WORLD MAKES A STAND IN TORRES VEDRAS

There is one time when the cultural differences can be shared, that is an event born in Torres Vedras that ventures to confirm itself and that gives itself to be known, annually, as the World Accordion Festival. Unique at the national territory, it is one of the most beautiful musical adventures that can be discovered.

Once more we have the presence of prominent instrumentalists and composers, which constitute itself at a visited planetarium guidebook, discovered and that presents itself as fabulous.

This year we highlight the BUILLE (Niall and Caoimhín Vallely and Ed Boyd), from Ireland; the LA CAMORRA (with Jorge Kohan, Nicolás Guerschberg, Hugo Asrin, Sebastian Prusak and Luciano Jungman), from Argentina; the MU (Osga, Sara, Dulce Cruz, Diana, Nuno Encarnação and Sérgio Calisto), from Oporto- Portugal; EGOR ZABELOV (accompanied by Artem Zalessky) from Belarus; and from , a member of the legendary Accordion Tribe, MARIA KALANIEMI (accompanied by Olli Varis).

Festival that at the master class presents the virtuous RICCARDO TESI, that comes for the second time to this event and who will also participate at the so-called “merenda” (snack) and at a show case that will take place at a rural area from the municipality. We will also have the presence of the Portuguese Artur Fernandes (Danças Ocultas) that, besides the formation, will participate ate one “merenda”, accompanied by his brother Bitocas.

Besides this “constellation”, we join national and regional accordionists who give live to the “merendas” (snack) in a gathering that assumes, from year to year, a healthy and funny complicity between people and their musicality. Without forgetting the entertainment venues that coffe shops, restaurants, taverns have provided to this festival, throughout the Torres Vedras.

As novelty we have the “merenda” (snack) for the city schools, which rely on the presence of three elegant musiclowns, from Spain, and called QUARTETTO MARAVILLA . With a scenic nonsense attitude and clown music style, they are the delight of old and young people. They walk and cover the streets, squares and parks around the world to show their entertaining show. They want to entertain the students in Torres Vedras with original numbers of varieties, as well as an extraordinary musical repertoire that includes various styles from their own sound to the swing, through ska and klezmer music.

Torres Vedras is once more the scene of excellence but also of popularity and party, which brings people together, providing the gathering of “Torrienses” (Torres Vedras inhabitants) and visitors. Once again a festival that can’t be missed.

Carlos A. Ribeiro Mota World Accordion Festival Director

PROGRAM

CONCERTS Teatro-Cine Price: € 5 € Concert/ € 20 Pass

27th October » Tuesday » 9.30 P.M. Concert » BUILLE Teatro-Cine de Torres Vedras

Buille was formed in 2004 by Armagh born brothers Niall and Caoimhín Vallely along with Paul Meehan and Brian Morrissey as a vehicle to perform a body of new tunes written in a traditional style with contemporary arrangements. The resultant sound was picked up on by Donald Shaw and Vertical Records who immediately offered to produce and release the groups’ debut album. “Buille” was released in 2005 to rave reviews and was described in the Irish Times: "Buille is as fresh a breath that's blown through traditional (and roots) circles in a long, long time." The group went on to tour extensively across Ireland, the UK, Europe, USA and Canada and along the way performed at such prestigious festivals as Celtic Connections in Glasgow, St. Chartier Festival in Central France, Festival de Cornouaille in Quimper, Brittany, Beo Festival at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, and the Winnipeg Folk Festival in Canada. Buille are back now with a new project and album entitled “Buille 2”. This is a much more ambitious project featuring more large scale compositions and arrangements and utilizing a much bigger ensemble. The new album will feature guest appearances from another brother Cillian on uilleann pipes, Zoë Conway on , Karen Dervan on viola, Kate Ellis on cello, Neil Yates on trumpet and flugelhorn, Ed Boyd and Paul Meehan on and Brian Morrissey on bodhrán, percussion and banjo.

Niall Vallely » concertina Ed Boyd » flook and Caoimhín Vallely »

COUNTRY: IRELAND PRICE: € 5 MORE INFORMATION AT: WWW.MYSPACE.COM/BUILLE

30th October » Friday » 9.30 P.M. Concert » LA CAMORRA Teatro-Cine de Torres Vedras

The La Camorra debuted in 1993 at Café Homero, in Buenos Aires. Since the beginning of its career that the group interprets traditional themes of tango, with It’s own arrangements and original songs. In 1999 the La Camorra were awarded with the second place of the "Chamber Music Competition” in Buenos Aires and since then have expanded their musical style to jazz and to classical. In 16-year career have released five albums, toured stages throughout the world and still writing and performing its own contemporary tango.

