Thank
you to our kind Accordion USA News Sponsors
www.art-italia.com
June
2004
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Thank
you to our kind Accordion USA News Sponsors
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www.art-italia.com
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June
2004
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| UMKC Accordion Orchestra in Concert | |
 The
University of Missouri
Kansas City Community Orchestra under the direction of Joan C. Sommers
performed a concert in Columbia, Missouri recently, celebrating the 40th
anniversary of Father Edwin Cole's (pictured below) ordination to the Priesthood.
A long time member of the UMKC Accordion Orchestra,  Father
Edwin Cole is pastor of the Sacred Heart Church, and was delighted to have
the orchestra present a concert as part of the Gala celebrations.In addition to the UMKC Accordion Orchestra, the concert entitled "We Are Called" included the choir of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church under the direction of Carlos Vazquez-Ramos, and Father Edwin Cole performing both solo and duo with his duet partner Dee Stiglar.  The
UMKC Accordion Orchestra which presented works by Bizet, Bach and others,
has released a series of Six CD's highlighting more than 40 years of concerts,
and is currently preparing for several performances at the upcoming Accordionists
and Teachers Guild, International festival to be held in Milwaukee,
WI form July 21-25, 2004. |
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| Jérôme Richard and Alexander Poeluev at ATG | |
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Highlights include concerts
by accordionists from around the world; American jazz legend, Art Van
Damme; France's famous young accordionist, Jérôme Richard;
the 2002 Coupe Mondiale winner, Alexander Poeluev from Russia; ATG President
and bayan virtuoso Stas Venglevski and other renowned performers. The
University of Missouri-Kansas City Community Accordion Orchestra will
also perform at the event. For further information and full schedule of events, please visit the ATG website. |
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| Dian Thomas to give keynote Address at LVIAC | |
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The event features four major evening concerts highlighting accordion-playing legends as well as other leading accordion performing artists-each concert preceded by a gala dinner, with daytime 40-plus workshops and master classes going hourly 9 to 5, lunch-hour feasting and entertainment followed by a daily discussion with an accordion legend before the cycle of more workshops, evening feasting, and concertizing begins again. Because most convention attendees travel by plane to Las Vegas, the convention is planned without the need for persons to bring their accordion. "It's a formula that
has worked well," says Pasquali who has seen his brainchild go from
200-plus attendees at the inaugural 2000 event to "looking for 600
in 2004." Who attends? "The majority are 50 and over and some
come from a number of nations, but most are from nearly every state in
the union who remember the great heydays of the accordion in America in
the 50's and 60's. Many of them took lessons in their youth and have been
looking for ways to return to something they fell in love with but had
put aside when early career and parenting pressures took their time,"
he says. Workshops range from playing techniques, workshops on ethnic to classical to jazz, ABCs of playing by ear, improvisational approaches, accordion repair, dance band playing, accordion club forum, health of the accordionist, and many more. "We gear workshops to techniques and musical styles so that persons of almost any playing level can benefit. In fact, non-accordion players keep telling us they find the classes enlightening," Pasquali says. The convention also includes exhibits of interest to amateurs and professionals, for polka fanciers, concert musicians, technicians, and non-playing fans. "This year we'll have more music publication exhibits than before and be more of a supplier to some music stores," he says. Also exhibiting will be some major Italian accordion manufacturers-Burini, Pagini, Paolo Soprani, Piermaria, Scandalli, as well as Pasquali's digital Concerto accordion that is manufactured in Italy and digitized in the U.S. for customers. The convention gives time to an historical aspect of the accordion, also. At last year's convention was shown a newly discovered early 20th century film recording of deceased US accordion icon Guido Deiro. This year's historical note is a surprise Pasquali says he is holding close to his vest. You will find a friendly atmosphere and professional staff at your assistance; but most of all, you will find many accordion friends. Join in for “A World of Entertainment”. You’ll be glad you did! For more information, call toll free 1-800-472-1695 or click on the web to www.AccordionStars.com. |
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| Carly Simon's Accordionist keeping Busy | |
 Viewers
of Good Morning America saw accordionist Mindy Jostyn while performing
