico Tico (Z. Abreu) brought the concert hall a true joy of carnival!” Accordion CD available online at: Viivi Maria Saarenkylä |
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'Duo Nebl & Nebl' at Viennese Festival and Touring Austriaby Herbert Scheibenreif |
Video: Performance at the 2014 XXV International Moscow Festival, Russia
 There are very few professional classical ensembles with accordion who have been successfully performing together for a long time. Thanks to a well-founded solo training, an open commitment to their own roots and their extreme openness to different cultural sectors, Frank and Andreas Nebl known as 'Duo Nebl & Nebl' represent one of these exceptions.For many years, Frank Nebl has been solo clarinettist at the Baden State Opera in Karlsruhe and brother Andreas Nebl professor of accordion and chamber music at the Hohner Conservatory in Trossingen. Their "blind trust" (Harmonica International) is certainly justified by their common family roots. After numerous concerts in recent years their performance became even freer and more swinging. The two internationally acclaimed chamber musicians have a concert repertoire of classical and contemporary music, Nebl compositions, tango and world music that enthralls their audience. Their Austria tour dates are as follows: 26 February, Neunkirchen, Sparkassensaal der Musikschule, 7.30 p.m. 27 February, Rathaussaal der Marktgemeinde St. Paul/Lav., 7.30 p.m. 28 February, Harmonikazentrum Graz, 5 p.m. 29 February, Wiener Akkordeonfestival, Ehrbar Saal, 8 p.m. |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Valentines Pictures Featuring Accordionby Harley Jones |
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 Ding Peng, Manager, Hohner China published a very nice Valentines graphic above. The Great Morgani (USA), picture left, had made a wonderful costume for Valentines Day. Just amazing. Below left, the inscription reads: My heart is in "tune" with yours My Valentine. Below right is a very stylized accordion-heart. |
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Video: Zoltán Orosz & Mihály Borbély - Libertango/Hungarian folk song/Balkan Boogie - Hungaryby Harley Jones |
| Video: Published on Feb 17, 2016, Libertango/Hungarian folk song/Balkan Boogie. These two internationally renowned performers, Zoltan Orosz & Mihály Borbély, have had a long friendship for decades and played together on many occasions in larger formations. Now they have formed a duo that retains all the flare, diversity and complexity that is so much a part of their individual musical skills. Accordion Orosz CD's available online at: Zoltan Orosz |
John Torcello with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles - USAby Kevin Friedrich |
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 John Torcello, 1972 Coupe Mondiale Champion, performed the accordion role in 'Correspondances' by Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013) with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen from February 12-14th, at The Walt Disney Concert Hall, in Los Angeles. The 22 minute work ‘Correspondances’ is a song-cycle for soprano and orchestra written by the French composer Henri Dutilleux in 2002–2003. It consists of five episodes and an interlude. The work was premiered by Simon Rattle and Dawn Upshaw with the Berliner Philharmonic on September 5th 2003 and has since been performed all over the world.The five movements: I – ‘Gong I (Rilke)’, II – ‘Danse cosmique (Mukherjee)’, ‘Interlude’, III – ‘A Slava et Galina... (Soljenitsyne)’, IV – ‘Gong 2 (Rilke)’, and V – ‘De Vincent à Théo (Van Gogh)’ are based on various letters and poems on texts by Rainer Maria Rilke, Prithwindra Mukherjee, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Vincent van Gogh. Although they come from disparate sources, they are unified by their mystical inspiration and especially their concern about the place of humanity in the Cosmos. Each episode highlights a particular family of instruments. For instance, woodwinds and brass are prominent in ‘De Vincent à Théo’, echoing the painter's use of color while the accordion and strings dominate in ‘A Slava et Galina’ (that letter was addressed to legendary cellist Rostropovich and his wife, soprano Galina Vishnevskaya). ‘Danse Cosmique’ opens with timpani and pizzicato strings before the whole orchestra surrounds the singer. During an interview with famed Soprano Barbara Hannigan for whom Dutilleux worked closely with on the piece, Dutilleux explained that the use of the accordion to him provided an important bridge between the Far East and the West. Dutilleux composed slowly