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Highlights |
CIA Winter Congress, December 2016 in Nürnberg - Germanyby Kevin Friedrich, CIA Ambassador |
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![]() At the invitation of the German CIA member Deutsche Harmonika-Verband (DHV), the Winter Congress was changed to December 2016 to allow delegates to attend the Gala 70th Anniversary Concert of the 'Nürnberger Akkordeonorchester' directed by Stefan Hippe. Video above is an excerpt from their concert at the World Music Festival, 6th May 2016. Full event report at: 2016InsbrReport Additionally, the delegates are invited to attend the world famous Xmas Market in the beautiful Old Town area of Nürnberg on the same dates. Winter Congress Organizer is Georg Hettmann, DHV Landesverband Bayern e.V. One of three founding members of the CIA in 1935, the Deutscher Harmonika-Verband e.V. (DHV) will also host the 74th Coupe Mondiale in 2021 in Bruschal, Germany to coincide with their 90th Anniversary Celebrations. The December Winter Congress meetings of the CIA committees and the General Assembly of Delegates are scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday before lunch. The full schedule, detailed information and registration is available online at: 2016 Winter Congress |
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2nd National Accordion Festival for Middle Age & Senior Citizens - Chinaby Harley Jones |
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![]() After the outstanding success of the 2014 - 1st National Accordion Festival for Middle Age & Senior Citizens, report at 2014Qingdao, further events were planned. The 2016 Festival organising team led by Festival President Sun Jiashen (picture left) began work with the assistance of sponsor: - Dalian Municipal Federation of Literature and Art and co-sponsors: - Dalian Musician Association - Dalian Muncipal Public Arts. The type of music performed was generally quite different than competition festivals for young people. There was a lot of patriotic music and plus songs and melodies that were very popular 20-30 years ago. The emphasis was on fun and making nice musical performances appreciated by the audience. Performers were large orchestras and choirs, groups and small ensembles and soloists. The concept of this successful event in China may well be copied by other accordion associations internationally. A full report, pictures and video, of this historic event is at: 2016Dalian |
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Foster & Allen’s 40th Anniversary Tour, England, Wales – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() Between October 27th and November 20th the ever popular Irish duo Foster & Allen continue their series of 40th Anniversary tours with concerts at venues in England and Wales – see dates below. Few acts anywhere can rival Foster & Allen (accordionist Mick Foster and singer/guitarist Tony Allen) for keeping the accordion before the general public, and having a huge international following. In 1979 they released the single ‘A Bunch of Thyme’, which became their first No.1 single in Ireland and the UK. Other hit singles followed, and the duo have many times toured the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. To date they have released over 30 best-selling albums and 13 DVDs, with album and DVD sales over 22 million worldwide. Mick Foster was taught to play the accordion by Sister Agnes Murray and by Frankie Gavigan. Main influences on his playing included Jimmy Shand and Will Starr. In 1968 and 1970 Mick Foster won the All Ireland Piano Accordion Championship at the Fleadh Cheoil. He has stated that his accordion would be the last thing in life he would be prepared to give up. |
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Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Bradford Accordion Band Concert for Breast Cancer Care, Bingley - UKby Rob Howard |
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![]() An audience member later commented: “A huge thankyou to Bradford Accordion Band and Pennine Chimes for a splendid concert at the Bingley Arts Centre. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening’s musical entertainment and light hearted comedy. Don’t know how you managed to read the music through all that smoke and flashing lights but it was a superb effort. Congratulations to everyone concerned and well done for supporting such a worthwhile cause”. |
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‘Last Tango’ Zoe Tiganouria Single Release, Athens – Greeceby Rob Howard |