with Carly Simon who was promoting her new CD collection "Anthology"
during the May 4th, 2004 show on ABC. She also went on to perform with
her on Conan O'Brien (NBC) and Live with Regis and Kelly (ABC).Over the last eight years, singer-songwriter Mindy Jostyn has toured throughout the eastern United States wowing audiences with her soulful voice, distinctive melodies, witty and insightful lyrics, and her command of a host of different instruments including guitar, violin, harmonica, piano and of course the accordion. She has headlined at legendary folk clubs such as Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, The Ironhorse in North Hampton, MA, and The Towne Crier in Pawling, NY, and she has played at the Falcon Ridge, Winnipeg, and Long Island folk festivals. During that time, Mindy has released four solo CD's including her latest effort "Blue Stories", a collection of bittersweet songs about people and their plights. Her first CD, "Five Miles from Hope", is a rootsy, country blues album recorded with a live band and musical guests Donald Fagen, Carly Simon, and Garth Hudson. Her second CD, "Cedar Lane", is a pop-folk paean to the suburbs of her youth featuring emotive ballads and satiric takes on modern love. Prior to launching her solo career, Mindy was an established "sideman" who toured with some of the biggest names in popular music including Billy Joel, John Mellencamp, Donald Fagen, Joe Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and Carly Simon. She's also appeared and/or recorded with John Bon Jovi, Shania Twain, Andreas Vollenweider, Pat Benetar, and Laura Nyro. Mindy grew up in San Jose, CA and Wellesley, MA. Already playing several instruments at age 11, she organized an all-girl ensemble called The Tigers. When boys came into the picture, she started writing about them and performing with them in a series of bands culminating with The Cyclone Rangers, a cover band that performed for a decade in and around New York City. At every stage of her career, Mindy has also composed and performed devotional songs, both in and out of churches, using her music to integrate the spiritual with the secular. Her third CD, "in His eyes", is a non-denominational collection of sixteen folk hymns. |
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| Accordion in the Media | |
| The accordion is often seen in newspaper and magazine articles around the country. These few pictures were found in recent publications. | |
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| From the New York Times: Accordionist Benjamin Ickies pictured on a Long Island City rooftop garden of his groups manager Camille Acey with the Manhattan skyline in the background. | |
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| From the New York Times: in an article entitled 'Captive Audience 30,000 Feet in the Air', this picture accompanied a feature article airing the woes of airline travelers forced to endure the open mic wisecracks and jokes of the crew both pilots and flight attendants. | |
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| From Hello Magazine: former 'Spice Girl' Geri Halliwell in a replica of a dress Marilyn Monroe wore in Gentleman Prefer blondes performing with an accordionist at an LA Fundraiser. | |
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From the Wall Street Journal: accordionist CJ Chenier advertising a performance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, in New Orleans |
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| AAA Festival Workshops Announced | |
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The American
Accordionists Association announces an impressive line up of workshops
which will be offered during their annual festival, this year to be held
in the Boston area from July 11-15, 2004.
For more
information, please contact the Festival Committee:
AAA Executive Office 580 Kearny Avenue, Kearny, NJ 07032 USA Phone: 201-991-2233 Fax: 201-991-1944 or visit www.ameraccord.com or e-mail: AAA1938@aol.com |
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| Rocky Mountain Accordion Celebration | |
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| Guy Klucevsek's Accordion Stolen after Spielberg Movie | |
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| CJ Chenier in New York | |
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| No ID Rocca - that's 'accoR DI oN' backwards | |
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| Carmen Carrozza Scholarship Event | |
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For more information, e-mail AAA1938@aol.com |
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| Andrea Parkins in Concert with the Ellery Eskelin Trio | |
 The
Ellery Eskelin Trio recently performed at the Issue Project Room in East
Village, New York. The trio who have been together for 10 years, include
Andrea Parkins on accordion and samplers, Jim Black on drums and Mr. Eskelin
