Greetings, Squeezeboxers! Birds singing, Bells ringing, and Bellows swinging! Looking forward to a seminal month of music-making with our accordion friends... Alert 1: Later this month you'll be gettin' an invite to the JUNE 8th PIZZA PARTY, an annual funfest we've enjoyed for years. Members choose from four kinds of pizza: Supreme, Pepperoni, Cheese, and Veggie, and each paid member may invite a friend to share the frivolity. You may jump the gun by contacting Karen (contact info in right column) to let her know your pizza preference now. Alert 2: Our upcoming meeting - SUNDAY, MAY 11th - features a SILENT ACCORDION AUCTION! See deets on pg. 7! Love hearing stories about how members first learned of the joys of accordionism! Shirley Hammack and her musically-inclined family (pics at right) travel from Duncan, OK, to OAC meetups. Seeing the clipping of her accomplishments as a child, we applaud her return to those golden days! ~ Maggie Shirley, Wilbur, and Mark Hammack

— Maggie Abel

From the board · April 2025

Vol. 24, No. 2

tumes were a delight. Club members Susan Hause, Lucy and Milo Shedeck (playing in the band), a few girlfriends we dragged along, and hall emcee Elaine Benda were all present. Kielbasa sandwiches covered with sauerkraut in one hand, I shot ample video of folkdancers both young and old, very colorful indeed. November 2 is a Saturday to put on your calendar. The senior citizen jammers known as the Garage Band perform that day noon to 1:30 PM at Will Rogers Senior Center, 3501 Pat Murphy Drive, OKC. Among the dozen or so other instruments played, there is one solitary accordion, and it does stand out! (Ahem!!!) Admission is free and all ages are invited! The occasion is the annual Seniors Art Show which takes place there from 10 to 2 PM while the band entertains. (Will Rogers defines "seniors" as 50+ age 50.) See for Czech pix. See you Sunday for monthly musical happiness! ~ Mag Greetings, fellow Squeezeboxers and wannabees! Thanks to those of you who share with me the most up-todate accordion gossip! I notice a lotta buzz going on about another maker of electronic accordions coming to the fore! Yes, not just Roland with its 8X and 4X, but now Korg's got in the act and has its own creations coming out. Check it out! You'd be surprised how many offers came across "my desk" this past month from parties seeking live accordion music for birthday or holiday events. During this most Oktoberfest of months, demand exceeds supply! Some take advantage of this phenomenon, preparing accordingly! Speaking of Oktoberfest, last Saturday ye trusty old hubby and I squeezed into our eagerly awaiting Bavarian costumes from the Halloween store, and attended the main fest night at Czech Hall. Great displays of Czech royalty in their actually authentic cos-

— Maggie Abel

From the board · September 2024

Vol. 24, No. 1

π September 2023 The Oklahoma Squeezins Good News: an Oklahoma Accordion Club member from several years back has returned to Oklahoma, and now resides in Edmond. We'll be seeing more of Myke Dixon and hear of his Minnesota adventures. He has produced a short video based on the accordion, has a hobby of 3D printing, and has invented an app that creates a custom-made prayer to match your unique needs! It'll be good to rub shoulders with Myke again! A few weeks ago, the Club received a query from a venue in Yukon, looking for accordion players for a series of Germanfest days. I forwarded it to several members whom I knew were accustomed to playing in public. If I missed anyone, please inform me! Anne and Lois continue to churn out the sing-along songs to delight us each month, passing out lyric sheets so that a good time may be had by all! Past Prez Dick Albreski showed me an instruction book entitled "Melodic Adventures in Bass-Land for the Accordion." It's nice to be studying with an instructor who makes things clear to you, so that your interest in the accordion stays fresh, and you continue to find it intriguing! If you have had piano training in the past, one of the joys of the squeezebox is that an accordion with the piano keyboard lets you take your playing skill on the keys to any jam or practice session -- without hauling around that Wurlitzer. Remember, accordions come in all sizes. So, consider having several, in case company drops over and wants to play along with you, or have a big one to play at church, and a smaller one to play on your patio. Last month, the Club met in the music room at Messiah Lutheran Church, but this month we'll return to our customary room there, just inside the south [main] entrance -- the large room with access to the kitchen. Yes, the kitchen, from whence comes the ice for our refreshments, and the accoutrements to serve the snacks which Karen and Lois oversee! So, feel free to bring your own delicacies for us to share! Our meeting officially commences at 3:30 pm, but if you arrive by 3:00, you can enjoy the live accordion music that accompanies and invigorates those preparing the room for the meeting. You may also sign in as early as 3:00 if you wish to access the 3:30 meeting through your computer on Zoom. German music may dominate this Sunday's meeting, but all song types are welcome! • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

— Maggie Abel

From the board · August 2023

Vol. 22, No. 12

π August 2023 The Oklahoma Squeezins You probably want to know how it went at the first-ever Oklahoma Accordion Club Pool Party and 23rd Anniversary Celebration of the Club! Well, right off the bat, I'll say most of those attending had either experienced -- or were still experiencing -- taking accordion lessons in Dick's lesson room. So, we each had to peek our heads in there to see what accordions he had accumulated lately. This was one Club meeting at which no one played with the benefit of sheet music. Just melodies off the cuff! Of course, we started with eating: enough hot dogs, potato salad, and coleslaw to feed an army. Then comes the matter of cake. From the newsletter photographs, you can see for yourself a lot of eating was involved. While we were ingesting picnic foods and listening to random duets and trios, outdoors -- in Dick's swimming pool -- the Club's Former Treasurer Sil Lopez was putting quite a bit of mileage on Dick's beautiful, sparkling-blue, in-ground pool. I did note Sil was obediently following Dick's cardinal rule, "Absolutely no accordions in the pool!" My friend, Susan, a piano teacher who loves to swim, came with me to the party out of curiosity, and expressed amazement at the lovely melodies coming from the squeezeboxes of several players. I had brought along a petite red accordion as an extra for guests. "It would be like having a portable piano," I proposed. Susan admired it! I obligingly handed it over to her to try it out. After a little instruction, she was able to dominate the bellows to play a tune. "It's traditional to try 'Lady of Spain' next," I suggested, as the audience she had begun to attract looked on. After a few measures, Susan announced immediately that she had fallen in love with it. "Where can I get one of these?" I named a price, and she bought it from me on the spot. We hauled the current treasurer away from the cake table so Susan could join the Club, and she is now in Palmer Hughes Book One. Who knows what adventures lie in wait for persons daring to cross the inviting boundary into the friendly accordion universe? Our next meetup is at Messiah Lutheran Church, OKC, at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 13. We'll gather in the Church's Music Room (enter the main door to the sanctuary foyer and go left down the hallway per the signs). Hopefully, bring several of the following: your imagination, a guest, and an accordion. • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · July 2023

Vol. 22, No. 11

What a joy it is to hear some of our seasoned accordionists having at it with tune after tune, often from memory. When Lois Roth and John Warren and Anne Lopez accompany each other, all tap their feet, and we listeners tap ours, too. Lois and Anne are famous for their singalongs -- simple, dearly-loved classic songs -- and they hand out the lyrics for us to follow. It's not Hollywood, but there is a friendly small-pond-ness in the Oklahoma Accordion Club, which makes everyone who shares their musical vision, a star in our eyes. Imagine the foresight it took 23 years ago, when the cofounders of OAC, Dick Albreski and others, began to carve out a regular place for good musical things to happen in that small but promising corner of the vast accordion world, Oklahoma City. We mourn the passing last week of an icon of the accordion world, Nick Ballerini. We saw him every year at National Accordion Association's convention where -- behind that mustache -- he entertained with aplomb. With his son, he also oversaw his vendor room: between classes and workshops we visited accordions of every size, color, and number of buttons, always seeking the one that would tempt us to trade in our current one-man-band. I got word that one of our previous members, Myke Dixon, who moved for several years to Minnesota, is now returning to our metro to bask in our Club's good musical company once again. We shall love to hear of his adventures. Our usually delightfully costumed Past Vice-aren West always can be depended upon to help us pull off specialness for each succeeding holiday. She takes the RSVPs for our pizza party, Germanfest meeting, and other delights. Currently she's open to accept your RSVPs for the Club's 23-year-anniversary celebration and pool party. [See yellow poster on the front page in this newsletter for details, address, and RSVP instructions.] Sunday, July 9, from 3:30 to 5:30, there'll be swimming outside and dryer people inside playing accordion in the living room of Dick Albreski. Although most of us have visited this house for accordion lessons and necessary accordion repairs, we now return to pay homage to the collective vision which attracted all of us to the squeezebox side of town! Members who support the heart and soul of the Club are very much appreciated! If you need to get paid up, call me or Treasurer Ron Shearon, and let's take care of that so you can RSVP to Karen that you'll be part of this reunion. You can bring a guest to help put away the hot dogs, coleslaw, tater salad, and the all-important Congratulatory Anniversary Cake! The uniqueness and soulful appeal of the accordion drove each of us here, and still supports us as we caress those tuneful keys and buttons. We stand alone in the musical universe, and attentive heads turn our way whenever we unsnap the bellows strap. • Maggie Abel, OAC President

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From the board · June 2023

The Oklahoma Accordion Club lucked out this month because our annual Valentine's Day party is coming up exactly on Cupid Day, February 14! Although this month we will continue our temporary stance of bringing no snacks out of respect for virus prevention, there is nothing stopping us from dressing in pinks and reds, and letting the dimpled angel of romance do his work during our next meetup! And among our usual variety of songs presented, let a slew of love songs abound! As of this writing, the National Accordion Association convention in Dallas has been cancelled, as a result of Covid-19. As it was last month, again we will have the "hybrid" Club meeting -- meaning we meet in person at Messiah Lutheran (front/ south door) in the area to the right of the lobby. At the same time, those who sign in from afar on Zoom will also be electronically a part of the meeting, even performing from their own living rooms! The Zoom sign-in info remains the same as all previous months. Review it on in this newsletter. Call me at 405/201-7867 if you want to try it out anytime beforehand and, believe me, VP Ron and Photo Lady Diana and I pretty much have it down to a science now! Speaking of VP Ron, he is now also our new treasurer as well! He will wear two hats! Our outgoing bean counter, Tom Phillips, served us loyally the past few years, and kept OAC nicely afloat. Our remaining board members, Historian Barbara Duer, Secretary Lois Roth, and Prez Me, have all re-enlisted for another hitch. If you have "due dues" for 2021, please send them to Ron (whose address is in the newsletter sidebar). That's $20 (annual) for an accordionist, and you can even get that nice red badge for your additional family member for $10 more. Last month's farthest traveling attendees were Tom and Ron, and several far-located Zoom attendees included member Barbara Yuill from Arizona and Norm Seaton, head of Dallas's NAA. An eclectic and geographically diverse crowd! Please be our Valentine, and let your real-life or digitally transmitted face show up in our next get-together!! • Maggie Abel, OAC dvertisement

— Maggie Abel

From the board · January 2021

Vol. 20, No. 5

Hallelujah! A fresh new year! 2021 offers another opportunity for fresh ideas and fresh faces for the Oklahoma Accordion Club! This coming meeting, Sunday, January 10, we will enjoy a hybrid meeting -- that is, in-person at Messiah Lutheran Church (Portland and NW Expressway), and also on-line via Zoom, at the usual address samo-samo link of https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ 5236709799. If attending by non-smart phone (audio only), see directions at the top of . Call me anytime, if questions or needing to try it out first! We'll be in our special favorite room at Messiah, the south pod, which has a kitchen. However, snacks are not encouraged this time due to Covid/congregating cautions. We will be sanitized, separately seated, but smiling and souped up for our get-together! Enter through the main church doors on the south side of the building at 3:30! Your welcoming committee will arrive early at 2:00 to set everything up! We cried a tear to hear Wayne is moving across the pond -- i.e., to England! Yet, what a happy time for him and his family, to be going to such an interesting place after having worked there off and on for quite some time. We are sure some accordion entities will be glad to welcome him and his perseverance and example! January will be an opportunity for us to nominate and confirm the officers for the year ahead. We missed doing so in December, but Time marches on! Several people gathered in each other's homes last month in order to do the Zoom together! What a great idea if you're not quite sure how that works, and want a brainy partner to help you along. Also, good for duets if attending on-line... Gracias to Past Prez Dick Albreski for collecting the woolies to donate to those in need. Scarves, gloves, knit caps, socks, etc., will be quite welcome at this time of year. Tiz still snowy where I am today, and it's not gone yet... I guess we'll be putting our Christmas carol books away and trying out a few other tunes to contribute to the January meeting. It is motivating to hear various members at all skill levels trotting out their stuff for our inspiration. Thanks to everyone whose New Year's resolutions included some aspect of elevating this valuable Club, which has provided musical companionship for so many fine people. We hope to see you all in person (or electronically) at the upcoming meeting! Happy New Year to all!! • Maggie Abel, OAC S: Remember to send dues and youth donations to Treasurer Tom, or bring them in January!

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From the board · December 2020

Maggie Abel

Vol. 20, No. 5

As the year 2020 draws to a close, many of us reflect on the unexpected changes we have gone through. How we work, whether away from home or at home; whether our children go to school in person or online; whether our hobbies have had to accommodate municipal guidelines. The Oklahoma Accordion Club can be proud that we have braved the slings and arrows of outrageous circumstance to stick together and come out on the other side with renewed spirit. Treasuring our ability to use our beautiful instruments to bring joy to ourselves and others, we have something that no pandemic can take away. Some members who have gone through unimaginable losses still strike out to entertain and make the lives of others better through our music. The Club's Christmas party this year has special meaning, as we evaluate what we have left and what we have gained through this tumultuous year. We will nominate and elect the upcoming year's Board members, bring wooly winter garments to put in Dick Albreski's donation box for the needy, and gather around the oncea-year Christmas snacks we have brought to share together. Hopefully, each of us has a little song to play, whether Christmas-themed or not, to close out the year in the special way we have of sharing joy with each other. Supportive audience members are an important component of the equation! We are grateful for the standing location for our meeting which is generously maintained by Messiah Lutheran Church. Easy to find and equipped with a lovely kitchen to support our snacking, the meeting room is the site of a welcoming monthly reunion we look forward to. Our recently formed tradition of conducting a meeting -- both in person and with the ability to reach those far away and include them through the Zoom apparatus -- is starting to gradually feel more comfortable as we grow accustomed to its ins and outs. Your cooperation and patience in this regard has made this outreach possible. Bring or mail your dues this month for the coming year. It helps pay our meeting room rent and the special parties that we have during the year. In lieu of a raffle and auction this Christmas, let's send -- by separate check or cash in-person -- our donations for the precious, talented Youth who practice all year long to help represent us in the upcoming convention. This newsletter contains elsewhere, instructions for attending the Zoom meeting, if that is your preferred avenue. But hopefully those of us meeting in person can renew our acquaintances, and share the holiday spirit with those attending through whatever means. Much appreciation to each member for their unique contributions to this one-of-a-kind Club that we are fortunate to be valued members of. • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

— Maggie Abel

From the board · November 2020

Maggie Abel

Vol. 20, No. 4

Your hard-working Board members have been at it again -- brainstorming, that is! The topic: How can the Club best weather the current unusual conditions? Covid caution has changed our in-person attendance. So, it still seems wise to remain "hybrid." That is, to continue the online "Zoom" element as part of our face-to-face meeting. That has brought us a number of new attendees, plus enabled a few regulars who are social distancing to stay in the fold. Glad to have you all! Your live music may not sound quite "hi-fi," broadcast over the internet, but it is still appreciated and inspiring, nonetheless. For those showing up, know that our Club's diligent disinfection team has prepared the area. Our host, Messiah Lutheran, has reserved our favorite room ("southpod with kitchen") for both November and December. Enter the south door under the large drive-through portico. Mask up until you are seated at your favorite socially distant table! Online peeps may use the same computer link as always for video, or the same telephone number (for audio only) as always. No changes there. Our world-renowned Christmas party usually boasts a raffle and auction to support our youth players who travel to the upcoming convention. But since this year's Christmas party does not expect the usual high in-person attendance, we will forego the laborintensive raffle and auction, and ask that you simply make a donation for the youth to our Club treasurer, Tom Phillips. Note that your annual OAC dues are needed at that time too. If you will not be attending in person in December, please snail mail the youth donation and your dues to Tom (to aid in bookkeeping, please write two separate checks). Director of Club Youth Players Dick Albreski is arranging a special youth mini-concert for the Christmas meeting. The talent of Dick's proteges is legend. As you know, Dick also collects warm woolies for the needy each holiday season. We will ask peeps, who cannot attend the Christmas meeting in person, to deliver or mail their donated hats, mufflers, gloves, and socks to Dick. Or to order some from Amazon and have them delivered to Dick. We will ask for nominations for new treasurer, as Tom will be outgoing. Although the other officers have agreed to continue if needed, additional names will be accepted, if offered. So, this is your official request for nominations for any or all officers: Prez, VP, Secretary, Historian, and especially, Treasurer. Please e-mail your nominations to me, and/or suggest them at the November meeting. A few military songs might be nice to hear for the November meeting, but songs of any ilk will be heartily welcomed! Again, although we know the squeezebox doesn't sound exactly the same across Zoom, it's still good to keep the music going, isn't it? • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

— Maggie Abel

From the board · October 2020

Vol. 20, No. 3

Oh, Barbara! Your blog this month is such a riot! So, when the waltz was introduced, it was considered an "indecent foreign dance"!?! Just one reason I love reading your blog. This reminded me of my favorite musical, which is on YouTube. "The Great Waltz" (1938) is about composer Johann Strauss in Austria. It features soprano Miliza Korjus raising a few eyebrows when she sings and dances the first waltz that a ballroom of shocked matrons and patrons have ever heard or seen. Well, we turn heads when we play the accordion, too, don't we! :-D This month is, surprise, another hybrid month! That means we'll have our live meeting in our main customary room ("the south pod," it's called) with the large kitchen attached (so, let us bring forth the snacks!!). At the same time, we'll still have the online Zoom "side meeting" to ease in those who have to drive too far or who are self-quarantining! Both arenas can perform for the enjoyment of the other. Though we've missed a few holiday meetings due to the pandemic, let's think ahead to our Thanksgiving and Christmas meetings for our next special occasions to cavort with our musical family. Once in a while, the church has to change our schedule or our designated room after that part of the newsletter has gone to press. So, that might have happened last month, when they needed our south pod room so that a nearby recording in the sanctuary would not be "enhanced" by our accordion music. But this month, I think we're good! If you read Lois's report of the last meeting, you'll find it was quite lively. We had new guests and a storytelling session at the end, where we each shared our story of "What interesting circumstances brought me into the accordion-playing world?" Vice Prez Ron is going to co-pilot the Zoom machinery Sunday, October 11, at 3:30 pm, so we can be electronically efficient this month, ushering in our digital guests for the meeting. The codes and numbers for entry to the Zoom have not changed one little bit since our first such meeting. But, here they are again, just in case:

