Festival combines accordion, tango
More than 200 of the world’s most recognized accordion and tango performers from more than 40 countries will be descending upon Victoria for the World Accordion and Tango Festival, from Saturday to Nov. 18 at various venues in town.
Last year, after producing one of the largest accordion festivals in North America, the festival decided to include tango.
“We had run the Victoria International Accordion Festival for the last 11 years,” said Aleksandar Milojevic, the festival’s executive director.
“Seeing that we sometimes incorporate elements of tango in our music, it seemed so natural to blend the two.”
World Accordion and Tango Festival will essentially be two successive festivals:
From Saturday to Thursday, accordion soloists and ensembles showcase their talents, with evening concerts performed by some of the most recognized accordion professionals from all over the world.
A gala opening concert, which runs 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, will feature international talent that includes previous winners of the Trophée Mondial, in collaboration with the Civic Orchestra of Victoria.
During the second weekend, from Nov. 16 to 18, the program will shift into tango music, with three days of performances by tango musicians and dance couples. The artists will showcase their skills in workshops, dance lessons and milongas.
As part of the festival, Victoria and Oak Bay will host the 68th Trophée Mondial, also known as the World Accordion Championships, and the world’s largest accordion event. Held in different countries every year, the event is taking place in Canada for the first time.
In total, the festival offers dozens of concerts, workshops, dance nights, lectures and exhibitions.
Enjoy more than 50 hours of free programs, including the World Accordion Conference and the Accordion Museum at the University of Victoria School of Music, between Sunday and Wednesday.
Tickets start at $25 and are available online and at Tempo Trend Music, Munro’s Books, Long & McQuade, Ivy’s Bookshop (Oak Bay) and Tanner’s Books (Sidney).
For more information, go to watf.ca.