The Art of Accordion Playing, author Prof. Friedrich Lips

The Author

Friedrich Lips (born November 18, 1948, in the city of Yemanzhelinsk near Chelyabinsk in eastern Ural) was the son of Russian parents of German descent. After completing his education at the Glinka Music School in Magnitogorsk in 1967, he moved to Moscow, where he studied at the Gnesin institute for Music Education as master student under Sergey Kolobkov. Even before taking his exams in 1972, he started teaching there in 1971 and became assistant in 1974. He was named assistant professor in 1982 and full professor in1989. Lips received world recognition in 1969 when he won first prize for brilliant performances at the Internationale Musiktage in Klingenthal (GDR).

In 1970, the state concert agent Moskontsert started him on his highly successful career as concert musician. Engagements took him to dozens of countries on all continents and, continuing to the present time, have made him the famous bayanist in the world. Performing in the world’s leading concert halls (including Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; and Santori Hall in Tokyo), at the most important music festivals (such as Boston, Huddersfield, Schleswig Holstein and Turin) ,and working with the most outstanding soloists (among others Gidon Kremer, Yo-Yo Ma, Mark Pekarsky, and Vladimir Tonkha) and chamber musicians as well as prominent orchestras, he has exerted considerable influence on the music scene extending well beyond the bayan-accordion.

As professor at the Gnesin Institute in Moscow, Lips has for decades had impressive success as an educator, where his instrumental classes enjoy highest recognition. As guest professor, he teaches at countless music institutions and academies at home and abroad. Among his student are dozens of first-prize winners in all age groupings at the most important international competitions.

Lips has also made a name for himself as arranger and editor of numerous classical compostions for bayan-accordion as well as an expert author of articles and publications on music theory and history. While the Soviet Union was still existing, many recordings made for radio and records reflect Lips’ exceptional creativity; since the political turn of events, he has in the meantime produced over two dozen CDs. Today these performance are regarded as exemplary for bayan–accordion students.

Engaged in propagating artistic, demanding bayanistic, he has been active as an international speaker at seminars, workshops and master courses as well as a juror at major competitions. He is furthermore, founder and artistic director of the annual Moscow Bayan Festival, initiator of international symposia, and either mentor or adviser to international associations.

In his continual efforts to foster new literature for the bayan-accordion, Lips is constantly in contact with outstanding composers (Sergey Berinsky, Aleksandr Kholminov, Yevgeny Derbenko, Edison Denisov ,Sofiya Gubaydulina, Vladimir Podgorny, Alfred Schnittke, Vladislav Zolotaryov, and Kirill Volkov) and has inspired them to created new pieces, thus paving the way for numerous compositions, many of which in the meantime have already achieved historical value.

An enormous collection of CD's and eTracks have been recorded by Friedrich Lips and these are for sale online at: Lips CD's For Sale