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From the board · September 2020

Maggie Abel

Vol. 20, No. 2

The glorious day has arrived! Sunday, September 13, 2020, we'll meet in person once again. The Oklahoma Accordion Club can once again meet indoors in its accustomed meeting room! Board members will arrive early to disinfect and prepare the spaced tables. We have been instructed to wear masks as we enter and exit the church, but once we are seated at our "distanced" tables, we can remove masks as desired. We will have our usual room with the kitchen, just to the right of the church foyer, so "Let the snacking resume!" This would normally have been the month for our "Septemberfest" but the Board did not learn of our non-Zoom status early enough to plan and publicize that food-laden theme for this month. Behind the scenes, a lot of activity has taken place to keep the Club afloat during the hiatus from gathering. Board meetings have taken place by email, text, and online with Zoom. Board members and former Board members visited several parks in case of a need for an outdoor meeting if the church would not be available. Our past Zoom meetings have had several unexpected advantages. Out-of-city and out-of-state members and visitors have been able to attend handily, some performing for us. Relatives of members have sat in via Zoom to enjoy the music. And we have all learned a lot more about this new "Zoomy" way of communication! Might as well keep up with the times! There's one new trend emerging out of the lockdowns, that I hope we may continue to maintain. Many musicians have produced their own videos of songs or short performances to share online. A cellphone is the only equipment required to do so! Playing music is an ideal way to pass the time during a lengthy at-home stay! And others watching are the beneficiaries! Perhaps more music has been archived online during the past five months than any previous era! We have a number of members to keep in your prayers. This past month saw the passing of Evelyn "Evie" Albreski, wife of past nd Club Co-Founder Dick Albreski. Historian Barbara Duer and member Lou LeBrun have had hospitalizations this past month. Member Barbara Mahar battles a health situation. Cassi, mother of Anne Lopez and mother-in-law to Sil Lopez, is having health challenges. Our group is a living breathing entity with its ups and downs. But we are all glad to be supporting each other together. We'll rejoice to see the familiar faces this coming Sunday! • Maggie Abel, OAC President

— Maggie Abel

From the board · August 2020

Vol. 20, No. 1

It will be no surprise that August will provide yet another Zoom meeting for the Oklahoma Accordion Club. For one thing, under current regulations, our host, Messiah Lutheran Church, would incur expense if their staff have to come in on a Sunday to sanitize (before and after), in order to follow recommendations involved in preparing a room for a group. Looking on the bright side, out-ofstate and out-of-city Club visitors will find it efficient to attend our group electronically, rather than by traveling many a mile. This month, the instructions to join the 3:30 pm Zoom Get- Together on August 9 are IDENTICAL to our previous three months. For computers or tablets or smart phones: go to this (SAME AS USUAL) link to join us with audio and video: . For not-so-smart phones, just "dial" (+1) 312/626-6799, and when asked, enter this meeting (SAME AS USUAL) ID: 523 670 9799. Feel free to "arrive" early to settle in, say at 3:15 or after. Czech Hall, our customary "free concert" stomping grounds in previous years, will alas not be presenting our eighth annual concert this year. That's the downside. However, any optimist will point out that that means everyone has an entire year to practice and prepare for the next concert! What a gift! Enjoy the screenshots from last month's meeting. They involve the use of magical backdrops provided by the Zoom software. For instance, you'll notice that Frank is playing his squeezebox on the surface of the moon! Now that's worth the price of admission! Hope to see everyone soon! Keep squeezin'! • Maggie, OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · July 2020

Vol. 19, No. 12

Yes, there will be another on-line Zoom meetup this month, on our usual meeting day, Sunday, July 12, at 3:30 pm. The computer link and phone number will remain the same as last month, and will be e-mailed to everyone again, a day or two in advance. So far, we've had several celebs also appear at our Zoom gathering, such as performer Cory Pesaturo; Roland Sounds Originator Richard Noel; Bernie Nowak, who founded the Maine Accordion Club, and out-oftowners Alex and Anna Rockwell (Bernie's grandchildren). Heartfelt thanks to all those who help keep the home fires burning at the Oklahoma Accordion Club, even when the Club is not actually meeting in person. Our newsletter editor, Frank Gesinski, as we heard at the last online gathering, goes through heck and high water to get our monthly news piece out, despite failed modems, electricity that goes off, and other anomalies. He even puts his reporter's cap on to seek out biographies of various members so we can get to know our fellow accordionists. You've been enjoying articles by Past Prez Barbara Duer, who presents her "Barb's Blog" newsletter column, elaborating on music, and explaining its workings for our edification. Club Co-Founder Dick Albreski can be counted on to keep us up-to-date on upcoming events such as conventions, workshops, etc., in both near and faraway places, and he even lets us know if they are postponed due to quarantine! And how would we know what went on at the previous meeting (in-person or on-line) without our devoted Secretary, Lois Roth? Yes, we're always curious to see an overview of the happenings, especially those who live away from OKC, and may have to miss a meeting. Lois details the highlights such that we feel as if we were there in person! Your loyal Board members -- Vice on Shearon, Secretary Lois Roth; Historian Barbara Duer; and Treasurer Tom Phillips -- may not have met face-to-face in the past few months, but they resolve Club issues by phone, by e-mail, and more likely, in a private Zoom Board meeting. Our Club website (www.okaccordion.club) is masterminded by Photographer Diana L. Richard (Lois's daughter), whom you'll see peeking at you from behind a camera at our in-person meetings.

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From the board · June 2020

Vol. 19, No. 11

Greetings, Sheltering-In Squeezebox Players! Well, I think some of you are back out into the mainstream now, but the Oklahoma Accordion Club is still unable to meet at Messiah Lutheran Church for the months of June and July (I was told we will need to wait and see about August). The Messiah's church school has many children attending there for the next two months, and cannot accommodate "outside groups" during that time due to the many guidelines for safety that must be met. The good news is that, despite having no meeting in April, OAC did meet online for its May meeting by using Zoom software. The photos in this newsletter show screenshots of the 14 attendees and their two furry guests! (Toni and I brought our doggies onscreen, as we were all "broadcasting" from the comfort of our homes). You'll see photos of Dick and Evie, Karen, Frank, Toni, Anne and Sil, and Cassi, Barbara Duer, T .Z., Billy and Beth, Cory, and Yours Truly, and a group shot that shows you a typical screen view with everyone in their own little square just, like on the old game show, Hollywood Squares! Brief additional visitors during the meeting were member Lou LeBrun from Missouri, and Norm and Sharon Seaton of the NAA, who encountered technical difficulties. A special online guest for May dropped in from out of state -- the ever-popular Cory Pesaturo, a favorite performer each year at Dallas's National Accordion Association convention. As you know, a few days before the 2020 NAA, we were informed the convention could not take place at the expected time. A number of accordion clubs in other states turned to online gatherings as a result, and we were inspired to fall in line! One advantage of meeting this way is that peeps who live far away can attend with as much ease as any local person. It sure was good to see the face of our newsletter editor, Frank, a Tulsa resident, onscreen in May, and chat with him to thank him for his editorial efforts on behalf of the Club. The June 14 meeting, it was agreed, will meet online once more. You do not need Zoom software to sign into a meeting. Like last month, an email will be sent to all members a day or two before the Sunday meeting, with instructions for signing into the meeting with your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Even a regular house phone or a flip phone can sign in if you're willing to forgo the video and simply chat and listen with audio only. Alternatively, you can drive to the home of someone who is planning to sign on, and share the

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From the board · May 2020

Lois Roth

Vol. 19, No. 10

Well, I looked at my phone to see if I had snapped any photos at the April meeting, but there were none. That's when I remembered -- we didn't have a meeting last month! What an unusual circumstance for our very regular Club! Of course, we're only one of numerous enterprises that were prevented lately -- due to community guidelines -- from conducting regular business. One look at my hair, and you'll know how far-reaching were the effects! For early May, Messiah Lutheran Church is not yet permitting face-to-face meetings of outside (non-church) groups -- that would be us! We are to check with them again before the June meeting to see how things have progressed. In the meantime, a few adventurous Oklahoma Accordion Clubbers experimented several times this week with the currently popular Zoom software. The OAC Board has agreed to permit these "internet explorers" to conduct an online meeting this Sunday, on our regular date of May 10, at 3:30 pm. No obligation to participate, but if you'd like to join in (from home, that is), we will conduct a small "accordionists reunion" where we catch up with each other online and take turns playing. Computers and many tablets permit users to see and hear each other, while even a flip phone or landline lets a user listen, speak, and play for the group. Thanks to Club members who have shared news of their interesting doings during this quarantine era. Club Historian Barbara Duer, a retiree from online teaching, is now taking an online class herself. Vice-on Shearer traded his Roland FR-1X electronic accordion for a FR-4X. (We're twins now!) Past VP Karen West is progressing from using library computers, to using WiFi in her home. After Photographer & Webmaster Diana Richard got all moved into her new home, her mom -- Secretary Lois Roth, moved also -- only a mile from Diana. I adopted, from a dog rescue, a lively wire-haired terrier named Buford. Let us know your "quarantine adventures" for the next newsletter. Hope to see or hear from you Sunday during our Club's first online meeting Sunday! Whether you have a computer, tablet, or a little flip phone, you *will* be able to participate! Instructions will be emailed by Friday to explain how to call-in or sign-in on Sunday. If questions, call me! • Maggie Abel, OAC President

— Lois Roth

From the board · April 2020

Maggie Abel

Vol. 19, No. 9

Dear Accordion Family-and I do mean "Dear"! These past few weeks have been most unusual. The Oklahoma Accordion Club's last meeting in March was a very special time, one we may not enjoy again until the current protective guidelines are lifted. Our hearts are united with the many families around the world as we do our best to maintain normalcy in our homes, despite many surface changes. Citizens in jobs that are designated "essential" are working even harder than ever to supply the daily needs of their grateful neighbors. While "sheltering at home," other citizens are spending newly freed-up time getting to know their family members better, and improving their home situations. Children in my neighborhood have very obvious life changes as they play more, indoors and out, and enjoy the company and guidance of their parents at an unprecedented level. What an amazing time for them! What we as children only dreamed of! And our Club accordionists have hopefully been able to do a lot more squeezin' of our beautiful instrument. Our progeny will look back on this unusual era in wonder, and we will surely say to them, "Well, kids, you just had to be there!" I invite anyone to email me at telling of different activities you have taken on, or incidents that have happened, that reflect this unique social situation. We can preserve your comments and share some of them as a tribute to the ingenuity of our musical population during this historic period. The Club will keep in touch with members about the future OAC schedule as it develops. There will be no April meeting on Easter Sunday this year, of course. We await resolution from the powers that be, regarding meeting in the next few months. Let me close with two sentiments received from others that meant a lot to me, sentiments that the Oklahoma Accordion Club echoes to its precious members.

— Maggie Abel

From the board · March 2020

Maggie Abel

Vol. 19, No. 8

You'll be glad you set your clock forward this coming Saturday night, so you and your soon-to-be-well-fed guests can be timely for the Oklahoma Accordion Club Pizza Party on Sunday, March 8! Your reservations are due by Saturday noon, and should be communicated to Karen West ASAP - refer to the red Pizza Party flyer con the front page for your pizza choices, and Karen's contact information! It was a fun carpool February 19 when six accordion peeps burned rubber to Tulsa to practice with the "outpost" quadrant of OAC. Dick and Evie Albreski's mission was to rehearse the five Fun Band numbers that we'll perform at the March convention in Dallas. Barbara Duer, Toni Paulding, Colleen Rettman, and I enjoyed mingling again with NE Oklahoma peeps Annette Zongker-Smith, Barbara Pedersen, Irene Gordon Bookbinder, Barbara Mahar, John Mahar, Jutta Tanksly, and Vicky Mansur. By the way, Vicky has become the third trailblazer amongst us to adopt a Roland electronic accordion as her instrument of choice. (She plays an FR-1X - see photo page.) While we were conducting the February meeting, Dick represented the Club by attending the funeral of member Jim Whitten. Jim's participation and sweet demeanor will be missed. Some excited people are preparing now to attend the National Accordion Association's annual convention in Dallas, March 19-21. Carpools are forming and roommates are gelling. Let me know if we can help! At the event there will be more accordions in one room than you are likely to ever see elsewhere. Accordion vendors are present and offering you a chance to trade in your old accordion for a different one, have your accordion repaired, or just test drive a few to see what they'll do! Visit the NAA's website http:// www.accordions.com/naa/index.html to see what classes, workshops, and concerts are offered. Then visit http:// www.accordions.com/naa/conv7Music.html to download and practice a part in one of the four accordion bands. In state or out, put some more mileage on your squeezebox! Anyone who wants to get extra worth from the monthly accordion meetup can feel free to arrive early at the 3:30 meeting. From 2:00 to 3:30, early comers arrive at the meeting room to set up tables, arrange snacks, and conduct a Board meeting in a side room. But the highlight is in the main room, where an ongoing casual jam of simple songs is hosted by Jam Leader Barbara Duer. A good chance to get in some more practice! E-Mail Historian Barbara if you haven't already received the current "brief & simple" song list, or she will hand sheet music to you at the jam. One thing's for sure: in 2020, no moss grows under the feet of members of the Oklahoma Accordion Club! • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

— Maggie Abel

From the board · February 2020

Maggie Abel

Vol. 19, No. 7

So much news this month, we only have room for "Just the facts, ma'am!" Northward Ho! Fun Bandleader Dick Albreski and a carpool of Oklahoma Accordion Club accordionists are heading for Tulsa on Wednesday, February 19! Our "outpost" of-out-of-town members who practice together each Wednesday from 10:00 to noon is expecting us! This will give us all a chance to play together, particularly the five tunes we'll play in Dallas at the National Accordion Association Convention on Fun Band Friday, March 20. The link to downloads of the five songs, with all of their parts (in a variety of skill levels) is: http://www.accordions.com/naa/ conv7Music.html. If you want to pile in the car with us, contact Club Historian Barbara Duer at 405/205-6565 for details! Hard to believe no one has claimed the stylish jacket left behind at the Christmas party! It's too big for me! See photo of it in this issue, and call me at 405/201-7867 if it belongs to you or your guest. Note that the OAC Pizza Party meeting will be held on March 8 this year. See the bright red flyer in this issue for instructions on making reservations, so that food will be ample! You and your first guest are free, and additional guests are welcome for a donation. One week after that party, the squadron will depart, heading for the Dallas NAA, March 18-21. Carpools and roommates help make it quite affordable, and we'll try to matchmake if you're looking to link up for the trip. It's a fun trip, and every skill level is more than accommodated in the workshops and bands. To peruse the remarkable event details, click on: http://www.accordions.com/naa/ index.html and rummage around! Thanks to all members for your social and fiscal support of these enjoyable activities. Your Club dues for 2020 help assure that they will continue! • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

— Maggie Abel

From the board · January 2020

Vol. 19, No. 6

Our Christmas party last month was, by all measures, a great success. Everyone seemed to be having great fun. Many highlights included watching our young folks give great performances, guided by director Dick Albreski; a hilarious accordion auction was helped along by a member bidding against even himself; as Toni Paulding played her accordion, our ever-entertaining Vice aren made her comic debut on an extremely expressive triangle (see photo on the front page). The raffle was a high point as members walked around dragging strings of raffle tickets as they decided which prizes they would target. Thanks to our outgoing officers from the year 2019. New Club officers for 2020 were voted upon in December, resulting in the following current board: I remain Prez, Ron Shearon is Vice President, Lois Roth is Acting Secretary, Tom Phillips remains Treasurer, and the Historian position will receive its final vote in January. How does the Club grow? The Oklahoma Accordion Club has a "20-20 vision" for this year! Many members are resolving to gain new joy from their unique melodious instrument in the coming 12 months! Possible new year's resolutions might include bringing a friend along to the monthly meeting, learning a new song for the August concert, giving a personal performance at a senior care facility, or forming a duo or trio with someone to practice with. Two new students began taking accordion lessons in the past couple of months due to a member playing accordion for houseguests, and then helping them try it out. One guest rented an accordion, and the other guest first rented, and a few weeks later, purchased a preowned accordion. Each of us has the potential of being the Johnny Appleseed of accordions! Newbies are fascinated by our one-man-band capabilities! Here's hoping we all make the most of the musical possibilities we are given in the year 2020. • Maggie Abel, OAC President

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From the board · December 2019

Maggie Abel

Vol. 19, No. 5

This year must have gone by at a hundred miles-an-hour, for suddenly the last month is here! Fortunately, that means our best meeting of the year is this Sunday! It has all the elements we have grown to love: live accordion music in all registers, sweet Christmas treats brought by members, a great raffle -- it's so much fun to put the little tickets into the paper sacks by each item you'd like to win. Don't forget, we are the ones bringing items that can be raffled, as the funds generated go toward helping our youth travel to attend the March convention. Charity begins at OAC's Christmas meeting, as we also bring warm socks, gloves, mufflers, knit caps, etc., to put in the large box for the needy. On Sunday, December 8, young people, led by Dick Albreski, will perform for our delight, along with our other trios and duets and singles. A digital duet will be presented by two members who recently began playing Rolands. No doubt, many holiday tunes will be played Sunday, but all genres of music are welcome! This Christmas meeting at 3:30 pm will be the last meeting for several board members (Vice aren West and Historian Beth Henson), as we vote Sunday to bring in the new for 2020. Milo will sell the strips of raffle tickets. Photos from the August concert, shot by Clifford Weems, are available for a pittance. Note our meeting room for this month is the Multi-Purpose Room, 45-E. It is best entered through the Messiah Lutheran School entrance on the east side of the church. Never fear, ample signage will assist you! Messiah Lutheran Church is our meeting room host. The Church stipulates that outside doors remain locked during the meeting, but a cell phone number will be posted on the door. Call it, and an eager helper will answer and rush to help you with your instrument -- and with the many small-to-medium size household, useful, or amusing items, you are donating to the raffle! Early comers are welcome Sunday to help arrange treats, organize raffle items, decorate tables -- or serenade those who are doing so! Setting up starts at 2:00. I'm back from the International Digital Electronic Accordion Symposium (aka GR8 IDEAS) in Ohio for electronic accordions. I'll bring materials to the meeting from that November event to show you what was taught there between its morning and evening concerts! We jammed in the late evenings with the likes of Cory Pesaturo, Nick Ballarini, Jerry Jacoby, Michael Soloway, Mitchell White, Joe Natoli, Rebecca Huck, and people from Australia, Germany, Ireland, Russia, and others. Every attendee received a free, one-on-one accordion lesson from Cory Pesaturo himself! A great feature of the National Accordion Association annual convention is always the Fun Band, which will practice here in Oklahoma, and then join in with many others to perform those same pieces in Dallas in March 2020. Led by Dick Albreski, this Band is accessible to many levels of players, as each song is arranged with a number of parts. Check with Dick, who is arranging the music, to join local practices as they up. Reminder: December is the month to renew your optional annual OAC membership for you and your family members. Your $20 will cover the accordionist, along with $10 for a family member or friend.

