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Highlights |
Roland Italy National Selection (Selezione Nazionale) - Italyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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2009 Italy National Selection (Selezione Nazionale) for the Roland International Festival, in Rome, 21 November 2009. |
2009 Strumenti & Musica Spring Festival, Spoleto - Italyby '2009 Spring Instruments & Music Festival’ |
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Daily Reports online of the 2009 Strumenti & Musica Spring Festival in Spoleto, Italy. Competitions and concerts are from May 15th to 17th, with a seminar and concert by Viatcheslav Semionov and a concert by Renato Borghetti and band. The two best Italian players will be sponsored by the IAC (Italian Accordion Culture – Italian member of the CIA) for the travel and hotel for the CIA Coupe Mondiale in 2009, held in Auckland, New Zealand. Daily Reports online of the 2009 Strumenti & Musica Spring Festival. |
Roland Corporation Announces Sponsorship of Coupe Mondiale 2009by Roland Corporation |
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![]() Roland is a leading manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, including the V-Accordion, the world’s first digital modelling accordion. As part of our Coupe Mondiale sponsorship, we will be exhibiting the full range of Roland V-Accordions at the Bruce Mason Centre for the duration the duration of the 62nd Coupe Mondiale event, 25th – 29th August 2009. Roland Australia & NZ has invited two very special guests to North Shore City, New Zealand to assist us with the performance and promotion of V-Accordion at Coupe Mondiale 2009. Mr Luigi Bruti (left) is the Marketing Director for Roland Europe, home of the V-accordion. Mr Bruti was a central figure in the development of V-Accordion and the establishment in 2007 of the V-Accordion Festival, an international competition that has attracted some of the finest accordionists from around the world. A renowned accordionist himself, Mr Bruti will be on hand throughout the event to share his knowledge and experience of the Roland V-Accordion with musicians and enthusiasts. Our other guest is Mr Ludovic Beier (lower left). Hailing from France, he is one of the finest exponents of jazz style accordion, and will perform on the V-Accordion at Coupe Mondiale 2009 at the Thursday night concert (August 27th) where he will unveil, in a world debut, the latest developments for Roland V-Accordion. Ludovic will also appear in a more informal French themed social setting on the Friday evening (Aug 28th). He is a thrilling and inspiring performer and his is a show that should not be missed. Sales and Marketing Manager for Roland Australia & NZ, Mr Brendan Callinan, says that “the release of the Roland FR7 V-Accordion in 2004 was the culmination of many years of planning and design, and fulfilled a long ambition of Roland’s founder, Mr Ikutaro Kakehashi, to produce a Roland accordion that did justice to both the fine history and tradition of the instrument and Roland’s dedication to developing cutting edge technologies to enhance the musical experience. We are excited about the prospect of the union of fine musicianship and creative technology within the Coupe Mondiale program and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes.” For more information on Roland visit www.roland.com |
Mika Väyrynen performs with the Tampere Philharmonic - Finlandby Kevin Friedrich |
![]() With more than 1100 attendees filling the Tampere Hall, the after concert review was brief – “Mika Väyrynen’s playing can be described with one word - phenomenal!". In addition to his bayan work, Mika recently finished recording a project on bandoneon for NBC Finland. Mika has also been working in Spain on two different teaching engagements, including in Zaragoza, teaching a series of master classes for the postgraduate accordion students, and then later returning to Oviedo, Spain, to conduct Master Classes at Conservatorio Superior de Musica ‘Eduardo Martinez Torner’. As Mika prepares for a busy summer concert schedule, he is completing his new CD called ‘Misterium’, the name of the last work, ‘Sonata No. 7’, dedicated to Mika, by the late Anatoli Kusjakov. The CD is due to be released this autumn. |
Accordion Success, North Shore Young Performer of the Year – New Zealandby Heather Masefield |
![]() The Young Performer of the Year Award competition is open to all instruments andthis year, there were 8 contestants. The class was won by accordionist Jessica Chen (left) with nearly full marks. Both Jessica and the 2nd placegetter, violinist Stella Kim, will compete at the national finals in Invercargill in October. The top accordion category competition winner was Eddie Giffney with Stephanie Panzic 2nd. The three prize winning accordionists are part of a team development by the New Zealand Accordion Association that has been working towards having young people representing New Zealand at the 2009 Coupe Mondiale. |
Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
World Accordion Dayby Rob Howard |
![]() Reports on many of these events can be found on World Accordion Day website. |
‘Accordions International 2009’, Blackpool – UKby Rob Howard |
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![]() ![]() Pietro Adragna, a 20 year old from Sicily, charmed everybody with his personality, brilliant technique and large repertoire. Many will long remember his impromptu late night concert in the bar, including his complex variations on ‘The Carnival of Venice’. Claudio Recchia, from Rome, similarly demonstrated a high standard of technique and love for playing in his performances. There were marvellous performances from Alexander Dmitriev and Vitali Dmitriev, and UK-based artistes Stefan Andrusyschyn and vocalist Denise Leigh, Romano Viazzani, Bert Santilly and Harry Hussey David Vernon, from Edinburgh, arrived on Sunday, and his Scottish music and humour quickly endeared him to his audiences. His entrances, in full kilt and playing bagpipes, were spectacular and memorable. Romano Viazzani’s ‘Big Band’ workshop was memorable for a superb rendition of Glenn Miller’s ‘String of Pearls’, which included a trumpet solo from Marj Howard, and Pietro Adragna playing the piano part on a Roland FR7. Brian Jenkins, Peter Whiteley, Jean Hanger and Bert Santilly capably led orchestral/band workshops. Adrienne Sharpe organised the daily ‘Free n Easy’ concerts and also the ‘Songs of Praise’. The festival will also featured the release of Rob Howard’s new book, ‘An A to Z of the Accordion, Volume 4’, which sold well. For further information email: heather@accordions.karoo.co.uk |
Chico Chagas wins 1st Prize in Jazz Festival, Kaunas - Lithuaniaby Rob Howard |
![]() Kaunas Jazz is Lithuania's biggest and stylistically most diverse jazz festival. |
Future events |
4th Festival of Accordion Music ‘From Baroque to Jazz’, Wroclaw - Polandby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
![]() Among the festival events are: 1) The accordion contest: 23.05.2009. 2) Courses for accordionists: 25.05.2009, conducted by - Olexiy Suslov 3) The concert Laureates of Festival: 27.05.2009. 4) The concert of Accordion Orchestra Harmonica from Music School 1st and 2nd grade S-ART: 29.05.2009. Galina Krival – conductor. The program includes compositions G. Bizet, A. Petrov, A. Piazzolla, G. Sviridov, K. Weill. In the competitive part of our Festival can be participated by pupils of Music Schools of the 1st and 2nd grade, students of Music Academies, professional musicians and unprofessional soloists and ensembles (without age limitation). There will be two categories in our competition: for soloists and for chamber ensembles/accordion orchestras. For further information email: suslov@wp.pl |
‘The Art of Accordion’ Concert at Carnegie Hall, New York - USAby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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Accordionist Jelena Milojevic will perform a recital at the Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York, on May 27th, 8pm. She will perform works by A. Grothe, A. Kusiakov, F. Angelis, A. Nordheim, J. Gurbindo, V. Vlasov, and the world premiere of Chris Jarrett's ‘The last dawn of Anne Frank’. Jelena Milojevic, from Croatia, now lives in Vancouver, Canada. She has won numerous international accordion competitions, both as soloist and chamber musician. One of her greatest successes came in Italy in 2003 when she won the Trophée Mondiale senior classical title. For further information email: info@artesmusic.org |
Akkordeonorchester Klingenthal e.V. to Loreto & Castelfidardo – Italyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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The Akkordeonorchester Klingenthal e.V. is going to be performing in Castelfidardo on May 29th, 9.15pm at the Concerto Teatro Astra. On May 31st the Akkordeonorchester Klingenthal e.V. will be performing in Loreto at the Teatro Comunale di Loreto, 9:15 pm. Klingenthal City in Germany and Castelfidardo City in Italy are sister cities and hold a number of cultural and social events each year to honor and celebrate this special relationship. |
International Accordion Competition “Ascoltate 2009” - Lithuaniaby Rob Howard |
