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Notes
from the Composer for Charlie's Revenge.
This piece was written
when Charlie Watkins (well known to accordionists in England as
"Mr Electrics") survived a serious medical problem -
a heart attack. It is a lighthearted laugh at life, and is best
described as a novelty piece. |
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Douglas
Ward has played the piano accordion for over 35 years (for 17
years professionally.) In this youth, he won many accordion competitions
in the UK.
The instrument has taken him literally around the world, first
as a bandleader aboard the large ocean liners Queen Elizabeth,
Queen Mary, and later aboard Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2). Whilst at
sea, he acquired a great love for passenger ships, and went on
to become an expert in the field.
He was, for many years, deeply involved in all accordion activities
in England as a teacher, adjudicator, and composer (he introduced
the convertor free bass instrument to the UK).
In 1966/7, he worked as an arranger and transcription artist for
Charles Hansen Publications in New York, in an office on 5th Avenue
(at 47th Street), and wrote the History of the Accordion for the
USA's Contemporary Keyboard magazine (much of this article is
featured on the Worldwide Accordions website).
He has adjucated
at the UK' s National Accordion Organization's Accordion Day for
several years. He moved to the United States again in 1979, where
he lived for about 20 years. During that time, he adjudicated
many accordion competitions including the annual National Accordion
Championships held by an American Accordionist Association (AAA).
In 1968 he helped organize the only Floating Accordion Festival
aboard the ocean liner Galileo, when more than 600 accordionists
took part in a 6-day festival cruise from New York to Bermuda.
He also taught at the Acme Accordion School, operated by the respected
contemporary accordionist and educator Stanley Darrow.
He has written more than 24 pieces for the instrument, varying
from elementary solos and duets to virtuoso works, and his virtuoso
pieces have been played at the states and national competition
level in the United States.
He has now relocated to New Milton, Hampshire in England, and
enjoys composing for the instrument, and adjudicating.
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©
Copyright 2006.
All rights reserved
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