— Maggie Abel

From the board · November 2019

Lois Roth

Vol. 19, No. 4

Amazing how many colorful lights are twinkling below when you fly over Oklahoma City at 5:30 in the dark morning! I'm not sure what those other tiny, invisible people are doing up at this hour, but I'm happy to be heading for the electronic accordion symposium in Ohio, that I mentioned in my column last month. It is hosted by the same people (and more) who present the digital workshops at the March convention in Dallas. You shall have a full report on it next month! You'd be surprised how many people waiting at the airport shared their accordion experiences with me. The best so far was a man from the Lawton area who told me that, in his scout troop, there was a remarkable boy who not only played the accordion, but also even traveled all the way to Oklahoma City for lessons. When meeting new friends, the trusty old topic of the squeezebox proves to be a great icebreaker. "What is this boy's name?" I asked. "Alex," the scoutmaster replied. You're a step ahead of me if you figured out that this boy is our Alex Rockwood who, with his sister Anna, performed in our August concert at Czech Hall. Well, one thing leads to another, and the accordion trio that performed at Will Rogers Senior Center Variety Show in September has maintained momentum. Congrats to Barbara Duer, Lois Roth, and Karen West, who have since performed at an Oktoberfestthemed dinner for a local church group, and are now practicing with additional friends as the Gardenaires. This group will play December 1 before the public at Will Rogers Park's annual "treeslighting ceremony," and after that, on December 6, for the private Christmas party of the Iris Society. Patriotic songs *might* predominate at this Sunday's meeting on November 10. Also, jammers have received suggested music by email from Barbara. If you didn't receive, drop her a line! She will bring copies to the meeting for newbies. It's full on toward the holidays, so be dusting off that Christmas music! Carols are best played by accordion. Agreed? • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

— Lois Roth

From the board · October 2019

Vol. 19, No. 3

What a delightful Germanfest we enjoyed last month! It was like "old home week," attended by a record number of members from afar. And many guests showed up to help us enjoy ethnic treats prepared by Chef Extraordinaire Barbara Duer! The morning before the meeting, Karen and I stopped by Barbara's to observe her culinary art, and learned a lot about how potatoes are properly peeled, how onions should be properly cut, and other important things that we two as non-cooks will probably never use! A trio of three women from our Club -- Lois Roth, Karen West, and Barbara Duer -- performed September 13 and 14 at Will Rogers Senior Center's annual Variety Show, "Sea to Shining Sea." In keeping with the traveling theme, they played "Missouri Waltz" and "Pennsylvania Polka." OAC peeps interested in digital instruments may like to know about The International Digital Electronic Accordion Society (IDEAS) 2nd Annual Symposium at Avalon Inn & Resort Country Club, 9519 E. Market St., Warren, Ohio, 330/856-1900, www.avalongcc.com. The Symposium will be four days of classes and concerts, November 6-9, 2019, that teach you everything about your digital instrument and peripherals (Roland FR-4X, FR-7X, FR-8X, Bugari Evo Haria, Roland BK-7M arranger, Ketron SD-90 arranger and much more), taught and performed on by some of the best in the world on these instruments and devices (Eddie Monteiro, Matthias Matzke, Cory Pesaturo, Joe Natoli, Richard Noel, Greg Volovic, Lenny Feldmann, Markus Baggio, Michael Soloway, Alex Chudolij, Kenn Baert, and more). Go to the IDEAS website at www.gr8ideas.org or to their Facebook group "GR8 IDEAS" for full details. Now that we've turned the heat on in our houses, it's not too early to dig out those Christmas songbooks to prepare for our December 8 party. Palmer Hughes has an excellent Christmas book that has at least four versions of each song -- simple to advanced -- so duets and trios can play together. Another preparation for December is to gather woolly items like gloves, socks, mufflers, etc., for the disadvantaged. We hope to overflow a giant box like we did last year. Be thinking of who might be available to replace our outgoing secretary (as of September) and historian (at end of year). To misquote Lucille Ball and Ethel Mertz in their cute little song: "Friendship, friendship, It's the perfect blendship! When other friendships have been forgot, Our Club will still be HOT!" • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · September 2019

Vol. 19, No. 2

Page !2 September 2019 The Oklahoma Squeezins Seems like one special Oklahoma Accordion Club event is quickly followed by another! No sooner than the entire Club pulled together to accomplish our seventh annual free concert last month, now many have been busily preparing for our celebration of all things German. See the colorful flyer on the front page of this newsletter for *** IMPORTANT RSVP instructions*** for you, your family, and welcome guests. Food-wise and music-wise, you won't be disappointed! We're saddened by the passing of one of our Tulsa-area members, Mary Jeanne Hojem of Sand Springs, who often carpooled to meetings, and pleased us with her beautiful playing. A teacher and indisputably sweet personality, Mary's spot in our hearts cannot be filled. A photographer who attended our concert two years ago and sent us beautiful pix, has done a repeat performance! Chester Weems of Yukon sent us 50 more photos of our recent August event. They'll be on display at the meeting. Those following us on our Facebook Page will notice our well loved but timeworn group photo has been replaced by a more recent cover shot taken by Chester. Click "like" on that! Despite the current warm weather, members can get a head start on the holidays by thinking now about a favorite Christmas song to perform as a solo, duet, or trio you'd like to perform for the December Christmas party. That's a great time of year to brightly let your light shine! If you've ever arrived at the Club early, you know that a small informal group practice is usually held before the meeting. Just an extra perk to enjoy, and you're cordially invited! If your music stand is not up to date on the current practice songs, contact Past Prez Barbara Duer to receive them by email, or just snag paper copies when you show up! Your souvenir program of the players and songs in the August concert is included in this newsletter. If your name isn't already listed in it, you've got time to make sure it's in next year's! Thanks to all the willing hands that make this group a great resource! • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · August 2019

Vol. 19, No. 1

Page !2 August 2019 The Oklahoma Squeezins The other day I was chatting with Past Prez Barbara Duer about the upcoming Sunday concert at Yukon Czech Hall. She pointed out that this annual concert does a world of good for each of us as Club members. If not for this concert, we might not be practicing some of the special pieces that we are now "perfecting." August 11 is an opportunity for our friends to witness our sense of pride in our unique and historic instruments -- on that one special day of the year! It's like an old-fashioned barn raising, where the whole community pulls together to accomplish a great thing that will be admired in retrospect for years afterward. Here's the timetable for Sunday: • 1:00 Helpers are admitted to set up the room, the chairs, and the sound. • 1:45 to 2:00 at latest: Players arrive so we can place your accordions and stands where they need to be. • 2:00 Doors open to the public. • 2:30 Concert begins! Things to remember: • Wear your club badge, if possible. Audience members may approach you to ask a question about the Club! • If you haven't already chosen a special outfit for the number(s) you are playing, there is always the reliable black and white. Thanks in advance to our soundman, musician (and roofing expert) Alton Scott, for making sure we will be "well-heard" in our performance. Budd Hoaas of Oklahoma American Music Scene told me last week that he will have a photographer covering our event. Our emcee, Club member and TV personality Lucas Ross, will make the day as special as can be! How fortunate we are to enjoy that witty guy as part of our festivity! Now, on to the following month: September's meeting -- Sunday the eighth -- is the GermanFest theme! Is my mouth watering or what??!!! Guests are welcome! The first guest for each member is free, and additional guests will require a donation to the food fund! I can only imagine the song list that will come together for that day! Perhaps we shall see some people dressed in German attire? As the music inspires, I might have to ask Karen to dance the polka with me!! Hip, Hip, Hooray for our wonderful Club! The friendships made here, the occasions made special, and the mutual pride in accomplishment that we share, all together make a winning recipe! Thanks for all you do to contribute! See you guys this Sunday!!! • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · July 2019

Vol. 18, No. 12

Guess which "grownups" played toy accordions this past week at the exciting Independence Day Parade in Bethany? OAC VP Karen West, member Toni Paulding, and I were there doing our annual thing. We squeezed squeezeboxes (see photo) while we handed out little mini-flyers inviting the families lining the streets to our Sunday, August 11 concert! Such fun seeing the children dive for candy tossed out by the passing floats and convertibles. It's a colorful, music-filled occasion, and maybe others would like to go with us next year! Our next meeting is July 14, at Messiah Lutheran, in our customary room with kitchen located to the right of the sanctuary. Thanks to those who are volunteering to help out at the August concert. So many tasks go into making this into an event meaningful to those both young and old in the community! Last month's special guest, Nick Ballarini, drew a full and attentive crowd! The entire meeting, with the exception of occasional forays into the snack room, consisted of Nick demonstrating musical prowess on an array of electronic and other accordions. He took numerous song requests, answered questions, helped members try out different accordions, and delivered his usual wit with aplomb! It was with great sadness that we learned last week of the passing of Oklahoma Accordion Club member David Richard. He, along his wife Diana, and his mother-in-law Lois Roth -- these three members have been instrumental in supporting Club activities. David always had a kind word to say, and a hand to lend. He will be missed. Looking forward to seeing you at the Sunday, July 14 meeting at the church. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. for setup and jamming, and the official meeting starts at 3:30. And as for August 11: no meeting at church -- just a great free Sunday concert at Czech Hall! • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · June 2019

Maggie Abel

Vol. 18, No. 11

We have a great Club, and what makes it great is our members! We join together to preserve respect for the historic accordion, spread the joy of accordioning, and delight audiences of all ages. The future of accordions is a fascinating subject, and will be thoroughly dealt with at the June 9 meeting! Our featured guest that afternoon is Nick Ballarini from the Dallas area. Not only will Nick amaze us with his playing and wit - which we've witnessed at National Accordion Association conventions - but he'll show and demonstrate examples of high-tech advances in the accordion world. Very worthwhile to bring a friend or neighbor as guest to this meeting! June is National Accordion Awareness Month - a designation sponsored by accordionist Tom Torriglia. It was established in 1989 to help spread the word about the resurgence in popularity of the accordion, and to educate people about the instrument. Torriglia's factoids: •The accordion is a member of the reed family, not the keyboard family. The accordion classification includes not only piano accordions, but also Cajun button boxes, chromatic and diatonic button accordions, the concertina, the bayan, and the bandoneon. •The piano accordion has been the official musical instrument of the city of San Francisco since 1990, perhaps because the first United States-made piano accordion was manufactured by the Guerrini Accordion Company in San Francisco in 1907. •China is the largest manufacturer and exporter of accordions in the world. Castlefidardo, a small town in Le Marche region of Italy, produces most of all the accordions in Italy. Attention, members playing in the Club's August 11 concert, especially if you are not already accustomed to regularly playing in public: come rehearse in our Club setting at our June 9 and subsequent meetings. Although the meeting itself won't start until 3:30, some members who arrive at 2:00 to set up for the meeting may be able listen to your song(s) then. I'll need the title of your song(s) for our master list and the printed program. A blue-ribbon panel of experts recently named the accordion as the instrument most likely to put a smile on your face when hearing it played! We love being part of that! • Maggie Abel, oard of Directors

— Maggie Abel

From the board · May 2019

Vol. 18, No. 10

May 6 has been named World Accordion Day! How can we observe it? To start with, here are the Top 10 Reasons to practice your August concert song on May 12, at the next Oklahoma Accordion Club meeting. 10. When I hear my song on the radio in the future, I can say, "Wow, that's the song I played in the August 2019 Summer Concert." 9. My example encourages someone else in the Club, who is also thinking about playing in the August Concert. 8. My name is printed in the Concert program to save for posterity. My Concert participation will be mentioned in my family's Christmas newsletter. 7. My loyal accordion will have renewed faith in its owner. 6. When I come across the souvenir program in the scrapbook at home, my name and song will be underlined and decorated with hearts. 5. My nine-year-old can photograph the program on my smartphone and e-mail it to the cousins. 4. I pat myself on the back every time I drive past Yukon Czech Hall. I casually say, "Oh yeah, I played there to a packed house." 3. In my small way, I help our unique accordion club to not only survive, but to achieve its mission in 2019. 2. My May goal to perfect my song by August honors my New Year's resolution to blossom more in the Club in 2019. 1. For the rest of my life I can say, "I played [INSERT NAME OF SONG HERE] in the 2019 Annual Concert!" Have you marked June on your calendar as a great time to bring a friend to the OAC meeting? The talented and winsome Nick Ballarini will display, explain, and demo some of the newest high tech accordion products available this year. Thanks to our dues-paying members for hosting the Pizza Party last month! What fun it was to be munching in time with the music, while listening to fellow members providing music to dine by! Past arbara Duer invites all to arrive early for a "fun session," playing along with simple songs from 2:30 to 3:30 pm, right before our 3:30 meeting. She e-mails the songs in advance to those who have expressed interest, or you can pick them up the day of the meeting. Those using social media are invited to visit the Oklahoma Accordion Club on Facebook. Kudos to all the members on the roster for your part in furthering the grand goals of the Oklahoma Accordion Club. • Maggie Abel, OAC President

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From the board · April 2019

Vol. 18, No. 9

The Sunday, April 14 PIZZA PARTY meeting - one of our favorite meetings of the year - combines three senses: the TASTE of good pizza, the HEARING of memorable accordion songs, and the SIGHT of familiar friends enjoying these things with you! It's a must to notify our Principal of Pizza, Vice-aren West, of your pizza preferences, and the attendance of additional guests by noon, Saturday, April 13. One guest is welcome per member, or for a donation, "unlimited" guests. See the pizza party flyer on the front page of this newsletter for pizza topping choices, and Karen's contact info! Last month's Club attendees enjoyed watching our members as seen in the Dallas National Accordion Association convention photos and video clips, shown using a projector. We'll repeat that feature this Sunday with more clips you haven't seen. Maybe you're in them! If you have any NAA images or videos on your smartphone or tablet, bring the device with you, and we'll project them, too! Members intending to play in our August 11, 2019 concert at Yukon Czech Hall are invited to practice at OAC meetings to demonstrate their progress in polishing the numbers they have chosen. Let the May meeting be your final deadline for joining with other members to "practice presenting" your special piece(s)! Surprisingly, one or two members are still searching in vain for returnable pop bottles to accumulate funds to pay their Club dues. The fee is $20, or $10 for additional family members. Direct your loot to OAC Treasurer Tom Phillips, 3326 NS 367 Rd., Holdenville, OK 74844, to stay in good standing! Have you resolved to practice with the OAC (AKA "simple tunes") Band? If so, arrive early before the April 14 meeting (2:30 through 3:30 p.m.). If you don't already have the three simple, fun jam sheet music songs for the month of April, send word to Jam- Master Barbara Duer, or to me, and they shall be e-mailed forthwith! SAVING THE BEST NEWS FOR LAST! Here's something great to look forward to! Nick Ballarini from Dallas has offered to come to OAC's June meeting to demonstrate the new digital accordion -- Bugari-Evo -- plus other accordion electronic advancements. I am so very eager to get this information firsthand. Nick is a charming performer who presents popular workshops at the National Accordion Association conventions each year. • Maggie Abel, OAC President

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From the board · March 2019

Vol. 18, No. 8

Sharing a funny story from our last Club meeting: Delightful guest Jean Hill, a teacher of Irish step dancing, told of purchasing her first accordion. Having no teacher, she taught herself to play. A few months later, as she performed for friends, someone showed her an accordion record album (yes, vinyl). Looking at the cover photo, she deduced that, since day one, she had been playing her accordion upside down! Well, she rotated it, and has kept it sunny side up ever since! Still looking to share a ride to or from the NAA convention? Member Ron Shearon is driving Wednesday morning March 6 to Dallas, and returning March 9 after the Saturday banquet. He offered to be contacted about sharing his ride at . Newsflash: Remember, our usual second Sunday March 10 meeting has been CHANGED to March 17, as members will be driving home from the 32nd Annual National Accordion Association convention in Dallas. That will make the March 17 meeting quite an exciting one, with stories and reports to be shared. March 17 meeting: Convention photos and video clips will be shown at the meeting with a projector. Members playing in the August concert will demonstrate their progress in polishing the numbers they have chosen. April 14 meeting: It's one of our favorite meetings of the year -- the PIZZA PARTY! One guest is welcome per member, or for a donation, *unlimited* guests. You'll have a chance to select your preferred toppings, as the date gets closer. Hats off to Wayne Turgeon, who resolves to play several numbers at each meeting, even bringing his own entourage to cheer him on. How do you motivate yourself to practice? "The family that plays together, stays together" is a favorite quote of Dick Albreski. If one of your family members could take up the accordion, or even play some other instrument along with you, wouldn't that be delightful? Some Club members find it inspiring to practice each week with others as a duet or trio. Someone you get to know at a monthly meeting may be the perfect candidate for a practice partner. One thing that happens at the convention is that attendees have a chance to peruse a number of accordion vendors who come in from other states to display their wares. Right there on the spot, you could trade in the accordion you are currently playing for a different one -- new or used. Perhaps a red one, one with the musette sound, a lighter one to stroll with, or one of the digital models (supported by a rapidly growing number of convention workshops). Maybe you'd like some more-comfortable straps, or some with the alpine flower design. The accordion selection there is greater than you'll find in any showroom, even in our capital city. "Better late than never" is the motto of our Treasurer Tom Phillips, as he checks his mail for dues from members who have overlooked settling up. His address is 3326 NS 367 Rd., Holdenville, OK 74844. The fee is $20, or $10 for additional family members. To practice with the jammers, arrive early at the March 17 meeting (see Secretary report for times). If you don't have the simple, fun jam song sheet music, let jam master Barbara Duer or me know, and we will speedily e-mail them! Have a dynamite month! • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · February 2019

