NZ Championships & Festival

Sunday Morning

Caleb Hendry and Jaedon Hendry

Shane and Bridget Gillbanks

Maia and Adam Perry

Aiden Wright and Patrick Liu.

Trophies for Sunday

Teacher Stephanie Poole and university student Edward Giffney who was the 2010 New Zealand Champion and a competitor representing New Zealand at the 2011 Coupe Mondiale.

Christelle Sautaux from Switzerland was competing in the top solo competition category which has been changed to have the same rules as the new Coupe Mondiale Masters Category.

Contestants will perform an Own Choice programme consisting of at least three pieces, one from the Baroque 24 era, one piece to be of a slower lyrical style and one piece of a technical virtuosic style. The programme must contain at least one Original Work but transcriptions may also be used. Individual movements from cyclical works are acceptable.

Competitors must present themselves as artists to an audience; presentation, dress and stagecraft all being important. Playing time is 15 minutes minimum and 20 minutes maximum.

Christel began accordion before starting school. Both of her parents play accordion and hosted the Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra in Switzerland. Christel has taken part in numerous regional and national competitions culminating in First prize at the Swiss Accordion Cup, as well as First in Switzerland for Youth.

Further prizes are 2nd at International Kozani in Greece and 4th at CMA in Vigo Spain. She has represented Switzerland in France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Holland, UK, Croatia and China. She won the Friedl Wald Foundation Scholarship and recently a grant from Peter & Renee Glasson in 2012. Christel performs in duets, trios and plays in the Hohner World Accordion Orchestra. Her professors are Stephane Chapuis, (accordion tutor at HEMU Lausanne University),  and Frederic Deschamps (Paris).

Bor-Kuan Song is 19 years old and began learning the accordion at the age of 12 from Chelsey Mayes. He is now a third year student of University of Auckland, studying Bachelor of Music, majoring in accordion performance, with Tatiana Lanchtchikova as his tutor. Bor-Kuan has achieved grade 8 in piano, flute and theory in the ABRSM exams. He also obtained grade 8 in accordion in the Trinity-Guildhall exams, while gaining the highest mark in New Zealand for grade 7 music.

When he was a year 12 student at Macleans College, Bor-Kuan was awarded "Top in the World" for both his AS level and A level Music in the Cambridge International Examination (CIE), which he sat in June and November respectively. Bor-Kuan also enjoys playing chess, and was in the Premier A Team when he was in Macleans College.

Bor-Kuan Song

Benjamin Hurley and Leora Werner

Some of the North Shore Music Makers orchestra waiting to compete for the NZ Junior Orchestra category.

North Shore Music Makers performing, conducted by Christine Johnstone. Players are: Angela Chen, Jessie Chen, Annabelle Ding, Ben Drury, Corey Jeffries, Skylah Jeffries, Alanah Jones, Eric Max, Adam Perry. Maia Perry, Alina Reekie, Valerie Tay, Darryl Sutjiadi.

Christine Johnstone

Compere Stephen Cope with his musical keyboard tie and Amber Masefield with her dress with the musical keyboard hem.

Caleb Hendry and Christopher McMenamin. Bridget Gillbanks right.

1st, Alanah Jones, 2nd Catrina Lin, 3rd Jaedon Hendry for the 10 years and under Qualified Solo category.

Angela Chen (left) Adam and Maia Perry (right).

Aiden Wright won the NZ Open Electronic solo category with compere Stephen Cope and Sonja Palinich in the background.

Helen Wang 1st place South Pacific 15 years and under solo champion. Patrick Lui 1st place South Pacific Open Solo champion.

Christine Johnstone and Renee Jeffries and the 1st place North Shore Music Makers Orchestra players with their first place ribbons and certificates.

The two ladies behind the success of the North Shore Music Makers Accordion Orchestra are conductor Christine Johnstone (right) and her daughter Renee Jeffries.  Accidentally cropped out the nice trophy!!