Hugo Asrin » contrabass Nicolás Guerschberg » piano Luciano Jungman » bandoneon Jorge Kohan » guitar Sebastian Prusak »

COUNTRY: ARGENTINA PRICE: € 5 MORE INFORMATION AT: WWW.LACAMORRA-TANGO.COM.OR

3rd November » Tuesday» 9.30 P.M. Concert » MU Teatro-Cine de Torres Vedras

MU is a Portuguese band that began its musical route in 2003. Searching for fusion and experimentation within the traditional music, this group is distinguishing with many music styles. With MU you can travel to several different cultures and traditional/fusion sounds. Its members play various instruments from all over the world. India, Switzerland, Egypt, Brazil, Morocco, Australia, among others, are the regions from where the instruments of MU come from. This instrument diversity brings this group to a travel between a lost world and actuality, which allows it to rescue beautiful sounds from these ancient worlds. Between flying dances, feminine voices and diverse instruments, MU’s alive show is a moment of contagious enjoyment, moment where the energy flies throughout the air and rushes the body to dance in a limitless world. MU has already two records: Mundanças (2005) and Casanostra (2008). Since 2003, this group participated in several Portuguese festivals. Among others, we point: Sons do Atlântico, Boom Festival, Portugal a Rufar, Interceltic Festival of Oporto, Andanças Festival and Interceltic Festival of Sendim. Outside of Portugal, a MU stand out it’s partaking in festivals all around Spain (Danzas Sin Fronteras, Festigal Festival, Festival Folk Plasencia, Festival La Carlota and Festival Galdames Folk). Besides that, in 2008 MU went to a world music festival in Croatia, the Zgetno Festival. The six faces of this group share a common... to make everybody dance!

OSGA » bulbul tarang; didgeridoo, flute and percussion Nuno Encarnação » tabla; derbouca; riq; percussion Diana Azevedo » violin, voice and dance Dulce Cruz » accordion Sara Barbosa » bass Sergio Calisto » moraharpa; cello and bouzouki

COUNTRY: PORTUGAL PRICE: € 5 MORE INFORMATION AT: WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MUUUUUU OU WWW.MU.COM.SAPO.PT

6th November » Friday » 9.30 P.M. Concert » GURZUF » Egor Zabelov & Artem Zalessky Teatro-Cine de Torres Vedras

Gurzuf is a highly unusual and highly successful instrumental band, which plays since 2005. This is a duet of an accordionist Egor Zabelov and drummer Artem Zalesskiy. They are playing... well, if I am allowed to add a bit of personal impression here, I'd characterize this as "imagine if King Crimson were to play the tunes of Philip Glass with an accordion". "Gurzuf's" music is a synthesis of alternative music styles such as punk, hard rock, hip-hop with classical and - highly expressive, challenging kind of tunes.

In under two years musicians have managed to achieve quite a lot: they've composed and recorded a couple of sound tracks for the belarusian puppet theater plays, released a full-length album, achieved a great level of popularity in the neighboring countries - they're now cruising with concerts in Ukraine, Poland and Russia all the time, and even gave few concerts in Paris this September. Their level of professionalism was previously recognized with many awards on Russian and Polish alternative music festivals, and have represented in december 2007 their country at the GBOB competition in London.

Egor Zabelov » accordion Artem Zalessky » drummer

COUNTRY: BIELORUSSIA PRICE: € 5 MORE INFORMATION AT: WWW.MYSPACE.COM/GURZUFF OR WWW.MYSPACE.COM/GURZUFF

10th November » Tuesday » 9.30 P.M. Concert » Maria Kalaniemi & Olli Varis Teatro-Cine de Torres Vedras

Maria Kalaniemi, a master of free-bass button accordion, is one of Finland’s leading contemporary accordionists. Once a member of pioneering groups Niekku and Aldargaz, from the Sibelus Academy Folk Music Department, where she now teaches, her roots are in folk and but her signs and abilities go far beyond existing styles. Technically brilliant as a player, and adept at improvision, she is also very powerful, intuitive and sensitive composer, with pieces that stylistically touch in numerous areas but feature her own personality as the driving force. Melody is the meaning and with Maria, listeners are sure to feel her message deeply.

Maria Kalaniemi » accordion Olli Varis » guitar

COUNTRY: FINLAND PRICE: € 5 MORE INFORMATION AT: WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MARIAKALANIEMI OR WWW.MARIAKALANIEMI.COM