OrganFax

A New Champion Is Crowned

News posted on the 16th September 08

Johnny Lee Leslie was crowned Roland V-Accordion Senior UK Champion at last weeks competition at St Audries Bay in Somerset. Following last years competition in London, EMF and Roland UK ran a whole weekend dedicated to the Virtual Accordion. The event started with a full day of demonstrations and master classes and culminated in Sundays competitions. Roland demonstrators Romano Viazzani, Karen Street and Eddie Jay were on hand all day and then played for a two hour concert which comprised of various solo's, duets and trio numbers. A fabulous evening which was topped with a very special group performance of "In the Mood".



For those not acquainted with the V-Accordion we should explain that the instrument has no reeds, unlike the traditional accordion, and that all the sounds are electronically generated. This means that as well as traditional accordion samples the player has access to many other sounds, many of which come from the Atelier organ range.



Competitors came from all over the UK and as far away as Scotland and Ireland. Sundays competition day started with Hamish Munro winning the beginners section (trophy and £20.00). Rene Maris won the elementary section (trophy and £40.00), Stephen Best the intermediate section (£60.00 and trophy) and Gennaro Fiondella the advanced section (£100.00 and trophy).



The afternoon saw the two championship classes for which Soraya O'Connor won the Junior section and the prize of a FR2 accordion. Johnny Lee Leslie won the Senior Championship and a prize of a FR7 accordion and an all expenses trip to Rome in November to compete in the World Championships. The prize for this competition is 5000 Euros.



International accordion star Gary Blair then took the stage on a V-Accordion to finish the night with a celebration Ceilidh. For more details and pictures visit the emf website .