Pedesetih godina prošlog vijeka rodila se potreba i ideja da se oformi jedan ovakav sastav koji je na samom početku izvodio uglavnom narodne i partizanske pjesme. Prvi takav sastav pod imenom “Komarac” osnovala je Margita Baračkov. Već 1951. godine ovaj sastav nastupa na audicijama Radio Novog Sada, uzima učešća u kulturnom životu grada. Tada je po prvi put pred orkestar stala sa svojih 14 godina Milana Baračkov, jedan od pionira u borbi za koncertnu emancipaciju harmonike na prostoru bivše Jugoslavije koja će voditi ovaj ansambl preko 40 godina. Od 1957. godine sada već samostalno Milana Baračkov niže uspehe u svojoj zemlji ali i inostranstvu. Tih godina orkestar ulazi pod okrilje Akademskog kulturno-umetničkog društava “Sonja Marinković” koje deluje u okviru Univerziteta Grada Novog Sada. Već tada se pokazalo da će to biti jedan od vodećih orkestara u zemlji ali i svetu. Nižu se najznačajniji uspesi i zlatna odličja:- Palermo (1959), Lucern (1962), Evian (1969), Lucern (1975), Valjevo (1975), Slavonski Brod (1976), Lion (1977), Geneva (1980), Tarciento (1984), Castelfidardo (1994), Ruma (1975-1997) i mnogobrojna priznanja iz zemlje za postignute rezultate… Izuzetan kvalitet tona i interpretacije omogućavao je prodor ovog instrumenta na koncertne podijume. Upravo iz tog razloga za ovaj sastav specijalno su pisali eminentni kompozitori: Karl Krombholc, Rudolf Bruči, Petar Ozgijan, Bruno Bjelinski, Ivan Kovač, Svetozar Kovačević, Slavko Šuklar, Stevan Divjaković, Wolfgang Ruß Plötz… Od 1995. godine pa na dalje, zaslugom Milane Baračkov Malenice i pažljivo odabranim i pripremljenim naslednikom, prvo kao asistent a zatim kao dirigent Goran Penić zajedno sa svojim članovima nastavlja da traga za što ubedljivijim i doživljenim interpretacijama. Sledeći utrt put on izbegava zvuk koji liči na „raštiman hor harmonika“ i donosi nove nijanse i zvučne boje upotrebom što raznovrsnijih udaraljki, elektronike, klavira… Ono po čemu teže i po čemu ih prepoznaju je maksimalna usviranost i uvežbanost, te izbalansiranost u zvuku i kvalitetu tona. Nagrade orkestra: – Smederevo/Srbija (2003) – VIII internacionalna manifestacija „Dani harmonike“: Zlatno odličje – Castelfidardo/Italija (2003, 2009) – 28. i 34. Evropsko takmičenje solista i orkestara: I mesto i Grand prix trofej „Citta di Castelfidardo“- Pula/Hrvatska (2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018) – 31. 32. 34. 38. 40. 42. 43. Međunarodni susret harmonikaša: I mesto u kategoriji orkestara, prelazni Kup grada Pule i Kup Grada Pule u trajnom vlasništvu kao apsolutnom pobedniku takmičenja i orkestru sa najviše bodova. – Ruma/Srbija (2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017) – 42. 44. 48. 50. Festival muzičkih društava Vojvodine: Zlatna plaketa, nagrada žirija novinara, nagrada za najuspešnijeg dirigenta. – Prag/Češka Republika (2006): IV Evropski festival orkestara: Plaketa“Excellent“- Slavonski Brod (2012, 2013) – 3. i 4. Međunarodni susret orkestara harmonike „Bela pl. Panty“: I mesto, Prelazni Kup Grada Sl. Broda, Kup Grada Sl. Broda u trajno vlasništvo kao apsolutnom pobedniku takmičenja sa najvećim brojem bodova. – Insbruck/Austrija (2013) – 11. “World Music Festival“: 1. mesto u najzahtevnijoj kategoriji u konkurenciji od 33 orkestra – najbolje ocenjen orkestar od 210 orkestara koji su došli na takmičenje. Orkestar na svom repertoaru ima dela različitih epoha i stilova, gde osim originalnih – napisanih za ovaj sastav – ima i veliki broj ostvarenih transkripcija i aranžmana dela poznatih svetskih kompozitora: Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Korsakov, Ravel, Liszt, Bizet, u novije vreme Bernstein, Marquez, Ginastera… Jedna neuobičajena karakteristika i tradicija koja se zadržala sve do danas je da članovi čitave koncerte sviraju napamet, te na taj način ostvaruju najbolji mogući kontakt sa dirigentom, prateći tako svaki njegov pokret i mimiku.
