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Highlights |
2022 PIF Castelfidardo Dates and Rules Released in Italian - Italyby Harley Jones |
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![]() ![]() The City Council of Castelfidardo (Marche region, Italy), in collaboration with Castelfidardo Pro Loco Tourist Association, organizes the PIF International Competition “Città di Castelfidardo” for accordion soloists and groups, of classical music and other genres. The Castelfidardo Municipal Administration is led by Mayor Roberto Ascani, the Castelfidardo Pro Loco headed by Ruben Cittadini, and PIF Artistic since 2021 is Director Antonio Spaccarotella. His qualifications include, event Production Director, highly successful teacher with many international successes, music arranger and recently, successful composer. Rules in English and further information about PIF 2022 will be released shortly at: 2022Castelfidardo |
World Accordion Day Events - Internationalby Harley Jones |
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![]() Everyone can register their WAD activity on the WAD website and send a report of their event after, for that website. No event is too big or too small. ALL accordion events celebrating accordion are welcome. This is a CIA promotion for the accordion in which every accordion enthusiast can participate and help bring our accordion world together as well as strongly promote the accordion. Dr. Helmi Harrington welcomes all, “On behalf of the Board of Directors to A World of Accordions Museum." to their 3 day event (6,7,8 May). Online live: - Free Will Donation * You may register online. Donations are accepted at the end of the registration form. * For registration: https://worldofaccordions.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/worldofaccordions/eventRegistration.jsp?event=8 |
Video: Maria Vlasova Performs Flores B-A-C-H - Russiaby Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions |
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Video: April 16, 2022 at 2pm. Concert Hall of the Russian Gnesin Academy of Music, Moscow, Russia FLORES B-A-C-H program 1. J. S. Bach. Concerto in E major for clavier and orchestra, BWV1 052 (arranged for accordion ensemble by R. Kaneev) 2. A. Nekrasov. FUGATO PASSIONE on the theme of P. I. Tchaikovsky "Christ the Child Had a Garden" for 12 accordions. WORLD PREMIERE 3. J. S. Bach. Prelude and Fugue in C major WTC I, BWV 846 4. M. Romberg. FLORES MALUM (Flores B-A-C-H) for accordion solo. WORLD PREMIERE 5. J. S. Bach. Prelude and Fugue in C minor, WTC I, BWV 847 6. P. Hindemith. RAGTIME (WOHLTEMPERED), version for accordion and piano 7. J. S. Bach. Concerto in C major for two claviers and orchestra, BWV1 061 (arranged for orni by R. Kaneev) Concert Russian orchestra "Academy", Ruslan Kaneev, conductor. Soloists: Maria Vlasova (accordion), Svyatoslav Lips (piano) Accordion Ensemble class of Associate Professor Maria Vlasova - Irina Karpova, Alisa Rodina, Daria Sakharova, Yulia Popkova, Ilona Savina Alexander Nekrasov, Alexei Loganov, Maxim Kuznetsov, Roman Malyavkin, Maria Astakhova (voiced psaltery). |
Tango Weekend – Tribute to Astor Piazzolla – Franceby Christine Johnstone |
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A special Tango Weekend – Tribute to Astor Piazzolla will be held from May 20th to 22nd, 2022, organised by the Cité de la Musique - Philharmonie de Paris in Paris, France. The first concert will be held on May 20th at 8.30 pm in the Cité de la Musique Concert Hall and feature the Gerardo Jerez Le Cam Quartet (Manu Comté - bandoneon), followed by bandoneonist Juan José Mosalini (picture above right) and his musicians performing tango nuevo. On May 21st, the next concert will be held in the Cité de la Musique Concert Hall at 8.30pm and feature Tango Club with Simone Tolomeo (bandoneon). On May 22nd, the final concert will be held at the Grande salle Pierre Boulez at 4.30 pm with a performance by Louise Jallu (bandoneon – picture above left) followed by Quinteto Astor Piazzolla with Pablo Mainetti (bandoneon – picture below). “After the death of Astor Piazzolla (in 1992), his wife – Laura Escalada Piazzolla – brought together five outstanding soloists to create a quintet to preserve and promote the repertoire of the immense Argentine musician, in line with the quintets he himself trained and conducted during his lifetime. Brought to play regularly around the world for more than twenty years, the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla perpetuates Piazzolla's unique music and, remaining faithful to its innovative spirit, also enriches it with new nuances.” For details phone: 01 44 84 44 84 |
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Foster & Allen April/May Tour - Irelandby Christine Johnstone |
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Mick Foster & Tony Allen (Foster & Allen) began a tour of Ireland this week. The popular duo will perform concerts as follows: • April 29th: The Arklow Bay Hotel in Arklow • May 2nd: Hotel Kilmore in Cavan • May 5th: Woodstock Hotel in Ennis • May 6th: Gleneagle INEC Arena in County Kerry • May 8th: Knightsbrook Hotel in Trim • May 27th: Longcourt House Hotel in Newcastle West |
