Daily reports by Kevin Friedrich, CIA Ambassador
Pictures by Kevin Friedrich, Alison Worthington, Amber Masefield and Minna Plihtari
Additional pictures will be added in as they become available. We invite you to check back.
CIA President Raymond Bodell welcomed the International Delegates to the 180th General Assembly opening session. Delegates in attendance were as follows:
CIA Executive Committee Members CIA Music Committee Members
United Kingdom - Raymond Bodell
Italy - Mirco Patarini (Music Committee Chairperson)
Russia - Viatcheslav Semionov (Vice Chairperson) Russia - Alexander Selivanov (Vice Chairperson)
Austria - Herbert Scheibenreif (Vice President)
Germany - Andreas Nebl (Member)
China - Li Cong (Member) Lithuania - Kasys Stonkus (Member)
Finland - Kimmo Mattila (General Secretary) New Zealand - Grayson Masefield (Member)
New Zealand - Harley Jones (Public Relations Manager) Serbia - Miljan Bjeletic (Member)
Italy - Mirco Patarini (Music Committee Chairperson) Sweden - Jörgen Sundeqvist (Member)
USA - Kevin Friedrich (CIA Ambassador) CIA Honorary Vice President 2017
   
Italy - Gianluca Bibiano
Delegates
Australia - Australian Accordion Teachers Association (AATA)
Lionel Reekie
Austria - Harmonika Verband Österreichs (HVÖ)
Werner Weibert
Herbert Scheibenreif
Bosnia - Muzicka Akademija Istocno Sarajevo
Zoran Rakic
Brazil - Instituto Owaldinho do Acordeon in Brazil
Oswaldino do accordeon
Samantha Alburquerque
Sarah Alburquerque
China - Accordion Association of Chinese Musicians Association (CAA)
Li Cong
Tong Jianhuua
Estonia - Estonian Accordion Society
Aivi Tilk
Kristel Laas
France - France - European Music Academy (EMA)
Frédéric Deschamps

Finland - Suomen Harmonikkaliitto (SHL)
Seppo Lankinen
Kimmo Mattila

Germany - Deutscher Harmonika-Verband e.V. (DHV)
Georg Hettmann
Andreas Nebl
Italy - Italian Accordion Culture (IAC)
Mirco Patarini
Antonio Spaccarotella
Gianluca Bibiana
Federica Celesti
Kazakhstan - Kazakh National University of Arts, Kazakhstan
Anatoly Gaissin
Irini Makey
Latvia - Naujene Music and Art School
Spodris Kacans
Lithuainia: Kaunas Accordion Society (KAS)
Kazys Stonkus
Macedonia - Ljubiteli na Klasicnata Muzika in Skopje
Zorica Karakutovska
Anica Karakutovska
Elizabeta Illin
New Zealand - New Zealand Accordion Association (NZAA)
Sonia Palinich
Heather Masefield
Tamba Young
Sephenie Poole
Amber Masefiield
Portugal - Mito Algarvio - Associação de Acordeonistas do Algarve
H De Brito Vas Guerreiro
Joao Manuel Aforso Pereira
Russia - Interregional Association of Bayanists and Accordoinists
Viatcheslav Semionov
Alexandar Dmitriev
Vladimir Orlov
Russia - Russian Alliance of Harmonica and Accordion Performers (RAHAP)
Alexander Selivanov
Russia - International Music Center "Harmony"
Yuri Shishkin
Serbia - Faculty of Arts of the University of Niš
Miljan Bjeletic
Switzerland - Akkordeon Schweiz
Marty Ruedi
Sweden - Sveriges Dragspelares Riksförbund
Jörgen Sundeqvist
Sven Karlson
Ukraine - International Art Centre Acco Holiday Festival of Kiev
Yan Tabachnik
United Kingdom - National Accordion Organisation of the United Kingdom (NAO)
Anna Bodell
Kenn Farran
Wendy Farran
Alicia Beautement
USA - American Accordionists’ Association (AAA)
Mary Tokarski
USA - Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International (ATG)
Elizabeth Finch
Joan C. Sommers

During the General Assembly, ”Associació Catalana d’Acordionistes” from Spain were welcomed welcomed as a new Voting Member. Their President Blai Navarro gave a detailed presentation on their organization. They join several new members admitted during the Winter Congress in Paris, bringing the total CIA membership to more than 40 nations/organizations.

