Interesting accordion facts

A New Zealander is President of the world accordion body - Confédération Internationale des Accordéonists (CIA), member of the International Music Council - IMC-UNESCO.  Kevin Friedrich is the only non-European President ever, and only the 3rd newly elected President in more than 40 years.

The only accordion Museum exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere is in DARGAVILLE!

The largest Internet site for accordion in the world http://www.accordions.com/ is founded and run by a New Zealander, Harley Jones.

Two young New Zealanders are studying the accordion in France, one of them recently winning the prestigious CMA Mondiale competition.

A New Zealander, is studying the accordion in Kiev, Ukraine.

A New Zealander graduated with an Accordion Performance Degree from the University of Missouri in Kansas City, Conservatory of Music.

A New Zealand accordionist performed on TV and to tens of thousands live with USA based Celtic Rock Band "The Elders."

New Zealand's most prolific composer for accordion is Gary Daverne, conductor of the Auckland Symphony Orchestra.

A New Zealand accordionist was the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Scholar Award.

The accordion was the official instrument of the Maori Battalion.

Former Prime Minister Rob Muldoon attended the World Accordion Championships in New Zealand in 1980.

The accordion is now accepted for study at Auckland University Conservatory of Music.

A New Zealander organized the International Accordion Archive Center housed in Ikaalinen, Finland.

Air New Zealand sponsored the Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra in several overseas concert tours.

The Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra was a Sport & Cultural Ambassador for New Zealand Trade & Tourism in 1990.

In 1990 a New Zealand accordionist received the Commemoration Medal in recognition of Services to New Zealand along with a certificate signed by the Governor General, the Prime Minister and the Queen.

A New Zealand accordionist was created a Fellow of the Institute of Registered Music.

A New Zealander broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest non-stop accordion playing.

New Zealand soloists have performed accordion concertos with major Symphony and Accordion Orchestras around the world more than 150 times, including performances in Europe, North America, Australasia, China and Turkey.

Many New Zealand Accordionists are Registered Music Teachers (IRMT).

New Zealand is hosting the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships at the Bruce Mason Centre (Takapuna, Auckland) in August 2009.

The curator of the famous Whittaker's Museum on Waiheke Island is an accordionist.

John Lennon learnt the accordion as a child, long before he picked up the guitar.

Famous New Zealand Accordionist: Precious McKenzie played the accordion when living in South Africa in the 1970's.

Famous New Zealand Opera singer Dame Malvina Major learnt the accordion and still performs on it today.