![]() The vocals are by mezzo soprano Eleni Voudouraki, and the violinist is Iasonas Ktenas. Latest video: Zoe Tiganouria and Vasiliki Stefanou perform another Tiganouria composition 'You have something that I miss''. This video is an excerpt from the concert of Zoe Tiganouria in the garden theater Papagou, 18 September 2016. For further information email: info@zoe-music.net |
Video: 2016 Coupe Mondiale Masters Category, Rostov-on-Don - Russiaby Harley Jones |
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Videos from the CIA Video Archive Education Project sponsored by Scandalli Accordions. Masters Coupe Mondiale Winners - Russia 1st Rodion Shirokov (Russia) No. 6 2nd Alexey Murza (Ukraine) No. 13 3rd Ksenia Yakovleva (Russia) No. 12 Full Coupe Mondiale results and marks listed at: 2016Results Daily Reports start 11th September at: http://www.coupemondiale.org/2016/ru_coupemain.htm Video of all contestants and concerts is online. Video Homepage at: 2016CM-Video |
Alex Meixner Hormel Pepperoni Commercial + Tour Dates – USAby Rob Howard |
American accordionist Alex Meixner has appeared as a one man band in a TV commercial for Hormel Pepperoni. Alex Meixner comes from a musical family going back four generations. He began performing when he was 6 years old, with his father, Al, in the family band, and he has appeared on more than 50 recordings, including the 1994 Grammy winning ‘Music and Friends’ by Walter Ostanek. Since 1995 he has led his own band. His main instruments are accordion and trumpet, although he can also play keyboards, bass, drums, and many different horns. ‘Polka Freak Out’, his 2007 release, was nominated for a Grammy in 2007. The latter is described on the CD cover as "A collection of songs mixing elements of polka styles from around the world ... on top of a Tex-Mex rhythm section and enveloped in a pop-rock aesthetic." His latest, ‘Three Ring Circus’, mirrors the variety in his live shows. His original songs are mixed in with polkas from many cultures. There is even an Irish dance rocker. And to ensure the disk's polka authenticity, one of the 23 tracks is titled "Is Anything Better than Beer?" His upcoming performances are: October 19th to 23rd – Linde Tulsa Oktoberfest, Tulsa, Oklahoma November 4th to 6th - Wurstfest, New Braunfels, Texas For further information email: info@alexmeixner.com |
Future events |
Richard Galliano and Sylvain Luc Concerts, Tychy, Wroclaw – Polandby Rob Howard |
Accordionist Richard Galliano and guitarist Sylvain Luc perform music associated with Edith Piaf this weekend at concerts in Poland, as follows: Saturday October 22nd, 7pm - National Forum of Music, 1 Wolnosci Sq., Wroclaw Sunday October 23rd, 7pm - Silesian Guitar Autumn, Mediateka XXI wieku, Pilsudskiego 16, Tychy Accordion and bandoneon virtuoso, composer Richard Galliano performs in many musical fields, from classical to jazz. He records for the prestigious classical music label ‘Deutsche Grammophon’, and has recorded more than 50 albums, many under his own name and some with many other artists. Sylvain Luc is one of France’s leading jazz guitarists, and he has worked with Michel Legrand, Wynton Marsalis, Bireli Lagrene, Al Jarreau, and many more. He often works with Richard Galliano, and is the bassist with Galliano’s trio. For further information email: gingaproductions@yahoo.fr |
Ferran Martinez Concerts, Barcelona – Spainby Rob Howard |
![]() His program includes ‘Under Paris Skies’ (H. Giraud), ‘Carnival of Venice variations’ (P. Frosini), ‘Tango for Claude’ (R. Galliano), ‘Concierto Aranjuez’ (J. Rodrigo), ‘Trisch-Trasch Polka’ (J. Strauss), ‘Voices of Spring’ (J. Strauss), ‘Summer from the 4 Seasons’ (A. Vivaldi), ‘Romance’ (F. Angelis), ‘Variations on a Ukrainian Theme’ (A. Kazakov), and ‘Don Rhapsody’ (V. Semionov). Ferran Martinez is Professor of Accordion at the Barcelona Conservatory. Ferran Martinez’s recent CD, 'La Magia Del Acordeon', includes popular evergreen accordion classics, such as: 'Adios Muchachos', 'Bamboleo', 'Begin the Beguine', 'Jealousy', 'La Paloma', 'Dark Eyes' and 'Tico Tico'. For further information email: ferranbayan@gmail.com |
Sergei Teleshev Concert, Oregon – USAby Rob Howard |
![]() For further information email: dorisosgood@frontier.com |
Stockport Accordion Club Charity Concert, Cheshire – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() The concert will feature the Stockport AC Band (MD Derek Stubbs) and Orchestra (MD Brian Jenkins), the Accordion Spice Trio, and soloists John Jones MBE, Dorothy Brincat, Moira Hague, Helen Rich, Rob Howard, Walter Perrie, Dennis Pepler OBE, Phil Watson, and Pearl Fawcett-Adriano. Admission is £5, with the proceeds donated to Beechwood Cancer Care. The venue is Woodley Methodist Church, Chapel St, Woodley, Stockport, Cheshire SK6 1NF. For further information email: robaccord5@hotmail.com |