1st Place New Zealand Solo Accordion Champion for 2012 is Bor-Kuan Song.

Christel Sautaux 1st place South Pacific Accordion Champion 2012 and 2nd place Bor-Kuan Song. Presentations for the South Pacific Accordion categories are at the evening dinner.

Sunday  Morning Results

Qualified Class Q233, Ethnic Solo, 16 years and over
FIRST                                  91   Caleb Hendry
SECOND                            81.5  Christopher McMenamin
THIRD                               72.5   Peter Robinson

Qualified Class Q206, 10 years Solo
FIRST                                  85   Alanah Jones
SECOND                            80.5   Catrina Lin
THIRD                               77.5   Jaedon Hendry

Qualified Class Q222, Original Accordion Composition Solo, 10 years and under
FIRST                                  93   Angela Chen

Qualified Class Q262, Open Duet
FIRST                                  76   Bridget & Shane Gillbanks

Championship Class C30, New Zealand Duet, 10 years and under
FIRST                                92.5   Adam & Maia Perry

Championship Class C9, New Zealand Solo, 15 years and under
FIRST                                80.5   Helen Wang

Championship Class C14, New Zealand Open Electronic Solo
FIRST                                86.5   Aiden Wright

Championship Class C12, New Zealand Open Solo
FIRST                              92.33   Patrick Liu

South Pacific Class SP256, South Pacific Championship, Open Solo
FIRST                              92.33   Patrick Liu

South Pacific Class SP252, South Pacific Accordion Solo, 23 years and under
FIRST                              93.03   Christel Sautaux
SECOND                           91.33   Bor-Kuan Song

Championship Class C16, New Zealand Solo Accordion Championship
FIRST                              91.33   Bor-Kuan Song

Championship Class C32, New Zealand Duet, 15 years and under 
FIRST                                  78   Benjamin Hurley & Leora Werner

Championship Class C60, New Zealand Junior Accordion Orchestra Championship
FIRST                              84.33   North Shore Music Makers

Finale Concert

Prior to the Finale Concert,  the New Zealand Youth Accordion Orchestra rehearsed.

Starting off the concert was the New Zealand Youth Accordion Orchestra conducted by Christine Johnstone.  There were 25 players.

Angela Chen, Jessie Chen, Tadgh Coulthard-Miller, Annabelle Ding, Ben Drury, Bridget Gillbanks, Serena Hendry, Ben Hurley, Corey Jeffries, Skylah Jeffries, Max Jeffs, Alanah Jones, Satoshi Kincaid, Liam Lithgow, Lead player: Patrick Liu, Chris McMenamin, Eric Max, Adam Perry, Maia Perry, Alexandra Reekie, Alina Reekie, Darryl Sutjiadi, Valerie Tay, Helen Wang, Leora Werner.

The orchestra performed Sonatina by Clementi and Boogie by Palmer-Hughes.

Tyler Battista was awarded the Cocurullo Family Trophy for all his assistance over a number of years. This annual trophy has been donated by the Cocurullo Family of Dargaville as a non musicianship award for services to music. The Cocurullo Family have been prominent in accordion affairs in Northland for many years and the purpose of this trophy is to recognise the important contribution of many non-musicians who support this event, working behind the scenes, to make this event possible.

Grace Lithgow and Shirley Yelavich being presented the Ben Emmett Accordion Orchestra Commendation Trophy awarded to the Eastern Junior Accordion Orchestra. This trophy is awarded for a highly commendable performance by an accordion orchestra. The above trophies have been donated by the two daughters of Ben and Doreen Emmett in memory of the important contribution they made to the development of the accordion in the Dargaville area from the 1950's until their deaths in 1976 and 1990 respectively. They taught many pupils, their most famous pupil being Kevin Friedrich.

2012 South Pacific Solo Champion, 12 years and Under was Alexandra Reekie performed the test music, Dance With You by NZ composer Amy Jennings. 

