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by Heather Masefield
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![]() Lionel received the award for “Top Male Artist” and Alexandra, the “Rising Star Award”. Lionel was a recipient of the Rising Star Award himself in 1991 as an 18 year old, so it was a very special thrill that his daughter has also received the award, and that they were both honored with awards on the same night - an unusual event and perhaps a first for the Variety Artists. Alexandra started learning piano and accordion at a very early age and recently passed her Grade 8 Trinity College (London) piano examination with merit. Lionel is a singer/musician who performs in New Zealand and overseas and his wife, Elena is a piano teacher and dancer, so it is not unexpected that music has always formed a very big part of Alexandra’s life. Alexandra has been a regular competitor in local and national accordion competitions and has won both New Zealand and Australian titles. She is a pupil of Northcote Intermediate School and plays in her school’s rock and jazz bands, as well as being a member of both school representative basketball and netball teams. She is also a keen ballet dancer and a rhythmic gymnast. In 2013, Alexandra competed in the American Accordionists’ Association (AAA) USA national competitions in New York City and she will be the New Zealand representative at the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships in Salzburg, Austria, later this month, competing in the Junior Virtuoso Entertainment category. |