and meticulously: he was undisturbed if a score took twenty years to complete, it being said that he valued perfection over facility. ‘Correspondances’ was commissioned by the Berliner Philharmoniker in 1983 and premiered in its final form on September 5th 2003, some twenty years later. Beginning to play the accordion at age 7, John Torcello was a student of Al Cirrillo at Roxy's Music Store in Batavia, NY. His subsequent studies were with the great accordionist and an early proponent of the chromatic free bass instrument, Joseph Robusto, who subsequently introduced John to the late, great jazz accordionist Russ Messina in Buffalo, NY. It was under Messina's tutelage that John Torcello became the USA - ATG Champion in 1971 and 1972. John travelled to compete in the CIA Coupe Mondiale in Bruges, Belgium, where he attained 3rd place, and then one year later, went on to win the coveted Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships held in Caracas, Venezeula. John later completed his undergraduate Music Composition degree at the University of Toronto where he studied accordion with Joseph Macerollo. John has enjoyed an accomplished career playing with orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic as well as for other important musical events. Career highlights for John include appearances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, Pasadena Pops/Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Long Beach Opera, Jacaranda Music and Idyllwild Arts Orchestra under conductors including Michael Tilson Thomas, Simon Rattle, Zubin Mehta, Andreas Mitisek, Rachel Worby, Carl St. Clair, John Williams, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Gustavo Dudamel in works by composers including DelTredici, Berg, Ades, Weill, Piaf, Kagel, Ortiz, Golijov, Bernstein, Piazzolla, Shostakovitch, Dean, Eo¨tvo¨s, Romer and Zappa. Several of John Torcello's recordings have been re-released including: ‘TORCELLO Music of the Baroque’, ‘TORCELLO State of the Art Accordion’, and ‘Pastiche - John Torcello and Anthony Brazier (Flute)’, all of which are available on Amazon. |
Video: Having Fun with the Accordion - Peruby Harley Jones |
| This happened on the flight from Lima to Iquitos, Peru. The Patch Adams team from all over the world booked seats on this flight for the 2015 Clown Festival and we found ourselves sitting right in the middle of them. One of the medical professionals dressed as a clown grabbed her accordion and soon the entire group was singing and clapping and having fun. I'll never forget it! The clowns were part of the Belen Project which is a charity that aims to provide health care to South America’s poorest people. |
14 Years Ago: Emily Smith Wins BBC Young Traditional Musician Award 2002by Rob Howard |
 The Accordions Worldwide News for February 15th 2002 reported that Emily Smith had won the prestigious BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award. Since 2002 singer and accordionist Emily Smith, who has a degree in Scottish Music from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, has enjoyed a very successful career in the folk world, performing around the world and with several albums to her credit. Accordionist Wins Young Traditional Musician Award 2002 – Scotland The finals of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 2002 were held on January 27th at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. A capacity audience were treated to some amazing performances from seven finalists playing the accordion, violin, pipes, guitar and clarsach. Accordionist and vocalist Emily Smith won the award and was presented with a record deal with Footstompin' Records plus invitations to various festivals including Tonder in Denmark, and next year’s Celtic Connection's BBC Radio Broadcast. Concertina player Simon Thoumire is the organizer of this annual event. |
Video: Natalie Emmons from EnterTalk Radio Interviewing at NAMM, Los Angeles - USAby Harley Jones |
| Natalie Emmons from EnterTalk Radio and Pitbull Audio met with Alicia Baker, Roland at NAMM in Los Angeles last month. An impressed Natalie Emmons made this interview and wrote online "and I got an incredible demo of the FR8X V Accordion." |
Future events |
Tony Kearney Gigs, London, Warrington, Manchester – UKby Rob Howard |
 London-based Irish button accordionist Tony Kearney performs this weekend, as follows;Friday February 19th – Wimbledon Irish Centre, London Saturday February 20th – Warrington Irish Centre, Cheshire Sunday February 21st – St Ann’s Parish Centre, Stretford, Manchester Tuesday February 23rd – English Martyrs Club, Elephant and Castle, London |
