My learning experience is only just little similar to Fran’s. Back in the early ‘50’s, like many others, I took accordion “lessons”. After two years, I got a job with a wedding band, quit lessons (thought I knew everything). I played in some really low-life dives as a three chord merchant in the early Rock days. Then just dropped music, 4 yrs. in the military, 41/2 years of college after which I had one semester of eligibility on the GI bill. I attempted to scratch an itch I had always had for studying music by enrolling in the Neupauer Conservatory. At that time, kids and a mortgage etc. only allowed me to do that one semester. Shortly after that, I started to do children’s entertainment with the accordion which graduated to group homes, frat orgs., country clubs, trade shows etc.; then from the clown act it turned into regular restaurant gigs. So, after 35 years in the mental health business, I was able to return to music full time. I called the old Conservatory number (now defunct) and Dr. Neupauer accepted me as a private student. This is a long winded way of answering your question. I really don’t “take lessons”, it’s more like 3 to 4 hour weekly sessions that include theory & harmony, writing/arranging, and of course performance-pretty much based on the conservatory curriculum. Frequently, after the sessions, we go to dinner where the lectures continue. I must admit, it is extremely difficult, at my age, to absorb what the maestro is trying to teach although he says he’s going easy on me.
Fran, who was your accordion teacher?
Ciao,
Jerry