Coupe Mondiale 2013
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Daily reports by Kevin Friedrich (CIA Ambassador)
Festival pictures and videos are provided by Kevin Friedrich, Harley Jones, Carol Yan, Alison Worthington and Graham Laurie.
World Accordion Orchestra
World Accordion Orchestra VII
Danse Villageoise by Claude Champagne conducted by Maureen Jarosh
Video provided by Mike Roche of Accordion Lady Productions


World Accordion Orchestra VII
Sections from Les Miserables arranged and conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers, Lionel Reekie - Tenor
Video provided by Mike Roche of Accordion Lady Productions

 

World Accordion Orchestra VIIFollowing 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 magnificent staging of the CIA World Accordion Orchestra (WAO) II in Scotland in 2008, WAO III in Auckland, New Zealand, WAO IV in Varaždin, Croatia, WAO V in Shanghai, China, and WAO VI in Spoleto, Italy, we were delighted to present World Accordion Orchestra VII in Victoria, Canada as part of the 66th Coupe Mondiale Festival.
 
The WAO VII performed two pieces including Danse Villageoise by Canadian composer Claude Champagne, arranged and conducted by Maureen Jarosh.

The second piece was Selections from Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg & Herbert Kretzmer, arranged and conducted by Joan Cochran Sommers. The second piece featured New Zealand tenor, Lionel Reekie, as soloist on 'Bring Him Home'. Mr. Reekie has sung this particular piece with several Symphony Orchestras recently and the World Accordion Orchestra organizers were delighted that he was able to perform as part of this magnificent event.

Members of the almost 100 piece World Accordion Orchestra included CIA Executive Committee Members and Delegates, Internationally acclaimed artists and teachers, members of the International Jury and some of the competitors from the festival.
 
The spectacular and acclaimed performance of WAO VII took place at the "World is Here!" - Gala Concert during the 66th Coupe Mondiale festival.
 

Conductor 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 forty years. She has arranged innumerable works for the accordion orchestra over many years, often for the UMKC Accordion Orchestra which, under her direction, competed in and won more First Prizes in Virtuoso Accordion Orchestra Competitions than any other similar American group.
 
In both 1955 and 1956 she earned the right to represent the USA in the Coupe Mondiale and, although she didn’t 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. The large symphonic accordion orchestras under her direction, and several times with the youngest average age for members, earned more First Place Virtuoso Accordion Orchestra Awards than any other American accordion orchestras. This is a record still unbroken today.
 
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). Professor Sommers continues to adjudicate, coach soloists, prepare accordion orchestra arrangements, and conduct accordion orchestras regularly, and now proudly serves as a CIA Vice President.


Condcutor Maureen Jarosh has been a dedicated music instructor and orchestra conductor for 35 years. Teaching music began as a way to finance her visual arts degree and has since become her full time career. Shortly after college she found herself teaching in three studios with up to 120 students per week. Since 1984, Maureen has operated her own music studio teaching accordion, piano and music theory from her home. In coordination with other local accordionists in Calgary, Maureen and her colleagues have created a not for profit society to promote the art of accordion in Alberta. The Accordion Association of Calgary is now celebrating its 24th year of cultural excellence. With the collaboration of all past and present students, Maureen has created a dynamic accordion orchestra.
 
The Jarosh Accordion Ensemble is an entity of it's own. Under Maureen's direction the group presents original, innovative and eclectic music for an accordion ensemble and has traveled to music festivals all over North America as well as hosted international accordion groups on several occasions. Local opportunities have given Maureen the chance to showcase the Jarosh Accordion Ensemble in performances with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Buckwheat Zydeco, and on stage with the Canadian artists Barenaked Ladies.
 
Her commitment to community has lead to benefit performances for UNICEF, Music missions in Central America, Haiti earthquake relief effort and support of arts and culture throughout southern Alberta.
 
Maureen's future projects will be inspired and diverse. One such project will be working with the Canadian Music Centre to present more accordion information and content at the Cantos Museum and concerts to showcase the accordion in a more current context.

