Breaking News, Gert Nijkamp Murdered - Netherlands
Gert Nijkamp from the Musiekhuis Gert Nijkamp in Apeldoorn, Holland has been shot this morning outside of the school of his son - 21st of June!
He has run this musikhuis for 20 years and has just recently organised an accordion weekend with Renzo Ruggieri as special guest on the 2/3 June.
It appears that two people on motorcycles came next to his car and shot him through the window in gangland style. This murder is possibly connected to the Casino Gert Nijkamp was planning to open. Gert Nijkamp who was 47 years of age and leaves behind: a son and wife Anita.
An updated report from the Dutch Police says that the Police sent sms messages to over 2,500 people in the area of the Primary School to try and get a better description of the person who fired the gun shots and for general leads to find the murderers.
5ème Championnat du monde pour accordéon diatonique, Sterzing/Vitipeno - Italie
La 5ème compétition internationale (championnats du monde) pour Styrian et accordéon diatonique a été tenue dans Sterzing/Vitipeno, Italie du 7 au 10 juin. L'événement, qui a offert des catégories nationales et internationales avec des participants de n'importe quel pays dans le monde, a finalement attiré environ 130 candidats d'Autriche, d'Italie, d'Allemagne, de Slovénie et d'Ukraine. Le niveau des exécutions s'améliore constamment.
Tous les participants ont montré un repertoire de musique comprenant des variations, des thèmes et des mélodies communs de tous diatonique-compositeurs établis, et ont eu un grand succès envert le public dans le Teatro Comunale Vitipeno.
Le gagnant de la classe senior internationale était le jeune Markus tyrolien Oberleitner qui avait déjà gagné la classe junior dans Saalfelden il y a deux ans, et les 2emes et 3èmes classifiqués Matej Banovsek et Primoz Zvir sont venus de Slovénie.
Le jeune allemand Michael Rettig a gagné la section junior, et de nouveau les runners-up Necj Pacnik et Matic Stavar sont venus de Slovénie. Les vainqueurs nationaux dans leurs catégories respectives étaient Martin Josef Jungmaier (a), Verena Kapl (b), Luis Geiser (c) et Andrea Kern (d). La compétition a été un grand succès pour la société autrichienne d'harmonica (HVOe), qui a tenu ce championnat international pour la cinquième fois. Le prochain événement est programmé dans la rue Johann/Tyrol dans la période de mai/juin 2009.
Contribué par Minna Plihtari, Public Relations Manager
Placer
parmi les parcs idylliques et les maisons en bois au bord du lac Ikaalinen,
ce festival annuel d'accordéon à grande échelle
attire environ 30.000 visiteurs et 800 finlandais et interprètes
étrangers
chaque année. Le festival inclut toutes sortes de concerts
formels ou informels, danses et même une croisière d'accordéon.
Tous les ans, la musique d'accordéon traditionnelle finlandaise est entendue parmi beaucoup d'autres cultures, y compris la musette française, la musique russe, le tango argentin, accordéon de jazz, Tex-Mex américain et Zydeco, plus encore un bon nombre de musique latine. Les concours d'accordéon font partie essentielle du programme du festival, et incluent les championnats finlandais de musique folklorique d'accordéon.
Le ‘Golden Accordion’ aura lieu le 27 juin, et la compétition de ‘Primus Ikaalinen' le 29 juin.
Les troisièmes places du ‘Primus Ikaalinen’ compétition international d'accordéon, ont été invités à participer. Pietro Adragna (Italie), Julien “Speedy” Gonzales (France), Wang Li (Chine), Amaia Iraola (Espagne), Grayson Masefield (Nouvelle Zélande), Veronika Todorova (Bulgarie), Bojan Volcevski (Macédoine), plus le gagnant du ‘Golden Accordion 2007’. Ces concours sont télévisés dans toute la Finlande et ont toujours un visionnement massif.
Les lieu de rendez-vous principaux du festival sont l’église d'Ikaalinen, Ikaalinen Hall et Oma Tupa. Les accordéonistes internationaux exécutant de concert incluent Alexandre Shirunov - Russie, Renzo Ruggieri - Italie, Alexandre Poeluev - Russie, 'Julien ‘Speedy’ Gonzales et Cyril Carbonne (Clarinet) de la France, Valentin Osipov (concertina et xylophone) - Russie, Quintet d’accordéon baltique, et Zum – Angleterre.
Le festival d'accordéon de jazz de Pineto, qui aura lieu du 20 au 22 juillet, vise accentuer et encourager l'accordéon de jazz. Les interprètes incluent Renzo Ruggieri, Luciano Biondini, Renato Borghetti (Brésil), Sergio Caputo (Etats-Unis), et la Dixieland Brass Band, dirigée par Pine Mannello. L'entrée pour tous les concerts est entièrement gratuite.
Ces dernières années, l'assistance a eu une croissance de 2.500 à 4.000 personnes et les accordéonistes présents dans les festivals précédents incluent Peppino Principe, Art Van Damme, Frank Marocco, Germano Mazzocchetti et Renzo Ruggieri. Le festival a lieu dans la belle ville côtière de Pineto près à l'aéroport de Pescara.
Joxan Goikoetxea, nouveau collaborateur espagnol de l’Accordéon Worldwide, est bientôt en voyage à l'Italie avec le quartet de Balen Lopez de Munain. Ses dates incluent:
26 Juillet – Rovito, Calabria
27 Juillet – Verona
29 Juillet - Gorlago, Bergamo
2 Août - Montecavoli, Pisa, Music Festival
3 Août - Friuli
5 Août - Varese Jazz
6 Août - Trento Claustro del Centro Cultural, Santa Chiara
8 Août – Altamura, Puglia
Riccardo Galimi and Gianluca Casadei have been awarded maximum points in their Jazz Music Diploma courses at the Pareggia Music Institute. They are the first graduates of the special jazz course taught by Renzo Ruggieri. Luca prepared his thesis on the accordionist Antonello Salis, and Riccardo on the pianist Theloniuos Monk.