Several organizations reported on their activities including Liz Finc (USA-ATG) who gave an overview of their annual festival, and invited everyone to attend their 2018 Festival in the Chicago area. Mary Tokarski (USA-AA) also reported on their festival and invited guests to attend their 80th Anniversary Festival to be held in the Washginton DC area in July 2018.

Future activities of the CIA were discussed including including the rescheduling of the Coupe Mondiale in Portugal to 2020, and 2019 to be hosted in Shenzhen, China.

A full report in the form on Minutes will be forthcoming and circulated among CIA members by the General Secretary..
Above: Executive Committee Members at the 138 General Assembly of Delegates in Osimo, Italy:
Li Cong (Vice President), Viatcheslav Semionov (Vice President), Herbert Scheibenreif (Vice President),
Kimmo Mattila (General Secretary), Raymond Bodell (President),
Mirco Patarini (Chairperson of the Music Committee), Harley Jones (Public Relations Manager)
and Kevin Friedrich (Ambassador)
International Delegates attending the General Assembly
Draw for playing order
Contestants in the Chamber Music - Classical Competition
Contestants in the Chamber Music - World Music Competition
Contestants in the Junior Virtuoso Competition
Contestants in the Senior Virtuoso Competition
Contestants in the Junior Coupe Mondiale
Contestants in the Master Coupe Mondiale
Contestants in the 70th Coupe Mondiale
Pigini and Scandalli Welcome Reception
Contestants, Delegates, Jury Members and guests were invted to a welcome reception hosted by the Scandalli and Pigini Accocrdion Factories. City officials and organizers enjoyed mingling with the many guests, while contestants were afforded the opportunity to meet each other and share their experiences thus far preparing for the Coupe Mondiale.
Joan Cochran Sommers (USA) and Maurice Jones (New Zealand)
Francesca Pigini and Federico Pigini wiith the three Jones family sibilngs Heather, Maurice and Harley.
Reception hosts Mirco Patarini and Federico and Francesca Pigini with CIA President Raymond Bodell
long time friends Liz Finch (USA) and renowned New Zealand Conductor and composer Gary Daverne
Guests enjoying the welcome reception
Lionel Reekie (Delegate from Australia), Zoran Rakic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
and CIA Public Relations Manager Harley Jones (New Zealand)
Delegates enjoying the Pigini and Scandalli hosted Welcome Reception
Zoran Rakic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) takes time for a selfie with his International friends including Francesca Pigini (Italy),
Spodris Kacans (Latvia), Grayson Masefield (New Zealand) and Federico Pigini (Italy)
Amber Masefield (New Zealand), Federico Pigini (Italy), Heather Masfefield (New Zealand),
Kevin Friedrich (USA) and Grayson Masefield (New Zealand)
Francesca and Selenia
Contestants wtih Francesca Pigini
CIA President Raymond Bodell with the Mayor of Castelfidardo - Roberto Ascani and the
Mayor of Oismo- Simone Pugnaloni.  Both Mayors are delighted to be hosting two consecutive gala International accordion competitions (Coupe Mondiale and PIF Castelfidardo) in their respective neighboring towns.
Vladimir Orlov (Russia), Harley Jones (New Zealand),
Oleg Sharov (Russia) and Grayson Masefield (New Zealand)
Gala Opening Concert
 
CIA President Raymond Bodell presenting his opening welcome speech
Mirco Patarini and Castelfidardo Mayor Roberto Ascani presenting the Paolo Soprani Award
The Mayor of Oismo- Simone Pugnaloni receiving a special recognition award.
Antonio Spaccarotella (accordion) wtih Francesca Carli (Soprano) and Enrico Giovagnoli (Tenor)
with the Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana under the direction of Roberto Molinelli.
Mirco Patarini (accordion) wtih the Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana under the direction of Roberto Molinelli.
Mirco Patarini (accordion) wtih Francesca Carli (Soprano) and Enrico Giovagnoli (Tenor)
with the Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana under the direction of Roberto Molinelli.
Antonio Spaccarotella and Mirco Patarini (accordion) wtih Francesca Carli (Soprano) and Enrico Giovagnoli (Tenor)
with the Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana under the direction of Roberto Molinelli.
Main Index Page General Competition Info Delegate and Jury Registration Top of Page
70th Coupe Home Page Schedule of Events Welcome to Osimo, Italy CIA Website