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Highlights |
XI International Competition of Performers on Folk Instruments "Belogorya Cup", Belgorod - Russia
Nihad Hrustanbegovic Performs at Sarajevo Film Festival – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Duo Aspera Perform Sell-out Concert at 15th Music & Nature 2020, Porto Torres - Italy
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
2020 Virtual Accordion Camp Reunion - USA
2020 Australian International Accordion Championship Large Online Entry Success! – Australia
Brandon McPhee Plays Scottish Accordion Music - Scotland
New Site: Lian Jones, Accordion and Piano Teacher, North Shore - New Zealand
Postponed: Christchurch Accordion Orchestra Concert with Stedfast Brass Band – New Zealand
Cassotto Duo Performs Special Concert in Vermont – USA
Cancelled: 2020 MacLagan Squeezebox Festival - Australia
Future events |
Alex Meixner Performs at Drive-In German Fest, Wisconsin – USA
Marc Berthoumieux Masterclass in Plescop - France
Scythian Perform at "The Big Hooley", Virginia - USA
Kosmos Ensemble Perform at Isle of Man – UK
CNIMA Full year Program Starts on September 21st 2020 - France
Alexander Maurer Styrian Harmonica Course, Trossingen - Germany
New and Updated Sites |
NAO 2021 Dates and Coupe Mondiale Portugal Representatives - UK
Paulo Jorge Ferreira CD Sold Out, Now Percursos eTracks Album - Portugal
€20 for 6 albums, Castelfidardo Winners 1995-2000 - Italy
Help Desk, Information needed, Readers CommentsSubmit Your Question, CommentSUBMIT NOW |
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Highlights |
We Salute Yevgeny Pavlovich Rodygin Famous Composer and Hero - Russiaby Harley Jones |
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 Video 1: A rare recording of the performance of the Ural Folk Choir on the Central Television of the USSR, Moscow, Russia in the 1950s. Followed by a much more recent Ural Folk Choir performance of the Ural Rowan Tree attended by Yevgeny Rodygin.Video 2: TV Obituary, also showing early history of Rodygin playing accordion. Video 3: Video of a memorial sign opened in the park of the Chusovaya River. Rodygin was born in Chusovoy. Video 4: N.Kanaev. Fantasy on the Theme of the Russian folk song "Ural Rowan Tree" performed by the Yuri Vostrelov. Recorded 1980. We salute the amazing life of Yevgeny Rodygin, born 16 February 1925 and died 19 July 2020 aged 95. He was the composer of many popular songs, while young he learnt the button accordion, he was front-line soldier awarded the "Medal of Courage" in 1944. He received many awards including Honorary Citizen of the Sverdlovsk Region and Yekaterinburg. People's Artist of Russia (1999). His most famous work was “Hawthorn Tree” (Chinese: Shanzhashù), originally the “Ural Rowan Tree”, was a first Soviet-era love song written by Mikhail Pilinenko and composed by Evgeny Rodygin in 1953. The song describes a love triangle, wherein a girl, facing two suitors, approaches the Rowan tree for help. Together with a large number of Soviet songs, it was introduced to China in the 1950's, where this song became immensely popular and remains extremely popular to this day. Shortly before the war, Yevgeny was enlisted and during the war, he went from private to senior sergeant. In 1944 he was awarded the Medal For Courage. On April 23, 1945 he was seriously wounded on the Oder River. After the end of the war, he entered the composing department of the Ural State Conservatory. In 1950 he graduated from the conservatory, after which became the head of the musical part of the Ural Folk Choir, where he served until 1956 promoting the development of Russian folk music. The songs written in the 1950s brought popularity to the young composer. He toured the Soviet Union a lot, he also visited Poland, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic, Bulgaria, Romania. In 1957 Yevgeny Rodygin was admitted to the Union of Composers of the USSR. His musical scores were published and Rodygin's songs were regularly played on radio and television. His main works of the 1950s-1960s were musical comedies In the 1960s-1970s, the composer toured the Soviet Union a lot, performing his songs, took part in the decades of Russian art in the republics of the USSR. As part of the "trains of the arts" he also visited remote corners of the country. On May 4, 1986 he was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd degree. In 1998 he was elected an honorary citizen of Yekaterinburg. 2020 has been declared the year of Yevgeny Rodygin in the Sverdlovsk region. In February 2020, the "Facets of Yevgeny Rodygin's Art" festival was held. Until the end of his life, Evgeny Pavlovich Rodygin continued to engage in musical creativity. |