The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) Traditional Music Grade Exams would like to announce that they will be implementing an exam sessions up to Grade 5 in three syllabuses – fiddle, accordion and harp. Their first exam session will be held during the RSAMD Fèis (festival) in Glasgow from October 21st to 28th 2007.
RSAMD reports receiving financial backing for the validation of the syllabii and the website featuring full syllabii and registration details, to be announced at an official launch of the exam program in late July or early August.
‘Many Facets of the Harmonica’ Concert, Vienna - Austria
Contributed by Hermi Kaleta
A harmonica concert takes place on Thursday June 21st, 7pm, in the Blauen Theater of the Franz Schubert Conservatory, Mariahilferstraße 51/II, Stock, 1060 Vienna. The performers include the students of the harmonica and accordion classes of Christian Höller, and the Isabella Krapf harmonica quartet. The music demonstrates the versatility of the harmonica by covering everything from JS Bach to jazz, Russian themes to Astor Piazzolla.
After the very successful Musical Festival in Scarborough in May 2007, the NAO Executive Committee are delighted to have accepted an offer to hold the 2008 festival on the North west Coast of England at the famous seaside town of Blackpool.
The event will be held in the centre of the town on the famous Blackpool North Pier and at the nearby magnificent Metropole Hotel from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th April 2008. (Download Acrobat File - size 250KB).
The Festival hotel, which will host the traditional trade show and the Opening International Gala as well as competitions throughout the weekend is anticipated to fill the accommodation quickly so promptly make your bookings..
Anne Landa this month inaugurates a new higher course of study for accordion in Madrid. The course aims to develop an accordionist’s formation as a musician.
The cultural association Acco Land, is responsible for organising the new course, which is open to Spanish and overseas accordionists.
The course offers flexible modes of study, concerts, and the opportunity to meet other accordion students in Madrid.
IMAC (Peter Soave, Madeleine Soave and Jean-Louis Noton - picture left) offers 7 days of workshops, lectures, master-classes and private instruction in a professional setting that harmonizes nature and learning.
Professional and amateur participants of all ages gather from around the world at IMAC Courses to perform, train, and share the beautiful art of the accordion.
During the seminar all lectures, lessons, meals and room accommodation is in a center that emphasizes camaraderie and progress in a friendly environment.
Aside from music making, once can enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the Italian Dolomites in Sauris, Italy (Venice/Udine region) on July 22nd to – 29th and August 1st to 8th.
The International Tango Quintet, featuring accordionist Franko Bozac, will be performing Piazzolla Tangos on Wednesday June 27th, 1.05 pm, at the Dukes Hall, Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT. Owen Murray is the resident accordion professor at the Royal Academy of Music.
The International Tango Quintet program includes ‘Resurreccion del angel’, ‘Verana Perteno’, ‘Milonga del angel’, ‘Escualo’, ‘Biyuya’, and ‘Libertango’. Admission is free.
The 17th National Accordion Competition, the 7th International Competition for Classical and Variety accordion, and the 9th Premier International Competition for concert accordionists, takes place from 5th to 7th October in the Fedele Fenaroli Theater, Lanciano. Entrance is free to all events.
International Accordion Summer Seminar, Palanga - Lithuania
The International Accordion Summer Seminar run by the Lithuanian Accordion Association takes place in Palanga from August 1st to 7th. The event includes accordion orchestra rehearsals conducted by Professor Ricardas Sviackevicius, lessons, master classes, and concerts.
Teachers include Ricardas and Raimondas Sviackevicius, (picture left), Eduardas Gabnys, Zita Abromaviciute, Danielius Rozovas, Genadijus Savkovas, and – by special invitation - Joachim Pichura, from Katowice Music Academy, Poland.
At 5pm every evening there will be pupils concerts from different regions of Lithuania or teaching.
At 7pm every evening there will be concerts. Performers include:
Urszula Mizia (cello, Poland) Dan Lonnquist (organ, Finland); Duo from Moscow.(Bobysheva class); LMTA students accordion orchestra (picture below with conductor Ricardas Sviackevicius); Trio Chill Out (picture right); Raimondas Sviackevicius and Danielius Rozovas students class concerts; Duo Velikis-Mihajlovs; And others
The course 2007-2008 of the Accordion High School of the Istituto Musicale Pareggiato ‘G.Lettimi’, Rimini, consists in 7 master class with Claudio Jacomucci (resident teacher - picture left), Yuri Shishkin (Russia), Geir Draugsvoll (Denmark), James Crabb (Denmark) and Luciano Biondini (Italy).
The master classes (3 days each) will be held in the period October 2007 to June 2008 according to a schedule. The course is aimed at graduated students, professional musicians or accordion teachers.
The participation fee is 1.000 euros (plus 20 euros for subscription). The subscription and a deposit of 200 euros has to be sent before July 15th 2007. To apply for subscription, send a email with your CV to info@claudiojacomucci.com before June 31st. The number of participants is limited. For further information email: info@claudiojacomucci.com
Yehuda Oppenheimer update 2 arrangements of 'Young Love', and ‘Jaffa Nights’. Samples of the music are available online. The music is in eSheet format, able to be emailed to your computer. Purchase with credit card.
The Confédération Mondiale L'Accordéon - CMA website with the rules and regulations of the 2007 Trophée Mondial de l'Accordéon to be hosted in Samara, Russia.