I started playing the accordion at the age of 8 or 9. We were solicited by the American School of Music in Irvington, New Jersey. They sold us the accordion and the lessons, and even had accordion bands. Eventually they went out of business, but not before we had performed Mozart's "Magic Flute Overture". All of the different instruments of the orchestra were played by a different accordion. After the American School, I took lessons at Major Accordion School, where I also played in the Symphonette Accordion Band which was conducted by Eugene Ettore. Eventually I gave up the accordion while in high school and pursued a career in the visual arts. But I still remember the words of my uncle Tommy who said I was making a big mistake because I was throwing away the opportunity to pick up some extra money on weekends playing in a band.
During the late 1970's, I got interested in square and contra dancing and frequented the Friday night dances held in Pittsburgh. Around 1981, a band came into town for a dance that featured the accordion and I said to myself, "Self, you can do that!". And that is exactly what I did. I got my old box from my parents' attic and retaught myself how to play. When I met my wife, Carole, who plays the hammerred dulcimer, it was a natural combination. Dulcimer and Piano Accordion. And we now go out on weekends and play music and pick up a little extra money.
I regularly play 2 accordions, although not simultaneously. They are both 80 bass piano accordions. One is a "Concerto" which I purchased by mail order from Elderly Instruments a number of years ago when I started playing for square and contra dances with my former band "Queen Anne's Lace." My original 120 bass box was just too big and heavy for 3 hours of more or less constant playing. My latest squeezebox is a "Hohner Tango II" which I call my "Hohner Honey." I got this delightful 80 bass box with musette tuning from the House of Musical Traditions last January. It's nice to have 2 accordions for dances because some tunes sound better in one or the other. For instance, we play some Eastern European tunes and the dry tuned "Concerto" fits those better, whereas the "Hohner Honey" seems to sound better on the New England style tunes.
If you want to hear a sound clip of me playing the accordion visit Dan's Squeezebox Page.
Here are some accordion related links
Please e-mail you comments to norulak@telerama.lm.com. Thanks for visiting.
This page updated June1, 1997
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