Vol. 18, No. 7

Oh, guess what! You won't believe this, but a sizable number of members have yet to offer their annual dues ($20, or $10 for family member) to our new treasurer, Tom Phillips. Let's put him to work right away, and keep the Club coffers filled to a healthy level! We plan to have some great jamming before the 3:30 meeting begins this Sunday. So, if you want to arrive at 3:00 to join us, puhleeeeeeeze do! Barbara Duer sent music to those who expressed an interest, but if you haven't received it, e-mail me, and I'll forward it to you. Mostly easy, accessible, and fun songs! It's the final month before convention time, and you can feel the excitement. It's the anticipation of camaraderie -- you and your instrument, jamming after the accordion workshops, with all those other nice people from different states -- with their instruments! Not to mention -- or okay, to actually mention -- the throw-together bands you can be a part of, the free breakfast buffet with the accordion greats, workshops on various topics: playing, promotion, analog and digital accordions, the lunch buffets with strolling accordionists, the Friday accordion-hosted dance, accordion vendors with wares we don't see in Oklahoma City, and the Saturday night banquet preceding a concert by accordion-world celebs. After attending one time, you'll find people greeting you like old friends as you walk in the following year. Those staying back in OKC will feel the benefit from the excitement, stories, advice, and skills that attendees bring home. I can't do better than to echo Secretary Anne's sentiments and instructions: Excitement for the National Accordion Conference is growing. Dick will be in charge of both an Adult Fun Band and Kids Fun Band. You can start practicing now! When you check the National Accordion Association website (accordions.com/NAA), you will see links to: - NAA registration and activity schedules - Discounted hotel registration for NAA - Download the sheet music to be used in the bands. If you have any questions about the bands, you can e-mail Dick at evrick@att.net, or call him at 405/721-0564. Do NOT make your hotel reservations through the Hyatt general reservation system, as the conference gives a discount to NAA attendees (including free breakfast and WiFi) through the NAA on-line link. • Maggie Abel, OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · January 2019

Vol. 18, No. 6

The fresh slate of a New Year is the best time of all! New beginnings, new resolutions, new friends to be made, and new rewards from last year's efforts! OAC Secretary Anne Lopez yearns to put a checkmark on her "nice" list for you who've paid your 2019 Club dues. Your $20 (or $10 for family member) funds many of the great activities OAC presents throughout the calendar year. The Christmas meeting on December 9 in the gymnasium was such, such, such a success. First, the locale allowed us to spread out four long tables of raffle items and colorful treats, and a gigantic gift box overflowing with donations of warm cozy items for those in need. Long strings of raffle tickets went fast, adding up to well over $300 in Club funding to assist OAC youth attending March's National Accordion Association Convention in Dallas. Speaking of the Convention, planning time is here! Members are already creating alliances to carpool or share a room, and registration will be opening soon. How-to workshops for aspects of both analog and digital accordions, pick-up bands, displays from accordion vendors, squeezeboxing in the hallways, a glitzy banquet followed by an accordion conga line, daily lunch buffets, a dance night with accordion music, and a concert finale on the last night- all await you!! Circle March 8-9-10 on your calendar with a big red magic marker! ONLINE TIDBIT: Some of you have noticed the Facebook page for the Oklahoma Accordion Club. It began in February 2010, created by our Club Photographer Diana L. Richard (daughter of member Lois Roth). The page has 210 followers. This past week alone, posts thereon reached 104 people, and had 49 engagements (people who liked a post, replied, or commented on the page). Those who "like" the page receive notice of new posts! Some very accessible songs have been hand-selected by Past Prez Barbara Duer, which we'll give out at the pre-meeting jam, and present to the Club during the January 13 meeting. You can participate in the jam and/or the meeting presentation of same. If you haven't received these good songs yet, e-mail Barbara or me so you can print them out now to warm up, or add to your collection! • Maggie Abel, oard of Directors

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From the board · December 2018

Vol. 18, No. 5

Does everyone remember the accordionist who earned the moniker "The Happy Norwegian"? Yes, that was Myron Floren of the Lawrence Welk musical family. I remember my excitement each year watching Lawrence Welk's special Christmas show. Sons and daughters of cast members would gather around the Christmas tree to receive a greeting and a gift from Mr. Welk. Well, the Oklahoma Accordion Club has a special holiday event, too! Our most exciting local meeting of the year -- our Christmas party, with its many related activities! Sunday, December 9, we will enjoy many things: Christmas songs, the Youth Band, the auction and the raffle, the officer election, the collection of warm woolly items (sox, scarves, hats, gloves, etc.) for the needy…and the cherry on the cake is…well, cake, cookies, or other snacks and celebratory goodies brought by our members! How can you best prepare for this meeting, you may ask? For a start, since Christmas carols will be played, bring your accordion to harmonize! And tote along your kids and grandkids so they can have the fun of putting those raffle tickets in the little sacks by the gifts that will be given away, and then waiting for their number to be called! Where will the gifts come from? Members have been saving up their white elephants and other totable trinkets all year to donate them for this day! The proceeds will go toward a very good cause: helping the families who bring their dedicated youngsters to play in the March convention in Dallas. So, be sure to bring enough currency to get lots of those $1.00 tickets. Extra bonus tickets are included when you purchase tickets in larger increments! This year we'll enter the church through the school entrance (on the EAST side). There will be signage to guide you. It's the large GYM to accommodate our festive Christmas party. We'll arrive early to spread out a display of the items for our exciting raffle and auction, and the anticipated Christmas sweets and other morsels (yum, yum)! Several compliments came in regarding the photo album page sent with the November newsletter. The first names beneath the photos of members posing with their accordions were helpful to introduce fellow members. Club Photographer Diana Richard can arrange to include your pic, too, if that has not yet happened. Another good reason to bring your accordion: so you can pose with it for Diana! A second way to get acquainted with your fellows is the member bio that our esteemed editor Frank Gesinski has been putting in the newsletter. After you've read each bio's details, you'll find it even easier to talk shop with your table mates at the monthly meeting! Last month, nominations were accepted to fill spots left open on the OAC Board by those who have resigned or whose terms are expiring at year's end. The official nominee for 2019 Treasurer is former vice-president, Tom Phillips. Write-in names are also acceptable. Continued on

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From the board · November 2018

Maggie Abel

Vol. 18, No. 4

Now, just because the Christmas invitation flyer is included in this newsletter, don't think we are celebrating Christmas at our Veterans Day meeting this coming Sunday, November 11. We just wanted to give you a little heads up, so you can scan the internet for Christmas treat recipes, knit some warm woolies for the needy, and round up some white elephants for our Christmas raffle and auction. Those benefit the families of our Youth Band, who travel to the 2019 National Accordion Association convention in March with the rest of us. You'll notice in this issue a darling sheet of photos of some of our members. It's like your high school yearbook, on a smaller scale! (Yes, people can still sign under your pic and write, "Don't ever change!") Over a several month period, Diana Richard (Lois Roth's daughter) graciously set up her professional backdrop and shot portraits of members and their accordions. As you can see, the images turned out great, so newbies can see in advance the personnel who will be welcoming them and showing them the ropes! If you missed the shoot or were waiting for a retake day, let us know and we'll make an arrangement. Then, you'll go down in history as our historian Beth Henson is able to put a more complete "yearbook page" in our growing scrapbook. In this month of Thanksgiving, we are very thankful for our treasurer, who has served us well for two years. Sil Lopez's term finishes at year's end, and he is not re-upping at this time, so we are looking for another bold soul to steer our financial ship starting in January. Training is provided! And the new treasurer will find the four women on the Club board a delight to work with! Hey, if you do social media and haven't checked out the Oklahoma Accordion Club's Facebook page recently, take a peek. We're seeing a stepping up of the activity there lately. Also, on our web page: http:// okaccordion.club . We're lucky to have many accomplished people in our Club. Talent shows in the many things they do outside the Club. For instance, past arbara Duer and Missouri-based member Lou LeBrun were featured singing, dancing, and playing instruments last month in the Oklahoma Seniors Cabaret's annual variety show. I witnessed it, and can testify it was a riot and a hoot! Be sure to send us news of your extracurricular doings so we can make a mention for the inspiration of fellow members.

— Maggie Abel

From the board · October 2018

Maggie Abel

Vol. 18, No. 3

I love this Club. I've made so many long-lasting friends over the half-dozen years I've been in it. October is a great month to appreciate the accordion. There are so many events here in town honoring Oktoberfest. This unique instrument draws attention wherever it is heard. And compared to many other instruments I've tried, the accordion has great advantages. For instance, if you've had few piano lessons in your background, you don't have a big learning curve before you can play a tune. Unlike the electric guitar, you don't have to tote an amplifier around with it. Unlike the analog theremin, you don't have to plug it in and wait 30 minutes for it to warm up. Unlike the pedal steel, you don't need an elaborate stand to put it on while you're playing. Unlike the piano, you don't have to also learn to use your feet at the same time to do things like sustain. You can pull it in a case or bag on wheels, so you don't need a manservant to transport it for you. You don't have to get your lips adjusted and trained to play it using a special mouthpiece as with the trumpet, tuba, or trombone. Unlike the piano, you don't have to rearrange your furniture to move it across the room. Your lungs don't have to produce a lot of airflow like the flute and tuba require. No reeds to purchase and continually adjust, like on the clarinet. If the electricity goes off, while your band members regroup, you can keep on playing your accordion. The list goes on and on!! Hope you'll take family and friends out to enjoy some of the accordion events going on this month! Some of our members are likely the ones playing! And not only this month, but throughout the year, a number of local musical ensembles feature the accordion. T. .Z. Wright of our Club plays his Giulietti at many of the Blue Door's events. Mary Reynolds and Louise Goldberg have a beautiful red accordion on their stage. The Red Dirt Rangers incorporate a small accordion in their numbers. I must credit accordionist Buffalo Rogers from the Blue Door as the one who first referred me to Past Prez Dick Albreski, who brought me into this accordion world. Who will be the next music lover that YOU will introduce to the unique and multifaceted accordion? • Maggie Abel, oard of Directors

— Maggie Abel

From the board · September 2018

Vol. 18, No. 2

Ode to the Polka I am proud to be a member of this Club - people who work together toward a goal and attain some very interesting accomplishments. We are positioned between two such accomplishments right now. One is our glorious concert, which -- through our sweat and our dues -- we are able to offer to the public for free. The second is the celebration of the one of the many routes of the accordion's fame, the Germanfest traditions. About 35 years ago, I went on a date to an Ohio facility called Germania. A luscious dinner of German food was served, after which a live ensemble, dressed in European garb, began to play. Germania had a round, outdoor dance floor, and the weather was perfect. When the music suddenly started, my date led me around and around among the line of couples. It was exhilarating, exciting, fantastic! His lead was so forceful, I could follow as easily as a child can skip! Afterward, I was out of breath. Up to this time, I had frowned on dancing, mainly because I did not know how to dance and had no desire to learn. So, my ignorance led me to breathlessly ask, "What was that? What did we just do?" His answer: "The polka." Looking back, I'm sure the heavens opened with a great chorus, and rainbows filled the sky. The polka remains my first love, despite all the dances I learned afterward. I looked up Germania on the Internet, and found the interior looks like a verrrrry fancy version of Czech Hall, where we have our annual public concert. In my several decades of living in Ohio, I learned that the polka was embedded in the dance culture there. I worked in the ballroom studio where one of the first dances taught to beginners was the polka. It was said that if you got married, you were not really married until you danced a polka at the wedding reception. I'm looking forward to our festive September 9 meeting, where we can enjoy our own little German celebration of the music that has been most famously shared with the accordion. • Maggie Abel OAC oard of Directors

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From the board · August 2018

Vol. 18, No. 1

August is one of the most exciting months for Oklahoma Accordion Club members. It's when we wrap up months of preparation for our annual FREE concert. This sixth year, it will again be held in Yukon's historic Czech Hall -- August 12, from 2:30-4:30 pm. Members are encouraged to wear their name badges to this event, which will no doubt be helpful when enthused audience members seek information about our one-of-a-kind club! Welcome to our newest member, Nita Wallinger. She came to our meeting last month bearing an accordion to rehome, and departed as "kinfolk"! We'll be seeing her in the concert audience, too. Whether or not you're performing Sunday, bring a friend or neighbor along to sit back and reap the harvest of the Club's musical labor! Lucas Ross's goofy humor, the sing-alongs, young people's band, octogenarian strolling accordionist, father-son duet, grandmagrandson duet, and patriotic finale -- all these unforgettables await you and your guests! Doors open at 2:00 pm, so you can occupy the choicest seats! If you arrive early and feel energetic, seek out one of our badgewearing members and offer your services as door usher or chair unfolder! On July 28, half a dozen Club members carpooled to see accordionist Joey Miskulin appear with the Riders in the Sky band, which played at the Tower Theater in its great new west annex. What cutups those colorful cowboys were! Joey even recognized our OAC from the stage, and asked us to stand! Let's keep our eyes peeled for more such accordion-related local events we can share. Mark your calendar for our September 9 Oktoberfest meeting! We present our German music and German food then, so reservations (through Vice-Prez Karen West) will be needed to accommodate the hearty appetites that result from vigorous polka playing! Each member may bring one guest at no charge, or offer a donation if bringing extra guests! A formal announcement flyer will be sent as the date draws near. You can see by now that editor Frank Gesinski's newsletter "Squeezins," if read cover to cover, keeps your finger on the pulse of the Oklahoma accordion world! • Maggie Abel, Prez

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From the board · July 2018

Vol. 17, No. 12

If you attend the July 4 Independence Day parade in Bethany, you may notice two women toting toy accordions and American flags, as they hand out mini-invitations for OAC's August concert. That would be Vice-aren West and her dutiful follower, me! As the one who handles the advertising for our free annual concert, Karen never overlooks an opportunity to publicize it! At the June meeting, we enjoyed Bob Mansfield's workshop, "Clues to Break into Unfamiliar Music," including handouts explaining his seven tips for evaluating and practicing unfamiliar music. Peruse Secretary Anne Lopez's column in this newsletter to review a bulleted list of those tips! At our upcoming July 8 meeting, "Things You May Not Know about Your Accordion," will be the topic of a workshop presented by Dick Albreski. The Club is fortunate when experienced accordion teachers can be in attendance to mentor us! Their generous spirit is appreciated! Although our monthly meetings officially begin at 3:30, an early crew arrives at 2:00 to set up the room in time to squeeze in a little pre-meeting jamming. Barbara brings extra copies of easier songs to hand out to accomplish this. You are welcome to join "the early shift." We especially appreciate our members who carpool down from the Tulsa area to participate! Thanks to those who have contacted me by e-mail with the name of your August concert piece. Past President Barbara Duer is supervising the arrangement of the order of play. You are encouraged to practice your piece before the concert, at this July meeting. Most would agree that "it takes a village" to put on an event that attracts and entertains 300 grateful people, as we have done for the last five years. At this final pre-concert meeting, let's put on our volunteer hats to see what small role we each can play in the success of our sixth annual event! • Maggie Abel OAC President

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From the board · June 2018

Maggie Abel

Vol. 17, No. 11

Despite last month's meeting falling on the Mother's Day holiday, the "remnant" of OAC enjoyed the May meeting. It was wonderful to have our vice-president, Karen West, back behind the accordion again after her recuperation. Congrats to those who took advantage of our Photographer Diana L. Richard's skills by getting your picture taken in front of her backdrop the past few meetings. A nicely posed shot of you holding your accordion will be a treasure to enjoy in future years! We'll be firming up plans to use these shots as a get-acquainted aid for other members, and perhaps in a members' bio feature in the newsletter. You can get a look-see at your accordion photo at Sunday's meeting! Accordionists, have you ever wondered the best way to deal with an unfamiliar tune? You are invited to bring your accordion to the upcoming June 10 meeting. That Sunday, accordion instructor and member, Bob Mansfield, will conduct a session on how to break down and efficiently learn that wonderful piece of music you would like to play. He invites you to bring with you an unfamiliar piece that you aspire to play well, and he'll deliver red-hot tips to make that process easier! This weekend we received the good news that television personality Lucas Ross, a member of our Club, has again agreed to emcee our August 12 accordion concert at Czech Hall. What a privilege to have the most engaging host, and to continue at the location, which is one of the most well known historic sites in the state. We can start spreading the news to our friends about the concert, and a digital flyer for this event will become completed in the next few weeks. Thanks are due to someone who helps our Club run more smoothly. You may not realize that former vice president, Tom Phillips, usually arrives early to help prepare the room at Messiah Lutheran Church for OAC. Pushing aside the "accordion" suspended room dividers to open up the space is no small feat! He deserves a pat on the back for making life easier for all of us! The old saying -- "Many hands make light work!" -- is appropriate for our free summer concert. Thanks to all who plan to lend a hand -- both performers and helpers -- so that the 300 or so guests we anticipate can glimpse the shining light that is OAC! • Maggie Abel, oard of Directors

— Maggie Abel

From the board · May 2018

Vol. 17, No. 10

World Accordion Day was May 6, and OAC members celebrate it in different ways throughout the year: Some participate in the OAC Band that practices at 2:00 pm before each monthly meeting and several times throughout the month at Bellevue Rehab Center. Past arbara Duer is currently masterminding our practices. Vice-Prez Karen West plays at assisted living centers and church talent shows. Several members have joined together to form a duo, trio, or ensemble with regular rehearsals in their homes. Several people on our rolls perform, teach, and even repair accordions throughout the month. Perhaps you enjoy promoting the accordion in conversations with friends. When a friend plays the piano, I can't help pointing out that they have already mastered half the skills of playing the piano accordion. If a pal likes to dance the polka, I mention that a lively polka is apt to be played at every Club meeting. The day approaches when our Club is at its most visible to the community -- promoting the historic instrument that has brought joy to so many people. The privilege of filling Czech Hall each August with hundreds of people for our free concert is a noble mission, which we share as a group, each year. Approximately 300 people have been thus entertained each year. This Sunday's meeting is the time for members to play for our receptive Club audience the music you intend to perform at our August concert held at Czech Hall. The May-June-July meetings offer the chance to warm up gradually before your receptive Club friends, rehearsing the tunes you are preparing for this event. Volunteers with willing hands and hearts are being enlisted to support this effort, as publicity, ushers, setup, and parking! Thanks to all who prepare for this annual landmark occasion that is a hallmark of our Club. That heartwarming Sunday afternoon on August 12, we will see expectant faces in the Czech Hall crowd -- including some children who have never seen an accordion played live, seniors with fond memories of our beloved accordion, and -- no doubt -- a few spectators considering joining us in our "hands-on" mission to promote this historic instrument! • Maggie Abel, President

