noelekal
The Home For Wayward Accordions
I ought to go practice right now, but will introduce myself to the Forum instead.
I am an accordion player from way back.
Everyone in my family watched "The Lawrence Welk Show" when I was a kid, parents, both sets of grandparents, well just everyone I knew and Myron Floren was my hero. I was given a toy accordion when I was but a wee tot and likely drove my parents crazy with it.
Later, I took lessons from Al Trick with Trick Bros. Accordion Studios in Fort Worth for six years, from 1964 to 1970. You see, I was going to be an accordion pop idol. Then the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan, having come to America that year and guitars and hair were in and accordions and burr haircuts were out. It was their fault and my dreams went down in flames.
Still play though I had to lay off after bypass surgery five years ago with shoulder surgery 2 1/2 years ago followed by a move complicated by COVID. So, I only eased back into playing last fall. I'm older and rustier now and and sight reading doesn't translate to fingering as readily as it once did. Have plenty of sheet music to keep me occupied for until I shuffle off this mortal coil.
I play for enjoyment rather than for others' entertainment. I'm shy and have had a lifetime of dealing with stage fright. I can still recall when it came on. I was manipulated to play in the spring talent show at the elementary school when I was in the 4th grade. It was an evening event. My turn came up and I sat there up on the stage in the elementary school auditorium facing the curtain which abruptly parted revealing a packed house of teachers, parents, and kids. The suddenness of it all stunned me.
Have you ever tried to play "Lady of Spain" on the accordion with muscles paralyzed from sheer fright?!
Never have completely gotten over it.
1964. One of those photographers who showed up at a Christmas accordion recital at the Dallas Trick Bros. Studio to take photographs to hawk to proud parents.
More recent times, accompanying our eldest son who is playing Irish jigs and reels on the ocarina.
The accordion line up. I still have the student model General Accordion from 1964. It's too shrunken now for me to play, but we have four grandchildren so perhaps one fo them will become interested. A decent sounding Generalfisa (but with bad emphasima), a Scandalli, and a Stradavox (most played) make up the choices here. Oh, and a small accordion from the Ukraine that lives on top of a bookcase. My brother-in-law brought it back to me 25 years ago when he was over there on a church mission effort. That little accordion took on new meaning this past year.
I am an accordion player from way back.
Everyone in my family watched "The Lawrence Welk Show" when I was a kid, parents, both sets of grandparents, well just everyone I knew and Myron Floren was my hero. I was given a toy accordion when I was but a wee tot and likely drove my parents crazy with it.
Later, I took lessons from Al Trick with Trick Bros. Accordion Studios in Fort Worth for six years, from 1964 to 1970. You see, I was going to be an accordion pop idol. Then the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan, having come to America that year and guitars and hair were in and accordions and burr haircuts were out. It was their fault and my dreams went down in flames.
Still play though I had to lay off after bypass surgery five years ago with shoulder surgery 2 1/2 years ago followed by a move complicated by COVID. So, I only eased back into playing last fall. I'm older and rustier now and and sight reading doesn't translate to fingering as readily as it once did. Have plenty of sheet music to keep me occupied for until I shuffle off this mortal coil.
I play for enjoyment rather than for others' entertainment. I'm shy and have had a lifetime of dealing with stage fright. I can still recall when it came on. I was manipulated to play in the spring talent show at the elementary school when I was in the 4th grade. It was an evening event. My turn came up and I sat there up on the stage in the elementary school auditorium facing the curtain which abruptly parted revealing a packed house of teachers, parents, and kids. The suddenness of it all stunned me.
Have you ever tried to play "Lady of Spain" on the accordion with muscles paralyzed from sheer fright?!
Never have completely gotten over it.
1964. One of those photographers who showed up at a Christmas accordion recital at the Dallas Trick Bros. Studio to take photographs to hawk to proud parents.
More recent times, accompanying our eldest son who is playing Irish jigs and reels on the ocarina.
The accordion line up. I still have the student model General Accordion from 1964. It's too shrunken now for me to play, but we have four grandchildren so perhaps one fo them will become interested. A decent sounding Generalfisa (but with bad emphasima), a Scandalli, and a Stradavox (most played) make up the choices here. Oh, and a small accordion from the Ukraine that lives on top of a bookcase. My brother-in-law brought it back to me 25 years ago when he was over there on a church mission effort. That little accordion took on new meaning this past year.