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Gennaro Ruffolo @ Music China 2016 for MusicTech – Chinaby Rob Howard |
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Italian accordionist Gennaro Ruffolo will be demonstrating for MusicTech at the Music China 2016 next week in Shanghai, from Wednesday October 26th to Saturday October 29th, Hall E4 Stand 26. Gennaro Ruffolo, from Crosia, Italy, graduated from the Conservatorio G.B. Pergolesi, Ancona, in 2003. He has performed at many festivals, has made several recordings, teaches the accordion, and demonstrates both acoustic and digital accordions and microphone products for MusicTech. For further information email: gennaroruffolo@libero.it |
Alan Kelly & Steph Geremia Tour Dates – USAby Rob Howard |
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Irish accordionist Alan Kelly and American flautist Steph Geremia are on tour in the southern states as a duo between October 27th and November 14th – see poster. Alan Kelly, from Roscommon, is one of Ireland’s leading piano accordion players, and is widely credited with leading a revival of the instrument in traditional music circles. Alan has a background in traditional Irish music and dance, and is the son of Frank Kelly, an All-Ireland Champion in 1964. Alan won All-Ireland titles on piano accordion and piano, and also with brother John (a flute player) in duets and John Wynne in trios. More recently Alan has become internationally popular with his Alan Kelly Band. For further information email: info@blackboxmusic.ie |
Accordion Master Class, Novi Sad - Serbiaby Rob Howard |
![]() Applying for the master class and all required information can be obtained on the following (Serbian) phone numbers: 060 / 37 26 510 Jovan; 061 / 22 83 847 Radovan. The basic format is as follows: First hour: the history of traditional music and accordion in Serbia and other Balkan countries. The proper way of performing original songs from central, south and west Serbia, as well as correct way of performing original songs from Bosnia and Macedonia. Second hour: folk dances from Serbia, Romania, Macedonia, Bulgaria (also and Kola, Ora, Hora and Horos), and Vlach region. Detailed explanations given of articulation, harmony, phrasing, and fingerings. Third hour: movie music, World music from France, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, etc. Discussion of different rhythms and styles - waltz, tango, New Musette, tango nuevo, samba, rumba, chorinho, etc. The master class is suitable for all musicians who are serious about playing their instrument. For further information email: vladapanovic@yahoo.com |
‘Super Accordion Day’, Surrey - UKby Rob Howard |
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This year’s annual ‘Super Accordion Day’ takes place on Sunday October 30th at Ripley Village Hall, Guildford, Surrey GU23 6AF. The day starts at 10am - meet for coffee and registration. 10.30 - 1pm - Rehearsal 1pm - 2pm - Lunch (please bring packed lunch) 2pm - 4.30 - Rehearsal 2 (break around 3.15) This year the evening concert will be at 5.30pm making it easier for those travelling a long way. There will be performances by the Tillingbourne Accordion Orchestra (picture above), Watford Accordion Band, London Intermediate Accordion Orchestra (LIAO), and the Middlesex Accordion Orchestra. The organiser is Julie North. The cost of the day is only £15. All are welcome. For further information email: mail@londonao.co.uk |
New and Updated Sites |
Updated Site: Douglas Ward, Descriptions of Works - UKby Douglas Ward |
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![]() The Douglas Ward page is now listing over 80 compositions and arrangements of eSheet and printed music available from Charnwood Publishing. Purchase with credit card online. |
Site Updated: Klaus Paier Music Books - Austriaby Harley Jones |
![]() MCV1620 Vibrations vol. 1 for 2 accordions by Klaus Paier MCV1621 Vibrations vol. 2 for 3 accordions by Klaus Paier MCV1622 Vibrations vol. 3 for 4 accordions by Klaus Paier MCV1623 Vibrations vol. 4 for 4 accordions/bandoneon by Klaus Paier MCV1624 Solo Pieces vol. 1 for accordion by Klaus Paier MCV1625 Solo Pieces vol. 2 for accordion by Klaus Paier MCV1626 Solo Pieces vol. 3 for bandoneon by Klaus Paier MCV1640 22 Original Solos for accordion & bandoneon by Klaus Paier MCV1641 The Accordion Book, Volume 1 with CD by Klaus Paier MCV1642 The Accordion Book, Volume 2 with CD by Klaus Paier MCV1643 The Accordion Book, Volume 3 with CD by Klaus Paier |
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