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From the board · April 2018

Vol. 17, No. 9

April showers may bring May flowers -- and April also brings Oklahoma Accordion Club's fabulous annual pizza party! Nothing could be finer than to bite into a piece of supreme, pepperoni, cheese, or veggie pizza -- accompanied by spirit-lifting accordion music provided by our Club members. So that the pizza may be plenteous, reservations are requested by noon, Saturday, April 7, for this April 8 event. Each member is free to invite one guest. Our reservations mistress, Vice-aren West, would like to be e-mailed at accordion_karen@yahoo.com. If email is not convenient, leave a message on Karen's phone, 405/949-0394. In your message, state the number of attendees and your preference among the four types of pizza mentioned above! In case you missed it last month, Club Photographer Diana Richard will once again bring her camera and backdrop to snap you with your preferred accordion. Those in the OAC band (aka, the Music Makers) should arrive early (2:00 pm) to practice before the 3:30 Sunday meeting starts. What a privilege it is for Club members to play under the direction of Master Director Dick Albreski! Thanks to all the behind-the-scenes teamwork that takes place to make each meeting happen. See you at the pizza table Sunday! • Maggie Abel, President

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From the board · March 2018

Vol. 17, No. 8

March is a big month for the Oklahoma Accordion Club. Some members are making the trek this week to the National Accordion Association's annual convention. The normal "second Sunday" meeting will therefore be postponed until the third Sunday (March 18 at 3:30 pm). Whether you are going to the NAA or staying behind to hold down the fort, all will gain from this event in Richardson (aka Dallas), Texas. Travelers will return, bringing fresh inspiration, new tunes, workshop handouts, and anecdotes to share. It costs nothing to enjoy exploring the NAA convention website. It includes descriptions of workshops, lists of sheet music for varying skill levels, and the names of exciting on-site vendors. (You could actually travel to Texas with your trusty accordion, trade it in, and return home with a new-to-you different model!). You are sure to recognize some of the smiling faces of presenters and performers on the website. You can link to the fascinating 42-page convention book here: http://accordions.com/naa/2018Music/NAADocuments/ 2018ConventionBook.pdf. At the March 18 Club meeting, you will have the *option* of our resident photographer (aka Diana) taking your photo, posing with (or without) your accordion, for a get-acquainted compilation of some sort. So, polish up that squeezebox! A hearty thanks to our Club members who carpool from Tulsa or other areas to attend our meeting. May they always feel that it is worth the drive! We are glad to see them each time! You are welcome to bring snacks to the March 18 meeting. Our vice president, Karen West, masterminds the presentation of these goodies. As we munch, we will be regaled with tall tales and improved tunes from returning conventioneers. And looking ahead to the April 8 meeting, that's our annual Pizza Party! A reminder flyer will be emailed a few weeks before the date, so get your taste buds ready! Nothing whets the appetite like live accordion background music as we chomp down on our tasty pies. You have noticed that some members perform in duos, trios, or in Dick Albreski's Music Makers band. Performing with others within the intimate setting of our Club is a great way to motivate yourself to put needed mileage on your delightful instrument. Someone sitting at that round table with you once a month may be the very practice partner you would enjoy. We are honored to be official representatives keeping the tradition of this timeless classic instrument -- and as ever, may our squeezin' be pleasin'! • Maggie Abel, oard of Directors

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From the board · February 2018

Vol. 17, No. 7

The Oklahoma Accordion Club has planned a number of exciting events this year -- as usual! MARCH: Many group members are looking forward to attending the National Accordion Association convention March 7-10 in Richardson, Texas (aka Dallas). NAA is where friends are made and songs are played! Details and registration are available at http://www.accordions.com/naa/ Workshops, accordion jams, a special banquet with strolling accordionists from around the world, a Friday night dance, and Saturday night grand finale concert -- all await YOU! At the upcoming meeting, I'll ask a few past attendees to describe their experiences at NAA for curious newcomers! If you are looking for a roommate to share hotel expense during the convention, let me know, and I will put you in touch with any other potential roomies from the Club! APRIL: Our customary pizza party is always a big hit! To let our pizza coordinator, Vice-aren West, know you are coming, call her at 405/949-0394 and let her know how many folks you are bringing! AUGUST: Our Club's free accordion concert in August has regularly drawn 300-plus avid listeners. Most participants are already practicing their chosen music. Solos, duets, trios, etc., are welcome. A signup sheet is being maintained at the each Club meeting to let us know what song(s) you have chosen. You are invited to perform your intended music in advance at upcoming meetings, for practice and inspiration to other performers. Admirers curious about the amazing Czech Hall in Yukon venue for our concert, may enjoy this link to its history: https://czechhall.com/about/. Former Treasurer Milo Shedeck, of the Hall's Bohemian Knights Orchestra, shared it. Bob Mansfield will conduct an accordion workshop on muscular strengthening and independent finger control at our February meeting. I forgot to mention in last month's secretarial minutes that we enjoyed hearing the ever-faithful Wayne Turgeon as he played the Irish lullaby, "Tura Lura Lura," accompanied by Dick Albreski. Welcome also to our new historian, Beth Henson, and our new secretary, Anne Lopez.

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From the board · December 2017

Vol. 17, No. 5

Hello Everyone, and Happy Holidays! We will be electing new officers at the December meeting next week. I have thoroughly enjoyed being your or the last four years. I think we had a great team, and worked well together. We organized and put on four concerts, four Septemberfest dinners, and the pizza parties. Thank you to everyone who were Board members the last four years -- you did a great job. Moving on, we have our Christmas party at the December meeting. We'll really be busy with the Youth Band there to entertain us, with the auction to raise money to help with costs for the youth members to go to the NAA conference in March, and with the election. Also, remember to bring hats, scarves, and socks for the homeless. Dick will distribute them for us. Then, when there's time, we'll eat the Christmas goodies we bring. Starting in January, we will start our meetings with a half hour workshop by one of the members. Dick Albreski is going to do the first one, and Bob Mansfield will be doing a workshop in the future. So, bring your accordions and learn some new techniques. Christmas Accordion: https://youtu.be/kbH4ZFxa2EA Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas: https://youtu.be/k- BOIugoYxY • Barbara Duer, President

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From the board · November 2017

Vol. 17, No. 4

Hello everyone. At the November meeting, we will nominate new Board members then vote in December. I believe we need new Board members for all the positions, except treasurer. Here is a little information about the history of the accordion: MIGRATION OF THE ACCORDION Where It All Began Between 1750 and 1850, the population in Europe almost doubled to 255 million people. Consequently, people in the industrial regions became poorer. In Germany, for example, between 1841 and 1913, over six million Germans emigrated to avoid poverty. Similar emigration happened from much of Europe and Great Britain. Many sought fortune in America, and some took their instruments with them -- mostly harmonicas, which reminded them of their homeland. After a time, people began to ask their relatives to send them accordions and, soon after, manufacturers began receiving orders from around the world. Sales representatives also began to set up business in North and South America and the Asia Pacific regions. They received orders, as they were known and trusted by their relatives back at home. Manufacturing Growth Some accordion manufacturers also emigrated. Amongst them were brothers Carl and Wilhelm Zimmerman of Castlefidardo. They founded an accordion factory in Philadelphia. In a few years, Carl went to Latin America and went missing. In 1864, the firm in Castlefidardo was taken over by Ernst Louis Arnold, and developed into a leading accordion manufacturer. They became large exporters. In those days, harmonicas were one of the few products sold worldwide. In 1860, Arnold's company produced 218,400 accordions, and export continued to grow. Soon, manufacturers in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Bremen, and Rotterdam began to export their accordions to the American chain stores. By advertising in catalogues, accordions were sold throughout North America, but the biggest export market was in Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Uruguay, Columbia, and Ecuador. Colonization by European powers was also responsible for the spread of the accordion, from Germany to America, Africa, China, the Pacific, and the Caribbean. The accordion was originally a reminder for the migrants of their former homelands, but evolved into a very popular instrument in these countries, often with its own unique style. Whether the accordion became part of the Cajun or Zydeco music of the southern states of the USA or the Brazilian tangos, it started off as a reminder of what was once home (from Accordions Worldwide). Tango music: https://youtu.be/VTAP_Oz5cnU Hungarian: https://youtu.be/YO929MBqgaw French: https://youtu.be/3kDi5Hk-Vmw

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From the board · October 2017

Vol. 17, No. 3

Hello everyone. We've have had a busy several months. The rest of the year will be a little quieter. During the October meeting, we will have another Oktoberfest, with more German music or any other kind of music members want to play, but no German food. This month's topic: The Accordion in Arabia Although present in nearly all Arab countries, the accordion is virtually never mentioned in books or heard on recordings. Anonymity is a matter of course in Arabian orchestras, and although there are a multitude of accordion players, few names are known. In the mid 1930s, an oriental-style accordion arrived in Arabic countries from Egypt. It was quickly taken up in nightclubs, playing Western dances such as the Waltz and Tango. In Arab countries, the accordion seems to be played with Arabian stringed instruments, in which the quartertone is prominent. The accordion is very widespread in many types of orchestras. The accordion is rarely seen played solo. During the 1950s, an accordion that could play with quartertones was made by a German company for a Lebanese accordion society, and quickly became popular. In the late 1950s, the accordion appeared in orchestras. It was adopted for its unique resonance, but was only allowed to be played in unison with the other instruments. This rendered it fairly indiscernible among the mass of strings. Soon, Arab musicians began to use the accordion in their own compositions. Some composers liked its tone straight away. When electronic instruments were introduced, interest in the accordion declined. Up until this time, accordions were very heavy, and musicians often had to play standing for long periods. Since the middle of the 1980s, accordion music has been available in shops, mostly in the form of cassettes. In the mid-1980s, better quality recordings became available, mostly of contemporary ethnic music. Over the last thirty or so years, the organ has begun to replace the accordion, but with the advent of MIDI accordions, the accordion is now starting to make a comeback (from the Internet). A trio playing Arab accordion music: https://youtu.be/XpavwzNP9W4 Here's a YouTube video of Arabic orchestra accordion as a lead instrument. You might not want to listen to all of this, but I thought the first part was quite interesting: https://youtu.be/IHdTYXT8YRM Solo Arabic accordion [Editor's Note: Do not copy his right-hand position]: https://youtu.be/7JEQfzqez_w Solo: this guy is amazing. There are people talking in the background, but it's OK. Just listen to those fingers: https://youtu.be/6z3doIjMfeQ • Barbara Duer, oard of Directors

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From the board · September 2017

Vol. 17, No. 2

Hello Everyone! Wow!! Our concert was awesome -- the best one so far. Thank you, Bryan Roth (Lois' grandson), for the sound system. It made all the difference. I was amazed the microphones did not have to be so near the accordions to pick up the sound. With these microphones, each instrument in the band was heard. Thank you so much. We celebrate Septemberfest at our next meeting. We will have German food available for members and their guests. Please call Karen at 405/949-0394 to make your reservations. We will also have lots of German music. And….Lou LeBrun will be at the meeting to entertain us. Oktoberfest traditionally starts in the third weekend in September, and ends the first Sunday of October. It began with the Royal Wedding on 12 October 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig - later to become King Ludwig I - was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Facts you didn't know about Oktoberfest: 1. It starts in September The name is misleading, because most of the festival happens in September! 2. Munich beer only Oktoberfest is, above all, a celebration of Bavarian traditions, so the only beer you'll find during the festival is brewed within the city limits of Munich. Only beers that fit this criterion are considered Oktoberfest Beers. 3. It is a 204-year-old tradition that wasn't originally a beer festival The first Oktoberfest was held to honor the marriage of Prince Ludwig and Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, in 1810. Now that's what we call a wedding party! 4. They've cancelled it 24 times You can't stop beer pouring! In 200 years, Oktoberfest has only been cancelled 24 times. The causes were mostly due to the war and cholera epidemics. On it's 100th birthday, 120,000 liters of beer were poured - that's about 1,500 bathtubs worth of beer! Oktoberfest beers have from 0.6 to 1.1% more alcohol and sugar than the average German beer, making it even easier for people to forget all their worries, their hats, their names… 5. Beer prices start at £7 / $11 Not for those looking for a low budget festival. 6. The beer is specially brewed for Oktoberfest, and it's extra strong One mug of beer here is equivalent to 8 shots of Schnapps. They're specially brewed for the festival, and they have at least 6% alcohol. 7. As a result, it could be dangerous for some Around 600 to 800 people suffer from alcohol poisoning every year. Come join us! Oktoberfest Live: https://youtu.be/-3VJ4AQHtpM • Barbara Duer, oard of Directors

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From the board · August 2017

Vol. 17, No. 1

At the point in time (August 1 to 8, 2017), there is one accordionist attempting to break the world record for continuous accordion playing. CORY PESATURO, World Digital Accordion Champion and World Acoustic Accordion Champion, is attempting to break the Guinness World Record playing the accordion for the longest time. The current record of 31 hours and 25 minutes is held by Anssi Laitnen, who played 536 different songs on July 31 to August 1, 2010, in Finland.

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From the board · July 2017

Vol. 16, No. 12

Hello everyone! We will have dress rehearsal for the August concert at the July meeting. If you are playing in the concert, please make every effort to be at that meeting. We have 17 performances signed up for the concert. Jimmy Woolly and Mike Clark are stage managers this year, and we will practice with them at the meeting, getting on and off stage, arranging chairs quickly, etc. We're hoping we can be a little more organized this year, and move people on and off stage a little faster. I looked up "Beer Barrel Polka" a few days ago, and here's what I found: "Beer Barrel Polka," also known as "The Barrel Polka" and "Roll Out the Barrel," is a song that became popular worldwide during World War II. The music was composed by the Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda in 1927.[1] Eduard Ingriš wrote the first arrangement of the piece, after Vejvoda came upon the melody and sought Ingriš's help in refining it. At that time, it was played without lyrics as "Modřanská Polka" ("Polka of Modřany"). The polka became famous around the world. In June 1939, "Beer Barrel Polka," as recorded by Will Glahé, was number one on the Hit Parade radio program. This version was distributed by Shapiro Bernstein. Glahé's earlier 1934 recording sold many copies in its German version, "Rosamunde" (it is possible the reason for the rapid spread was due to the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany, and subsequent emigration of thousands of Czechs to other parts of the world, bringing this catchy tune with them). The authors of the English lyrics were Lew Brown and Wladimir Timm. Meanwhile, the song was recorded and played by many others such as Andrews Sisters in 1939, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Bobby Vinton, Billie Holiday, and Joe Patek, who sold over a million copies of his album, "Beer Barrel Polka."[3] During World War II, versions in many other languages were created, and the song was popular among soldiers, regardless of their allegiances. It was claimed many times that the song was written in the country where it had just become a hit. Its actual composer was not widely known until after the War. Under the title, "Beer Barrel Polka," the tune hit #1 on the Hit Parade in the United States in 1939. It sold over one million copies by 1943, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA [1]. After World War II, Frankie Yankovic was known as the "Polka King" in the U.S., and did both big band and folk music arrangements with his orchestra. Since the 1970s, it (usually the Frankie Yankovic's version) has been played during the seventh inning stretch at Milwaukee Brewers baseball games, as well as becoming one of the state of Wisconsin's unofficial state songs, as it is also played at numerous University of Wisconsin sporting events, as well as Green Bay Packers home games, and Milwaukee Panthers basketball games, including after every home win. Will Glahé Orchestra playing the "Liechtensteiner Polka": https://youtu.be/f4W6fYAKdQI?list=RDf4W6fYAKdQI Will Glahé Orchestra playing the "Beer Barrel Polka": https://youtu.be/TYTon5rU6s8

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From the board · June 2017

Vol. 16, No. 11

Hello everyone. During the next couple months, the Club will be concentrating on the upcoming concert in August. During June and July meetings we will practice our pieces for the concert in order to practice in front of an audience and to get ideas and advice from other members. If you are signed up to play, please plan to attend these meetings. This month I am writing about Henry Doktorski III. Henry Doktorski III (born January 30, 1956) is one of America's premier concert accordionists. He has performed on accordion with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and violinists Gil Shaham and Itzhak Perlman during concerts and recording sessions with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under conductors Lorin Maazel, John Williams, Mariss Jansons, Julius Rudel, David Del Tredici, and Howard Shore. Dr. Doktorski was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to Polish- American parents Henry A. Doktorski and Theresa Maria Czartowicz, and grew up in East Brunswick. He cites his Polish background -- accordions being often featured in Polish folk music -- as a main factor in his childhood decision to take up the accordion rather than a different instrument. At the age of seven[2] he began studying accordion, and early on was considered a prodigy As a pre-teenager during the mid-1960s, he played ethnic music and jazz standards (inspired by Myron Floren from the Lawrence Welk television show), but as a teenager during the late 1960s and early 1970s his musical tastes changed, and he began playing the accordion in a rock band which performed the music of The Beatles, Grand Funk Railroad, Carlos Santana, and Black Sabbath. He began studying classical piano at the age of 16, and became proficient enough to win a scholarship as a piano major at Park College (today Park University). In August 1978, hardly three months after finishing college, Doktorski's life changed dramatically when he joined the Hare Krishna movement at the rural New Vrindaban Community in Marshall County, West Virginia. He composed music and performed for the three daily temple services (5:00 am, noon, and 7:00 pm). During this time, at the request of his guru, he picked up his accordion again after many years, and began playing it during the evening services. The accordion was a hit, and several monks asked him to teach them how to play. He formed and directed an accordion orchestra that gave their debut performance at the Wheeling City of Lights Parade on November 17, 1989. This accordion ensemble won trophies at the American Accordion Musicological Society convention (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, March 1990), the American Accordionists Association convention (Washington D.C., July 1990), and the Accordion Teacher's Guild 50th Anniversary Celebration (Kansas City, Missouri, August 1990).[11] Doktorski himself won first place in the American Accordion Musicological Society virtuoso solo competition. Recordings: The second piece I've never heard before and is beautiful. https://youtu.be/gRuE-WKO8r0? list=PLdyIHrSsyU2H8fT61Ib2jkfr0ok-374W_ https://youtu.be/FrOHDEMOhkc? list=PLdyIHrSsyU2H8fT61Ib2jkfr0ok-374W_ • Barbara Duer, oard of Directors

