On behalf of the CIA, The Accordion Association of Chinese Musicians' Association (CAA) and the founder and Musical Director Joan Cochran Sommers, welcome to World Accordion Orchestra XI to be held as part of the 72nd Coupe Mondiale Festival in Shenzhen, China from 12-18 August, 2019.
 
The WAO XI will perform three pieces with orchestra members comprising accordionists from around the globe, including many of the CIA Delegates, Jury and Contestants as well as our from our host nation of China.
 
Schedule:
 

  
The World Accordion Orchestra XI performance will be held on Saturday, August 17th, 2019.
There will be two (2) mandatory rehearsals - tba
 
Triumphal March from Aida by G. Verdi
The Triumphal March from Aida by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was given its first performance in Cairo, Egypt, in December, 1871. After being first commissioned by Isma'il Pasha, Khedive (Viceroy or Governor) of Egypt, for a performance in January of that year, the premiere was delayed to the December date because of the Franco-Prussian War. Verdi did not attend the Cairo premiere, where it was met with great acclaim, and he did not consider it the real premiere since no members of the general public were invited. The February,1872 performance, in which he had been heavily involved, at La Scala in Milan also met with great success. The opera Aida was not written for the opening of the Suez Canal as is so often believed. Verdi had been invited to write something for the event but he declined on the grounds that he did not write "occasional pieces."
 
Carefree! The Yi People
Carefree! The Yi People is a piece adapted from the Folk Songs of the Yi people. The mechanical principle of accordion playing is that the reeds inside produce sounds generated by the air created by the movement of the bellows. Although the accordion originated from Europe, if we trace back further, the principle sound production behind the reed is derived from the ancient Chinese instrument the Sheng. This piece of music will take us back to Yi, the hometown of the Sheng and immerse us in the joyful dance and music around the campfire with the Yi people.
 
Long live the Motherland!
Long live the Motherland! Is a piece composed by Liu Chi and Qin Yongcheng and adapted by the Beijing Children’s Palace Accordion Orchestra. This year marks the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. This piece of music connects the theme and the melody of two well-known songs, ‘My Homeland’ and ‘Me and My Homeland’ with great finesse, expressing our sincere love and gratitude to the great Motherland.
 
We invite you to join this magnificent staging of World Accordion Orchestra!

The World Accordion Orchestras to date include:

World Accordion Orchestra I - Alexandria, VA (Washington, DC) - USA
Saturday, 18 August 2007
Conductor: Joan Cochran Sommers
 
- Hands Across the Sea March by John Philip Sousa
- Lest We Forget by Leonard Stack (World Premiere)
- Let There Be Peace on Earth by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson, arr. by Joan Cochran Sommers