November 1 2008 Celebrating Salvatore Accardo 50 years ago Salvatore Accardo won the International Violin Competition ‘Premio Paganini’ and, consequently, played the ‘Cannone’, the Guarneri del ‘Gesù’ belonged to Paganini, but the feeling has remained the same even after so long time. On Saturday, November 1st 2008 the Mayor of Genoa, Mrs. Marta Vincenzi, has conferred the Genoa honorary citizenship on Salvatore Accardo. The ceremony took place in the Main Hall (Salone di Rappresentanza) at Palazzo Tursi, the seat of the Municipality of Genoa. The Hall was packed and the ceremony has been held in the presence of a mixed audience, common people, fans, leading musical and cultural figures and friends of the violinist, such as the Italian composer Fabio Vacchi and the renowned architect Renzo Piano. Salvatore Accardo, accompanied by Laura Manzini on the piano, played on the ‘Cannone’ the Sonata in A major n.2 op.100 ‘Thuner-Sonate’ by Brahms, I Palpiti and La Campanella by Paganini performing other pieces by Paganini as encore. After the performance the violinist has been quite willing to be interviewed by the musicologist Alberto Cantù, telling the audience some funny stories about his career, and his bond of affection with the city of Genoa, with the Paganini Competition and with the ‘Cannone’. He has received several gifts, among them a reproduction of the picture taken in 1958, just after winning the Paganini Competition. The picture has been taken during the first performance with the ‘Cannone’ in the same Hall where he has received the honorary citizenship. The event has been organized by the City of Genoa and the Association ‘Amici di Paganini’. Quotes Photo Gallery