From China to Ukraine, the World Accordion Trophy brings together virtuosos and young talents in Montargis

Until Saturday November 30, Montargis is the center of the accordion world, and brings together 300 musicians from China, Ukraine and even Canada. Long adorned with an outdated image, the instrument is seeking a new lease of life, through varied tests open to the public.

Delegations from all over the world, from China to Turkey, from Canada to Lithuania, from Ukraine to Vietnam, including some French representatives. The accordion planet met in Montargis, in the Loiret, for the World Trophy.

The event, organized from Monday November 26 to Saturday November 30, welcomes around 300 musicians, who compete in more than forty categories. A first since 2019, after four editions on the internet due to Covid, then the war in Ukraine (the 2022 edition was to take place there). And you have to take advantage of it: the event, which brings together many of the best accordionists in the world, has not taken place in France since 2018.

On the program: “Everything! Classical accordion, variety, musette, jazz, world music“, lists Frédéric Deschamps, organizer and president of the World Accordion Confederation. “And for the educational categories, it’s open bar, the children play absolutely whatever they want.“Sunglasses on his nose and an impeccable black shirt, he’s the boss, as shown by the quick steps he takes to be everywhere simultaneously, and to make sure that everything goes well.

The competitions, divided between the large village hall and the neighboring Tivoli, are open to the public, free of charge (except in the evening). But there are few people coming to Montargis during the day on this rainy Tuesday. In the Tivoli room, in addition to the competition jury, the audience is mainly made up of proud parents.

It’s 2:33 p.m., Jessica walks onto the stage. Coming from Ireland, she competes in the under-12 category. She sits down, puts down her accordion, and begins to play. She makes a few small mistakes, the sound sometimes lacks breath, she sighs, gets annoyed at the end of the piece. But completes an impressive performance.

Succeeding him on stage is ZuoPeier, from China, already winner in his junior category of the World Accordion Cup in September 2024, a competing competition organized by the International Confederation of Accordionists. On stage in Montargis, the young boy proves all his virtuosity. Leaning over his beautiful blue and pearly accordion, as large as his torso, he plays quickly. Very quickly. The applause is loud.

Seducing young people is a necessity for the accordion, in search of a second wind. Because the instrument “had its glory years in the 30s, then became the instrument of our parents, and our grandparents“, sighs Frédéric Deschamps, aware of the outdated aspect of the accordion in the current collective imagination.

Yes but. The disappearance of TV shows that promoted the accordion, like those of Pascal Sevran for example, had a significant effect, according to him. Because, if these programs “did a lot for the accordion world“, the instrument now manages to detach itself from the somewhat reductive musette image that it may have in France. An image halfway between the cliché of the Parisian metro musician and a certain somewhat washed-out kitsch. But now, “children discover an ordinary instrument, like the piano and the violin, like people discovered in the 1930s“, assures Frédéric Deschamps.

So much so that the accordion is now taught in around half of the conservatories in France, according to a report from the Paris Conservatory in 2019. Including five in Centre-Val de Loire for 62 students: in Châteauroux in Indre, in Dreux and in Lucé in Eure-et-Loir, and in Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle near Orléans. And in Montargis, obviously. The number of classes in France continues to increase.

As a result, many accordionists present in Montargis are young. Like Jean-Baptiste Baudin, 28 years old, accordionist for 16 years. Between two appearances by candidates, he treats the public in the village hall to various tunes. As with Libertangotune which served as the basis for the famous song I am tango by Guy Marchand. With his left hand he plays the bass, and “more or less the melody” with the right hand.

There is no more difficult instrument. There are difficulties everywhere, of course. The violin is about accuracy. At least with the accordion, the note is right. But all instruments have their difficulties.

Jean-Baptiste Baudin, accordionist

This difficulty does not prevent Alexis Labarrière, in his early thirties, from doing everything alone. In addition to playing his accordion, he himself launches drum breaks with keys at his feet, manages the brass volumes with a console and a pedal… A real one-man band. “It’s a phenomenon“, assures Frédéric Deschamps.

And, indeed, while he checks that everything is working well, this Tuesday noon under the sumptuous decor of the village hall, his fingers dance on the keys of his accordion, in a choreography with a chaotic appearance but with a perfectly rendered sound. ordered. How does he find his way there? ? “It is learned“, he simply smiled.

“It is a timeless instrument that crosses fashionsestimates Olivier Brigel, commercial director of the accordion manufacturer Hohner in France. 10 or 20 years ago, it was very musette. Now it’s more variety, entertainment, jazz.“Different practices, popular with young people,” he assures, while his accordion presentation stand, in the Montargis village hall, is stormed at each break between two candidates for the trophy.

Stay “a constant” : “classical, like the piano, because we only play classical in the conservatory“. And practicing classical music on the accordion becomes a great asset for winning the World Trophy in the premier category: senior classical. The tests are spread over three days. “A real marathon“, assures Frédéric Deschamps.

To demonstrate “the full extent of their abilities“, the competitors must play a baroque piece, a melodic piece, then a piece “virtuoso“. The next two rounds are spread over periods of 20 to 30 minutes, with a free choice of program to play.

Norberto Magín Trancón came from Spain to be a jury in Montargis. And, undoubtedly, the best accordionists on the planet have gathered in the Loiret. “Sometimes the difference between two candidates is a tenth of a second, there is something that has been done millimetrically a little differently from the previous onehe whispers. It’s a very, very complex job to be part of the jury!“

The awards evening will take place on Saturday in the Montargis village hall, from 6 p.m. Before a concert of the winners, secondly. Please note: unlike the events, the end-of-day concerts are subject to payment and can be booked. “There will be people“, warns Frédéric Deschamps. “Already Monday evening, we were armored.“Tickets are on sale at the Montargis media library, opposite the village hall.