Online: Taiwan & World Accordion Festival - Taiwanby Christine Johnstone |
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![]() ![]() Performers are: Julian Labro (France/USA) Nighteentael (Taiwan) - Achino on accordion and Ricky on violin Kite Flying Band (Taiwan) - Vincent Tsai on accordion Lee Chen-Chung (bandoneon) & Roberto Zayas (Taiwan/Paraguay) Shui Hou Gu Shi (Taiwan – Chieh on accordion) Hulunbuir Duo (Taiwan/Inner Mongolia) picture above right Accordion and Bayan duo, Wang Xue & Co Co Chang who interpret new arrangements of traditional Mongolian music. Eskemm (Taiwan/France) accordionists Alexis & Lin Chen-Chin Saburo Tanooka (Japan) picture above left Manabu Hiyama (Japan) Roberto Gervasi (Italy) Romeo Aichino (Italy) Algy Wu (Taiwan) – bandoneon Meguree (Japan) - Ree (Risa Yoshioka) and Meme (Megumi Tsuchiya) – picture below For details email: infoaccordion@gmail.com |
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Reports for Concerts, Masterclasses, Competitions, Festivals, etc. |
Sonja Vertainen Accordion & Guitar Duo composed by Kimmo Hakola - Finlandby Harley Jones |
![]() Sonja Vertainen writes: "I knew Kimmo Hakola before this project from his piece Arara for three accordions which he had composed for my fathers (Raimo Vertainen) accordion trio, Trio Fratres in the 90´s. I actually played this piece in my chamber music exam last year with my own accordion trio and liked it a lot. Trio Fratres had in fact commissioned another piece for accordion trio back then from Kimmo Hakola but for some reason it never happened. That got me thinking, that maybe I could bring that project back to life and Kimmo Hakola could compose the piece for me. This idea had been sitting in my head for years when I finally decided to act on it. At first I think I was just so eager to get him to write for me, that I suggested a number of instruments to pair up with the accordion: flute, viola, piano, one or two other accordions, and of course quitar. So, for me, the idea to write specifically for accordion and guitar wasn't written in stone, because I wanted to give some space for the composer to decide what he might be inspired to compose. But, during that phone call, I think it became clear that my interests were mostly in accordion & guitar duo because it´s such an interesting combo, so Kimmo Hakola took on the challenge. Hakola has said, that it would have never have crossed his mind to write for accordion and guitar, so a duo of accordion and guitar totally came from my side. My wonderful accordion professors Veli Kujala and Matti Rantanen helped by listening to me play and made some suggestions for the accordion part as well as the whole duo. In addition they have always given lots of support and some advice on how to work with composers and how to handle certain things in those situations. For example, how to write a contract between the player and the composer. Veli Kujala also wrote me a recommendation letter to get the funding for the project, which was a very nice. Kimmo Hakola and I talked on the phone quite a long time before we actually met in person, almost a year. How these types of things usually work in Finland, is that you make an agreement/contract with the composer saying that they have agreed to write piece (including fee and instrument combination) and then someone, usually the one commissioning the piece, applies for grants for the project and if they get the funding, the project will happen. It can happen, that the composer agrees to compose the music, but the funding fails, so the project won't proceed. So, for a long time with Kimmo Hakola it was uncertain if the project was really going to proceed because of the uncertainty of the funding. We actually saw Hakola only twice before the premiere: once for coffee to just chat about the piece and get to know each other and then a month before the premiere we played it to him. But of course we had phone calls, zoom sessions and texts all the time. He would call every now and then, to ask about some technical things and if it was possible. I liked those phone calls because often we would talk about music in general a little bit, which was always interesting. Otto Kentala was a big factor why I suggested a duo for guitar and accordion in the first place. We were actually in the same music school as kids but we only met when we started at the Sibelius Academy in 2015. We were friends for years but we had never played together and we were always talking about how we should play together. I have the best time playing with musicians with whom I'm already good friends with, so I thought that it would be a good idea. Another reason why I wanted accordion and guitar was because I had noticed that there isn't nearly enough repertoire for that combo, compared to how many accordion and guitar players, really want to play together. Personally I almost feel some sort of responsibility to contribute to new Finnish music and if I have the chance to widen our repertoire in any way, I should do it. Also in the Sibelius Academy, accordion and guitar are in the same "group" alongside piano and kantele (traditional Finnish instrument), so it's natural for accordion and guitar players to hang with each other and therefore play together. I guess I just felt the need to contribute to that somehow and make it a little bit more accessible for young players to find good pieces to play together." Thank you to Sonja Vertainen for sharing her experience of commissioning a new work for accordion. We hope this news article will also encourage other accordionists to commission new works for accordion. |
