I fell in love when I was eight years old … with the accordion. My parents suggested I choose a band instrument like the clarinet that they could rent for $25 dollars each year. But no other instrument could compare with my love for the accordion. The year I turned eleven, the squeezable love of my life came wrapped under the Christmas tree. It was a baby-blue kid-sized instrument with only twelve bass buttons. I was eleven years old. My mother drove me thirty minutes from the country to the city for my music lesson every Monday.
Wally Piascik, my Polish accordion teacher was bigger than life. I can still picture Wally leaning out of the second story studio window, holding a cigar and calling to some friend on the street. He was serious about entertaining and played in a dance band on the ocean boardwalk. Back in those days I was terrified to play in public. But that didn’t matter to Wally. Whenever I performed, he made me memorize the piece, face the audience, and play standing up.
When my mother died decades later, I bought my first new Italian-made accordion in memory of her steady sacrifice. Maybe you can hear its rich musette tuning as I play an Irish Jig called the Eavesdropper in the video below. Wally’s gone now too, but I have the cherished gift of music, and a mom who poured more joy into my kid heart than I realized at the time. I love playing in a local folk band and in the praise band at the chapel where I worship. What I would have missed if my parents made me learn to play clarinet instead of investing in the joy of my heart! J
The Treasure: Accordion wisdom: push less, pull more.
If you’d rather read than watch the video, here’s the full video transcript:
Hi! It occurs to me that my blogs can be a bit serious sometimes, so I decided to post a fun blog this time. Because after all, life is not always about the “teardrop.” It’s also about joy and fun. So, I’m going to play an Irish Jig for you—a fun song. I hope you like it.
Be sure to put some fun in your day today!