on saxophone. Andrea Parkins is a New York-based sound artist, composer, and improviser who plays electronically-processed accordion, laptop sampler, electronic keyboards, and piano. Parkins sonically expands her accordion with analog electronics and by fragmenting traditional accordion syntax with noise and other disruptive allusions. In live performance, this idiosyncratic approach to the instrument collides with densely polyrhythmic keyboard tactics and laptop sampling that pays homage to mid-20th century musique-concrete and '70s analog synth sounds. Parkins' composition projects have included solo works; small and large ensemble pieces; and sound design for her own multimedia sculptural installations. During the past 15 years, she has performed in New York City and toured throughout North America and Europe as an ensemble leader, solo artist, and collaborator, and as a member of Ellery Eskelin's widely acclaimed avant-jazz trio with Jim Black. Her latest ensemble project is a collaboration with guitarist Nels Cline and drummer Tom Rainey that will release a CD on the Atavistic label in 2004. Performance plans for 2004 include concerts in Europe with this new trio as well as with Swiss electronic musician Gunter Mueller, gigs in North America with bagpiper David Watson and turntablist Toshio Kagiwara, and an interactive work at The Kitchen in New York City. In recent years, Parkins has received several performance grants from Meet the Composer and two production residency grants from Harvestworks in New York City. Parkins' audio work, Freak Cloud Idiom, was among those featured in "Bitstreams", a digital art exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York in 2001. Also in 2001, Parkins was awarded a grant by the the city of Hamburg, Germany for an artist's project/residency. Currently, Parkins is developing a series of MAX/MSP-based generative audio works, with programming by Matthew Ostrowski, that are inspired by Rube Goldberg's circuitous contraptions. She plans to return to Europe during the winter of 2004 to perform a solo project featuring these pieces, to be followed by a CD release in the spring. |
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| Misty River Band in Oregon | |
 Hailed
as one of American northwest's finest musical groups, Misty River displayed
its acoustic and acappella harmonies at a concert on 27th May at the Majestic
Theatre, Corvalis, Oregon. The concert, sponsored by the Marys Peak Group-Sierra
Club, celebrates the release of the group's third CD, "Willow."Misty River is an all-female band that performs a variety of Americana music, from familiar folk melodies and upbeat country and bluegrass favorites to Celtic tunes, mysterious haunting ballads and award-winning original songs. This award-winning quartet (two of whom are mother and daughter) support their blend of harmonic voices with unique combinations of accordion, guitars, fiddle, banjo, mandolin and bass. With the release of "Willow," the band branches out from its traditional roots to explore new rhythmic, instrumental and harmonic colors. The 14-song collection crosses genres, continents and time. Pamela Rooney of CD Baby Magazine writes, "When these four ladies set out to churn out bluegrass music, they don't miss a beat. Violin, upright bass, accordion, guitar and banjo plus some searing and precise part-upon-part-upon-part harmonies equals stunning music."  Accordionist
Dana Abel has studied music for over 20 years; as a child and student in
Eugene, OR, when Dana wasn't playing piano she was singing in the Oregon
Children's Choir or playing trombone, accordion or guitar. After graduating
from Stanford, she earned a master's degree in Environmental Engineering,
but now spends her time managing finances and helping to promote Misty River
as well as composing and arranging music. She has been described as "one
of the most tasteful accordion players in the Northwest," and her talent
for harmony singing and arranging is one of the strongest binding agents
in the bandMisty River has sold more than 15,000 CDs in three years and achieved regular airplay on public and commercial radio not only in America, but also in Canada and Europe. Together since 1997, in addition to accordionist/vocalist Dana Abel, Misty River comprises Chris Kokesh on lead and harmony vocals, fiddle and guitar; Carol Harley on lead and harmony vocals, guitar, claw hammer banjo and mandolin and her daughter Laura Quigley on lead and harmony vocals and upright acoustic bass. For more information, please visit www.mistyriver.com |
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| Annual Galla-Rini Camp in CA | |
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The campus facilities are
quiet, comfortable and smoke-free in all rooms and halls. The accommodations
are double occupancy rooms with bath and shower in each room; all towels
and sheets are provided. The option of a single room is also available
at an additional charge. |
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| USAF Seeks Accordionist | |
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| New Accordion Mics from Master/Ranco | |
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| News from Minnesota | |
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Dee Langley currently lives
in Minneapolis, performs with her accordion duet partner, Greg Dagoumas,
as "Just Duet", and is a member of the Bulgarian group, "Traki".