Jane Christison Entertains, Kansas City – USAby Rob Howard |
 On Saturday February 20th, 2.30-3.15pm, accordionist Jane Christison will be performing her ‘Janie Next Door’ routine at the Mid-Continent Public Library, North Oak Branch, 8700 N. Oak Trfwy, Kansas City, Missouri.Jane Christison is well-known for her ‘Janie Next Door’ show that offers playful original songs that engage children with a tuneful bounce and irresistible rhythms performed on accordion. The easy rhymes in songs like ‘I’ve Got a Loose Tooth in My Head’ will have kids singing along in no time. |
Roberto Lucanero & Marco Meo Concert, Torreglia - Italyby Rob Howard |
 Italian diatonic accordionist Roberto Lucanero and singer/percussionist Marco Meo perform in concert on Saturday February 20th, 3pm, and on Sunday February 21st, 1.30pm, at Cantina Bernardi Giovanni sas, via Castelletto, Torreglia, Italy. These performances are part of the Festa Continua event.For further information email: info@festacontinua.it info@festacontinua.it info@festacontinua.it |
Claudio Allodi @ Harlow Accordion Club, Essex - UKby Rob Howard |
 Accordion entertainer Claudio Allodi is the guest at Harlow Accordion Club on Thursday February 25th, 7.30pm. Admission is £7 in advance, £7.50p at the door. The club organiser is Jean Hanger. In support will be a spot from the Harlow Accordion Band (MD Jean Hanger).Harlow Accordion Club meets at the Links Social Club, Parsloe Rd, Harlow, Essex CM19 4RT. For further information email: jeanhanger@icloud.com |
Guy Klucevsek Concerts, New York - USAby Rob Howard |
 Guy Klucevsek performs as follows in the next few weeks: February 20th, 6pm - with Charles Busch, ‘The Lady at the Mic’, Bridge Street Theatre, Catskill, New York February 21st, 7pm - with Charles Busch, ‘The Lady at the Mic’,Club Helsinki, Hudson, NY February 26th, 8.30pm - American Songbook Series, Lincoln Center, Appel Room, NY March 7th, 7pm - excerpts from Jason Robert Brown’s musical, ‘Parade’, Museum of Jewish Heritage, NYC March 10th, 8pm - duo with Phillip Johnston, Barbes, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY Accordionist and composer Guy Klucevsek (born 1947) is a versatile musician, and frequently active in new music, jazz and free improvisation. He has released 20+ albums, and has recorded or performed with Kepa Junkera, Dave Douglas, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Laurie Anderson, and many others. He is also a founding member of the international group Accordion Tribe. In 2010 Klucevsek won a United States Artists Fellow award. |
Video: Alan Kelly Gang’s American Tour Dates – USAby Rob Howard |
 Video above: Filmed for BBC Radio Scotland's Travelling Folk at the Celtic Connections in Glasgow, January 2015. The Snow Reels.The Alan Kelly Gang will be on a US tour in early March, and details are below: March 4th, 8pm – The Celtic Junction, Prior Ave, St Paul, Minnesota March 5th, 8pm – Thrasher Opera House, 506 Mill St, Green Lake, Wisconsin March 6th, 5pm – The Old Town School of Folk Music, N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago March 7th, 8pm – The Ark, 316 Main St, Ann Arbor, Michigan March 8th, 7.30pm – Duncan Hall, 619 Ferry St, Lafayette, Indiana March 9th, 7.30pm – The Burren, Davis Square, Somerville, Massachusetts March 11th, 5pm – Hibernian Center, 19 Temple St, Worcester, Massachusetts March 12th, 7.30pm – Lily Pads, 27 North Rd, Peace Dale, South Kingston, Rhode Island March 13th, 3pm – Adelphi University Performing Arts, 1 South Ave, Garden City, New York March 17th, 5pm – Wolf Trap, The Barns, 1635 Trap Rd, Vienna, Virginia The Alan Kelly Gang is a powerful, emotive and critically acclaimed traditional Irish music band from the west of Ireland and Scotland. Fronted by Irish accordionist Alan Kelly, the band have firmly established themselves as one of Ireland's leading contemporary traditional music groups. Their strong dynamics, driving rhythms and buoyant harmonies will draw even the most fainthearted listener into the passion that they put into the music they play. For further information email: mattg@folkloreproductions.com |
Vincent Lhermit’s Final Doctorate Recital, Paris – Franceby Rob Howard |