Members of the World Accordion Orchestra VII
August 20, 2013 Concert - Victoria, BC, Canada - Coupe Mondiale
 
Maureen Jarosh, Canada - Conductor
Joan Cochran Sommers, USA – Conductor and CIA Coordinator of the WAO


Raymond Bodell - Concert Master (United Kingdom), Alicia Baker (USA), Michele Boddicker-Scheffler (USA), Michael Bridge (CAN), Barb Chapin (CAN), Donna Connor (USA), Mahatma Costa (Brazil), Anatolie Covalenco (Moldova), Marta Darwent (CAN), Denise Davignon (CAN), Barbara Dickson (CAN), Louise Dionne (CAN), Lynn Ewing (USA), Beverley Fess (CAN), Liz Finch (USA), Patty Forman (CAN), Kevin Friedrich (USA), Cynthia Gietz (CAN), Joan Grauman (USA), Mihail Grosu (Moldova), Don Hall (CAN), Francesca Hammel (CAN), Dave Harvinder (CAN), Sadguna Hass (CAN), Lynda Haynes (CAN), Georg Hettman (Germany), Cătălin Hiorară (Moldova), Anton Hohotov (Moldova), Conny Jager (CAN), Harley Jones (New Zealand), Debra Kartz (CAN), Virginia Kervin (CAN), Jutta Kischkel (CAN), Mary Ross Klektau (CAN), Raymond Kujawa (USA),  Julianna Langen (CAN), Vladimir Leca (Moldova), Karen Lee (USA), Colette Lemire (CAN), Li Cong (China), Yvonne MacPherson (CAN), Bratislav Manasijevic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Donna Massey (USA), Kimmo Mattila (Finland), Doreen May (CAN), Jordan May (CAN), Daphne McDonald (CAN), Jelena Milojevic (CAN), Sergiu Mirzac (Moldova), Brian Money (CAN), Gail Nash (CAN), Eugene Negruţa (Moldova), Vitalie Negruţa (Moldova), John Neu (USA), Jeanne Olson (USA), Oswaldhinho (Brazil), Sonja Palinich (New Zealand), Serghei Paramonov (Moldova), Mirco Patarini (Italy), Ivan Preanicov (CAN), Donna Dee Ray (USA), Lionel Reekie (New Zealand), Rena Roth (CAN), Renzo Ruggieri (Italy), Salomon Salcedo (Mexico), Herbert Scheibenreif (Austria), Viatcheslav Semionov (Russia), Ron Sera (CAN), Kathrine Seufert (CAN), Alexander Sevastian (CAN), Betty Jo Simon (USA), Carolyn Tallion (CAN), Sanjit Tamber (CAN), Alice Tinordi (CAN), Mary Tokarski (USA), Joanna Van Ham (CAN), Tony Van Ham (CAN), Maria Varem (CAN), Ken Wedemire (CAN), Werner Weibert (Austria), Constance Weimer (USA), Carol Yan (New Zealand/CAN), Alicia Zubot (CAN)
 

world accordion orchestra
Maureen Jarosh conducting the CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
Center: DHV Delegate Gerog Hettmann in CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
Internationally acclaimed Jazz artist Renzo Ruggieri and USA-AAA Delegate Mary Tokarski
Maureen Jarosh conducting the CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
world accordion orchestra
Joan Cochran Sommers and the CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
li cong world accordion orchestra
Above left: President of the Chinese Accordion Association Li Cong
Above right: Werner Weibert (President of the Austrian Accordion Assocation and host of the 2014 Coupe Mondiale), Kimmo Mattila (CIA General Secretary), Herbert Scheibenreif (Austria) and Michael Bridge (Canada)
Joan Cochran Sommers and the CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
Joan Cochran Sommers and the CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
Above left: Mary Tokarski (USA-AAA) and Jelena Milojevic (Canada)
Above right: Members of Concertino
Joan Cochran Sommers and the CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
Joan Cochran Sommers and the CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
Lionel Reekie, Tenor (New Zealand)
Joan Cochran Sommers and the CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII
Lionel Reekie, Tenor (New Zealand)
Award being made to Lionel Reekie, Tenor (New Zealand)
Award being made to Joan Cochran Sommers (USA)
Award being made to Maureen Jarosh (Canada)
CIA World Accordion Orchestra VII - 2013

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