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XI International Competition of Performers on Folk Instruments "Belogorya Cup", Belgorod - Russiaby Ivan Dyma, SaxAkkord Duo |
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 Picture above: Chairman of the Jury, Friedrich Lips presenting trophies at the 2019 eventThe city of Belgorod will host the XI International Competition of Performers in folk instruments "Belogorya Cup" from November 23rd to 27th, 2020. Competition classes will include: Soloists (students from 10 years old, students of the SSUS, University, performers without age restrictions) Duets & Trios (students from 10 years old, students of the SSUS, University, performers without age restrictions). Professor Friedrich Lips (Head of the Bayan and Accordion Department of the Russian Academy of Music named Gnesin, Folk Artist of the Russian Federation) is the Chairman of the Jury of the Bayan Accordion Section of the competition. The competition is part of the All-Russian system of selection of performers on the bayan and accordion "Champion of Russia - World Champion" to participate in the major international competitions "World Cup" and "Trophy of the World". Entries close on October 23rd, 2020. For details email: rumc@bgiik.ru Download competition rules in Russian language: 2020BelogoryaRules.pdf |
Nihad Hrustanbegovic Performs at Sarajevo Film Festival – Bosnia and Herzegovinaby Christine Johnstone |
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 Video: Nihad Hrustanbegovic performing The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain by composer Yann Tiersen.The Sarajevo Film Festival is currently underway in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and will run through to August 21st with live BHRT broadcasts from the Red Carpet stage of Sarajevo National Theatre by accordionist Nihad Hrustanbegovic. Nihad will feature 5 film soundtracks and music as follows: - Farewell to Cheyenne by Ennio Moricone (Italian composer, orchestrator and conductor who passed away on July 6th, 2020) - Once Upon a Time in the West - La valse d'Amélie by Yann Tiersen - Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain - The Children of Piraeus by Manos Hatzidakis - Never on Sunday - I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango) Grace Jones (Astor Piazzolla) – Frantic - Take Five by Paul Desmond – Flawless. |
Duo Aspera Perform Sell-out Concert at 15th Music & Nature 2020, Porto Torres - Italyby Christine Johnstone |
| Video: Duo Aspera perform 'Song of the Far North' composed by Gary Daverne. Duo Aspera, which includes accordionist Ghenadie Rotari and Valentina Vargiu (piano) performed a sell-out concert at the 15th Music & Nature 2020 Festival held in the Garden of the Hotel Libyssonis in Porto Torres, Italy on August 15th. The event was hosted by the Associazione Musicando Insieme and included two Master Classes and 15 concerts altogether by a variety of artists. The duo played pieces by Makkonen and Piazzolla. |
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Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Folk Trio Entertain at Folklore Evening in Druskininkai - Lithuaniaby Christine Johnstone |
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 The Folk Trio entertained at a Folklore Evening held at the Druskininku Kulturos Centras in Druskininkai, Lithuania on August 7th hosted by Kukumbalis, Dainavos krašto folkloro švente (Dainavos Edge Folk festival).The project was funded by the Lithuanian Council of Culture and the Municipality of Druskininkai. Folk Trio includes accordionist Nerijus Bakula (picture left) and the group enjoy performing a variety of Lithuanian folk songs that tell the history of their nation. |
2020 Virtual Accordion Camp Reunion - USAby Dan Grauman, AccordionGifts.com |