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From the board · May 2017

Vol. 16, No. 10

Hello everyone. It's that time when we start preparing for the concert in August. This is our fifth concert. Our concerts have all been successful, allowing members an opportunity to play for a larger audience, and to share our accordion music with the community. Please be prepared to sign up at the May meeting if you plan to play in the concert. If you are not at the May meeting, please call me at 405/205-6565 to sign up. Be prepared to play at the June and July meetings to practice and get tips for your performance. This month, I thought I'd write about Dick Contino, since Dick Albreski brought my attention to him when he died recently: Dick Contino (January 17, 1930 - April 19, 2017) was an American accordionist and singer. Contino was born in Fresno, California. He studied accordion primarily with San Francisco-based Angelo Cognazzo, and occasionally with Los Angeles-based Guido Deiro. Early on he exhibited great virtuosity on the instrument. Contino got his big break on December 7, 1947, when he played "Lady of Spain" (his signature piece) and won first place in the Horace Heidt/Philip Morris talent contest in Fresno, which was broadcast on national radio. Contino also won first place in subsequent competitions in Los Angeles, Omaha, Des Moines, Youngstown, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and New York City. Contino's song "Yours" was his first hit single. The song reached #27 on the U.S. pop charts in 1954. His second and only other hit single was "Pledge My Love." It reached #42 on the U.S. pop charts in 1957. Dick Contino playing "Lady of Spain": https://youtu.be/ J9_2EkaxIIY Dick Contino playing "Arrivederci Roma": https://youtu.be/ MJWI85JHVQ8

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From the board · April 2017

Vol. 16, No. 9

Hello Everyone, April is the month for our annual Pizza Party. Call Karen West at 405/949-0394 or e-mail at accordion_karen@yahoo.com to make reservations. Give Karen your pizza choice: cheese, pepperoni, supreme, or veggie. Remember, we will be signing up for the August concert at the May meeting, so have your music selected by then. Participants in the concert are required to play their musical selection at the June or July meeting. Because of time constraints, members will probably be limited to one musical number. We ran 45 minutes over the planned two-hour concert last year. It will depend on how many people sign up. I recently started Argentine tango lessons. I didn't know there was a difference in tango dance and music. The Argentine tango is a walking tango, and not as difficult as the tango dancing I've seen. Here are examples of the Argentine tango. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/VTAP_Oz5cnU https://youtu.be/3z90I14wKx8 • Barbara Fun Band and the Youth Band. Barbara Duer, Maggie Abel, Lois Roth, Lou LeBrun, Sharon Fox, Janet Haskin, Barbara Mahar, Toni Paulding, and Annette Zongker made the Fun Band a success. The students: Matthew Medley, and Lazarus and Job Elliott were perfect accordionists, both in band participation and individual solos. They made my job as conductor a thrill. • Dick Many Thanks

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From the board · March 2017

Vol. 16, No. 8

Hello everyone. I'm packing for the National Accordion Association convention today. This is the first year I've been able to arrive on Wednesday, so I'll get to practice more with the Fun Band. I enjoy the accordion music and all the workshops, but most of all I look forward to seeing the friends I've made through the years. I'm covering Frankie Yankovic this month: Frank John "Frankie" Yankovic (July 28, 1915 - October 14, 1998) was a Grammy Award-winning polka musician. Known as "America's Polka King," Yankovic was considered the premier artist to play in the Slovenian style during his long career. Yankovic acquired an accordion at age 9, and received a few lessons. By the late 1920s, in his early teenage years, he was a working musician, playing for community events. In the 1930s, he formed a business relationship with Joe Trolli, and began making radio appearances on stations such as WJAY and WGAR. Yankovic hit the national scene when he earned two platinum singles for "Just Because" (1947) and "Blue Skirt Waltz," which sold over 4 million records total in 1949. It was the second Clevelandstyle song to sell over one million recordings. At his peak, Yankovic traveled extensively, and performed 325 shows a year. He sold 30 million records during his lifetime. Just Because: https://youtu.be/uA6S1KNfW_o Blue Skirt Waltz: https://youtu.be/we13AEaw6rQ See you at our St. Patrick's Day Meeting on the third Sunday of March.

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From the board · February 2017

Vol. 16, No. 7

Hello, everyone. Hope you all come to the February meeting, we have lots of good music planned. The OAC Band will be playing, and the Lois-Barbara-Karen Trio for starters. March 8-12 is the National Accordion Convention. I'm going again, and this will be my sixth year. Of course, the Convention is about the accordion, but for me it's about seeing the friends I've made over the last few years. I do play the accordion, but get to play my banjo too, as the rhythm instrument for the Fun Band. I found this 2015 advertisement and other music from previous Conventions on YouTube. You'll see several people from our Club: • https://youtu.be/LYJOwcts-cs Fun Band: • https://youtu.be/yTKTn8kuoZo The Advanced Orchestra: • https://youtu.be/crmb5mmpHK0 Tony Lovello: • https://youtu.be/a7Bs3ZYpW4w Wonderful Memories, Enjoy!

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From the board · January 2017

Barbara Duer

Vol. 16, No. 6

Winter is a nice time to review our music and see what we want to practice this year. I have pulled out the Frosini again. He is still one of my favorite composers. Even though his music is hard, it's worth the effort. Now is the time to pick out music for the concert next summer, too. I thought this was an interesting article on the accordion, and how it spread around the world. MIGRATION OF THE ACCORDION Between 1750 and 1850, the population in Europe almost doubled to 255 million people. Consequently, people in the industrial regions became poorer. In Germany, for example, between 1841 and 1913, over six million Germans emigrated to avoid poverty. Many sought fortune in America, and some took their instruments with them -- mostly harmonikas that reminded them of their homeland. Some accordion manufacturers also emigrated. Amongst them were brothers Carl and Wilhelm Zimmerman of Castlefidardo. They founded an accordion factory in Philadelphia. In a few years, Carl went to Latin America and went missing. In 1864, the firm in Castlefidardo was taken over by Ernst Louis Arnolds, and developed into a leading accordion manufacturer. They became large exporters. In those days, harmonikas were one of the few products sold worldwide. In 1860 Arnold's company produced 218,400 accordions, and export continued to grow. Many Europeans migrated to Latin America, and consequently, accordions were distributed in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Uruguay, Columbia, and Ecuador. Colonization by European powers was also responsible for the spread of the accordion, from Germany to America, Africa, China, the Pacific, and the Caribbean. The accordion was originally a reminder for the migrants of their former homelands, but evolved into a very popular instrument in these countries, often with its own unique style. Whether the accordion became part of the Cajun or Zydeco music of the southern states of the USA or the Brazilian tangos, it started off as a reminder of what was once home. © 2017 Accordions Worldwide • All rights reserved.

— Barbara Duer

From the board · December 2016

Vol. 16, No. 5

Happy Holidays, everyone. At the December meeting we will have a celebration with Christmas songs, food, and the annual auction for the Youth. We also bring hats, scarves and gloves to be donated to the homeless. This month our Member, Lou LeBrun, is sharing her experience of taking lessons from the famous teacher and accordionist, Galla- Rini. Studying With Galla-Rini!!! In the year 1945, my accordion teacher - a man and wife team -- moved to Arizona. My departing teachers told my parents that I needed to study with Galla-Rini, but his lessons were $10 an hour. This was a lot of money for my parents, but they took me over to Galla-Rini's for an interview. It was difficult for my parents to afford it, so Galla-Rini agreed he would take me on as a student for one lesson a month. I took three streetcars on that day each month so I could take my lesson, using his son's accordion. Galla-Rini was a tough taskmaster. His concentration was on teaching students to interpret classical music properly. He was a perfectionist, and expected his students to be the same. There were many lessons when I felt I had let him down, not because he was hard on me, but because he was the kind of teacher you did not want to disappoint. He was a master of the accordion, especially the lefthand, and tried to instill that in his students. In addition to my monthly lesson, I lived for one Saturday a month, because that was the day that eight of us crammed into his little living room and practiced accordion music together. Thank goodness there was no charge for that. After several years of my studies with this "giant" of the accordion, he started his tours and taught less and less. I was out of high school by this time, and started teaching at a big studio in California, using some of the same techniques as Galla-Rini did for me. I only wish I had more years with him, but I am thankful for what I had. Lou LeBrun Fun With Lou LeBrun

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From the board · November 2016

Vol. 16, No. 4

Hello everyone. We had a small but very enjoyable meeting in October. I think almost everyone there played the accordion for us. I hope we have lots of music at the November meeting. For this newsletter, I'd like to present Anthony Galla-Rini: Galla-Rini was born in Manchester, Connecticut, the third of seven children to John and Angela Galla-Rini, an Italian immigrant family. He toured the United States with his family, playing with such Vaudeville stars as Mae West, The Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Jimmy Durante, and Eddie Cantor. After his sisters dropped out of the family's act when he was twelve, Galla-Rini's accordion playing became more important to the act as his father John played a more diverse range of instruments. It was at this time Galla-Rini realized the accordion was a complete musical instrument in itself, devoting more time and attention to the accordion, and eventually abandoning all other musical instruments in favor of the accordion. Vaudeville ended with the advent of motion with sound, forcing Galla-Rini's family to find other forms of work. Galla-Rini decided to open an accordion studio in San Francisco. He established himself as a teacher, writing both accordion instruction books and also various music for the instrument. https://youtu.be/S2SZeprIOss https://youtu.be/g_ouZ3UGfwI?list=PLdV7iO0xXQOVlZwTgL1uKzgevjrZIjSx

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From the board · October 2016

Vol. 16, No. 3

Hello everyone. The Club has been busy for several months with the August Concert and Septemberfest, and both events were very successful. In October we will celebrate Oktoberfest with polkas and ethnic music, or any other music you would like to play. Our next special event will be the annual Christmas Party. I'm covering Frankie Yankovic this month and next. He was an important figure in advancing interest in the accordion, especially Slovenian style polkas. Frankie Yankovic was born July 28, 1915, in Davis, West Virginia, and died October 14, 1998, in New Port Richey, Florida. He was a Grammy Award-winning polka musician. Known as "America's Polka King," Yankovic was considered the premier artist to play in the Slovenian style during his long career. Born to Slovenian immigrant parents, Yankovic was raised in South Euclid, Ohio. He released over 200 recordings in his career. In 1986 he was awarded the first ever Grammy in the "Best Polka Recording" category. He rarely strayed from the Slovenian-style polka, but did record with country guitarist Chet Atkins and pop singer Don Everly. He also recorded a version of the "Too Fat Polka" with comedian Drew Carey. Yankovic's father, a blacksmith, and his mother, a cook, met in a lumber camp in West Virginia where they both worked. When Yankovic was young, his father moved to Cleveland to escape authorities who learned of his bootlegging, and the rest of the family followed shortly thereafter. While living in Cleveland, he became enthralled by the brass bands that played at Slovenian social functions. His mother took on boarders to help with the family finances, including a man named Max Zelodec who performed Slovenian tunes on a button box. Yankovic acquired an accordion at age 9, and received a few lessons from Zelodec. By the late 1920s, in his early teenage years, he was a working musician, playing for community events. In the 1930s, he formed a business relationship with Joe Trolli, and began making radio appearances on stations such as WJAY and WGAR. As his reputation spread, he sought opportunities to make phonograph records, but the major labels turned him down. His first records were made for the Yankee and Joliet labels, operated by Fred Wolf, and the expenses were paid for by Yankovic himself. Videos of Frankie and his band https://youtu.be/__9xyJ1Oouo "Who Stole the Kishka" https://youtu.be/uA6S1KNfW_o "Just Because"

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From the board · September 2016

Vol. 16, No. 2

Hello everyone. The fourth annual Oklahoma Accordion Club Concert at Czech Hall was a great success. We had over 300 in attendance, and they appeared to enjoy themselves. The participants from our Club did a wonderful job, and Lucas Ross entertained the crowd between acts. Lucas has a gift for entertaining an audience with his down-home humor. The concert went 45 minutes too long, so we will have to work on ending a little sooner next year. We have to find a way to move participants along a little faster, and not take so much time between acts. At the September 11 meeting we will celebrate our Septemberfest. The Club will provide a banquet of German food for members and their guests. The delicacies will include brats, hotdogs, sauerkraut, German potato salad, and dessert. We will also play lots of polkas and waltzes. Call Karen West at 405/949-0394 to make reservations by September 8 so we know how much food to prepare. Here are a couple groups playing polkas that I found entertaining. "Trumpet Echo Polka" by the Big Squeeze Band https://youtu.be/aUAH-T5-RQ0 "Tiroler Polka" https://youtu.be/dRm0E54lM_g See you at the meeting,

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From the board · August 2016

Vol. 16, No. 1

The fourth Oklahoma Accordion Club free concert is a couple weeks away at this writing. Previous concerts have been very successful, with standing room only and enjoyed by all. The concerts -- plus advertising -- have done a lot to bring new people into the Club and to make people in the Oklahoma area more aware of the OAC. Preparation and playing in the concert gives a focus to the Club (and another reason to practice -- it's a good thing all around!!!) We are very proud of Bob Mansfield who played accordion in the orchestra for the recent presentation of "Fiddler on the Roof" at the Civic Center. The "Fiddler" presentation was very, very good, and attended by several members of the Club. We loved it! In September we will have our annual Septemberfest, with dinner provided for members and their guests. We will have kraut, hotdogs, brats, lots of dessert, polkas, and other ethnic music. We will have a great time and hope you will all come (CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC). Origin of the Polka First appearing in the early 1830s as a peasant dance, the polka was livelier than the dances that preceded it, such as the gavotte, minuet, polonaise, and waltz. After being introduced into the elite ballrooms of Prague in 1835, it became popular among both the elite and the common people. By 1840, the polka had been introduced to Paris, where it quickly became popular in the many salons and ballrooms, becoming popular even with some who had previously been uninterested in dancing. As the polka gained popularity, prominent musicians of the time -- even the famous Vienna composers Johann Strauss I and his son Johann Strauss II, who were well known for their waltzes -- also composed polkas. Polkas from You Tube: Karl's Country Dutchmen playing an Austrian Tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAXhrZ6MVXA Superfast French Polka: https://youtu.be/kWw0ws3tYLE See you at the concert,

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From the board · July 2016

Vol. 15, No. 12

Hi everyone, It's July and we have about six weeks to get everything ready for the Concert in August, including the musical pieces we will be playing. We will have to limit groups and soloists to five minutes of playing to complete the concert in two hours. Karen and Maggie are busy getting the posters and advertisements out to the community for the Concert. Karen and Maggie do great work, and it's thanks to them that we had such a successful turnout for last summer's Concert. I want to end the concert again with "God Bless America," and have everyone who plays in the Concert come up on the stage or stand just below the stage and lead the playing and singing of "God Bless America." Then, we can all take a final bow. I heard Charles Nunzio play on YouTube one day, and decided to write about him and post videos of his playing for the next couple months. Charles Nunzio Born in Sicily, he came to the U.S. at the age of eight, and his parents settled in Newark. He became a world-famous accordionist, teacher, composer, and arranger. He had a music studio in Newark and later in Nutley, where he trained many champion accordionists who became successful professional artists. He made his debut in a recital at Town Hall in 1933, and an appearance in Carnegie Hall the following year. In 1938 Charles Nunzio became a founding Board member of the American Accordionists Association, along with Pietro Frosini, Abe Goldman, Sydney Dawson, Anthony Galla-Rini, Charles Magnante, Pietro Deiro, Gene Von Hallberg, Joe Biviano, John Gart, Sam Roland, and Byron Streep. Charles Nunzio, 97, passed away on October 19, 2010. http://www.accordionusa.com/fe_06_03.htm To be continued Enjoy,

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From the board · June 2016

Barbara Duer

Vol. 15, No. 11

Hello everyone. We have lots to do this summer. At the June meeting, we will vote on increasing the dues to $20.00 a year for individual members, $8.00 a year for family members, and $300 for a lifetime member. We are also in the planning stages of the concert in August at Czech Hall. If you haven't signed up, you can do so at the June meeting, then practice playing for us when you are ready. It's good to use the meetings for practicing with an audience. Lou Le Brun and I played at the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Missouri a few days ago. I believe members of the audience had never before heard ragtime played on accordion, accompanied by the banjo. We had a good turnout, and the people really seemed to enjoy the sound. The banjo really adds to the ragtime sound. I had a great time. A little more about Magnante During the peak of his career, he reached the point where he was doing as many as 31 radio broadcasts, and an average of eight recording dates in a single week. His audiences ranged from small intimate groups to packed auditoriums of 3,000. One of his greatest thrills was at the Civic Stadium in Buffalo, New York, when he played for an audience of over 40,000 people. One of Magnante's best-known compositions is the novelty solo "Accordiana" that he composed in exactly 20 minutes. His textbooks, arrangements, and original compositions are numbered by the hundreds, and include popular, classical, jazz, and boogie-woogie. https://youtu.be/wXd3INYBX24 "Dark Eyes" played by Charles Magnante https://youtu.be/oJfrUGmqxGc "Two Guitars" played by Charles Magnante Enjoy,

— Barbara Duer

From the board · May 2016

Barbara Duer

Vol. 15, No. 10

Hello everyone. I'll start off with the business news. Due to economic conditions, the OAC board is recommending raising the dues to $20 a year, with $10 for each additional family member, and raising the

— Barbara Duer

From the board · April 2016

Vol. 15, No. 9

Hello everyone. April is the month for our annual Pizza Party. Call Karen West at 405/949-0394 to make reservations. Also, give Karen your pizza choice: cheese, pepperoni, supreme, or veggie. Remember, we will be signing up for the August concert at the May meeting, so have your music selected by then. If you aren't at the meeting you can e-mail me at bduer@sbcglobal.net to reserve your spot. Last year, because of time constrictions, each player or group was limited to five minutes. I am continuing to explore Charles Magnante, another Accordion Master in playing, transposing, and composing. You can explore the sites by holding down the control key and clicking in the following: Charles Magnante started his professional career playing in Italian restaurants, and on the Staten Island Ferry. However, he wanted to break free from the "O Sole Mio image" of the stereotypical Italian- American accordionist, which his audiences expected to hear. In the 1940s, he was the leader of a successful trio with guitarist Tony Mottola and organist George Wright, and played regularly on NBC radio broadcasts. He worked also as a sought-after studio musician.[1] At the peak of his career, he played 30 live radio broadcasts (including The Jack Berch Show[3]) and eight studio sessions each week. He performed also as a solo concert musician, and once performed a solo concert at the Civic Stadium of Buffalo, New York for an audience of 40,000 (From Wikepedia). From YouTube: "Waltz Allegro" by Mario Pedone: https://youtu.be/Dh8xKylSXLE "Accordion Boogie": https://youtu.be/hrhqqfxvhnc Enjoy,