Video: Mahatma Costa Cable Car Performance – Switzerlandby Christine Johnstone |
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2022 Vancouver Folk Music Festival - Canadaby Christine Johnstone |
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The 2022 Vancouver Folk Music Festival will be held at Jericho Beach Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from July 15th to 17th, 2022. In honour of Earth Day, festival organisers are committed to ensuring they get closer each year to being a zero waste festival and have an amazing team of volunteers who ensure their recycling programs and site clean up run smoothly. Performers will be announced on social media this month. Tickets are now on sale. For details email: info@thefestival.bc.ca |
Austrian Accordion Alliteration Ansamble Concert - Austriaby Dr Herbert Scheibenreif Manager of Friedrich Lips Productions |
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The Austrian Accordion Alliteration Ansamble performed a concert in Sargfabrik, Vienna, Austria on April 28th, 2022. Concert report: Group members Atanas Dinovski brings pearls of Balkan music, Paul Schuberth presents experimental compositions, Johannes Münzner shows what is possible on the Styrian accordion. The three of them, play their own compositions in crazy, beguiling arrangements and honor accordion composers such as Bratko Bibic, Otto Lechner, Guy Klucevsek and others. |
New CD "Poetic Accordion" - Czech Republicby Christine Johnstone |
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![]() Prague Conservatory, Prague, Czech Republic this week. The CD includes solo and chamber music works for the accordion by Czech composer Pavel Trojan (picture left) described as “unusually exciting, beautiful and well-written music, written by a master.” The event was attended by the composer Pavel Trojan, Ladislav Horák, Jörgen Sundeqvist, Jiri Lukes, Päivi Mettälä and Josef Hrebik. |
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Accordion at Paris Fair – Franceby Rob Howard |
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The accordion will feature at the Paris Fair from April 28th to May 9th, 2022 in Paris, France. On April 29th & 30th and May 1st, Frederic Deschamps will hold a masterclass and share some of his expertise to help improve your musicality. Participants can attend with or without an accordion as there are plenty on site. Performances will be given by accordionists Salim Sferdjella, Alexis Labarrière, Nini Poulain and Julien Gonzales. |
Akkordeon Orchester Trappenkamp Entertain in Bad Segeberg - Germanyby Christine Johnstone |
The Akkordeon Orchester Trappenkamp (AkkOrT) conducted by Elisabeth Busse performed a successful concert at the Marienkirche in Bad Segeberg this week. The event entitled “Musik zur Marktzeit” (Music at Market Time) was organised by the Ev.-Luth, Parish of Segeberg. The orchestra is now working on a new concert program in preparation for their annual concert in Trappenkamp in September 2022. |
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Video: Face2Face Duo Perform Stevie Wonder Hit - Polandby Christine Johnstone |
![]() Bartosz Kolsut on accordion and Pawel Janas on melodica. |
Jérôme Richard TV Show - Franceby Christine Johnstone |
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Jérôme Richard (picture above), programmer and columnist of the TV shows 1, 2, 3 Musette and 1, 2, 3 Dansez which feature guest accordionists, has announced that programming of upcoming shows will take place from May 17th to 21st and from June 29th to July 2nd, 2022. These accordion TV shows are broadcast throughout France and Belgium, on satellite, cable and ADSL as well as on DTT in several regions with host Pierre-Yves Lombard. |
Future events |
Klaus Paier Entertains at Exhibition With String Quartet - Austriaby Christine Johnstone |
![]() The exhibition opened on April 20th and will run until May 15th, 2022. Artist Britta Keber explored “the question of analogies between visual art and music, of points of contact between both art forms. As two art movements, each of which is independent, it is not about influencing the other, but about a mutual influence on each other. The link is formed by each individual viewer - assuming that each person perceives differently, develops different emotions.” Britta Keber included a string quartet with a soloist in this concept, which gave a concert at the opening and left its mark on the exhibition. For details email: stadtgalerie@klagenfurt.at |
“Zbigniew Chojnacki” Solo Tour 2022 – Austria, Slovakia, Germanyby Christine Johnstone |