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 Video 1: Les Miserables Medley arranged for accordion orchestra & conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers at the 2014 Mesa Accordion EventVideo 2: "A" Train arranged for accordion orchestra & conducted by Frank Marocco at the 2011 Frank Marocco Accordion Event In 2006 Frank Marocco asked Joan Grauman and me to run an accordion orchestra camp for him. We had previously attended accordion orchestra camps, but had never run one. We couldn’t turn Frank down, so we agreed to give it a try. Eight wonderful camps followed starting in January 2007, where lots of friendships were made. Frank had the foresight in 2009 to name Stas Venglevski as Assistant Music Director. When Frank sadly passed away on 2012, we were able to continue the camp for three more years, culminating in the 2014 event at which we celebrated Joan Sommers’ 80th birthday with an orchestra of 55 accordionists plus percussion and upright bass. The onset of the Corona Virus has certainly changed the way we live. Seeing all the virtual concerts that are taking place online, it occurred to me that a virtual reunion with people who attended our camp over the years might be feasible. I polled past attendees, and 35 signed up to participate in a video conference. With that many participants, we had to limit each person to talking for no more than two minutes. Three videos were interspersed during the session, two of which are included with this article. The reunion was a huge success lasting nearly three hours. While some of the participants have been communicating one-on-one, interacting virtually as a group was very exciting and meaningful. I highly recommend it! |
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2020 Australian International Accordion Championship Large Online Entry Success! – Australiaby Lionel Reekie |
 More than 140 individual contestants (170 plus entries) are competing in the Australian Accordion Teachers Association (AATA) online competition this year. The committee has been thrilled with the number of contestants from Australia, Russia, China, Canada, Belarus, New Zealand, Serbia, Slovakia, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Taiwan, Montenegro, Croatia, Ukraine, Hungary, UK and Spain.Originally scheduled for 22/23 August, the results will now be announced on 28th August. A special feature of the competitions is the younger age group classes provided to give international competition experience to younger players by the AATA, a premiere voting member of the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes (CIA). Picture below: AATA President Tatjana Marx and AATA Secretary Melissa She collating entries. |
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Brandon McPhee Plays Scottish Accordion Music - Scotlandby Christine Johnstone |
| Video: Brandon McPhee playing Scottish Accordion Music from Wick, Caithness. This tune is called “Happy Hours” and is played a lot at Scottish Music functions, but originally comes from France under the title Plaisance Fox and was played by Emile Vacher in the early 1900s. |
New Site: Lian Jones, Accordion and Piano Teacher, North Shore - New Zealandby Harley Jones |
 Video: Tango Project "Milonga De Cuatro", Astor Piazzolla "Triunfal" & "Libertango"Astor, performers: violin Irina Lgotkina, accordion Lian Jones, contrabass Marija Durdevic, piano Natalia Meyta.Lian Jones AIRMT, Dip MusEd, is proud of to announce the launch of her new website https://lianjonesmusician.wixsite.com/lian designed by her daughter Alanah. Lian is a performer and teacher of both the piano and accordion, based on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. Born and raised in the Fujian Province of China, Lian (Huang Lingling) started playing the piano accordion at age 5, and began to learn piano and keyboard soon after. At 15, she began her studies at Fujian Normal University, majoring in Music Education under Prof. Li Weiming. Lian has won awards and placed at multiple piano and accordion competitions both in China and internationally. Lian has been teaching piano and accordion in Auckland for over 20 years, and has taught many accordion students who have gained success nationally at the NZ and South Pacific Accordion Championships and also represented New Zealand internationally at the Coupe Mondiale and other competitions. Her students in both accordion and piano also excel in examinations. Alongside her teaching, Lian is an avid performer as a member of the Auckland Accordion Symphonietta, conducted by Lionel Reekie, and the Tango Project, Milonga de Cuatro. Picture below: Lian Jones playing the solo for the Auckland Accordion Symphonietta's world premiere of Gary Daverne's 'Song of the Far North' |
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Postponed: Christchurch Accordion Orchestra Concert with Stedfast Brass Band – New Zealandby Christine Johnstone |
  The Christchurch Accordion Orchestra (conducted by David Thorne) concert in conjunction with the Stedfast Brass Band at the Hoon Hay Presbyterian Church in Christchurch, New Zealand on August 16th has been postponed due to Covid-19 regulations.Please hold on to your tickets as the concert will be rescheduled as soon as possible. For details email: thornd@xtra.co.nz |