She is on the Board of Directors of the Accordionists' and Teachers' Guild,
Int., and the American Accordion Musicological Society as well as a member
of the American Accordionists' Association. Ms. Langley is also co-founder
the Minnesota Accordion Club and teaches accordion in the Metro area. |
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| Annual AFNA Festival in Los Angeles | |
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Accordion Federation of North America's Annual Music Festival will be held
on 19th - 21st August in Los Angeles. While most of the competition categories will only be available to AFNA member schools, the virtuoso categories are open to anybody. The Accordion Virtuoso Solo category is offering a 1st place cash prize of "$500 Galla-Rini Centennial Birthday Award" and the 2nd through to 4th prizes also receive cash prizes. There will also be an "Accordion Virtuoso Cash Jazz Solo" category which offers cash awards for 1st through 4th places. Winners of the high caliber solos will be featured in the part of the festival that is free of admission, which is the Saturday Night Concert. The Saturday night program also features accordion band performances. For further information, e-mail afna@musician.org |
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| Musical Tour of Italy in 2005 | |
| A tour of Italy
is being organized for May 2005 with plans to visit musical sites in Milan,
Cremona, Stradella, Venice, Florence and Castelfidardo. According to organizers,
Nick Ballarini and Alvaro Barsi, the tour is the result of a successful
earlier trip to Italy organized in 1996.
"We had guided a musical tour of Italy in '96 with 15 participants, and it was nothing less than wonderful," said Barsi. The tentative program would include factory tours to the violin makers of Padua and Cremona, the Dallape accordion factory at Stradella, the accordion factories in Castelfidardo with visits to Zero Sette, Beltuna, and the reed makers, then on to Rome and Pompeii for its accordion factories and museums. "I am familiar with Italy, where I grew up, and would also act as a guide, " Barsi said. "Last time we purchased a lot of our delicacies from a local food store and then we would stop in the country, and have a bus tailgate party with accordion music, poppy fields, great food and friends. Those are special memories!" For further information, e-mail Alvaro Barsi at: abarsi@tampabay.rr.com |
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| Musician's Association Inducts 5 New Members | |
| Five people will
be inducted into the Dakota Musicians Association Hall of Fame this week,
amongst them, accordionist Bill Schwan. The other inductees include Mardelle
Brown of Redfield, Donald F. Mizera of Bismarck, N.D., Joe Wagendorf of
Hettinger, N.D and Bernie Stein of Mandan. Bill Schwan began playing the accordion at age 3 and the piano at age 10. He joined the orchestra and played the bass in junior high school. In 1964, he joined the Navy and formed a band, "The Tender Tones," which played every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night at the USO Club in Naples, Italy. He formed the first Funtime Band in the 1980s and won several competitions at the South Dakota Old Time Fiddlers Contest in Yankton on his accordion. He founded the Bill Schwan Funtime Band which has been together for almost 15 years where he plays the accordion and keyboard. |
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| Soufflemuse Straps Festival in Canada | |
 Soufflemuse
productions hosted the 6th Spring of the Straps Festival from 22nd to 29th
May at the Cultural Bar in Montreal. The festival included concerts by international
accordionists performing a wide range of music like Russian, Tango, French,
Goualantes, Jazz, Classical and traditional/folk. Artists
included Luzio Altobelli, Cyrille Demian, Yves Lambert, Sylvie Genest, Lou
Babin, Didier Dumoutier, Francis Covan, Daniel Thonon, Vladimir Sidorov
(pictured left), Denis Plant, Bernard Cimon, Dino Leone, Jonathan Goldman,
Walter Palmieri, Michel Béchard, Sandulé Bobaru, Sonia Painchaud
and Benoît Rébillard while invited groups include Manouche,
Fiszarmonia, Ironiko Orchestra and the Pourpour Brass Band.
