AKORDEONIJA magazine is the information publication of Lithuanian Accordionist’s Association published from the year 2001. This year appeared a jubilee issue of the magazine AKORDEONIJA. Once a year, during the summer Accordion Festival-Seminar usually is the frequent appearance of the magazine. This is the optimum interval of time to collect the information from our country’s most active accordionists. For this jubilee year the magazine issue has been waited for a bit longer time, but still full of great events, concerts and festivals presentations and news from all over the country and foreign trips. Frequent active participants of Lithuania’s accordion life have possibilities to read most of the news online at the Lithuanian Accordionists Association’s home website. The Association is continually striving to provide information for members about the important events in the country and abroad. However, no matter how modern thinking we have and are related to internet technologies, electronic communications and e-mails or social networks, perhaps, a paper version of the magazine is still the most enjoyable, most preferable to read and turn pages.
In this issue two summer International Accordion Festivals-Seminars PALANGA 2010 and 2011 are reviewed. As usual, no sparing photos with the objective to restore the event in everyone’s imagination as much as possible. Otherwise, it is much more difficult to make the impression by a single text only. Annual Palanga city festival each year has a new website presenting visitors the program, teaching staff and concert schedules. More updated information and pictures are always on Facebook.
During the Festival-Seminar in 2010 Master classes were held with the highest acclaimed educators. There were invited Friedrich Lips, Bogdan Dowlasz. The students willingly participated in their Master classes. Also the Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy’s educators gave their master classes as annually. Methodical reports were presented by the visiting professors. Our young artist’s concerts, as each year have been interesting, but this year, probably, as well as non-exclusive, we have seen and found new young talents. Evening concerts were also charming and contrast. One of the guests there was Nikola Tanaskovic from Serbia, who performed his solo recital. A big concert with a famous Lithuanian jazz singer and open workshops were given by the Lithuanian Accordionist’s Associations Youth orchestra. Also jazz improvisations, popular and orchestral music concerts and much more has been offered during the Festival-Seminar.
The International Accordion Festival-Seminar Palanga 2011 as annually has been popular and attractive to the most of accordion educators and students. A couple of world acclaimed educators were also invited to give their Master classes. This year the Festival-Seminar had the visiting professors from the United Kingdom and Russia – Owen Murray, Andrej Ledeniov and Vitalij Dmitriev. As usually the open Master classes were truly valuable and worth of visitation. The concerts were performed by the accordionist Vitalij Dmitriev, ensemble YAVA band from Russia, SUBITO from Belarus, a performer of a popular music from a young generation Kristaps Ginters from Latvia. Also the Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy’s soloists and ensembles, the orchestra of the Festival-Seminar’s participants and young children from different music schools gave their concerts.
Another worth of a wider reviewing an annual event in Lithuania is the International Accordion Festival VILNIUS 2010. This year’s Festival has been especially contrast and attractive by its different performers among the fifteen concerts during the days 9-14 of November at the most popular concert venues in the capital of Lithuania Vilnius. The artistic director of the Festival Raimondas Sviackevičius opened the Festival with his solo performing of the Lithuanian composer’s works for accordion together with the chamber orchestra. The soloists of this opening evening were Raimondas Sviackevičius and Geir Draugsvoll (Norway). The festival was continuing with such concerts as accordionist’s Claudio Jacomucci and dancer’s Kathleen Delaney Project ARACNE, the duo of an accordionist Simone Zanchini and guitarist Giancarlo Bianchetti. Gathering a totally full hall the Festival has been closed with the concert of „Cuarteto del Angel“ from Italy. And there is only a small part of successful concerts. Also the performances were given by the best Lithuanian accordion players with their groups and ensembles. All the days of the Accordion Festival were full of performances – Lithuanian composer’s compositions for accordion and electronics with the video art, jazz music, the Lithuanian Accordionist’s Association Youth orchestra conducted by Christian Frattima from Italy, TWOgether DUO from Poland, academicals music performers from a young generation Janne Valkeajoki from Finland and Vincent Lhermet from France, Jang Bolong from China. Worldwide well known performer and educator from Finland Matti Rantanen has also given his solo concert. The Festival has also included open Master classes and methodical reports given by Matti Rantanen, Geir Draugsvoll as well as workshop of Alexander techniques by Claudio Jacomucci and Kathleen Delaney.
The annual XIII International Accordion Festival VILNIUS 2010 organized by the Lithuanian Accordionist’s Association becomes more and more visited and favorite of the citizens and the guests every year. Much more contrasting music and performers are planned to be invited to impress the audiences by the unique possibilities of the instrument accordion. The year’s 2011 Festival is waiting for the biggest accordion star and the greatest jazz performer ever had in Lithuania – Frank Marocco from the USA.
