This year’s Accordion Week at the St Audries Bay holiday centre in Somerset, England took place from July 4th to 11th. Organised by Sammie Peckover-Mitchell and Lisa-Lee Leslie, the Accordion Week was another non-stop whirl of well-attended accordion orchestra workshops and evening concerts plus nightly busking sessions, a ceilidh on Wednesday evening (led by Robin Hyland on accordion with Joy Rendall as the caller).

The workshop teachers were Lisa-Lee Leslie (Higher Intermediate Orchestra), Sammie Peckover-Mitchell (Mixed Ability Orchestra), Sammie Peckover-Mitchell (Vintage Accordion Orchestra), Lisa-Lee Leslie (Advanced Orchestra), Caroline Hussey (Elementary/Beginners Orchestra), and Robin Hyland (Scottish Orchestra). The concert compere was Sammie Peckover-Mitchell. Lisa-Lee Leslie presented an accordion trade show, featuring new and used accordions plus accessories. Harry Hussey, 95 year old doyen of accordionists, performed in the bar each night, playing as well as ever.

The annual Accordion Week at St Audries Bay began in 1988, originally organized by the late Malcolm Gee. In the early years the event featured international guest artistes such as Oleg Sharov, Veikko Ahvenainen and Danielle Pauly, but later became a festival where the attendees are the star performers.

For further information email: sabaccordionweek@gmail.com