2012 South Pacific 15 years and under solo champion, Helen Wang performed.

Caleb Hendry performed an entertaining piece.

Caleb Hendry was awarded the Cecil Smith Trophy which is awarded for a performance during this weekend (not necessarily a winning performance) that in some special way impresses the audience. Cecil Smith, was born in New Plymouth and lived all his life there. Cecil played the cornet, piano, double bass and accordion amongst other instruments, but the accordion was his favourite instrument.

In the last ten years of his life, Cecil played at old folks homes and hospitals, giving pleasure to many thousands of people with his music. The Accordion was his main pleasure in later years and he played right up to the time that he passed away. He left his accordion to his grand niece Nicole Phillips and this trophy was donated by his family who wanted to recognise his kindness and generosity and to put a little back into the musical pursuit that Cecil Smith so much enjoyed.  

Patrick Lui, South Pacfici Accordion Open Solo Champion received strong applause for his Tico Tico and Notes Vagabondes virtuoso entertainment categories.

2012 NZ Solo Champion Bor-Kuan Song performed Spanish Suite, movements 1,3,5.

The every popular Starlight Duo of Lionel Reekie and Maurice Jones performed a program.  These two internationally known performers wowed the audience.

Here they are, providing the dance tango music and watching

Jazz and Elena Reekie in a very excellent choreographed Tango that showed their superb dancing skills. 

Lionel singing to the accompaniment of the two accordions.

2012 South Pacific Solo Champion Christel Sautaux playing Allegro from Sonata No. 5 by Pribiliev.

Concluding the concert was the North Shore Accordion Orchestra conducted by Lionel Reekie.

The North Shore Accordion Orchestra (NSAO) members are largely from Auckland's North Shore and meet once a week to practice under the baton of conductor Lionel Reekie. In past years they have toured to Sydney to play as guests of the Australia Accordion Teachers Association (AATA), and to Brisbane as guests of the Queensland Accordion Club.

In August 2007 they travelled to USA as guest artists of the American Accordion Association (AAA) and the Accordionists & Teachers Guild (ATG) where they performed four concerts: three in Washington during the Coupe Mondiale and one at the Febbraio School of Music in New York.

In 2009 the orchestra produced a CD. The current members are: Jessica Chen, Renee Jeffries, Amber Masefield, Jenna Murray, Stephanie Panzic, Alexandra Reekie, Roseanne Rosario, Kristina Roper and George Xu.

The music performed was: Toccata & Fugue in D minor by J.S. Bach the full Academic Festival Overture by Brahms. Two major and very demanding works that were performed with style and skill by the North Shore Accordion Orchestra to extended applause from the very appreciative audience.

Lionel Reekie closed the concert, thank all the competitors and teachers, jury, parents and helpers for the very successful event.

Farewell Dinner and South Pacific Accordion Championships Prize Giving

Alexandra Reekie, 1st Place South Pacific 12 years and under solo accordion championships presentation.

Helen Wang, 1st Place South Pacific 15 years and under solo accordion championships presentation.

Lian Jones as teacher of Patrick Lui accepting the South Pacific Open Solo Championships trophy.

Christel Sautaux, 1st Place South Pacific Accordion Champion presentation.

A photo of all the South Pacific presentations.

The dinner was full and the food very nice at the Brigham Restaurant.

Dr Kristina Panzic was awarded the Emmett Family Classical Ensemble Trophy for her arrangement of the very large work of Academic Festival Overture by Brahms for the North Shore Accordio Orchestra.

Ben Emmett Accordion Orchestra Commendaton Trophy was awarded to the North Shore Music Makers conducted by Christine Adams.

NZAA Past President for 28 years John Statham and wife Gilly and past NZAA Secretary for about 26 years Marie Jones enjoying the dinner.

We are not going to put names on the rest of the photos but we hope you will recognise many of the people in the pictures.

































The end of a great night near midnight.