The
Dargaville Museum (New Zealand) presents...
'Accordion Gems' by Kevin Friedrich
...A Master Collection
of Accordions through Time...
Aratapu
Library Purchased - June 2006
Dedication of the Accordion Gems Display - 3 December 2006
Aratapu
Library relocated to Harding Park - January 2007
Grand Opening of New Music Wing at the Dargaville Museum - 21
October 2007 at 1:00 PM
Launching of Accordion Gems Exhibit in Display Cabinets - 29
March 2009
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Honorees
of the Accordion Gems Exhibition |
On 3 December
2006, at the conclusion of a concert held in Memory of Mr. Ben
Emmett who had passed away 30 years earlier, Kevin dedicated the
Accordion Gems display as a long lasting tribute to some of those
who have had an extraordinary influence on his musical career
and the development of the accordion in New Zealand including
the late Ben Emmett, the late Jenny Cocurullo all of Dargaville
and the late Mr. Allan Jones of Auckland. |
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Mr.
Benjamin Richard Hornsby Emmett
1913-1976
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Mrs.
Jenny Maioha Cocurullo
1934-2001
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Mr.
Allan William Jones
1908-1980
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Ben Emmett
served as Kevin's accordion teacher in Dargaville where Kevin
studied until Ben's untimely passing on December 6, 1976. From
the United Kingdom, the Emmett family settled in Dargaville
in the late 1950's where they operated a large accordion studio.
Both Ben and his wife Doreen Emmett (with whom Kevin began his
lessons) taught many people in the Dargaville area over the
years. During this time, Ben continually took his students and
orchestras out into the community for concerts all over the
Kaipara region. Mr. Ben Emmett successfully petitioned New Zealand's
acceptance into the Confédération
Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA)
of which Kevin eventually became the President.
Jenny Cocurullo served as a mentor to Kevin during
his career, working to support his concert career and rise to
the Presidency of the Confédération Internationale
Des Accordéonistes (CIA), the world body of accordionists
which is affiliated to the International Music Council and UNESCO.
Mrs. Cocurullo worked to promote the accordion and the arts
in general in the Kaipara region, giving recognition and support
to established international concert artists who performed in
Dargaville during New Zealand concert tours, as well as giving
younger, up and coming artists the opportunity to gain experience
and exposure, thus providing opportunities for all while giving
residents of the Kaipara community outstanding cultural opportunities.
After the passing of Mr. Ben Emmett, Kevin began the weekly
five-hour round trip journey to Auckland to study with the late
Mr. Allan Jones, with whom he studied until he
left for the United States to pursue his accordion career overseas.
Recognized as one of the great supporters and developers of
the accordion movement in New Zealand, Allan Jones worked extremely
hard with his students encouraging superior technical ability
and correct practice methods. Mr. Allan Jones was surrounded
by an accordion family, with his wife Marie serving as the Secretary
of the New Zealand Accordion Association, a position that she
continues until this day. Their three children Harley, who also
taught Kevin during his trips to Auckland; Maurice, a popular
entertainer who took over the running of the accordion business;
and Heather, a well-known teacher and director of accordion
orchestras in Auckland. All have distinguished themselves on
the international accordion scene.
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Kevin would also
like to pay tribute to his three main accordion teachers during
his formal music education including Mr. Harley Jones ( New Zealand),
Professor Joan C. Sommers (USA) and Professor Max Bonnay (France). |
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Mr.
Harley Jones (New Zealand)
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Professor
Joan C. Sommers (USA)
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Professeur
Max Bonnay (France)
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Harley
Jones has taught many of New Zealand's
top accordionists over the years and during more recent times
has developed the largest accordion Internet site in the world
'Accordions Worldwide' which encompasses Accordions Worldwide,
Search Accordion, the Accordion Yellow Pages, Accordion Links
and more recently Music For Accordion. He currently resides in
the Cook Islands, where he runs his accordion businesses.
Professor Joan C. Sommers founded the accordion
program at the University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC) Conservatory
of Music in 1961 and went on to lead the most successful University
course in the history of the USA. During this time she not only
taught many United States and International Champions, she also
led the famed UMKC Accordion Orchestra on numerous tours around
the world. Recently retired, she continues to direct the UMKC
Accordion Orchestra and travels extensively giving workshops and
adjudicating at international accordion festivals around the world.
Professor Max Bonnay, former CIA World Accordion
Champion is recognized as one of the leading accordion teachers
and performers in the world, giving concerts and master classes
around the world. He is currently the Professor of Accordion at
the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et Danse (CNSMD)
in Paris, one of the most recognized conservatories of music in
the world. |
Sincerest thanks to the following
who have kindly given me instruments and supporting materials
such as manuscripts, books and other items over the years, to
serve as a permanent part of my Accordion Gems display:
- Raymond Bodell and the Estate
of Graham Romani - London, United Kingdom
- Ernest Deffner Inc. (Director
- Faithe Deffner) - Mineola, New York, USA
- Titano Accordions/Accordion
House (Director - Maurice Jones) - Auckland, New Zealand
- Richard Neal Ray - Atlanta,
Georgia, USA
- Shirley Yelavich - Auckland,
New Zealand
- Zada Vogel - Kansas City,
Kansas, USA
- Ethel Pippin - Louisburg,
Kansas, USA
- Lars Arnevig - Asker, Norwau
- The Cumpton Family, Liberty, Missouri
- Dr. Karen Fremar - Kansas
City, Missouri, USA
- Music Education Center -
Auckland, New Zealand
- Estate of Charlie Durham
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Thomas J. Mora - New York,
New York, USA
- Rob Howard - Stockport,
United Kingdom
- Gary Daverne (Musical Director)
- Auckland Symphony Orchestra - Auckland, New Zealand
- Kimmo Mattila (President
- Suomen Harmonikkaliitto - Finnish Accordion Association)
- Ikaalinen, Finland
- Jane Christison (Music With
A Smile) - Overland Park, Kansas, USA
- Judy Hunt and the Filosa
Family - Northport, New York, USA
- Julie and Juha Silfverberg
- Overland Park, Kansas, USA
- Norman Seaton, President
of the National Accordion Association (NAA)
- Frank Busso, Staten Island,
New York, USA
- Dr. Helmi Harrington, Curator - World of Accordions Museum - Superior, Wisconsin, USA
- Nicole Phillips, New Zealand
- Doug and Beryl Crispe, Auckland,
New Zealand
- Joan Cochran Sommers, Prarie
Village, Kansas, USA
- Lynette Parkinson (nee Fowlie),
Auckland, New Zealand
- Linda Litt (nee Emmett),
Auckland, New Zealand
- Joan Brown (nee Emmett),
Ruawai, New Zealand
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Contact
for the Accordion Gems Exhibition: Kevin Friedrich
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2012 Accordions Worldwide. All rights reserved.
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