«It is not an easy process», but the secret for the Algarve to apply for the accordion for Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity «is in the union». The 69th World Trophy, which will take place from the 3rd to the 9th of November of next year, in Loulé, is an important moment that could give um push to this “regional design”.
This is not the first time this idea has been mentioned, but the press conference to present the World Accordion Trophy, held this Wednesday, October 24, in Loulé, served to put the issue back on the agenda.
Dália Paulo, municipal director of Loulé, was the one who launched the challenge. «What if, from this fourth edition of the World Trophy in the Algarve, something bigger could come out? Making the accordion a Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity has been a desire for a long time, but it takes work and building a team. It would be interesting if, at the end of these days, we could announce this starting point. It is a dream of many accordion players and a tribute to the great ones we had in the region», he said.
Gonçalo Pescada, Algarve accordionist and teacher, was the person directly instigated by Dália Paulo. «Loulé here challenges Gonçalo Pescada to be able to lead such a process, of course with the help of public entities. But it's not something to stay on paper», underlined the municipal director of the Algarve's largest municipality.
The artist confessed that he was surprised, but he did not reject the challenge from the start.
«The possibility of having the accordion as a Cultural and Intangible Heritage has been studied. It is a process that is not instantaneous… The proposal was launched, it is a door that opens. Let's see how the entire World Trophy process goes”, said the musician.
For Gonçalo Pescada, the secret can "be in the union" and that "has to be the starting point". Not least because one of the first works to be done is «a selection of what existed in the past and what exists in the region today».
The idea had already been launched, two years ago, by Alexandra Gonçalves, regional director of Culture of the Algarve, the same person in charge who, yesterday, pointed out one of the keys to the success of a possible candidacy. “In addition to believing, we have to want to and that desire of communities and associations is, perhaps, not yet matured”, said Alexandra Gonçalves.
For now, with or without candidacy, it is certain that the fact that the World Trophy takes place in the Algarve «has given a great boost to the accordionists in the region», according to Gonçalo Pescada, one of the organizers. And anyone who thinks that this is an instrument appreciated only by the elderly is wrong, because there are, in Portugal and in the Algarve in particular, many young people interested in learning to play the accordion.
The event will count on the presence of 52 international delegations and around 200 contestants in the different categories of soloist (classical and light music), chamber music and orchestra.
“The Algarve has an excellent capacity to organize events, due to the climate and the good reception”, said the accordionist. In addition to this, «Loulé has a fabulous work team», with a «strong investment in education and culture», he considered.
And who are the main favorites to win? Russia is one of the countries with the greatest tradition, but China, France, Italy and Serbia also feature prominently.
As for Portugal, it will also be watching its opportunity, with names like Aníbal Freire, José António Sousa, António Rosado, João Frade and even João Palma, a young man from Loulé who has been in the mouths of the world.
The important thing, said Gonçalo Pescada, is that "everyone can watch" this accordion festival, "because it will be a unique moment in the region."
For Frédéric Deschamps, president of the World Accordion Confederation, who welcomes the application for Cultural and Intangible Heritage, the choice of the Algarve to receive, once again, the World Trophy was not difficult. "It's a land of accordion," he said.
“The accordion is a recent instrument, compared to the piano or the violin, and that youth gives it creativity and freedom to create. Therefore, the Trophy is an ever-evolving contest», he said. In this sense, one of the possibilities is to include a category of “Corridinho”, a dance so typical of the Algarve, in the competition.
Pedro Pimpão, vice-president of the Loulé Chamber, sees this competition as something that brings together three pillars of the executive: education, culture, giving as an example the opening of the Loulé Music Conservatory, and tourism. "It's important, because it will bring people at the time of a decrease in tourist activity, helping to break seasonality," he said.
And if you can't watch it live, know that you can watch the World Accordion Confederation's Facebook competitions and galas and on its channel, the CMA Channel.
Photos: Pablo Sabater | Sul Informação
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