Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Welcome to the daily reports from East Sarajevo, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Heregovina
Special thank you to our Daily Report media volunteers Tamba Carleton, Dẑenis Gadara, Elena Oro,
Alison Worthington and Kristina Živanić


2025 results including all adjudicators marks available here!
 

International Press Conference
Members of the CIA Executive Committee including Kimmo Mattila (Finland - General Secretary), host and Honorary CIA Vice President Maja Žuža (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Mirco Patarini (Italy - President), Kevin Friedrich (USA - Ambassador), Harley Jones (New Zealand - Public Relations Manager) were invited by members of the Sarajevo Press team to talk about the CIA and the 78th Coupe Mondiale.
  
Press Conference
 

154th General Assembly of Delegates - Opening Session

The CIA Congress 154th General Assembly of Delegates first session was held at the Academy of Music in East Sarajevo, Rep. of Srpska, Bosnia & Herzegovina. The congress is divided in two parts with the second session being held on Tuesday, 23 September, 2025. Items discussed incuded things such as:

  • As per meeting formalities, the Chair of the Meeting was elected to be Mirco Patarini and the meeting Secretary, Kimmo Mattila.
  • Minutes Auditors were voted to be Heather Masefield (NZAA) and Herbert Scheibenreif (HVO).
  • A confirmation of legality of the quorum was established with the required minimum 1/3rd members present. The 154th General Assembly 10 Premiere Voting Members and and 16 voting members for a total of 26 members present.
  • The General Assembly approved the upcoming 2026 plan of action for the CIA activities and proposed budget as well as the financial auditors of the CIA who will approve the accounts at the upcoming Winter Congress. Auditors were voted as follows: Georg Hettmann (DHV) and Herbert Scheifbenreif (HVO) with Pietro Roffi as substitute - IAC.
  • Mirco Patarini made a presentation covering the many events that he and his fellow committee members attended and supported over the previous year around the globe.
  • Alexander Selivanov (Russia) gave presented the report of the Music Committee and Maja S- Alexander Selivanov, Russia
  • An overview of the 78th Coupe Mondiale in East Sarajevo was presented by the organizer and Dean of the Academy of Music in East Sarajevo, by Maja Žuža.
  • Calculation committee was elected for the 78th Coupe Mondiale: Mirco Patarini, Kimmo Mattila and Amber Masefield
CIA Executive Committee Members
Russia - Alexander Selivanov (Chair - Music Committee), USA - Kevin Friedrich (Ambassador),
China - Li Cong (Vice President), New Zealand - Harley Jones (Public Relations Manager),
North Macedonia - Zorica Karakutovska (Vice President), Italy - Mirco Patarini (President),
Finland - Kimmo Mattila (General Secretary)
CIA Music Committee Members
Czech Republic - Jiří Lukeš, New Zealand - Grayson Masefield (Vice Char), Switzerland - Ruedi Marty,
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Danijela Gazdic-Kljajic, Russia - Alexander Selivanov (Chair - Music Committee),
China - CongYu (Crystal) Wang
Delegates in Attendance 
 		  
CIA Executive Committee Members CIA Music Committee Members
Italy - Mirco Patarini (President) Russia - Alexander Selivanov (Chair - Music Committee)
China - Li Cong (Vice President) New Zealand - Grayson Masefield (Vice Char)
North Macedonia - Zorica Karakutovska (Vice President) Bosnia and Herzegovina - Danijela Gazdic-Kljajic
Finland - Kimmo Mattila (General Secretary) Czech Republic - Jiří Lukeš
New Zealand - Harley Jones (Public Relations Manager)
Switzerland - Ruedi Marty
Russia - Alexander Selivanov (Chair - Music Committee) China - CongYu (Crystal) Wang
USA - Kevin Friedrich (Ambassador) Italy - Antonio Spaccarotella (apology)
       