 Vincent Lhermit’s final recital for his CNSMDP doctorate takes place on Tuesday March 8th, 6.30pm, at the salle Maurice Fleuret, Sorbonne University, Paris. All are welcome.French accordionist Vincent Lhermet (born 1987) graduated from the Sibelius Academy of Helsinki, Finland, with the highest honors in the class of Matti Rantanen. He is the first ever accordionist to be admitted to the Doctorate of Music Performance (PhD) at the Paris Conservatoire/Paris-Sorbonne University, where he has been studying with Laurent Cugny and composer Bruno Mantovani. He has distinguished himself several times internationally by winning the first prize in the Arrasate-Hiria International Competition in Spain (2006) and by being ranked finalist in the ‘Gaudeamus Interpreters’ International Competition of Amsterdam (2011). He regularly performs as a soloist with orchestras, and is very active in promoting the accordion’s contemporary repertoire. He is currently teaching accordion at the Boulogne-Billancourt Conservatoire and the Lille (ApPSEA) and Paris-Boulogne-Billancourt (PSPBB) Higher Arts Educations Centers. |
2016 AAMS Festival, New Jersey – USAby Rob Howard |
 The American Accordion Musicological Society announces that the 2016 AAMS Festival takes place from April 1st to 3rd at The Hanover Marriott Hotel, 1401 Route 10 East, Whippany, NJ 07981.AAMS has released its festival itinerary, including workshops, concerts, an honoree banquet, festival orchestra, and more. Do not miss the exciting Friday Night Irish Experience Concert featuring the Irish accordion and guitar duo of John McGillian and Darin Kelly. Also appearing are Bob & Anita Siarkowski, Dee Langley, Irish Madrigals, Westmont Accordion Club, and the WPAO, all with totally Irish programs. Lou Persic will provide pre-concert music beginning at 7.30pm for the non-Irish. On Saturday evening we will present the AAMS Guest of Honor, Linda Soley Reed, who will conduct the Festival Orchestra 2016. Everyone is invited to participate in the orchestra. Contact Linda (lsoleyreed@gmail.com) or Joanna Arnold Darrow (acmeaccordion@comcast.net) for music. Pre-Dinner music will be provided by Don Gerunda, Dinner Music by Lou Coppola and the Strolling Strings. Joe Natoli, Mary Tokarski, and Eddie Montiero, and the WPAO will captivate your attention with exciting performances throughout the evening. Workshops will begin Friday evening with ‘Jigs, Reels, Politics & Religion!’ presented by Bob Lijana and Dean Ratzin. Saturday workshops include Paul Ramunni with ‘Secrets of the Accordion - What Makes the Instrument so Special’, followed by Dallas Vietty ‘Playing Off the Page’, Joe Natoli with ‘Inexpensive Studio Quality Recording at Home’, Music Educator Anthony Mazzocchi, Grammy nominated music educator, and Linda Soley Reed leading a 2 hour long Festival Orchestra rehearsal. Sunday workshops include Paul Ramunni's ‘Secrets of the Accordion - Part 2’, Dee Langley, Part One: ‘Using Your Ear to Memorize Melody’, and Part Two ‘Using your Ear to Memorize Harmony’, and Anthony Mazzocchi, Part Two: ‘The Music Parents’ Guide: Survival Kit for the New Music Parent’.’ All attendees of the AAMS are invited to attend an Open Meeting of the AAA held at 3pm. For further information email Joanna Arnold Darrow Email: acmeaccordion@comcast.net |
New and Updated Sites |
Historical Composition 'Loganola' Released - New Zealandby Heather Masefield |
 The New Zealand Accordion Assocation Inc. to preserve original New Zealand accordion music has typeset and released Loganola composed by Clarrie Bruce. Purchase online and view sample page at Catalog: mfa8050This is the first accordion music to be published and printed in New Zealand and was published by Arthur Eady, Auckland, New Zealand during the 1930's (exact date unknown). The original copy of this music was donated to the Dargaville Museum Accordion Gems display, curator Kevin Friedrich, by Titano Accordions (NZ) Ltd Director Maurice Jones. |
CIA Winter Congress Site Updatedby Kevin Friedrich |
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| CIA Winter Congress Site Updated with the latest information and details and registration forms. The 2016 CIA Winter Congress and 135th General Assembly of Delegates will be held in Cetraro (Italy) from 18th - 20th March 2016 hosted by SIAC (South-Italian Accordion Culture) partner of the Italian Accordion Culture (IAC), the Italian member of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA). http://www.accordions.com/cia/winter_16.html |
Site Updated: American Accordionists' Association (AAA) Site Updated - USAby Mary Tokarski |
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| Site Updated: American Accordionists' Association (AAA) have updated their site to have more information about their annual July festival including the forms for the festival. |
CD Reviews |
CD Review: Fachwerk | Kapote CD by Friedrich Lipsby Joan C. Sommers |
 CD Reviews Index for the Review of Fachwerk | Kapote CD by Friedrich Lips. Review by Joan Cochran Sommers. |
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