The International Accordion Competition “Ascoltate 2009” takes place in Prienai, Lithuania, from June 3rd to 7th. This competition is sponsored by the Veiveriai A. Kucingis School of Art and the Kaunas Accordion Society. There are six categories, ranging from classical to jazz, for accordion soloists and ensembles born from 1990. For further information email: mindaugas@akordeonas.lt |
Peter Soave in concert, Lausanne - Switzerlandby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
![]() For further information email: jl.noton@wanadoo.fr |
St Audries Bay Summer Accordion Week 2009, Somerset – UKby Rob Howard |
![]() There is chalet or caravan accommodation available - half board or self catering. The guest artistes include Harry Hussey, and the activities offered include Accordion Bands (Advanced/ Intermediate/ Beginners), Vintage Workshop, Scottish Workshop, French Accordion Circle, Composers Competition, Scottish Ceilidh Evening, Accordion Repairs, Accordion Tuition, Trade Show, Duets, Groups, Solos, and Busking. For further information email: enquiries@staudriesbay.co.uk |
3rd Accordion Art Festival and Contests 2009, Mosciano – Italyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
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The festival is organized by the Art Promotion Association in collaboration with www.clubvogliadarte.com, City of Mosciano and private sponsors and will take place from June 19th to 21st in Mosciano SA (TE, Italy). The festival is divided into 4 concerts and 3 competitions: Orpheus Award (Critics Award), a type of accordion Oscar for best Italian CD of 2008; the Italia Award (International) for young students of classical accordions, virtuoso, organ, singing, keyboard, guitar and others; Italian selection for the next CMA Trophée Mondiale, to be held in September 2009 in Portugal. The last date for entries is May 31st. The Artistic Director Renzo Ruggieri and President Claudio Azzaro intend to repeat the success of previous editions with concerts and international guests such as: Ludovic Beier (French demonstrator of the Roland V-Accordion) for jazz music, Maestro Massimiliano Pitocco (concert artiste and Professor of the Academy of St. Cecilia, Rome) for classical music, and the young Italian entertainer Antonio Spaccarotella (winner of the International Award of Castelfidardo 2008). The opening event will be by the Orchestra Mantici Armoniosi, directed by Maestro Paolo Picchio. For further information contact visit www.accordionartfestival.com |
Bruno Maurice Master Class at Académie Festival des Arcs 2009, Savoie - Franceby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
![]() Festival des Arcs is the ‘INTERNET’ of the French classical music world. It is the annual meeting place for many French musicians, and most of the professors and musicians are under 45. What makes the festival really special is that the musicians play for almost nothing because they want to do so, and want to give something back for the benefits that they have obtained from the Festival and Academy in the past. This means that there is a very special atmosphere and you see many musicians listening to each other playing - this is quite different from the "prima donna" atmosphere of parts of the music world. For further information email: contact@festivaldesarcs.com |
Renzo Ruggieri Presents Exhibitions by Marco Goldin, Rimini, Udine - Italyby Holda Paoletti-Kampl |
![]() During the presentation a stage show "The Corot and a Blind, by Monet", written by Goldin, with music and interpretations of jazz accordionist Renzo Ruggieri and cellist Piero Salvatori, will be featured. For further information email: info@renzoruggieri.it |
New and Updated Sites |
Rob Howard new book releaseby Rob Howard |
Rob Howard new book now released titled "An A to Z of the Accordion and related instruments - Volume 4". Purchase online. |
Franco Cambareri new worksby Franco Cambareri |
Franco Cambareri - accordionist, composer, producer, releases 5 new works for accordion available for purchase online. 'La Baiana, catalog:cfranco90', 'La Joya (The Jewel), catalog:cfranco91', 'Maria Luiza, catalog:cfranco92', 'Moments of Sadness, catalog:cfranco93' and 'Tender Feelings (Sentimento Amoroso), catalog:cfranco94'. Samples of this music are available on the site. The music is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card. |
Salvatore Cauteruccio new CDsby Salvatore Cauteruccio |
A new site selling 2 CDs titled "NOVA 4TET Tangout" and "Acoustic Music Ensemble" with sound samples. Music performed by Salvatore Cauteruccio. Purchase online. |
Semion Shmelkov new CDsby Shmelkov Semion |
A new site selling 2 CDs titled "The Poem" and "Sempre Majore! (Flute and Bayan)" with sound samples. Music performed by Semion Shmelkov and Olga Zmanovskaja. Purchase online. |
CD Reviews |
Accordeon Obsessionby Renato Belardinelli |
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