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Daily
reports by Kevin Friedrich (CIA Ambassador)
Festival pictures and videos are provided by Kevin Friedrich, Harley Jones, Alison Worthington, Minna Plihtari and
Graham Laurie. |
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Following
the very successful inaugural Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes World Accordion Orchestra debut performance
at the Coupe Mondiale 2007 under the Musical Direction of Joan C. Sommers, the CIA has continued this tradition of uniting accordionists with the magic of music, as performers from around the globe join together to form a unique and magnificent International 'World Accordion Orchestra.
- The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers, arr. by Werner Weibert
Conducted by Jacob Noordzij
- A Tribute to Bernstein by Leonard Bernstein, arr. by Werner Weibert
Conducted by Werner Weibert
- Let There Be Peace on Earth by
Sy Miller and Jill Jackson, arr. by Joan Cochran Sommers
Conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers
with Choir prepared and directed by Sylvia Zobek and Helmut Zeilner
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Born in Rotterdam, Jacob Noordzij is a native Dutchman. He studied accordion and piano at the Conservatory in Rotterdam before moving to Saalfelden (Austria) in 1969 where he started his career as an active musician, accordion teacher at Musikum Salzburg since1972.
Together with Prof. Alois Breitfuß, Jacob is author of “ABC Accordion School”. In 1975 he founded the Accordion Orchestra Saalfelden in the context of the Salzburg music school work and in 1981 the Salzburg Accordion Club Saalfelden (SAS) which became quite successful at national (HVÖ) and international orchestra and ensemble competitions. Jacob also worked as adjudicator on the national and international fields. Four of his students completed a degree as accordion teacher.
As chairman and musical director Jacob organized nine International concert tours with more than 90 concerts abroad, including 70 overseas: four times Australia, Canada, Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan, twice New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Syria and twice USA (Hawaii). Invited by the UN, the A-ensemble performed some concerts up the Golan Heights. Thanks to his many international contacts – he is known throughout the whole accordion world - Jacob together with his Salzburg Accordion Club Saalfelden (SAS) is truly a “musical ambassador of Salzburg”.
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The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers, arr. by Werner Weibert
Conducted by Jacob Noordzij |
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Jacob Noordzij and World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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Jacob Noordzij's eight Granchildren performing Do-Re-Mi from Sound of Music |
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Jacob Noordzij conducting World Accordion Orchestra VIII.
Note: The youngest accordionist at the festival, Jacob's 3 year old grandson, is playing the world's smallest accordion (Guiness Book of World Records), with esteemed accordion personalities such as Raymond Bodell (CIA President), renowned artist, composer and teacher Viatcheslav Semionov and several World Champions and International performing artists sitting close by! |
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members of World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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at the conclusion of the performance, Jacob Noordzij made a surprise presentation of his original accordion,
a 9 row Hohner Marino played by Kevin Friedrich on the concert, to him, to be included as part
of his Accordion Museum in Dargaville, New Zealand
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Werner Weibert originally studied with Prof. Walter Mieses at the Conservatory of Vienna, later Prof. Walter Maurer became his mentor. In 1968 he won the Austrian Solo Championships in Linz.
From 1964 to 1970 he represented Austria five times at the Coupe Mondiale. Since 1976 he has been member of the international jury not only in this important accordion competition, but also in other national and international ones. 1967 he was one of the founding members of the well-known Viennese Accordion Chamber Ensemble and the musical leader of this successful group (CIA-Merit Award in 1992), and since 2001 its director.
He arranged many different works from all musical periods for ensemble and orchestra, with his arrangements giving the VACE its special artistic character. During the years the ensemble has developed a typical sound, which gave the good example for other ensembles and orchestras.
In 1987 Werner became Vice President of the Austrian Accordion Assovisyion HVÖ and in 2009 became its President. In this role he became the Chairman of the organising Committee of the Salzburg Coupe Mondiale as well as serving as an Honorary Vice President of the CIA for 2014.
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A Tribute to Bernstein by Leonard Bernstein, arr. by Werner Weibert
Conducted by Werner Weibert |
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Werner Weibert and World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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members of World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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Werner Weibert |
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Joan
C. Sommers, founder of the CIA World Accordion Orchestra was awarded the
title of Professor Emerita upon her retirement from the University of
Missouri Kansas City Conservatory of Music (USA), where she established
and taught the accordion degree program for fourty years. She has arranged
innumerable works for the accordion orchestra over many years, often for
the UMKC Accordion Orchestra, a large symphonic accordion orchestra, which, under her direction, competed in and
won more First Prizes in Virtuoso Accordion Orchestra Competitions than
any other similar American group. This is a record still unbroken today.
In both 1955 and 1956 she earned the right to represent the USA in the
Coupe Mondiale and, although she didnt win, it was those experiences
which opened her eyes to the tremendous opportunities available to accordionists;
perhaps it also fixed her life-long interest in worldwide accordion activities.
Most recently, she celebrated the 50th Anniversary of her UMKC Accordion
Orchestra when they presented their 50th Gala Concert at the University.
As the arranger, Joan has had many years of experience as a teacher, a
conductor, and an arranger for accordion orchestras at all levels. Many
of these arrangements were used by her own orchestras in competitions
held throughout the USA and on the many tours made by her groups overseas
as well.
Joan C. Sommers has held positions in several music organisations, including
the Accordionists & Teachers Guild International (ATG) and the Confédération
Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA IMC-UNESCO). Today, Professor
Sommers enjoys performing with fellow accordionists in duo, with other instrumentalists and with the UMKC Chamber Accordion Ensemble. In addition to her performing, she continues to adjudicate, coach soloists, prepare accordion orchestra
arrangements, and conduct accordion orchestras regularly, and now proudly
serves as a CIA Vice President.
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Let There Be Peace on Earth by
Sy Miller and Jill Jackson, arr. by Joan Cochran Sommers
Conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers
with Choir prepared and directed by Sylvia Zobek and Helmut Zeilner |
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Joan Cochran Sommers with World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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members of World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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members of World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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members of World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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Joan Cochran Sommers |
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Choir performing with World Accordion Orchestra VIII |
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World Accordion Orchestra VIII conductors Jacob Noordzi, Joan Cochran Sommers and Werner Weibert |
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members of the Vienna Chamber Accordion Ensemble singing a farewell song |
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