CIA Honorary Vice President 2025 CIA Honorary Member
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Maja Žuža
USA - Joan Cochran Sommers (apology)
Delegates
Australia - Australian Accordion Teachers Association (AATA)
Lionel Reekie
Austria - Harmonika Verband Österreichs (HVÖ)
Herbert Scheibenreif                
Werner Weibert
Johannes Münzner
Belgium - VZW Accordeon Salon
Jeff De Haes
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Association of Artists (Bijeljina)
Slaviša Perić
Melita Čičić
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Academy of Music, University of Eastern Sarajevo
Danijela Gazdic-Kljajic
Maja Žuža
Marko Stojanović
Biljana Štaka
Bulgaria - The Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts (Plovdiv)
Angel Marinov
China - Accordion Association of Chinese Musicans Association (CAA)
Li Cong
Congyu (Crystal) Wang
Xia Gang
Czech Repulic - The Prague Conservatory of Music
Jiří Lukeš
France - Centre National et Internationale de Musique d'Accordeon (CNIMA)
Jacques Mornet
Nathalie Boucheix

Germany - Deutscher Harmonika-Verband e.V. (DHV)
Georg Hettmann
Andreas Nebl
Hungary - "Az Ifjú Harmonikásokért" Alapítvány - "For the Young Accordionists" Foundation
Szergej Krickij
Olga Papp
Italy - Italian Accordion Culture (IAC)              
Antonino De Luca
Pietro Roffi

Japan - Japanese Accordion Association
Fati Fehmiju - Guest
Kazakhstan - Kazakh National University of Arts, Kazakhstan
Samgar Tolkynkhan
Anatoly Gaissin
Lithuania: National Accordionist's Union
Povilas Velikis
Gintaras Mameniškis
Republic of North Macedonia - Ljubiteli na Klasicnata Muzika in Skopje
Zorica Karakutovska
Anica Karakutovska
Elizabeta Ilievska
Montenegro - Montenegrin Association of Accordionists (Harmonika Montenegrina NGO)
Jankovic Predrag
Montenegro - Association "Music Art"
 Nemanja Potparic
New Zealand - New Zealand Accordion Association (NZAA)
Harley Jones
Heather Masefield
Amber Masefield
Grayson Masefield
Tamba Carleton
Alison Worthington
Portugal - Mito Algarvio - Associação de Acordeonistas do Algarve
Nelson Conceição
Republic of Moldova - Concertino NGO
 Sergiu Mîrzac
Eugene Negruta
Romania - National University of Music, Bucharest
 Fernando Mihalache
Russia - Autonomous non-profit Organisation "Center of Musical Art"           
Alexander Selivanov
Alexander Dmitriev
Serbia - Department of Accordion at Faculty of Philology and Art in Kragujevac (FILUM)
Miodrag Djordjevic
Vojin Vasovic
Vladimir Mandic
Vladimir Blagojevic
Serbia - Faculty of Arts of the University of Niš
Miljan Bjeletic
Nikola Pekovic
Switzerland - accordeon.ch
Ruedi Marty
Yvonne Glur
Turkey - Beylikdüzü Belediyesi Kültür İşleri Müdürlüğü, Istanbul
Zekiye Yilmaz
USA - American Accordionists’ Association (AAA)
Kevin Friedrich
USA - Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International (ATG)
Kevin Friedrich
Members of the International Jury

78th Coupe Mondiale
President of the Jury - Zorica Karakutovska, (Macedonia)
Jiří Lukeš, (Czech), Jacques Mornet, (France), Andreas Nebl, (Germany), Miljan Bjeletic (Serbia), Danijela Gazdic, (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Pietro Roffi, (Italy), Antaoly Gaissin (Kazakstan), Ruedi Marty (Switzerland)
 
International Competition for Virtuoso Entertainment Music
President of the Jury - Li Cong (China)
Nelson Conceição, (Portugal), Fernando Mihalache (Romania), Antonino De Luca (Italy), Vladimir Mandic (Serbia), Ruedi Marty (Switzerland), Andreas Nebl (Germany), Jacques Mornet (France), Melita Čičić, (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
 
Junior Coupe Mondiale
President of the Jury - Jef De Haes, (Belgium)
Xia Gang (China), Miodrag Djordjevic, (Serbia), Olga Papp (Hungary), Marko Stojanović, (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Herbert Scheibenreif, (Austria), Angel Marinov (Bulgaria), Gintaras Mameniškis (Lithuania), Predrag Jankovic, (Montenegro)
 
Junior International Competition for Virtuoso Entertainment Music
President of the Jury - Ruedi Marty, (Switzerland)
Samgar Tolkynkhan (Kazakhstan), Povilas Velikis, (Lithuania), Antonino De Luca, (Italy), Zorica Karakutovska, (Macedonia), Congyu Wang, (China), Johannes Münzner, (Austria), Fernando Mihalache (Romania), Krickij Szergej (Hungary)

