A landmark new concerto for violin, accordion and orchestra has entered the contemporary classical repertoire with the world premiere of Aziza Sadikova’s Labyrinthe du Temps, performed by internationally acclaimed violinist Hilary Hahn and renowned accordionist Geir Draugsvoll (Professor of Accordion at the Royal Danish Academy of Music) with Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen under the direction of Omer Meir Wellber.

The premiere took place on 22 July 2026 at the Congress Center Villach in Austria, followed by further performances including the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele. The work, composed in 2023, represents a significant addition to the growing body of large-scale concert repertoire featuring the accordion as a solo instrument alongside traditional orchestral voices.

Labyrinthe du Temps (“Labyrinth of Time”) explores a dialogue between violin and accordion, bringing together two instruments with contrasting yet complementary expressive qualities. Sadikova describes the work as a journey through contemporary sound worlds towards “a world of baroque magic and elegance”, where historical echoes and modern musical language coexist.

For Geir Draugsvoll, one of the world’s leading advocates for the accordion in contemporary classical music, the project continues a long tradition of expanding the instrument’s artistic possibilities through collaborations with major composers and performers. His partnership with Hilary Hahn places the accordion alongside one of the most celebrated violinists of our time in a major orchestral setting.

The performance at Ludwigsburg Schlossfestspiele featured the same artistic team, with Hilary Hahn and Geir Draugsvoll as soloists, Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and Omer Meir Wellber conducting. The programme also included works by Mozart, Bruch and Schumann, placing Sadikova’s new concerto within a broader classical tradition.

The premiere of Labyrinthe du Temps marks another important step in the continuing recognition of the accordion as a concert instrument capable of standing beside the violin, piano and other established solo voices of classical music.

This development is also reflected in NordAccordion 2026, taking place in Voss, Norway, from 10–15 August. Organised around concerts, the traditional summer seminar, workshops and encounters between students, audiences and leading performers, the festival brings together international artists, emerging Nordic musicians and new repertoire. The 2026 edition features director Geir Draugsvoll, Kristina Farstad Bjørdal, TOEAC Duo, Luca Bello,Leo Florin,Gemini Duo,Bjarke Mogensen and many other talents, with composer Martin Lohse as festival composer, contributing new works and shaping the artistic direction of the week.

The festival program demonstrates the wide range of contemporary accordion activity, from the opening concert and Nordic Talent Concert to a free concert with Voss Sparebank, a portrait concert dedicated to Martin Lohse’s music, and diverse formats including Vestlandsk Operapub, The Romantic Accordion, Echoes off Cliffs, the student concert at Bakka Church and Club5. These events highlight the accordion’s ability to move between contemporary classical music, chamber music, education, folk influences and innovative performance settings.

One of the major highlights of the festival will be the premiere of “Ordskifte”, on August 13th, a new work by Henning Sommerro, written for festival director Geir Draugsvoll and Kristina Farstad Bjørdal. The work is based on The Poem by the Norwegian poet Leif Halse and introduces text, sound and narrative into a new musical landscape. The composer, Henning Sommerro will be present during the concert, making the premiere an extra close meeting between composer, performers and audience.