In Prague, the First Celebratory Concert

Some people celebrate their birthday with a weekend away, others with dinner at home, while others still enjoy an entire week filled with celebrations. Then there are Ladislav Horák, Stefan Hippe and Mirco Patarini, who have chosen to celebrate with a series of concerts, under the title Route 66, in their respective hometowns. The first took place on 23 November in the concert hall of the Prague Conservatory, as part of the 12th edition of the International Accordion Days in Prague, an international accordion competition open to soloists, chamber ensembles and accordion orchestras.

 

The celebratory concert featured five works, two of which received their world premieres: Čtyři invence (Four Inventions) by Pavel Trojan and Concerto for Freedom by Hippe himself. The latter was performed as the closing piece of the event and brought all three protagonists of the evening together on stage, accompanied by the NeoKlasik Orchestra under the direction of Václav Dlask. Mirco Patarini also performed as a soloist in Roberto di Marino’s Bandoneon Concerto (2012), in a meeting of performance and composition featuring two Italian artists.

 

The concert took place at the end of the competition’s first day, which welcomed 180 musicians from twelve countries. The three Maestros were also involved as members of the jury. Patarini (ITA) chaired the panel, which included his peers Hippe (GER) and Horák (CZE), alongside Vojin Vasovic (SRB) and Jörgen Sundeqvist (SWE).

 

The next pit stop on Route 66 is scheduled for 2 November 2026 in Nuremberg, Hippe’s hometown.