![]() Experimental accordionist “Zbigniew Chojnacki” (Poland - picture right) will perform Part 1 of the "Unreleased Album Solo Tour 2022" with upcoming concerts in Slovakia and Germany. The tour began with a concert at Echoraum in Vienna, Austria on April 28th, 2022. On May 3rd, Zbigniew will perform with Kim Peers and Mathieu Vandekerckhove (Amenra guitarist, Syndrome) at Malý Berlín in Trnava, Slovakia. “The combination of accordion and electronics makes Zbigniew an extraordinary phenomenon on the music scene. This combination is full of noise walls, unpredictable atmosphere and scary sounds.” For details email: info@malyberlin.sk This will be followed by solo performances at the Schwankhalle in Brema, Germany on June 7th, 2022 and at MS Stubnitz in Hamburg, Germany on June 8th, 2022. |
Reunion of Friends Concert – USAby Christine Johnstone |
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Reunion of Friends is a one-of-a-kind concert featuring the wide-ranging talents of singer- songwriters-arrangers and entertainers Courtney Von Drehle (accordion) with Scott Greeson, Vickie Maris, Michael Kelsey and the band Trouble With Monday. The concert will be held at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation in Lafayette, Indiana, USA on May 7th, 2022 at 7.30pm. The show will be recorded and a video Watch Party is scheduled for June 12th, 2022 at 9.30pm EDT. |
Seattle Accordion Social - USAby Christine Johnstone |
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The May Seattle Accordion Social will be held at the Senior Centre of West Seattle on May 9th, 2022 from 7.30pm. See poster for details of guest performers. |
Ville Hiltula Duo Tango Concert – Japanby Christine Johnstone |
![]() ![]() Future May concerts as follows: • May 13th, 2022 at 3pm: Café Glenco in Handa City, Aichi Prefecture. Phone 0569-22-5337 • May 14th, 2022 at 7pm: Mona Petro in Najoya, Aichi Prefecture. Ville Hiltula (bandoneón), Asako Yada (piano) and Yumi Kou (violin). See poster right. • May 28th, 2022 at 2pm: Salon de Sasonaha - Classic Meets Tango concert with Kazuhiro Takagi (violin) and Ville Hiltula (bandoneón), Janne Tateno (violin), Yuko Tanaka (viola) and Sari Nakajima (cello). Music by Dvorák, Ginastera, Piazzolla, Mosalini & Beytelmann. See poster below. • May 29th, 2022 at 2pm: Guggenheim House in Kobe – A 2nd performance of the Classic Meets Tango concert. For details email: villehiltula@gmail.com |
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Cote de Nogent Accordion Festival – Franceby Christine Johnstone |
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The Cote de Nogent Accordion Festival will be held at Espace Culturel du Château des Rochers in Nogent-Sur-Oise, France on May 19th, 2022 from 1.30pm to 7.30pm. The festival is an afternoon of song and dance to celebrate the arrival of sunny days and will feature accordionists Michel Pruvot, Alexandra Paris and Laurent Michelotto. See poster for details. |
Accordiola Plus Accordion Festival - Belgiumby Christine Johnstone |
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The Accordiola Plus Accordion Festival will be held in Diepenbeek, Belgium on June 12th, 2022. Beginning at 2 pm the festival will include a variety of performances by Belgian accordion clubs from Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Pelt, Waterschei, Boechout and Diepenbeek. See poster for details. |
Links to Previous News Still Current |
List of Linksby AWW |
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World Accordion Day, May 6th News Link and WAD Reports |
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2022 Coupe Mondiale, October 04 - 09, Switzerland News Link |
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Buy last stock at old price, "The Art of Accordion Playing" by Friedrich Lips News Link |
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80th Anniversary ATG: July 20-24, Chicago News Link |
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Steirische Harmonika WM 2022 News Link |
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Accordion Reed Production Article Link |
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2021 Coupe Mondiale Report and Video of all contestants Report Link |
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Chronology of Production of Italian Accordions Article Link |
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2022 Dr William Schimmel’s Accordion Seminars, July 29-31, NY News Link |
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2022 South Pacific Accordion Championships, June 4-5, New Zealand News Link |
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14th International Accordion Competition & Festival "Ascoltate" 2022, April 29th - May 1st, Lithuania News Link |
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2022 AAA Festival Competition Goes Virtual, July 1, USA News Link |
New and Updated Sites |
Six More Titles, Julia Gordon Scottish Music Arrangements - Scotlandby Harley Jones |
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![]() Six more titles, of Scottish traditional works arranged by Julia Gordon are now online. Click the link below, to view a sample of each piece, grade and other information. Catalog No. - Name of Music jgordon163 O' Gin I Were A Baron's Heir jgordon157 Eriskay Love Lilt jgordon148 Ye Banks And Braes jgordon137 An Eala Bhàn (The White Swan) jgordon223 The Lass O' Lowrie jgordon219 Tuireadh Iain Ruaidh (Lament For Red Iain) |
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