CIA - Accordions Worldwide

51
News from Australia…
ACCORDION SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA (ASA)
Federal President: Dr. Elizabeth Jones (DCA, BMus, AMusA)
ASA Headquarters
60 Richard Ave
Earlwood, NSW 2206, AUSTRALIA
Phone: +61 2 9718 2609
E-mail: fisaccord@hotmail.com
President Emeritus: Else M. Brandman
Secretary: June Jones
Treasurer: Vince Granturco
Co-musical Directors: Elizabeth Jones and Ross Maio
Publicity Officer: Sylvia Granturco
ASA History: A motion was
passed that the Constitution as
submitted be adopted as the
Constitution of the ASA and
that the Society be registered
under the Business Names Act
as a non-profit making Society.
A letter dated 21st. April 1970
submitted the proposed
Memorandum and Articles of
Association of the ASA to the
Registrar of Companies in
Sydney. Pictured is ASA Federal
President Elizabeth Jones.
An enormous amount of work went into establishing a
syllabus of examinations, an examination board,
designing membership cards and certificates. There
were members of the ASA in South Australia,
Tasmania, Western Australia, Queensland and
Victoria as well as NSW. It was decided to hold
examinations twice yearly, in April and September.
The first examinations were in April 1970.
An Annual General Meeting was held on 14th
February 1971. The ASA was accepted into the
Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes
(CIA) that year. State Championships were to be held
in South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland
and NSW, with plans underway to hold an Australian
National Accordion Festival.
The Society became officially incorporated under the
Companies Act (1961) on 31st. May 1971. At a
meeting on the 6th of June 1971 the NSW Committee
agreed to act as a provisional Federal Committee of
the ASA until February 1972 when a Federal
Committee would be elected by postal vote from all
the States. The State Divisions, NSW, Victoria, South
Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and
Tasmania would form their own committees.
ASA 2009: The ASA Youth ensemble attended the
Coupe Mondiale held in Auckland, New Zealand.
What a fantastic time it was for accordionists. The
group from NSW attended the competitions and also
performed on the Thursday night of the week. While
in New Zealand we had a chance to meet up with old
friends, form new friendships and even catch up with
the Queensland Accordion Ensemble. A highlight
was catching up with the President of the Bavarian
Accordion Association who has invited the NSW
Ensemble to attend the World Accordion Orchestra
Championships in Innsbruck. A return visit for the
group, fundraising has already commenced.
The Coupe Mondiale was a great success due to the
hard working committee at the New Zealand
Accordion Association. I know that attending the
event was a great incentive to many of our members
and we look forward to attended many more Coupe
Mondiale events. It was also a chance for committee
members to attended the CIA congress particularly
two of our committee members in training Amelia
Granturco and Jedda Kassis. A particular highlight for
our younger committee members was the discussion
on World Accordion Day – plans are now in place so
keep reading your news next year for the future
plans. Amelia and Jedda have already started plans.
In October we held our annual congress. Although a
short meeting it was very fruitful with lots of active
discussion. Of particular note was the discussion on
the orchestra and planning of future tours. I would
like to welcome Amelia Granturco and Jedda Kassis
as our two tour/event directors for the ASA. We wish
them the best of success in their new roles.
Outside the ASA, students have been successful in
Australian Music Examination Board examinations,
completing Bachelor of Music and HSC (Higher
School Certificate) examinations. The president of
the ASA has also been successful in her work and is
now Head of Classical Performance at the Australian
Institute of Music.