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From the board · March 2016

Vol. 15, No. 8

Hello everyone. I'll start with a reminder that our March meeting will be held on the third Sunday of March because several members will be returning from the NAC in Dallas on the second Sunday. In March, we celebrate St. Patrick's Day and play lots of Irish music, so come prepared to play your favorites, and also join the Accordionaires for a medley of Irish tunes. For the next several months, I thought we could focus on Charles Magnante. I'll write about him in the newsletter and encourage any of you who would like to prepare solos he composed and/or arranged. We would like everyone to contribute. I have the music for several of his solos, if any of you need the music. Charles Magnante (1905-1986) was an American pianoaccordionist, arranger, composer, author, and educator. His artistry helped raise the image of the accordion from an instrument considered suitable only for folk music to an instrument accepted in many music genres. Here are a couple links to YouTube so you can hear and see him: https://youtu.be/zP5qCHK1MSo https://youtu.be/aKj8GUaFDIw

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From the board · February 2016

Barbara Duer

Vol. 15, No. 7

Hello everyone. A note about March, because many members will be at the NAA convention in Dallas, we are moving the March meeting to the third Sunday. It's also St. Patrick's month, so be ready to play Irish music. At the February meeting, Dick Albreski and I will play three songs by Frosini. Hopefully a few other members will play "Autumn Breeze" with us. Frosini's music is beautiful, but I've found it very difficult. It's like every musical piece he wrote is also a lesson with some very difficult techniques for the student. I'm the student in this case. I've worked on the Frosini for about six months -- I need a little more time, but will attempt to play it now. Frosini made one of the first accordion recordings on a cylinder record for Edison in 1907, and made his first Victor recording in 1908. He traveled extensively on the Vaudeville circuit in America and abroad, and even performed for the King of England. On the Vaudeville circuit, Frosini met and became friends with another great accordionist, Guido Deiro. After seeing the great success Deiro had with his audiences, Frosini adopted some of Deiro's methods: (1) He began playing popular music along with classical and operatic selections, and (2) He pasted a dummy piano accordion keyboard over his buttons, as audiences wanted to hear the more novel and unfamiliar piano accordion. Frosini gave up Vaudeville in 1932, when the "talkies" closed most Vaudeville companies. He then became a staff accordionist for WOR radio in New York, a position he held until his death in 1951. Throughout his career, he performed, taught, composed, and arranged music for the accordion. He wrote more than 200 original compositions for the instrument. Today there is a Frosini Society based in Sweden. You can hear many Frosini compositions on YouTube.

— Barbara Duer

From the board · January 2016

Vol. 15, No. 6

It's that time of year again. Yes, it's time to start going through your music and select a few pieces that might be appropriate for the concert in August. By May, everyone should have selected their music and be able to play it well. Then, we have the summer to polish and improve. In February, Dick and I will play a couple Frosini pieces. We would like as many people as possible to play Frosini's "Autumn Breezes" with us, so I'll bring some copies to the January meeting. Several of you already have a copy. We'll have a quick practice before the February meeting. It's for the fun of playing together, not perfection, so please join us. Pietro Frosini (1885-1951) was one of the first famous "stars of the accordion." He was born in Catania, Sicily in 1885, and began to play the chromatic at the age of six. In 1905, he immigrated to San Francisco, and was discovered by a talent scout for the Orpheum Vaudeville Circuit. Frosini made one of the first accordion recordings on a cylinder record for Edison in 1907, and made his first Victor recording in 1908. He traveled extensively on the vaudeville circuit in America and abroad, and even performed for the king of England. To be continued in February.

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From the board · December 2015

Barbara Duer

Vol. 15, No. 6

We're going to have a wonderful Christmas party for the December meeting. The Youth are playing, Lou Le Brun is playing, the Band is playing, there's a sing-a-long, and there will be much more. And we'll be having a final vote for board members for the next two years. I think it's been a very successful year. I'm including "Ragtime Jingle Bells," a song I transposed years ago for the Banjo Band. I think you'll have fun with it. You can find it on of this Squeezins.

— Barbara Duer

From the board · November 2015

Barbara Duer

Vol. 15, No. 5

We will nominate board members for the next two years at our November meeting, and vote in December. The new board will take ofﬁce in January 2016. We need to elect all board positions except treasurer. So, please have your nominations ready so we can prepare for our future. At the November meeting, Dick Albreski and I will play three compositions written by Guido Deiro. We will only play three numbers because I could only ﬁnd three I could play. Count Guido Deiro (older brother of Pietro) began his career in 1910 at San Francisco's American Theater, and was billed as "Deiro -- American Premier Piano-Accordionist." He became a celebrity on the Vaudeville circuit, making up to $600 per week, a phenomenal income in those days. For two decades, he was the greatest and most popular accordionist on stage, on record, on radio, even in the movies. At the time, he was even more popular than his younger brother Pietro and friend Pietro Frosini. (to be continued in December).

— Barbara Duer

From the board · October 2015

Vol. 15, No. 4

It's been a very busy last few months. The summer was devoted to the concert, then our Septemberfest celebration that also was a great success. Thank you to everyone who helped with it. I'm ready for a rest. I'm still practicing the banjo and accordion.

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From the board · September 2015

Vol. 15, No. 3

Hello Club Members, I think this issue of the newsletter is going to be about celebrating the success of our concert at Czech Hall in August. I arrived an hour early, and the first good sign was people were already coming. We started setting up the chairs, and the audience was filling them as fast as we could put them down. People just kept coming. It was so exciting. Everyone played well, and the audience loved us!! We have the pictures to prove it. Chester Weems of Yukon took some wonderful pictures of the audience, and gave them to us. Thank you, Chester. A representative of Czech Hall said that when all the chairs are full, that's 325 people. We also had standing room only, so there were over 325 people attending. It was so nice not to have to turn people away. Just a reminder: Now is the time to pick out your music for the concert next August. Pick out four pieces you like, and get started. Recitals, when taking lessons, are often yearly and, in my experience, most of the music took a year to learn to play well. I'm working on music right now that will take me over a year to play well, hopefully. And remember: CALL ME TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS FOR THE SEPTEMBERFEST DINNER ON SEPTEMBER 13 at 3:30. My phone is 405/721-9657 I will skip the third installment of "Rustic Dance" this month, so we'll have more room for photos. • Barbara Duer, oard of Directors

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From the board · August 2015

Tom Phillips

Vol. 15, No. 2

The third OAC concert is just a week away. The concert is a lot of work for members of the committee and performers, but from what I've experienced, well worth the effort. I personally have benefitted from getting to know many of the members better. Working together brings us together to produce something very much enjoyed by members of the community we entertain. Each year we have had a great feeling of accomplishment from successful concerts. Another benefit of the concert is the result of advertising that lets people know there is an accordion club. I've had two calls from people to donate accordions, a call from a person that produced a gig for the Accordionaires, and a possible new member who found out about us from the newspaper article. Septemberfest is the next item on our calendar. At Septemberfest, the Club provides a great dinner of German food for members and their guests. I need your reservations as soon as possible, so we can determine how much food to buy and prepare. Call me at 405/721-9657 to make reservations. I'm working on having short programs for some of the upcoming Club meetings. September is the Septemberfest dinner; in October, Bob Mansfield will entertain us with "Polkas Around the World;" in November, Dick Albreski and I will present a brief history and the music of Frosini; and the Youth Band will entertain us at the December meeting. I'll see you at the Concert,

— Tom Phillips

From the board · July 2015

Vol. 15, No. 1

Members of the concert committee are moving forward with advertising and details for the concert. So far, everything is going as planned. We have 23 solos/duets/groups that will be playing. This is wonderful to have so much participation. We have a great club. Because the concert is only two hours long, we must ask each soloist or group to limit playing time to five minutes. I am currently working on three pieces by Frosini: "Autumn Breezes" (easy), "Florette" (hard), and "Rag in D Minor" (not so hard). Frosini's music is very interesting and challenging. He definitely has his own style, the music doesn't go where one would expect in notation, especially the left hand. The left hand notation in "Rag in D Minor" is quite fun. So, try some Frosini if you'd like a new challenge. I can get music to you if you are interested. I'm including the second installment of "Rustic Dance" elsewhere in this issue of Squeezins. • Barbara Q: What's the difference between an accordion and a concertina? A: The accordion takes longer to burn. Q: What do you call a cow that plays the accordion? A: A moo-sician

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From the board · June 2015

Vol. 14, No. 12

We are celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma Accordion Club this month. I am grateful to the people who did the work to start this Club. I have had a wonderful time, made new friends, and am a much better musician and accordion player because of the Club and our members. I am including the first three lines of "Rustic Dance" in this issue of the Squeezins, see . I went on EBay last year and found a version for the accordion, and was delighted to be able to play it again. "Rustic Dance" is a piece of music that was in one of my piano lesson books growing up -- I have always loved it. It was the only song I played that my father liked. (He did not like the classical songs that were the bulk of piano lessons at the time). It's 12 lines long, so I'll put three lines in each newsletter for the next four months. It's much easier to play on the accordion than the piano because the accordion basses are easier than stride bass on the piano. Here's the posting that goes with the YouTube posting of "Rustic Dance." (Just type "Rustic Dance" in YouTube, and you'll get to hear it). I believe this "catchy" tune was written in 1898, just at the beginning of the ragtime era. I have seen versions dated in the '30s, but have also seen sheet music of it from the 1890s. It was Grandpa's favorite piano piece, and he often asked Grandma to play it for him. The tune rattled around in my head all these years, and I finally had to learn it for myself.

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From the board · May 2015

Vol. 14, No. 11

From now through August, our Club will be focusing on the upcoming concert in August. Members who plan to participate in the concert should start playing their musical selections for the group at the May meeting. This will give participants practice playing in front of a group, and perhaps get pointers on improving your music. I'm including the music for "Ashokan Farewell" in the newsletter this month. It's a beautiful waltz, and I think we are all familiar with it. "Ashokan Farewell" is a waltz in D major, composed by Jay Ungar in the style of a Scottish lament. Jay Ungar describes the song coming out of "a sense of loss and longing." The most famous arrangement of the piece begins with a solo violin, later accompanied by guitar and upright bass. Ashokan was the name of a Catskill Region village that is now mostly covered by the Ashokan Reservoir. In 1984, filmmaker Ken Burns heard "Ashokan Farewell" and was moved by it. He used it in two of his films: The Civil War, which features the original recording by Fiddle Fever in the beginning of the film, and his 1985 documentary Huey Long. The Civil War drew the most national attention to the piece. It is played 25 times throughout the eleven-hour series, including during the emotional reading of Sullivan Ballou's letter to his wife in the first episode. It underlies nearly an hour of film. Viewers of The Civil War frequently believe the melody is a traditional tune from the Civil War era. However, it is the only modern composition in the documentary's soundtrack. All other music is authentic 19th-century music.[3]

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From the board · April 2015

Vol. 14, No. 10

It's time to choose your music for the concert. Everyone has an opportunity to perform. My advice is to choose a piece you already know to some extent, maybe not perfected yet. I wouldn't choose a new piece at this late date. Start really practicing every day your piece (or pieces) of music. Break it into sections, especially the areas where you have problems, and just practice those areas. Start playing your music at every meeting so you get used to playing in front of an audience, and we're a nice friendly audience. Start this month, you'll have four opportunities and four months to get your selections ready. You can also consider having someone play a rhythm instrument to accompany you. It adds to the entertainment (and can also cover up mistakes). See you all at the meeting.

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From the board · March 2015

Vol. 14, No. 9

As I write this and look outside, there's four inches of snow on the ground. I sure hope we have some warmer weather in March. Of course, being stuck inside is a good time to practice our accordions. Our meetings continue to be very entertaining. Dick Albreski's Fun Band and the Youth Band played music that they will be presenting at the Convention. I am so grateful to Dick for the time he spends developing the music for these groups. I've played in the Fun Band for four years now at the Convention, and it's great to practice with everyone, and then to play at the Convention. February is a winter month with not too much to do, so the practices are welcoming. I've explored Zydeco music this month. Here's a little about it. Zydeco is dance music played by Creole French speaking people of African descent who historically lived on the prairies of southwest Louisiana. At its core, it is the sound of an accordion paired with the scrapping of a rub-board. Cajun and Creole people have lived and worked side by side for generations. They have shared and traded many aspects of their cultures, including music. Some Zydeco songs are played by Cajun bands, and some Cajun songs are played by Zydeco groups, but they are two different types of music. One major difference is that you'll find accordions, fiddles, and steel guitars (rare now) in Cajun groups, but not in Zydeco bands -- where you will find accordions and rub-boards.

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From the board · February 2015

Vol. 14, No. 8

It's time to think about the National Accordion Association Convention coming up the 5th, 6th, and 7th of March. I've attended the Convention the last three years, and had a wonderful time. I become aware of Klezmer music a couple years ago from one of Gordon Kohl's workshops, and started searching on-line for more. I now have enough Klezmer music to keep me challenged for a long time. Every year, I meet new people and renew friendships, so each year it's more fun. I use the time at the Convention to play my accordion. I take music I've wanted to work on, and new music I buy from Mario Pedone, then play in my room first thing in the morning and during breaks all day long. I've played in Dick Albreski's Fun Band every year at the Convention. It's fun playing at the Convention, but as much fun is the practicing at Dick's house to learn the music. We fill up Dick's living room and have a good time. I started playing the banjo in the Fun Band the second year as a rhythm instrument to keep the group together. Didn't think I'd get to play the banjo again when I joined the Accordion Club. There are probably 20 or more people from Oklahoma City going to the Convention, not counting the youth. So, come and join us if you can. • Barbara Duer I'm including the second half of the Russia song, "Volga Boat Song" in another part of this newsletter.

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From the board · January 2015

Barbara Duer

Vol. 14, No. 7

It's a new year. 2014 was a wonderful year for the Oklahoma Accordion Club. We have new members, the concert was a success (as usual), and the Christmas party was great!!!! I've had a wonderful time. Tom did a great job auctioning off the items we brought to raise money for the Youth Band. Thank you, Tom. Our donations help pay for the Youth Band's expenses at the accordion convention in Plano in March. Dick does a great job with the youth, and each student gets to play a solo. It's a great experience for young people. Thanks to everyone who played at the December meeting. Let's keep it up!! I'm still gathering interesting data on Russian Music. This month, it's the "Volga Boatmen Song." The "Song of the Volga Boatmen" (known in Russian as [Ey, ukhnem! "yo, heave-ho!"], after the refrain) is a well-known traditional Russian song collected by Mily Balakirev, and published in his book of folk songs in 1866. It was sung by burlaks, or bargehaulers, on the Volga River. Balakirev published it with only one verse (the first). The other two verses were added at a later date. Ilya Repin's famous painting, Barge Haulers on the Volga, depicts such burlaks in Tsarist Russia toiling along the Volga. The song was popularized by Feodor Chaliapin, and has been a favorite concert piece of bass singers ever since. Glenn Miller's jazz arrangement took the song to #1 in the US charts in 1941. I'm sharing half of the "Volga Boatmen Song." I think this is a particularly nice arrangement, although you can only see half of it this month. I'll bring copies of the complete arrangement to the meeting, and I'll also play it.