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Accordion Orchestra AKUDUNS „Sonja Marinkovic“, due to the popularity of an accordion as ‘an instrument of people’ during the fifties of the last century emerged the need and the idea to form an orchestra which initially performed mainly folk and Partisan songs. The first orchestra of this kind under the name of ‘The Mosquito’ was founded by Margita Barackov. In 1951. the orchestra performs on the auditions of The Radio of Novi Sad, takes participation in the cultural life of the city and it gives a significant performance in the birthday celebration of Comrade Tito. Then, for the first time, in front of the orchestra, at the age of fourteen, stood Milana Barackov, one of the pionirs in the struggle for the concert emancipation of an accordion in the region of ex-Yugoslavia who would later conduct this orchestra for over forty years. Since 1957, now independently, Milana Barackov has a string of success in her country but abroad as well. During those years she becomes a part of Academic Cultural and Artistic Society (AKUD) ‘Sonja Marinkovic’ which operates within The University of Novi Sad. Even then it was obvious that it would be one of the leading orchestras in both the country and abroad. There is a string of successes and golden recognitions: Palermo (1959), Lucern (1962),Evian (1969),Valjevo (1975),Slavonski brod (1976), Lion (1977), Geneva (1980), Tarciento (1984),Castelfidardo (1994), Ruma (1975-1997) and numerous recognitions in the country for the achieved results. The exceptional quality of the tone and interpretation enabled the acceptance of this instrument on concert stages. For this reason many distinguished composers such as: Karl Krombholc, Rudolf Bruchi, Petar Ozgijan, Bruno Bjelinski, Ivan Kovac, Svetozar Kovacevic,Slavko Suklar, Stevan Divjakovic, Wolfgang Rus Plotz and others composed especially for this orchestra. Since 1995 and on, according to the merits of Milana Barackov Malenica and carefully chosen and prepared successor, first as an assistant and then as a conductor, Goran Penic together with his members continues to search for excellence in persuasiveness and experience in interpretations. Following that path he avoids the sound which sounds as ‘unbalanced accordion choir’ and brings new shades and sound colors by using various percussions, electronics, the piano… What they yearn for and by which they are recognized is that they are well-practiced, that there is the presence of maximum orchestral unity and therefore the balance in the quality of tone. The prizes of the orchestra: – Smederevo/Serbia (2003) – 7th International Manifestation ‘The Accordion Days’: Golden recognition.- Castelfidardo/Italy (2003, 2009)-28th and 34th European Competition of Soloists and Orchestras: 1st prize and Grand Prix Trophy ‘Citta di Castelfidardo’.- Pula/Croatia (2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018) – 31st, 32nd, 34th, 38th, 40th, 42nd, 43nd International Accordionists’ Meeting: 1st prize in the category of orchestras, Transitional Cup of the Town of Pula, Permanent Cup of the town of Pula awarded to the absolute winner of the competition and the orchestra with the highest number of points. – Ruma/Serbia (2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017) – 42nd, 44th,48th,50th, 54th Festival of Music Societies of Vojvodina: Golden recognition, The Journalists’ Jury Award, Best Conductor Award.- Prague/Czech Republic (2006): 4th European festival of Orchestras: The Diploma ‘Excellent’.- Slavonski brod (2012, 2013) – 3rd and 4th International Meeting of Accordion Orchestras ’Bela pl. Panty’: 1st prize, Transitional Cup of the Town of Sl.Brod, Permanent Cup of the town of Sl.Brod to the absolute winner of the competition with the highest number of points.- Insbruck/Austria (2013) – 11th ‘World Music Festival’: 1st prize in the most demanding category in the competition of 33 orchestras- the best graded orchestra out of 210 orchestras which entered the competition. On its repertoire the orchestra has the pieces of various epochs and styles, where except the original compositions – written especially for this orchestra – there is also a great number of transcriptions and arrangements of the works of worldly famous composers: Bach, Mozart, Brahms, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Korsakov, Ravel, Liszt, Bizet and more recently: Bernstein, Marquez, Ginastera… An unusual feature and tradition which has been kept until today is the fact that the members play entire concert by heart and therefore establish the best possible contact with the conductor, following his each gesture and facial expression.