For further information on upcoming festivals, please e-mail info@soufflemuse.qc.ca |
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| Alexander Sevastian and Quartetto Gelato Concerts | |
 The
Toronto-based group "Quartetto Gelato" (www.quartettogelato.com)
put on a very successful performance late April with the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra under the direction of guest conductor Gianandrea Noseda.The group, which includes accordionist Alexander Sevastian performed at the Roy Thomson Hall to an audience of over 2,500 people. The show was part of a production titled, "Italianissimo!" which included music by Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota, Italian tangos, Neapolitan songs and operatic arias. Quartetto Gelato performed the same program with the Calgary Philharmonic from 20th to 23rd May. Since their debut in 1994, Quartetto Gelato has won the hearts of audiences worldwide with their unique blend of sparkling technique, musical finesse and humor. In recital and with orchestra, Quartetto Gelato has become an international favorite with sold-out repeat performances in New York, Washington, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Milan, Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong among others. Classical in intent, eclectic by design, Quartetto Gelato's programs are filled with an exciting mix of traditional masterworks, operatic arias, tangos, gypsy fiddling and folk songs from around the world. Their relaxed stage presence establishes an immediate rapport with traditional and non-traditional classical audiences alike. Unique in the classical world, they perform without scores, giving their performances a sense of spontaneity and exuberance rarely seen on the classical stage. The 2003-2004 season include recitals and workshops throughout the US and Canada, as well as a return tour to Korea and Japan. Quartetto Gelato also performs regularly with symphony orchestras. This year the quartet will introduce their new orchestral pops program Italianissimo! in their debut with the Green Bay Symphony and the Sioux City Orchestra and with return visits to the Toronto Symphony and the Calgary Philharmonic. Active in the recording studio, Quartetto Gelato will soon release Quartetto Gelato Travels the Orient Express following the original journey of the famous train and featuring music from London to Istanbul. Their previous release was Neapolitan Café (QG Recordings/Silva Classics), which has been a fixture on the Billboard Classical Crossover charts since its release in April 2001. Their previous recordings, which have played a significant role in the group’s increasing popularity, are Aria Fresca; Rustic Chivalry; and their debut recording, simply entitled Quartetto Gelato. The latter two CD’s have literally been heard around the world, since they accompanied Canadian astronaut, Dr. Robert Thirsk, during his NASA flight on board the space shuttle Columbia in 1997. Quartetto Gelato can also be heard on the soundtrack recording of the major motion picture Only You, starring Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr., on the Sony label. Additionally they have appeared on the hit CD recording of Ashley McIsaak on the A & M record label. Quartetto Gelato includes: Cynthia Steljes - oboe, English horn, Peter De Sotto - tenor, violin, mandolin, Alexander Sevastian – accordion, piano and Kristina Reiko Cooper – cello.  Accordionist
Alexander
Sevastian was born on October 2nd, 1976 in Minsk, Belarus. He started
playing the accordion at the age of seven. After finishing the musical school
in 1991 he entered the Glinka Musical College in Minsk where he was taught
by Myron Boula. After finishing the college he entered the Gnessin Academy
of Music in Moscow in the class of Professor Friedrich Lips.In July 1998, Alexander was trained by Professor Elsbeth Moser at the Sofia Goubaidulina Master Class in Avignon, France. In 1996 - 2001 he was working in the Russian TV and Radio orchestra (art director Nickolai Nekrasov). With this orchestra he recorded many TV performances and radio archive tapes. Alexander regularly took part in the music festivals such as "Moscow Autumn", "Bayan and Bayanists", "Young Composers Introduce…" Since April of 2001, Alexander has been living in Toronto, Canada. He has been playing with Toronto Woodwinds, an ensemble that was awarded the first prize at “The Golden Accordion International Competition” in December 2001 (New York). In May 2002 he completed his postgraduate course in Moscow (class of Professor Friedrich Lips). At present he is taking an Advanced Certificate in Performance program from the University of Toronto (class of Professor Joseph Macerollo). He has performed concerts in 30 Russian cities as well as concerts in Belarus, Ukraine, Germany, Italy and Japan. He has given several premier performances, including the works of Berinsky, Bronner, Korolchuk, Zelenski and Khondo. Since September 2002 Alexander has been playing with “Quartetto Gelato” actively touring all over Canada and the United States. For further information, e-mail sasaseva@hotmail.com |
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| Cafe Accordion Orchestra Concerts | |
 The
Cafe Accordion Orchestra is pleased to inform fans that in June they will
be performing at the Smoky Hill River Festival in Salina, KS and the Norshor
Theater in Duluth, MN. The Norshor gig will be video taped for Public TV!
In addition, they'll be participating in the Hot Summer Jazz Festival in
Minneapolis for the first time. In July the CAO will appear at Festival
du Joie in Lewiston, ME and in August they are off to the Big Top Chautauqua
in Ashland, WI.