Masters Coupe Mondiale
President of the Jury - Congyu Wang, (China)
Szergej Krickij, (Hungary), Nathalie Boucheix, (France), Povilas Velikis, (Lithuania), Slaviša Perić, (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Vojin Vasovic (Serbia), Samgar Tolkynkhan (Kazakhstan), Johannes Münzner, (Austria), Alexander Dmitriev (Russia)

International Competition for Ensemble Music - Classical
President of the Jury - Alexander Selivanov, (Russia)
Elizabeta Ilievska, (Macedonia), Li Cong (China), Olga Papp (Hungary), Jef De Haes, (Belgium), Grayson Masefield, (New Zealand), Nikola Pekovic, (Serbia), Melita Čičić, (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Jiří Lukeš, (Czech)

International Competition for Ensemble Music - World Music
President of the Jury - Grayson Masefield (New Zealand)
Elizabeta Ilievska, (Macedonia), Alexander Selivanov, (Russia), Nelson Conceição, (Portugal), Vladimir Blagojević (Serbia), Li Cong (China), Andreas Nebl (Germany), Antonino De Luca (Italy), Nathalie Boucheix (France)
154th General Assembly of Delegates
 
154th General Assembly of Delegates in East Sarajevo
 

Contestants Draw for Playing Order

Over 100 contestants gathered to take part in the draw for playing order. An automated system, the contestant scans his bar code and individual and group time tables are automatically generated. Designed by Ville Mattila and Jakko Vikman, the impressive system has been used for a number of years.
 
Vice Chair of the Music Committee - Grayson Masefield (New Zealand), Vice President - Li Cong (China), Ambassador - Kevin Friedrich (USA), President - Mirco Patarini (Italy), Director of Programmes & Partnerships for the International Music Council (IMC) - Davide Grosso (Italy) and General Secretary - Kimmo Mattila (Finland)
Contestants, Delegates and guests at the Draw for playing order
Contestants in the 78th Coupe Mondiale
Contestants in the Junior Coupe Mondiale
Contestants in the International Competition for Virtuoso Entertinament Music
Contestants in the Junior International Competition for Virtuoso Entertainment Music
Contestants in the Masters Coupe Mondiale
Contestants in the International Competition for Ensemble Music - Classical
Contestants in the International Competition for Ensemble Music - World Music
 

Opening Ceremony Concert
2025 CIA Honorary Vice President and Dean of the Academy of Music in East Sarajevo
Maja Žuža being interviewed by the Press
Concert MC - Jovana Kostic
above left: Welcome speech by 2025 CIA Honorary Vice President and Dean of the
Academy of Music in East Sarajevo Maja Žuža
above right: Welcome speech by Director of Programmes & Partnerships for the
International Music Council (IMC) - Davide Grosso (Italy)
above left: Welcome speech by the mayor of East Sarajevo, Ljubiša Ćosić
above right: Welcome speech by CIA President Mirco Patarini
 
The Opening Ceremony Concert featured a spectacular evening of works for accordion and String Orchestra and percussion performed by the Metamorphosis String Orchestra under the direction of Saša Mirković with accordion soloists Vladimir Blagojević and Marko Stojanović. The concert featured four works including a world premiere performnace by Dražan Kosorić with the composer in attendance.
   
Dražan Kosorić: Concert Diptych for Two Accordions, String Orchestra and Percussion (world premiere)
Soloists: Vladimir Blagojević and Marko Stojanović (accordions)
Vladimir Blagojević and Marko Stojanović 
Composer Dražan Kosorić congratulating accordion soloists Vladimir Blagojević and Marko Stojanović
 
Yefrem Podgaits: Viva Voce, Concerto for Accordion and String Orchestra
Soloist: Marko Stojanović (accordion)
Marko Stojanović thanking the audience
 
Dragana Jovanović: Concerto for Accordion and Viola
Soloists: Saša Mirković (viola) and Vladimir Blagojević (accordion)
accordionist Vladimir Blagojević
 
Marko Stojanović
Dražan Kosorić: Balkan Tango for Accordion, String Orchestra and Percussion
Soloist: Marko Stojanović (accordion)
 
Opening Concert Reception
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