Two sharply contrasting concerts at the Royal Festival and Barbican Halls in London on November 17th and 20th 2011 saw the accordion presented to two very large audiences in very different styled programmes. At the Festival Hall on November 17th the French accordionist Richard Galliano presented a concert with his new young group, La Strada Quintet. At the Barbican on November 23rd the Norwegian accordionist, Gier Draugsvoll, gave a UK première performance of a new concerto by Sofia Gubaidulina with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Valery Gergiev.

This is Gubaidulina’s second concerto for accordion and is a big addition to the works she has produced for our instrument. Gubaidulina, who celebrates her 80th birthday this year, has a huge musical output and is one of the world’s leading composers of the late 20th and 21st centuries. Her music is very serious, often highly spiritual, usually surprises and certainly does not bend to popularity, which sharply divides the accordion world. Full Versatile Review