Kevin Friedrich and organist Michael Bell will perform a program for the Finale of the 2023 South Pacific Accordion Championships. Their program will include Ian Watsons new work, “Dargaville Impressions” on June 4th, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand and a new Gary Daverne work for organ and accordion. The NZ Massed Accordion Orchestra with Kevin Friedrich as Concert Master and the NSAO will perform works with organ, Australian Ensemble, along with soloist Grayson Masefield and the 2023 competition prize winners.

The members of the NZAA Massed Orchestra Players: include Concert Master Kevin Friedrich and players: Amber Masefield, Andre Samotoi, Brenden Healy, Christine Johnstone, Daisy Huang, Dennis Lovatt, Grayson Masefield, Harley Jones, Heather Gladstone, Heather Masefield, Ivy Du, Lian Jones, Maurice Jones, Mia Liu, Patrick Liu, Stephanie Poole, Sonja Palinich, Sven Balvan, Tamba Carleton, Theo Redepenning

Kevin has recently released two CD’s. The JourneyKevin Friedrich plays the music of Gary Daverne – Select track samples and ordering information. In his CD, Reflections catalog: friedrich02 he performs the music of Bach, Glinka, Fremar, Shenderyev, Timoshenko, Repnikov and Zolotaryov. The second album consists of remastered live recordings performed on both piano and button accordions, from the 1970s and 1980s.

Born and raised in New Zealand, Kevin began playing the accordion at the age of seven. After earning the title of New Zealand Solo Accordion Champion in 1979 and 1980 while studying with well known New Zealand accordionist and teacher Harley Jones, Kevin moved to the United States to study accordion with Joan Cochran Sommers at the University of Missouri – Kansas City where he obtained his Bachelor of Music. He then gained his Performance Diploma a Conservatoire in Paris, France studying with Max Bonnay. Kevin served two four-year terms as President of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) and at the conclusion of his Presidency was elected as CIA Ambassador.

Kevin currently makes his home in New York City. His accordion activities include serving on the Board of Directors for both the American Accordionists’ Association (AAA) and the Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International (ATG). Dedicated to preserving the history of the accordion, Kevin created his own Museum exhibition ‘Accordion Gems, A Master Collection of Accordions Through Time at the Dargaville Museum, serves as 1st Vice President of the world’s largest accordion museum ‘A World of Accordions Museum’ in Superior, Wisconsin and is Director of the World Accordion Museum Alliance, an initiative of the CIA.

For further information, please visit: Kevin Friedrich
Tickets for the June 3rd concert: Adult $15, Concession $10, Child $5, payable at the door.