I think it is interesting how the accordion actually put me on my paths of life ...
Initially, it helped me make many new friends with the other students at the music school, and then led to competitions, both as a student and teacher/conductor, and concerts - including Carnegie Hall. Those experiences taught me valuable lessons about winning and losing, and mostly about working with others.
It enabled me to meet other musicians with whom I would form a band that lasted 26 years and friendships that have lasted forever.
I met my wife-to-be at the music school, and we will celebrate our 54th anniversary in November.
My then father-in-law to be, wondering how this 22 year old was going to support his daughter by teaching accordion by day and going to college at night, introduced me to a friend of his who was a supervisor for IBM. The friend got me into IBM school which led to a job on Wall Street and ultimately to a long, and might I say, successful career centered around computer systems.
People can joke about accordion players and it doesn't bother me, for is there ANY instrument that doesn't have some humor aimed at it?
Just don't go making jokes about old, fat, bald, Italian, accordion players ... because I RESEMBLE that remark !!!
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