In addition to these upcoming concerts, the CAO will be returning to some of our favorite spots, like Bastille Days in Milwaukee, the Minnesota State Fair, and the Towers, in Narragansett, RI. June performances include:
Please visit their web site for the most current schedule.http://www.cafeaccordion.com |
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| AKORDEONAM Program | |
 The
ensemble, AKORDEONAM recently presented a free concert on May 23, 2004 at
St. Philip Chapel in Louisville, KY. Akordeonam was assisted in the performance
by soprano, Tracey Zavadil and harpist, Rozanna Thompson. Their program
included works by Rossini, Puccini and Piazzolla. Prior to the concert,
the program was recorded in the performance studio at WUOL-FM during a Lunchtime
Classics Concert on Wednesday, May 19, 2004. The concert will be broadcast
on Saturday June 19, 2004 at 5:30 p.m. This concert and two prior performances are audio archived at www.WUOL.org. As their name implies "akordeonam" is Latvian and translates literally, "for the accordion"), their mission is to promote the accordion as a musical instrument worthy of respect and consideration for the performance of serious, art music. The ensemble demonstrates that the accordion need not be relegated to folk and popular music genres only. Akordeonam is a sextet of piano accordionists who play, both transcriptions of classical music and also original works written specifically for accordion ensemble. The ensemble includes four standard, acoustic, stradella bass-button piano accordions, one acoustic bassetti bass-button piano accordion, and an amplified bass piano accordion. They have been performing in the Louisville area since 1996 and have given benefit concerts for various organizations, including Walden Theater and Highland Community Ministries. They have performed at the McDowell Music Club, three times at the University of Louisville School of Music, three times on public radio, WUOL-FM and on Kentucky Educational Television, on the program "Mixed Media" in October 2003 (video archived at www.KET.org). Recently, the ensemble toured central Illinois, in October 2003, as they have for two years in a row, performing in Springfield, IL at the Illinois State Museum for the Illinois Federation of Music Clubs, in Bloomington, IL at Illinois State University School of Music and in Peoria, IL at the Lakeview Museum. Akordeonam has released three CD recordings. Ensemble members include individuals from many walks of life, who share a love for the accordion: Dexter Haynes, composer/arranger, Malinda Rawls, music educator, Linda Klein, registered nurse, Todd Hildreth, jazz keyboard professional performer and instructor, Paulette Venhoff, adult education instructor, and Thomas Blanford, physician. For information on upcoming concerts and events and for CD purchases, please contact Dr. A. Thomas Blanford 1905 Charbdin Place, Louisville, KY 40207. Daytime Phone: (502) 895-4263 Ext. 1 Evening Phone: (502) 893-5702. Fax: (502) 899-5488 or e-mail: evandunn@aol.com |
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| Rina Rosa Passes Away | |
 On
Palm Sunday, April 4, 2004, the world accordion community lost a dear friend
with the passing of Rina Rosa. Rina loved music, particularly accordion music. She dedicated her whole life to the accordion. It's been said that her middle name must have been accordion - Rina "Accordion" Rosa. She was a performing accordionist from about the age of sixteen, and served as president of the Local Musician's Union in Gary, Indiana. She was an extraordinarily fine teacher and taught many students in music who became jobbing musicians. Some of her students achieved US Champion status and participated in the coupe Mondilae. Her music school in Gary, Indiana was known as the Rina Rosa Studio. She rose to the Presidency of the Accordionists' and Teachers' Guild, International, have served in that capacity for more than one term, and remained on the Board of directors until passing. A final request of Rina was that her long time student, Walter Peters, play the "Non Ti Scordare di Me" at her funeral. He did so. "Non Ti Scordare DI Me means "Please Don't Forget Me." |
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| Victor Preito Continues Busy Schedule | |
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Accordionist Victor Prieto announces two concerts in June including:
Victor Prieto started his
musical career at the age of nine, encouraged by his mother to concentrate
studies into the accordion,Victor has now come a long way. Victor earned
his classical music diploma earned in the Professional Classical Music
Conservatory of Orense. (Conservatorio Profesional de Musica de Orense).
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| New Three Row Button Accordion Method Book | |
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| Note: In order to provide as much information as possible for the United States National Accordion News stories, many different sources are often researched to gather additional information and pictures to complement what has been submitted. This information is then correlated to provide the news on www.accordionusa.com in the spirit of which it is intended, which is to provide a free news service to the Accordion Community, specifically in the United Sates. If you feel any copyright has been violated please advise www.accordionusa.com and the article will be removed immediately. | |
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There
will be a special appearance by Myron Floren who along with Joan Sommers,
will be inducted into the ATG Hall of Fame.
