Kiwi Grayson Masefield wins Primus Ikaalinen 2009

Kiwi Grayson Masefield wins “Primus Ikaalinen 2009” – Top International Accordion Competition in Finland

Kiwi accordionists Grayson Masefield has taken out the top prize, the Primus Ikaalinen International Accordion 2009 in the 5th Sata-Hame Soi International Accordion Festival held in Ikaalinen, Finland over the last week. This popular international accordion competition is run along the lines of the Eurovision Song Competition where selected accordion finalists perform popular entertainment style pieces accompanied by a professional backing band, to a live studio and television audience.

21 year old Grayson was nominated as one of the seven international contestants, who compete for the Primus Ikaalinen along with the local Finnish national champion. The competition was broadcast live on Finnish National Television to over a million people (7am NZST, Sat. 27 June 2009), and will be replayed on European TV. This year’s prize was particularly hotly contested, with both Grayson and Petar Maric (Serbia) scoring full marks in the two-round competition, however Grayson came out top after a difficult judges’ final decision. Local popularity support for the local Finnish competitor often makes it difficult for the international contestants to win this prestigious prize, however there were plenty of studio audience members waving banners for Grayson during his performances of Pondichery Tango and La Tempete. This is the first time anybody from the Southern Hemisphere has won the Primus Ikaalinen. The competition was judged by an international panel of six adjudicators, including New Zealander Kevin Friedrich who is the current president of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA – IMC-UNESCO), the world accordion body.

Grayson is currently studying accordion performance full-time in France and has had many successes in international accordion competitions in both classical and entertainment style music, including placing 2nd for the Virtuoso Entertainment category at the Klingenthal International Accordion Competition in Germany in May. For his entertainment style performances, Grayson plays a black custom-painted accordion with a Silver Fern which appears when the bellows are pulled open.

Grayson will be returning to New Zealand in August to compete in the 2009 Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships & Festival. The 2009 Coupe Mondiale International Accordion Championships & Festival is to be hosted by the New Zealand Accordion Association, 25th – 29th August 2009 at the Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, North Shore City. This most prestigious international accordion competition is organised annually by the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA – IMC-UNESCO), however its location around the world changes each year as it is hosted by a different national member of the CIA. This competition is a showcase for top international accordion performers, who can compete for the Championship title in a variety of categories, ranging classical, entertainment, digital and ensemble music. This will be a unique opportunity to see international accordion players at the top of their game. New Zealanders will feature highly in this competition with NZ representatives competing in all of the categories, and from Grayson’s recent performances, there is real potential that he may take out the top spot.

The Primus Ikaalinen televised broadcast (1’40” total) is available online, at:
http://areena.yle.fi/player/index.php?clip=283112&language=fi

Time 00'17” – Grayson Masefield Round 1: Pondichery Tango

Time 00’46” – Round 1 competitors “jam session” with solo by Grayson Masefield: Finnish Medley

Time 00’57” – Round 1 judges marks – Grayson Masefield with full marks of 60

Time 01’02” – Round 1 Finalists through to Round 2

Time 01’07” – Grayson Masefield Round 2: La Tempête

Time 01’26” – Round 2 Grande Finale judges marks – Grayson Masefield with full marks of 60

Time 01’28” – Duet duel between Grayson Masefield and Petar Maric for the 1st place Libertango

Time 01’34” – 1st place Primus Ikaalinen awarded to Grayson Masefield on final judges decision

ENDS

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