CIA - Accordions Worldwide

15
HARMONIKAVERBAND ÖSTERREICHS (HVÖ)
During the opening gala of this year’s Viennese
accordion festival HVÖ-President Werner Weibert
and CIA-Vice President Dr. Herbert Scheibenreif
presented the CIA Award “Honored Friend” of the
Accordion” to Friedl Preisl (below right), organizer of
the Accordion Festival Vienna, for his outstanding
contribution to the accordion.
On the 6th of May 1829, 180 years ago, the Austrian
Cyrill Demian applied for a patent for an instrument
with the name of "Accordion" in Vienna. The 6th May
is therefore regarded as the “birthday” of the
instrument "accordion". Throughout the world,
various events took place to celebrate this first ever
World Accordion Day. Austria can be very proud of
organizing four concerts including Vienna, Wiener
Neustadt, Saalfelden and Salzburg where Akkord -
On - Stage has organised a concert in the Music
School of Bergheim, various musical events being
happening. Solo performances by young artists from
Salzburg and Upper Austria, a contribution of the
large accordion orchestra - Harmony Salzburg, a
concert of the famous accordion ensemble
"Klavitoniker" (below) and also, the option of an
“accordion trial” for all those interested, to start
learning the accordion.
Important summer courses are being held by famous
International accordionists, e.g. Friedrich Lips in Imst
(Tyrol) and jazz accordionist Klaus Paier in Wolfsberg
(Carinthia).
A special accordion summer camp was organized by
Roman Pechmann in Carinthia which attracted also
people from other Austrian regions.
All students who wanted to meet and play with
other accordionists were invited to participate and
enjoy one week of fun. Activities planned included:
ensemble playing, percussions-workshop and
common rehearsing of pieces also free improvising,
free time activities such as walking tours, table
tennis, football, as well as a large final concert for
family and friends.
Accordion teachers were invited to participate in a
workshop for further training. The aim of this
accordion workshop was to offer a platform for
teachers in order to make possible contacts,
exchange of experiences, an accordion ensemble for
teachers and discussions in relaxing atmosphere.
Another important accordion course “Accordion is
cool!” was organized by Gabriele Hofbauer in
Bisamberg (located in the region of Lower Austria,
near Vienna) where Roman Pechmann (Klagenfurt)
and Wolfgang Russ-Plötz (Schönaich, Germany)
gave their workshops. Exhibits of instruments, scores
and CDs were offered to the numerous participants.
Polish accordionist Grzegorz
Stopa recently made his
debut as a soloist in Vienna’s
world-famous Big Hall of
Musikverein performing
Kalevi Aho’s “Sonata No.2
(Black Birds)”. He was born
in Przemysl (Poland) in
1973, and studied accordion
with Prof. W. L. Puchnowski
at the F.Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, and
as a scholar of the German Academic Exchange
Service (DAAD), with Professor Mie Miki at the
Folkwang Hochschule für Musik in Essen, and also
at the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold, Germany.
During his studies,
Grzegorz Stopa, was
also a teacher at both
academies. Grzegorz
Stopa is a prize-winner
of 11 international and
national solo and
chamber music
competitions, among
others the Grand Prix of
the International
Accordion Competition
in Tokyo, Japan (2002) as well as numerous
scholarship foundations. He has made several
concert tours as soloist and chamber musician in
Europe and Asia. Since his debut concert in Tokyo
(2003), he has given regular recitals in Japan (e.g.
Casalas Hall or Kioi Hall, Tokyo; Phoenix Hall,
Osaka).