Founded
by Paul Pasquali (left) of Accordions International (headquartered in
Salt Lake City, Utah and on the web at 
This
year's big-name draws befitting the 2004 theme of "A World of Entertainment"
include Art Van Damme, legendary jazz accordionist; two-time Grammy Award
winner and King of the Polka Walter Ostanek from Canada; Hall of Famer
Don Lipovac; accordionist-comedian Pete Barbutti; master of the bellow-shake
Tony Lovello; husband-wife performing team Mario Tacca & Mary Mancini;
symphony concert artist Peter Soave; bayanist Stas Venglevski; two-sisters/one-brother
classical musical "K Trio"; electronic accordion virtuoso Janet
Todd; award-winning Britisher Gina Brannelli; Italian accordion champion
Mirco Patarini; Australian Bernadette Conlon; multi-instrumentalist Alex
Meixner, and a wide range of other outstanding accordion stylists.
In
addition, the convention annually bestows awards - an Honorary Conductor
tribute to a living accordion icon, this year to Joan Cochran Sommers,
director for years of a highly-regarded University of Missouri-Kansas
City accordion program; a Lifetime Achievement Award to Tony Lovello for
his five decades of show-business performing; awards to a young adult
amateur or professional player, an inspirational teacher, and an accordion
club that has contributed significantly in its area.
Included
in this years workshops are:
A
Fun Time in a Fun Place! ...featuring Accordionists from Beginners to
World Champions!
With
the platzl and the tented dance floors in the center of this picturesque
1890's town, visitors, residents and participants alike find fun, food
and frolic. Dance or tap your toes to the music, in the sun or shade,
by starlight or streetlight.
Zydeco
superstar CJ Chenier will perform at the South Street Seaport Music Festival
on June 29th, 2004 in a free concert at 1:00 PM. The popular Pier 17 located
at 19 Fulton Street at South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan, New York
is a stunning setting for the popular series.
The
10th Annual Master Class and Concert series will be presented August 27-29,
2004 Tenri Cultural Institute, 43 West 13th Street (between 5th &
6th Avenue), New York, NY.
Join
Paul Stein for a journey through its own TEN COMMANDMENTS; eminent choreographer
and fitness expert, Micki Goodman, will conduct a workshop entitled: FITNESS
FOR STROLLING. Paul Stein will also perform a collection of WORLD WAR
II SONGS with his mother, Beverly Stein, a World War 2 army nurse; Dr.
Robert Young McMahan will delve into CARL JUNG and explore the collective
unconscious in its relationship with atonal music; Cristina Spelligene
will use the accordion in solving design problems; Will Holshouser will
explore jazz in its relationship to THE MAGIC THEATRE (Steppenwolf-Herman
Hesse) and Walter Kuhr will perform in a new international style that
cuts across ethnic boundries. 
The
The
15th Annual Galla-Rini Camp will take place from Sunday July 25th to 30th,
2004 at the University of San Diego, CA.
Each
morning the entire camp is under the baton of the Maestro. In the early
afternoons on Monday-Wednesday, special sessions will be held by, John
Simkus, Joan C. Sommers, Esther Lanting and Stella Allison. (pictured
left are Maestro Galla-Rini with Joan Sommers.)
The
United States Air Force Band has an opening for an accordionist with the
Air Force Strolling Strings.
Truly
international ambassadors of music, the Strolling Strings has traveled
to every continent, every state of the Union, and virtually every Air
Force installation, delighting thousands of listeners. The musical virtuosity
and sheer elegance demonstrated by the Strolling Strings has earned the
recognition of world leaders.
Master
and Ranco have the pleasure to present you our new microphone system.
They are speaking about the new technology which has the same quality
of our SENNHEISER microphones but is much more economic. These mics are
available in kit form for self installation for the price of only Euro
90,00. Representatives are sure the reasonably price with the high quality
will interest many people.
Accordion
duo 
As
a professional, Dee has participated in seminars and symposiums on accordion
styles and techniques in Chatel, France and Klingenthal, East Germany.
She also has performed with the Dolina Polish Folk Dancers and Ethnic
Dance Theatre as well as officiating as Director of The EDT Folk Orchestra.
Concert tours of Poland, France and the Czech Republic, respectively,
being a few of the highlights of her tenures with these companies. On
several occasions, Dee has been asked to perform accordion works not only
with the Minnesota Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, but also
the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, and the Northwoods Classical Players
(members of the Chicago Symphony). 
Steve
Clary announced his recently published a book for the 3 row button accordion
in GCF. The title is "Just another Accordion Book from Texas"
and it's in full color and in English.