Longest marathon playing accordion: Zoran Zorko breaks world record (VIDEO) LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Slovenian accordionist Zoran Zorko has set a new world record for his marathon accordion performances that lasted 35 hours and 32 minutes, according to the World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/. (enlarge photo)
The Guinness world record for the longest marathon playing accordion lasted 31 hours 25 minutes and was achieved by Anssi Laitinen (Finland) at Koljonvirta Camping Area, Iisalmi, Finland.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest accordion ensemble consisted of 1,137 participants at the 2011 Panonika Harmonika Festival in Cerklje ob Krki, in Slovenia.
Zorko's record was set during performances in Ljubljana's Congress Square, the lakeside resort of Bled, and an accordion festival in the border town of Brezice.
Under Guinness World Records rules, Zorko had to play the accordion continuously with a maximum of 30-second breaks between songs.
He could not improvise and all his songs needed to be by recognised authors. A song could only be played once within a four-hour period. Every full hour of playing earned Zorko a five-minute break.
"During these five minutes, I go to eat, go to the toilet and do everything else necessary for my daily life," Zorko told Xinhua in Brezice.
The self-taught accordionist cannot read notes, making his new world record all the more remarkable.
