AAA Governing Board member and CIA Ambassador Kevin Friedrich, who has released two CD albums in 2021 (pictures right), will return to his native New Zealand to present a series of concerts in November and December.

CD’s available online at: friedrich01 and friedrich02

Kevin will present his 18th sold out Variety Show Concert on December 5, 2021 (Christmas edition) at the Dargaville Museum where he houses his Accordion Gems, A Master Collection of Accordions Through Time Exhibition.

The popular fundraising concerts are held in the Lighthouse Function Center Concert Hall adjacent to the Museum facility. In addition, Kevin will present a concert with Organist Stephen Vincent (also an accordionist) at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in his hometown of Dargaville on December 9, 2021. The historical organ (1926) is the work of New Zealand organ maker Georg Croft and was donated to the Church by the Dargaville children in honor of their Mother, Mrs. Anne Dargaville, upon her passing. One of the few remaining examples of Croft’s work, the historical organ’s refurbishment, was completed earlier in 2021.

The joint recital will feature a variety of material including a number of works for organ and accordion arranged by the artists as well as the World Premiere of ‘Song of the Far North’ for accordion and organ by renowned New Zealand composer Gary Daverne. The concert will be presented again on December 12,2021 at the magnificent Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland. This church houses New Zealand’s largest organ, designed and built by the organ building company of Nicholson & Co Ltd in the United Kingdom and it consists of 91 speaking stops spread over four manuals and pedals, with 5,432 pipes.

While in New Zealand, Kevin will also present a second series of School concerts. Last year while in New Zealand, Kevin presented 16 Concerts at the Dargaville Primary School (children ages 5- 10 years) giving more than 500 young students the opportunity to learn about the accordion in an interactive and educational concert series. The school programs showcased the accordion, accordion history, construction, and different musical styles, while allowing the enthusiastic young students to participate with movement, song, and rhythm instruments, as well as all trying their hands using several 12- bass accordions.

Assisting Kevin with the School concerts will be accordionists Christine Johnstone, AWW News Editor and Director of the North Shore Music Makers Accordion Orchestra (Auckland, New Zealand), local vocalist Ros Gilmour, and Linda Emmett Litt, (percussion and timpani), the daughter of Doreen Emmett who first taught Kevin the accordion at the Dargaville Primary School in the 1970s.

For more information: www.kevinfriedrich.com.