The Report on the Millennium International Harmonica Festival
Presented in the Tokyo Chromatic Society Review No.9（2000/12/1）.
The Millennium International Harmonica Festival, hosted by IHO（International Harmonica Organization) was held during
September 7th through September 10th in Bournemouth, UK. Over 150 people
from 15 countries in the world joined to the event.
With two days of competition, the final competition among winners of each category at the third day, and the awarding ceremony at the last day, there were many events such as seminars, a dinner party with Bournemouth Mayor and Mayoress, barbecue party, two gala concerts one of which was the dinner show, rehearsals and concert by the orchestra to which everybody in the world could join, and some free-play concerts. The weather was very fine during the festival and every events went out very friendly and neatly.
Players joined to the competition from Japan were Mrs. Sudo of tremoｌo
and Mr. Adachi of 10 holes in the solo diatonic harmonica category, Sudo
and Hoshi Duet in the duet category, and Mr. Yoshimura and Mr. Sanada in
the solo chromatic harmonica category.
In addition, Mr. Morimoto, the super tremoｌo harmonica player of Japan
performed at a gala concert.
The winners of the competition and a final champion are as follows:
- Junior Class
- Solo Chromatic（Eldar Nissan−Israel）
- Duo（Duo Cantalina−Austria）
- Trio（Trio Harmonicanos−Austria）
- Group（Quintet Juventus−Austria）
- Senior Class
- Solo Chromatic（Ho Chee Kin−Malaysia）
- Duo（Miyoko Sudo Duo with Sachie Hoshi−Japan）
- Trio（Trio Non-Pareil−Malaysia）
- Solo Diatonic/Blues(Si Genaro−UK）
- Solo Diatonic/Melodic（Erkki Vihinen−Finland）
- Special Commendations（Beatta Kossowska−Poland, Tay Keng Seng−Malaysia）
- The Jerry Murad & The Harmonicats Prize（Walter Buchinger-Austria）
- Overall Winner（Ho Chee Kin−Malaysia）
Seminars were as follows:
- Blues（By Steve Jennings）Techniques of Sonny Telly, etc.
- Playing with Tongue Rhythm（By Walter Buchinger）Basing techniques, chord
play with Chordmonica
- CHUGGING（By Ben Hewlett）Beginning 10 holes diatonic
- Irish Folk Music（By Brendan Power）10 hole diatonic, Chromatic and their special tuning
- Story of the Borrah Minevitch and Harmonica Rascals（By Art Daane）Introduction
of harmonica comic band, the Rascals via video tape edited from the past
movies-wonderful seminar indeed!
The performer of the Gala Concerts were as follows: Each one was very
enthusiastic and continued until 11:30 midnight
Friday Night
- Harmonica Orchestra, Laakirchen−Austrian Music School
- The Harmonica Entertainers−Duo from Switzerland, they performed at Yokohama
'95 as well
- Mietek Borkowsky−Tremolo player from Poland、He performed at Yokohama
'95 too
- Alexendre Thollon−19 years old French professional player
- Four In Accord−Quartet in UK
- Ben Hewlett−Blues band in UK
- Yoshio Morimoto−Tremoｌo player from Japan, well known as "Harmonica
in My Heart"
- Beatta Kossowska and the LeBlues Band−Blues band with a beautiful female
diatonic player from Poland
- Jim Hughes−Chromatic player in UK
- Jean Labre−Chromatic player from France, IHO vice president as you know
- Pentti Varkilla and the Cool Finns−10 holes diatonic players from Finland
- Brendan Power−Irish Folk Song player from New Zeeland, resident of London
Saturday Night
After dinner show. Chairs in the hall were removed and large round tables
were carried in. After dinner was served to every member, the concert started.
- Youth Harmonica Ensemble−Young men's orchestra from Austrian music school
- Larry Adler−Great master of the harmonica, resident of London
- The Harmonica Hotshots−Comic band from USA
- Beatta Kossowska and the LeBlues Band−Blues band with a beautiful female
diatonic player from Poland performed again
Congratulation to Mrs. Sudo and Mrs. Hoshi, the winner of the senior duo division.
The competition entry fee was 100 pounds(about 16,000 yen, member discount
is available), but was felt cheep because several meals were included and
could join to every seminars and gala concerts since they have been taken
place sequentially. The area is a famous resort beach with plenty of hotels.
My hotel cost only 20 pounds(about 3300 yen) a night and was very cheap
since I only used it for a bed and breakfasts. There was shops of harmonica,
music sheet and CDs in the festival hall and I spent a lot.
By the way, would the next Millennium International Harmonica held in
thousand years later? |
