coba

cobaHe entered the accordion department of Luciano Fancelli Music Academy in Venice in 1978. He won the first prize at the Alassio International Accordion Contest in 1979. He won the first prize at the 30th C.M.A. World Accordion Contest (as the first Asian) in 1980. He was top of the graduating class at the academy.

After coming back to Japan he played the active part in international concert activities and producing commercial, TV, movie and stage music and so on.

In 1991, he made his debut with an album "Beneath the Moon in Sicily" (Toshiba EMI). In 1992, he won the Special Prize of Japan Record Grand Prize. From 1995 to 1997, he took part in Bjork's world tour and played in more than 60 countries. In 1997, he was given the honorary citizenship of Venezia Milano city.

While he plays an active part as one of the top artists of Japan releasing CDs and topping the charts in many European countries, he also produces artists like UA, Kahimi Karie and so forth as a sound producer and sending "up-to-date-sound" to the world.

Furthermore, not only in music but also in various fields he shows his abilities. He started a 21st century-style entertainment "Techno-cabaret" produced by himself in August, 1999. Its "over-century" performance in Tokyo in December, 2000 was very popular.

In 2002, he was invited to the 50th anniversary of the founding of his old school Luciano Fancelli Music Academy as a special guest. His tour in Europe that year was a great success. He also started a long-term project "Bellows Lovers" to commemorate the 180th anniversary of the birth of accordion and released an album "my jabara way" commemorating the 180th anniversary.

He establishes his own multi-national label "b - cool records", and is doing conspicuous activities in various worldwide pop scenes.

Message: I expect the movement of JAA.

Stefan Hussong

Stefan HussongHe was born in 1962 in Keller Bach in Germany and he studied under Hugo Note at a Trossigen State Music University. In addition, he learned composition, orchestration, counterpoint, analyzing, and accordion at Toronto University.

He won the championship at the Hugo Hellman Accordion National Festival Contest in 1983. He won the championship at the Gaudeams Modern Music International Contest as the first accordion player in 1987. He was selected as a DAAD scholarship student, and devoted himself to his studies of Japanese traditional music at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He served as a guest professor at Sibelius Music Academy in Helsinki in 1989. He has taught the accordion and chamber music at Veltzburg Music Academy since 1990, and has been a professor at Mortzaltum International Summer Academy in Salzburg since 1993.

Message: Thanks to the eager activity of JAA, the progress of the accordion education based on the free basses has made numerous advances in late few years in Japan too. I am very pleased with the idea of JAA and pray for prosperity whole-heartedly.

Miki Mie

mie mikiShe was born in Tokyo. She began to learn the accordion when she was four years old. She went to Trossigen City Music Academy to study the accordion at the age of sixteen.

In 1973 and 1974 she won the Grand Prize for the young people's section at the "Klingenthal International Accordion Contest". In the same year, she won the First Prize for the duet section at "Annecy International Accordion Contest". She also studied under Prof. Bernhard Ebert at Hanover National Music University. Now she is a professor of the accordion department at Folkwag Music University in Duisburg, Germany.

She plays the accordion actively in Germany and is often invited to leading music festivals around the world. In 1990, she was awarded the 1989's Encouragement Prize of Art ( for the music section ) from Deutsche State Government (as an accordionist for the first time ).

In Japan, she made her debut by playing with Sapporo Orchestra conducted by Iwaki Hiroyuki. In 1987, she had a recital in the series of Suntory Hall's Opening Concerts. In 1988, she also played at the Opening Concert of Casals Hall. Since then, she has had "Miki Mie Accordion Works" every March, and its ambitious programs that includes from Baroque pieces to newly written ones for her ( as many as 40 ) are highly noticed. She is widely supported as a leading accordionist now.

CDs released :

Miki Mie Accordion Bach (Aiolos), by which she was awarded the Record Academy Prize for the special class (played by Japanese) in 1997 ( held by Ongaku-no-tomo Co., Ltd. ) /

France Baroque Collection (King International) /

Domenico Scarlatti Sonata Collection (King International) /

Accordion Works by Japanese (King International) /

T "W" OGETHER ( a duo work with Stefan Hussong ) (DENON) /

Sonorities - Japanese Pieces for Accordion (King International) /

And many others

Message: I am very pleased that the interest of younger generation in the classical accordion music is increasing and the number of students who learn the accordion in Germany is also that increasing. I will work hard for them.

Licharl Galliano

Licharl GallianoHe was born in Cannes, France. He began to play the accordion at the age of four under the tutelage of his father, an accordionist, and won a prize at he "Child Prodigy" Competition when he was twelve years old.

While he was learning harmony, counterpoint, trombone, etc. at music academy in Nice, he was devoted to jazz. He moved to Paris in 1973 and spent three years as the accordion player, composer and arranger in the orchestra of Claude Nougaro. It was in the middle of 1980s that he began to act in earnest as a soloist. He met Astor Piazzolla, was enlightened by him, and got involved in musette over again and developed it.

"New Musette" released in 1991 created a sensation. He won "Django Reinhardt" Prize, the greatest honor in the world of French jazz.

Message: I am very happy to be added to honorary members of JAA. I have heard that the activities of JAA are wonderful, but I am very surprised at its remarkable development.

I am very glad "new musette" I created is increasing its fans in Japan. I think it owes to the help of all of you in JAA and appreciate deeply the support I have gained from Japanese accordionists. I offer my friendship as an accordionist.

Zhang Zijiang

Zhang ZijiangHe was born in Shanghai, China in 1929. He joined the People's Liberation Army in 1949 and played the accordion as well as taught it in the army for many years. He became a full-time teacher in the music department at the Art Academy of the People's Liberation Army in 1979. In 1983 he took the position of professor in the department of arts at Beijing Teachers' College as well as visiting professor at the music department of China Music Academy.

He is the president of the China Accordion Association and also an adviser of the Grade Test Committee for accordion specialists in the China Musicians Association, Central Music Academy now. He visited more than twenty countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa during his performance activities over many years.

He is playing an important role in the history of the accordion in China. He has been training his successors, researching, teaching and popularizing the accordion. His most important work is "A Way of Playing the Accordion".

Message: We invited Mr. Matsunaga Yuji and Mr. Kawaguchi Hiroshi, JAA directors, as judges for the 10th Beijing Accordion Art Festival (Competition) held from August 10 to 14 in 1994. They met the members of the China Accordion Association. We had a friendly talk following by a meeting for upcoming activities. We hope this will lead a lasting relationship.