13. INT. AKKORDEONFESTIVAL 2012

For the opening of the 10th Internationale Akkordeonfestival Wien in February 2009 Otto Lechner, one of Austria´s most prolific accordion-players with international reputation assembled a brilliant cast of male and female masters of the accordion, Das Ziehharmonische Orchester. After three years this event is still remembered fondly by many and so the time simply seems to be ripe to let Das Ziehharmonische Orchester get together one more time. Again Otto Lechner will be the playful ringleader of an impressive list of players, bringing with them not only many different approaches to the instrument, but a broad spectrum of different accordions as well as they will please the audience with compositions by B. Bibic, G. Klucevsek, L. Holmer, O. Lechner, P. Schuberth and many more.

Otto Lechner: Akkordeon, Leitung Bratko Bibic, Walter Czipke, Heinz Ditsch, Maria Düchler, Ingrid Eder, Heidelinde Gratzl, Bohdan Hanushevsky, Franz Haselsteiner, Stefan Heckel, Tommaso Huber, Tino Klissenbauer, Paul Schuberth, Johannes Steiner, Stefan Sterzinger, Florian Zack: Akkordeon

February 25th: Otto Lechner & Die Windhunde

The Akkordeonfestival is as much more about an idea and an attitude as it is about an actual instrument. It pushes forward the idea of music, culture and art as a "place", where the rules and limitations of everyday life do not apply, where people exchange ideas and points of view free of ideological and geographical borders, where humanity and respect are given free reign. The label Windhundrecords founded in 2001, a loose co-operation of several Vienna based musicians/artists of international renown shares this spirit. So on February 25th 9 musicians reflecting these ideas in their work and more or less the 13th International Akkordeonfestival Vienna with a spontaneous group-composition!

Otto Lechner: Akkordeon Anton Burger: Violine Melissa Coleman: Cello Matthias Jakišic: Violine Pamelia Kurstin: Theremin Joanna Lewis: Violine Herbert Reisinger: Schlagzeug Karl Ritter: Gitarre Peter Rosmanith: Perkussion

February 25th: Vienna Balkan Groove

Many musicians from the former Yugoslavia living in Vienna have shaped the sound of the city we enjoy today – the sound of a musical capital full of diversity and styles with a booming Worldmusic- and Balkan-scene. Vienna Balkan Groove feature three musicians also playing with the Wiener Tschuschenkapelle, one of Vienna´s most popular bands. Yet here they approach some of the same material with a whole different twist and a sharper edge lead by Jovan Torbica´s soulful and innovative playing on the fretless bass adding another layer to the already dynamic and irresistible sound of Vienna Balkan Groove.

Mitke Sarlandziev: Akkordeon, Stimme Hidan Mamudov: Klarinette Jovan Torbica: (Fretless = bundloser) Bass Aleksandar Sarlandziev: Schlagzeug