Cassotto Duo Performs Special Concert in Vermont – USAby Christine Johnstone |
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 The Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival presented the Cassotto Duo in a special live and online concert on August 21st at the Chandler Music Hall in Randolph, Orange County, Vermont, USA.The duo consists of Jeremiah McLane (accordion) and Annemieke McLane (piano) who played an hour-long program, featuring music of Couperin, J.S. Bach, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Dvorak, Piazzola, Jo Privat and Jeremiah McLane. Because of Covid-19 guidelines, only 75 audience members were permitted in the hall (masks and social distancing was required), so the concert was also live-streamed. |
Cancelled: 2020 MacLagan Squeezebox Festival - Australiaby Christine Johnstone |
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 Organisers of the 2020 MacLagan Squeezebox Festival are disappointed to announce that this year’s festival is cancelled due to Covid-19. The event was due to take place in Queensland, Australia in October. They now are planning to “keep the traditions alive” with the October 2021 event. |
Future events |
AKVR Accordion Orchestra Annual Concert, Recklinghausen – Germanyby Christine Johnstone |
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| The Akkordeonklänge Vest Recklinghausen e.V. orchestra (AKVR) will perform a concert at the Bürgerhaus Süd in Recklinghausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on 23rd August at 3pm. The concert will be subject to Covid-19 regulations to ensure the safety of all attendees. Everyone is welcome. See poster for details. |
Alex Meixner Performs at Drive-In German Fest, Wisconsin – USAby Christine Johnstone |
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| The Habitat for Humanity of Washington and Dodge Counties drive-in Germanfest will be held at the West Bend Germanfest Tailgate Grounds in West Bend, Wisconsin from August 27th to 30th, 2020. The Alex Meixner Band is making only one stop in Wisconsin this summer & that is at this Germanfest fundraiser on August 28th at 7pm. Due to Covid-19, organisers have set up the event so that each car (up to 4 people limit per car) will have their own dedicated Tailgate parking spot for their 4 chairs! So all you have to do is bring your chairs, your appetite and enjoy the show! There will be beverage carts selling drinks and food cart lines will have social distancing spots for those waiting to order. See poster for details. |
Marc Berthoumieux Masterclass in Plescop - Franceby Christine Johnstone |
 Marc Berthoumieux (picture left) will hold a Masterclass in Plescop, Brittany, France on August 27th from midday to 6pm, hosted by Loric Accordéons.The event will be held as part of the “Jazz in Plescop” festival which will take place on August 28th in Plescop with a performance by the Marc Berthoumieux Quartet. The Masterclass is open to Chromatic and Diatonic accordionists with basic knowledge of harmony, groove and swing. Attendees will meet with the artist to learn his artistic approach and how he approaches the practice of the accordion. For details email: fanch.loric@gmail.com |
Scythian Perform at "The Big Hooley", Virginia - USAby Christine Johnstone |
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 Popular band “Scythian”, (which includes accordionist Dan Fedoryka) are pleased to perform their first live concerts since Covid-19 at “The Big Hooley” outdoor lawn show held at the B Chord Brewery in Round Hill, Loudoun County, Virginia, USA on September 5th and 6th, 2020.The event will include 3 other bands, all playing on an outdoor stage, a special show for children entitled “Cake for Dinner”, plus Scythian will feature different shows on each day. For details email: scythianmail@gmail.com |
Kosmos Ensemble Perform at Isle of Man – UKby Christine Johnstone |
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| The Kosmos Ensemble will perform at the Isle of Man, UK on September 10th. The trio consists of London based accordionist Miloš Milivojevic, Harriet Mackenzie (violin) and Meg-Rosaleen Hamilton (viola). They play a mix of classical and world music, an inspirational combination of Tango, Gypsy, Balkan and Japanese music. For further concert information email: kosmos@kosmosensemble.com |
CNIMA Full year Program Starts on September 21st 2020 - Franceby Christine Johnstone |