The Lithuanian Accordionist’s Association has organized the International Accordion Competition VILNIUS 2011 during the days 5-9 of April. Every second year from 1994 organized Accordion Competition this year became totally international. In the nearest past there was the only one international category. The Competition had a very high popularity. During the April 5-9, Vilnius has adopted up to hundred guests not only from the closest neighboring countries, but also from the far edges including the participants from Lithuanian cities. There were met accordion teachers and their students from Finland, Russia, Denmark, Belarus, Norway, China, Estonia, Vietnam, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Slovenia, Italy and France. Together with the most competent Lithuanian accordion educators and performers for a jury work there were invited worldwide known accordion masters from the different countries. The most solid International Competition’s Category of concert performers without any age restrictions has been evaluated by a competent, objective and independent international jury up to 12 members and chaired by a high level of world renowned educator, accordion center’s the CNIMA founder Jacques Mornet from France. Other members – Zhang Xin Hua (China), Livio Bollani (Italy), Viktor Novikov (Russia), Luu Quang Minh (Vietnam), Primož Parovel (Slovenia), Elzbieta Rosinska (Poland), Teresa Kaszuba (Poland), Miron Bula (Belarus), Nikolai Sevriukov (Belarus), Sirje Mottus (Estonia), Tiina Valja (Estonia), Jurijs Ryžovs (Latvia), Raimondas Sviackevičius (Lithuania). Petro Serotiuk (Ukraine), Elwira Sliwkiewicz-Cisak (Poland), Lidija Suchovarova (Belarus) also took parts in different categories jury’s work. The compulsory pieces were chosen from the most acclaimed accordion repertoire. The winners of different categories were awarded by cash and other worth prizes. The special statuettes-winners cups were specially made by one of the Lithuanian ceramist by the special order from the Competition organizers. The concert performers category’s one of the special prizes was an invitation to perform a solo concert during the XIV International Accordion Festival VILNIUS 2010. The winner of this Category has been announced Tomasz Ostaszewski from Poland. Two Second prizes were given to Pavel Janas and Michal Gajda also from Poland and two Third prizes went to Saila Korhonen from Finland and Irina Serotyuk from Ukraine. Twenty eight applications were received and twenty two participants took part in the soloist’s category. The Category’s with the age limit up to 19 the First prize went to Lithuanian accordionist Tadas Motiečius. He also has been awarded by a special prize for the best performance of a compulsory piece.
In the 2013 the International Accordion Competition in Vilnius is also open for every accordionist from every country of the world to participate and win. The organizers again prepare to make as decent service as possible and the Competition work as competent and objective as possible, too. For collaborating, not only competing, and also for sharing the news of educating and performing from the world of accordion.
The delegation of Lithuanian accordionists, including the associate professor of the Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy Raimondas Sviackevičius as a jury member, took part in the 64th World Accordion Championship COUPE MONDIALE. The participants from Lithuania were Tadas Motiečius, Deividas Jocius and Augustinas Rakauskas. All in their categories by the age limit were among the ten of the best performers.
In the magazine AKORDEONIJA there are also much more publications about the events all over the country during the year. Different concerts, festivals and other events were organized in the cities of Plungė, Mažeikiai, Kaišiadorys, Pasvalys, Priekulė, Varėna, Klaipėda, Kaunas, Šiauliai by the accordion teachers and performers of those regions of the country.
The most active Lithuanian accordionists every year take part in different competitions in Italy, Germany and other countries. The year 2010-2011 is not the exception. The International Competition VAL TIDONE 2011, the Accordion Competition in Klingenthal, “Spring Voices” in Moscow had also the participants from Lithuania during this year. The participants and are always welcome and they share the information about their success and trips at the magazine AKORDEONIJA.
As usually, the magazine prints some publications of the methodical works, too. The useful information about the ways to overcome the frights of the stage and the conception of the education of the music perception as the artistic and spiritual education in this issue, likely will be useful for every accordion educator as a reminder or a new information.
Henceforward the magazine AKORDEONIJA will also have the Calendar of Events, in order to create favorable conditions for teachers to plan the time and work, to accumulate the information of the upcoming events. The electronic version of the Calendar will be given in the website www.laas.lt and will be continuously updated.
For getting more information all are always welcome contacting the Lithuanian Accordionist’s Association in the home website www.laas.lt or on Facebook Pages of the Vilnius Accordion Festival, Competition in Vilnius, Palanga Festival-Seminar, LAA Youth sections activity and other events.
Sincerely yours,
Chief editor of the “Akordeonija” magazine
President of the Lithuanian accordion association
Raimondas Sviackevičius