| The CNIMA directed by Nathalie Boucheix have announced their full year program will begin at the international accordion school on September 21st, 2020. This program gives you the opportunity to achieve National French conservatory diplomas at high speed. Because of the intensive studying schedule, one year at the CNIMA equals (on average), 4 years in a music conservatory! Students can live at the accordion school with full board at a very reasonable rate and not worry about anything but studying in a beautiful, quiet, family like environment. The CNIMA also offers shorter study programs. To register please email: cnima@orange.fr |
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Alexander Maurer Styrian Harmonica Course, Trossingen - Germanyby Christine Johnstone |
  Alexander Maurer (picture above) will hold a Styrian Harmonica Certificate Course at the Hohner Conservatory (picture above right) in Trossingen, Germany beginning in September 2020.The course entitled “The Styrian Harmonica in Artistic and Educational Practice” is a two-year certificate course for accordionists and harmonica players and is aimed at accordionists with degrees (Bachelor or StMP) or advanced accordionists/harmonica players. The course orientation day will be held on September 20th, 2020 with registrations open until September 7th. Further registrations are possible until October 15th, with the course due to begin on November 28th, 2020 and run until June 2022. The course prepares students for their work in artistic and/or pedagogical fields. They acquire the skills to teach different musical styles in different formats, to develop new ways of musical mediation and to present themselves as stylistically versatile musicians as soloists or ensembles. For information and registration email: bewerbung@hohner-konservatorium.de |
New and Updated Sites |
Updated: Accordion Russia News, New Articles Online - Russiaby Harley Jones |
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| Accordion Russia News in Russian language is updated with new items |
NAO 2021 Dates and Coupe Mondiale Portugal Representatives - UKby Christine Johnstone |
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| The National Accordion Organisation of the United Kingdom (NAO) have released dates for their 2021 event: 23rd to 25th April, 2021, at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool, England. The NAO is also delighted to announce that 2 candidates, Annalize Bodell and Ciaran Gilligan, have been selected (video) to represent the NAO at the 73rd Coupe Mondiale, being held from October 6th to 10th in Castro Marim, Algarve, Portugal. Event host is CIA member Mito Algarvio - Associação de Acordeonistas do Algarve led by President João Pereira. Further information about the NAO Area Festivals will be announced soon at: NAO |
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Paulo Jorge Ferreira CD Sold Out, Now Percursos eTracks Album - Portugalby Harley Jones |
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 The CD Percursos by Paulo Jorge Ferreira has sold out and is now being released as an mp3 eTracks Album.The album has a number of popular concert tracks (15) including: Steps, Sonata in C Major, K. 545, Malaguena (from Suite Andalucia), Gothique Suite for Organ, The Blue Danube Waltz (Arr. Oleg Sharov). Tracks are available individually or purchase the album for €10, Catalog 1115eT Percursos Read the review by Prof. Joan Sommers at: Catalog 1115eT Percursos |
€20 for 6 albums, Castelfidardo Winners 1995-2000 - Italyby Harley Jones |
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| The historical eTracks mp3 download of 6 albums are being made available with a great price so that every teacher and serious student can add the music to their collection. These historic recordings of the 1995 to 2000 winners are 6 complete albums of winners for only €20. There is an album for each year, and they are sent to you by internet. This special price is available for 3 weeks only. Catalog: JL0CD6Packs Performers include many famous names. You may purchase individual albums too. Click the catalog number to view the tracks and winners of each year. Premio e Concorso Winners 1995 Catalog: JL009 for €9 Premio e Concorso Winners 1996 Catalog: JL013 for €9 Premio e Concorso Winners 1997 Catalog: JL012 for €9 Premio e Concorso Winners 1998 Catalog: JL010 for €9 Premio e Concorso Winners 1999 Catalog: JL011 for €9 Premio e Concorso Winners 2000 Catalog: JL014 for €9 |
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