— Barbara Duer

From the board · December 2014

Barbara Duer

Vol. 14, No. 6

Wow, I can't believe how wonderful our meetings have become. George, Bob, and Dick play very interesting difficult tunes. They inspire me to practice more. And just as important are the members who haven't been playing as long. Thank you Tim, Wayne, and Tom for playing for us. It's fun to watch and listen to you get better all the time. Some of us have been playing since childhood. Frankie is back!!! What a great sound. I really enjoyed Frankie's group, and even Magdalena got involved. The Accordionaires are an important part of our Club, and hearing them play as we arrive is so welcoming. Type "Hans Palm Accordion" into your browser to get free Scandinavian music. I'm exploring Russian music. There are many, many ethnic areas in Russia. So, of course there's a great variety of music. I am including a Russian waltz I found on-line at a free site. It's one of those songs that is so beautiful that I play it over and over. One thing for sure as this waltz will show, Russian music is loaded with feeling!! I hope you enjoy it, too. I'll play it at the next meeting. ! December 2014! The Oklahoma Squeezins 2

— Barbara Duer

From the board · November 2014

Vol. 14, No. 5

Accordion Bellows & The Bicycle Theory© Pulling or pushing the bellows = Pedaling Relaxing the bellows = Coasting Why? Imbalance in ratios of Bass & Chord notes to Melody; 5:1 on Basses / 9:1 on Chords ! For examples, when the C Bass Button on a full-size accordion is depressed, five Cs sound at the same time, while only one melodic note is sounded. When the C Chord Button is depressed, three of the higher five Cs sound. Multiply that by three notes of a chord, and nine notes sound at the same time, while only one melodic note is sounded. Richard Wagner said, "Look for the melody (melos). It should float to the top like a cork." Maintain a sensible balance in your music by "pedaling" (broad and strong) on the Basses, & "coasting" (lighter and softer) on the Chords, thus allowing your music to breathe, show contrast, and convey a range of emotions. If the bellows have a constant pull or push, your music may sound relentless, tawdry, "corny," tiring, or sometimes even irritating. Here's another favorite quote: "The bellows to the accordion is like the bow to the violin. It's the heart of the instrument." Dale E. Wise, M.M.E. Accordion Plus, LLC POB 53 Burr Hill, VA 22433 Bellows !Page ! November 2014! The Oklahoma Squeezins 2

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From the board · October 2014

Vol. 14, No. 4

Swiss Folk Music and the Accordion ! Due to a lack of detailed records, little is known about Swiss folk music prior to the nineteenth century. Traditional instruments, included alphorn, hammered dulcimer, fife, hurdy-gurdy, castanets, rebec, bagpipe, cittern, and shawm. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Swiss folk music was largely performed by ensembles made of itinerant musicians and solo acts using one instrument, with only a few duos. In the 1830s, however, the Swiss military was reorganized, leading to the formation of brass bands that used modern instruments. These instruments -- mostly brass or wind -- were built much better than those played by itinerants, and musicians brought them back to their villages. Local players joined these ensembles, which played dance music for festivals and other celebrations. Dance styles included schottische, mazurka, waltz, and polka. In 1829, the accordion was invented in Vienna, and it had spread to Switzerland by 1836. The accordion was popular because it was relatively easy to play, cheap to acquire, and took only one musician to play the melody and accompaniment. By the 1850s, the accordion was an integral part of Swiss folk music, and semi-professional ensembles were appearing to play at large social dances. Alongside the brass bands came string instruments like the violin and double bass. string bands soon began to displace the older brass bands. The accordion, however, did not make an appearance in these dance bands until about 1903, and it eventually replaced the two violins that had become standard. The earliest Swiss accordions were the typically oneor two-row diatonic button accordions, which carried on in Switzerland as the Langnauerli, named for Langnau in canton Bern. The Langnauerli usually has one treble row of buttons, and two bass/chord buttons on the left hand, much like the accordion used in Cajun music (minus the stops), but is sometimes seen with two or three rows on a stepped keyboard. The Schwyzerörgeli accordion was a further development from the 1880s, with changes in the treble fingering and a flat keyboard (not stepped), and unisonoric basses.The Schwyzeroergeli is a type of Continued on !Page ! October 2014! The Oklahoma Squeezins 2

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From the board · September 2014

Vol. 14, No. 3

Congratulations on a great concert. What a success. You all did so well. We'll do it again next year, hopefully in a larger venue. For the last year, I have been buying Hungarian and Klezmer music on EBay. This is the stuff I love to play, and until attending a workshop at the convention in Dallas, didn't know where it was from, and that it had a name. I have always liked Hungarian music. I "played at" Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody #2" on the piano when I was young. I found the accordion arrangement on EBay a few months ago. I can't play it yet, but it makes me happy just to mess with it. This "Rhapsody" has many of the themes from folk songs that make it so fun to listen to. The following document somewhat explains how Hungarian music is mixed with their folk music and their own sense of music: --------------------------------------- "At a crossroads of east and west, Hungary developed a unique musical life, mixing Turkic and Magyar folk music with Gypsy elements. Converted to western Christianity in the 11th century, Hungary shared the liturgical chant, polyphony, and secular songs of medieval Catholic Europe, and many leading musicians of the era were drawn to the Hungarian court. Partial Turkish conquest and the spread of Protestantism in the sixteenth century brought new diversity, but also awakened a sense of national identity and of a need to preserve Hungarian traditions. After 1700, under the rule of the Habsburgs, Hungary was drawn into an Austrian cultural world, and its elite became part of baroque cosmopolitan life. Leading Austrian composers held court or church posts in Hungarian territories, most notably Franz Josef Haydn. In the twentieth century, a drastic reappraisal of the true traditions of Hungarian folk music launched the nation's two greatest composers, Bela Bartok and Zoltan Kodaly, who did pioneering ethno-musical fieldwork in the countryside. A prolific, folk-inspired composer, Kodaly was most influential as a teacher; he created a training system acclaimed around the world. From folklore, Bartok drew a sense of rhythm and color that helped make him one of the boldest personalities of all twentieth century music." --------------------------------------- My favorite is still Franz Liszt. He was born in 1811, and was one of the most celebrated pianists of the nineteenth century, and one of its most innovative composers. I think this part about Liszt is interesting, too. The works of Liszt's late years, misunderstood by his contemporaries, are surprisingly modern in concept, and anticipate many of the devices of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. I'll probably "play at" the Hungarian Rhapsody #2 (It's 12 pages long) the rest of my life for fun, but I'll probably never be able to play it. So, I'll just work on a few of the movements, and listen to it on You Tube. I am including in this newsletter a copy of a Hungarian piece called "Csardas." It has a lot of black notes, but if you slow it down, it's easier to play, of course. It actually sounds good played slowly. Pick up the pace as you learn it. Play only the chords named -- instead of the notes on the left hand, to start (F, G, etc.). That way you can be successful, and later add the additional left-hand notes. I will be playing Csardas at the September meeting. ! • Barbara ! September 2014! The Oklahoma Squeezins 2

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From the board · August 2014

Vol. 14, No. 2

Vol. 13, No. 6

I'm a happy camper. My term as ill end at the end of this year, but we have dedicated OAC folks who have agreed to step in and continue the growth of our Club. Usually there is some sadness when you leave a position, but not this time. I'm being rewarded in the knowledge that the Club will continue, and our mutual promise to keep the accordion alive and prospering will continue. Barbara Duer has agreed to be nominated for president. Tom Phillips has agreed to be nominated for vice-president, and Karen West has agreed to be nominated for historian. My sincere thanks to the above members for accepting the nominations. There will be a vote at the December meeting for the above, plus anyone else who feels they can also be of service in the respective offices. New officers will take charge in January. I will continue to be on the Board next year as a past president, and my goals will be to assist the OAC Board in all their endeavors. December is a big meeting. We will have our cookie and candy exchange, plus any other treats you might include. The Club will supply the drinks and tableware. We also will have our hats, gloves, scarves, and socks drive for the homeless. Bring whatever items you might have that would keep the homeless warm. Last year, I was so proud of the OAC when we donated those items to the Oscar Romero Ministries. The director told us that our donations would surely help others. Last but not least, we will have a raffle for the OAC Youth. Next March, the OAC will help send seven students under the age of 15 to Dallas to perform at the NAA. The money gained from the raffle will be to help those families with their travel expenses. Please bring in a gift that you can share in the raffle, and be prepared to participate in the raffle. I have had a great two years as your president. I thank each member for your patience and allowing me the opportunity to be of service. I'm very optimistic about our future. Speaking of the future, have you renewed your 2014 memberships? We can't do it without you. See you in December.

— Dick Albreski

From the board · November 2013

Vol. 13, No. 5

Special thanks to Nick Bratkovich who, once again, gave a great concert at the October OAC meeting. Nick is a true talent, and will be at the NAA in March 2014. If you missed him at the OAC meeting, plan to see him at the NAA next March. I announced last month that yours truly and Bob Mansfield will be at the end of our terms as nd vice-president. I also nominated the entire OAC membership to recommend new talent for those positions. Please be prepared to announce your recommendations at the November meeting. This is your club, and only you can make it continue to grow. We will vote for the new officers at the December meeting. The December meeting will be a special meeting. It's one of our most traditional meetings. We encourage all members to bring candies and cookies to enjoy and exchange. The Club will furnish all appropriate drinks. The most important is the call for all members to bring gloves, scarfs, socks, and hats that can be given to the homeless. Collecting and giving to the needy in December is one of our annual events. Please support this program. I can't believe the year is almost over. The OAC is always such a pleasure for me. This year was great year, and I know it will end that way. See you all at the November meeting. Bring your accordion and a friend. • Dick !

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From the board · October 2013

Vol. 13, No. 5

Evie and I truly thank everyone who pitched in and helped with the Septenberfest party. We did it again. The event was a success, and we look forward to the next. Speaking of the next, at the end of this year, Bob Mansfield and yours truly will come to the end of our terms as nd vicepresident. The OAC is on the go, and we want the momentum to continue. Nothing would make Bob and me more proud then to have other members take over and continue the goals of our Club. I have asked for a nominating committee, but I was thinking about appointing all of the members as the nominating committee, and have all the members suggest nominees. This is your Club, and this is your opportunity to do something for it. Please think about whom you would like to lead, and have their names ready at the October meeting. We will vote at the December meeting, and the new prez and vice-prez can take over in January. Don't forget that Nick Bratkovich will be our guest soloist at the October meeting. Nick is an extraordinary accordion player who will delight your musical tastes with his repertoire of tunes. Plan to be there with a guest. Jumping ahead to December, we again will have our cookie and candy exchange, plus our call for hats, gloves, socks, and scarves that we can donate to those who are in need. Collecting the above items for the needy is an annual OAC tradition. This is a heads-up for you all to start looking for the needed items. See you at the meeting.

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From the board · September 2013

Vol. 13, No. 4

Our first free concert, in a word, was perfect! The OAC members performed perfectly. The attendance was perfect. Roland Lohmann's treats were perfect. What more can I say? I want to thank everyone for their help and participation. I'm already planning for next year's concert, and I hope you are doing the same. It's here! Our Septemberfest will be held at the OAC meeting on September 8, 2013. We will serve brats, sauerkraut, red cabbage, German potato salad, and apple strudel. Each member can bring one guest. However, we need your reservations so we can make sure there will be enough food. Please contact Evie Albreski at 405/721-0564 and tell her who you are bringing to the party. We cannot assume you are coming, you have to tell us that you are coming. In addition, there will be German music -- lots of German music played on the accordion. If your library is lacking some German tunes, just let me know, and I will share some of mine. In October we will have one of our favorite accordionists, Nick Bratkovich from Tulsa, visit with us once again. Nick is a tremendous accordion player, and excels in performing traditional Balkan music. Don't miss Nick and the October 13 meeting. We have had a beautiful summer this year, temperature-wise. Hopefully, it will continue. We still have to watch the temperatures with our accordions. Remember this: if it's too hot for you, then it's too hot for your accordion. If it's too cold for you, then it's too cold for your accordion. The reason I am bringing this up is that I had two repairs this summer on accordions that were left in a car. One was left in the car while the owner was getting a haircut. See you in September, Dick

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From the board · August 2013

Vol. 13, No. 3

Just to make sure that you plan to attend, I would like to remind you that the Oklahoma Accordion Club will perform a free concert at the Norman Depot, 200 South Jones Avenue, Norman, OK on Sunday, August 11, 2013 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. We will feature "Music from Around the World." All participants have worked very hard to make sure you will be pleased. Lest we forget, there will also be a reception following the concert given by OAC member Roland Lohmann, who is the proprietor of Lohmann's Good Things. A good time will be had by all. The September meeting will also be a blast. We will have our annual SEPTEMBERFEST. Just think German food and German music. What could be better? The food menu will include brats, German potato salad, sauerkraut, and apple kuchen. The music menu will include "Beer Barrel Polka," "Liechtensteiner Polka," plus the "Schnee Valser," to name a few. All members are allowed to bring one guest, but reservations are required. In October, we will have one of our favorite accordionists, Nick Bratkovich from Tulsa, come and serenade us. We truly enjoyed his performance last year, and look forward to this year. Please plan to attend -- the more the merrier. I read an interesting article on adult education. It seems children have less preconceived perceptions about what is difficult and what is easy. Adults, however, have worldly experiences that tend to block their learning skills. We have a tendency to say, "I can't" when we should say, "I can." Many times, we look at a composition or exercise and, even without trying to play the piece, we make a decision on its future. Music is fun, so remember, to make it fun we say, "I can." I will see you all at the August Accordion Concert. I will be the one with the accordion.

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From the board · July 2013

Vol. 13, No. 2

The Oklahoma Accordion Club will perform a free concert at the Norman Depot, 200 South Jones Avenue, Norman, OK on Sunday, August 11, 2013, from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. We will feature "Music from Around the World." All OAC members are encouraged to perform, and there is still time for you to sign up. We need soloists, duets, trios; any combination of performers is welcome. Horns, strings, and percussionists are also welcome to join in. Let's make this a great concert. The OAC Orchestra, under the direction of Dan Orza, will perform, and the OAC Youth will also perform. OAC member Lucas Ross from Channel 4 has agreed to emcee the concert. Bob Mansfield and his band, the Gypsy Wind, will also be there. The music for the GRAND FINALE is included in this newsletter. For those who have signed up to perform, please practice this tune. Earlier I told you about Tony Lovello having a triple bypass. Well, here's some more news. Tony is now home and doing fine. Two days after he came home from his operation, he was watching TV and saw the devastation caused by the tornados in OKC. Tony, as weak as he was, called me to check up on his Oklahoma friends. He wanted to make sure we were all safe and sound. The accordion sure makes some great friends. Don't forget the next meeting on July 14, 2013. It's a very important meeting. All performers for the August concert are encouraged to attend.

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From the board · June 2013

Vol. 13, No. 1

• What's the difference between an onion and an accordion? No one cries when you chop up an accordion. •What's one thing you never hear people say? Oh, that's the accordioåan player's Porsche. As I started to write this article, my mood was not the best. The Moore tornado kept coming to mind, rather then some accordion information. Why can't I think beyond this tragedy? Then it came to me. I wasn't supposed to forget it, but do something to help it. Music can console the savage beast. Nothing could be more savage then what we have witnessed in the past several months, weeks, and days, here in our great country. GOD has a reason, and we can only pray that HE will resolve our problems, and future tragedies will be prevented. Perhaps one of the most fitting tunes we can play at this time is GOD BLESS AMERICA. It's here elsewhere in this newsletter, for your convenience. Play it with pride, and pray the LORD will listen and approve. Don't forget our new project. The Oklahoma Accordion Club will perform a free concert at the Norman Depot, 200 South Jones Avenue, Norman, Oklahoma, on Sunday, August 11, 2013, starting at 2:30 pm. Our theme will be "Music from Around the World." All OAC members are encouraged to perform. We need soloists, duets, and trios. Any combination of performers is welcome. Horns, strings, and percussion are also welcome to join in. Let's make this a great concert. We do know the OAC Orchestra under the direction of Dan Orza will perform, plus the OAC Youth will also perform. OAC member Lucas Ross from Channel 4 has agreed to emcee the concert. There will be a lot more exciting news in the coming OAC newsletters. The accordion has given us many great friends. One in particular is Tony Lovello. Tony had a triple by-pass procedure on May 21, 2013. This will only make him play more and stronger. The Liberace of the Accordion will continue to delight his audiences. If you would like to send a get well card, Tony's address is: TONY LOVELLO, 203 Baywood Drive, Nicholasville, KY 40356. Don't for get the next meeting on June 9, 2013. It's a very important meeting.

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From the board · May 2013

Dick Albreski

Vol. 12, No. 12

I have some exciting news. The Oklahoma Accordion Club will perform a free concert at the Norman Depot, 200 South Jones Avenue, Norman, OK on Sunday, August 11, 2013, starting at 2:30 pm. At this moment in time, we are finalizing a theme and listing the performers. All OAC members are encouraged to perform. We do know the OAC Orchestra under the direction of Dan Orza will perform, plus the OAC Youth will also perform. OAC member Lucas Ross from Channel 4 has agreed to emcee the concert. There will be a lot more news in the coming OAC newsletters. Recently I read an interesting article on "Why Take Accordion Lessons." The article listed taking lessons as your support group. Here you can take advantage of a teacher's experience to simplify a complicated piece, to show practice methods that can shorten practice hours, plus knowing you are now using all the proper techniques in fingering, timing, and bellows control. My personal reason for taking lessons is responsibility. Once you agree to lessons, you have a reason to practice more. By not taking lessons, practice times are not consistent. Knowing you have to take a lesson makes it important to establish a schedule of practice times, thus making you responsible to your teacher and your accordion. I am stilled concerned about membership renewals. According to our treasurer, Milo Shedeck, there are still many of the OAC members who have not renewed. We hope that the activities of the Oklahoma Accordion Club will continue to be a source of interest and gratification for you as we strive to maintain and raise the level of awareness and appreciation for the accordion, as well as encourage the youth to take up this musical instrument of beauty and diversity. If you have not renewed, please do.

— Dick Albreski

From the board · April 2013

Vol. 12, No. 11

Will April showers bring spring flowers? With some accordion music, they sure will. This is the time to pick up one of your favorite "squeezes" and let loose. There is nothing that can stop your immediate world and put you in a better place then squeezing an accordion. Try it, you'll like it. It's been a busy time. Having the opportunity, along with OAC member Milo Shedeck and the Bohemian Knights, to perform on the Mollie "B" Polka tour was a tremendous experience for me (see photos on next page). We traveled to Ennis, Texas last February 23 and played at the Czech Sokol Hall, along with other great bands. As I understand, our performance will be aired on the RFD Channel sometime after April 10. Look for us on TV. Go to the Mollie "B" website for more details. The NAA this year was extra special for Evie and me. I conducted the Adult Recreational Fun Band and received their prestigious YOU PUT THE FUN IN THE FUN BAND award. I truly enjoyed the many talented performers who joined with me to present a great Thursday evening concert. Our OAC Youth, along with the Greg Klugiewicz Accordion School students in Dallas, played their hearts out in their traditional Saturday PM concert. Special thanks go to OAC members Timothy Granger, Job and Isaac Elliott, Bria, Madz, and Becca Smith who spent many hours practicing for this event. What do you think will happen at the April OAC meeting? If you do not attend, you will never know. How about a workshop? This will be fun time workshop, and you will enjoy it even better with your accordion. Out treasurer, Milo Shedeck, advised us that we are still down on membership renewals. If you haven't re-upped to date, please do. We don't want to lose you. See you at the April meeting on April 14 at the Messiah Lutheran Church, Portland and Northwest Expressway stating at 3:30 pm.

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From the board · March 2013

Dick Albreski

Vol. 12, No. 10

I have to start with THANK YOUs to our Youth and the adult members of the OAC who performed my arrangements at the February OAC meeting. It was a proud time for me, plus an enjoyable time for the attendees. Check out our website for the pictures of these talented musicians. I also have to THANK the OAC for their financial gift that was given to families of the Youth who are performing in Dallas. This has been an annual gift that you, the members, give to our students. Next month is the National Accordion Association convention (March 7th to the 9th) at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Dallas. Because so many members are attending, we will have to change our March meeting date from the second Sunday (3/10) to the third Sunday (3/17). That's not bad, because the third Sunday is St. Patrick's Day -- and what a theme. I should elaborate on the NAA, but there is so much going on that it would take the entire newsletter to cover the highlights. Go to their website at www.nationalaccordion.org or contact me directly and I will mail you additional information. Our own Youth will perform on Saturday, March 9 at 1:30 pm. I'm asking all the OAC members who will attend this NAA to also be there for the Youth concert. Back to the St. Patrick's Day meeting. Let's show green. Dress up and be proud, because all accordionists are Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Our bandmaster, Dan Orza, will have the OAC Orchestra playing some Irish tunes, and a tiny leprechaun told me there would also be plenty of solos and duets playing Irish tunes. You can also enjoy a recap of the NAA events and highlights. Look for a special meeting. Bring a friend and bring your accordion and look for a special treat. Our treasurer, Milo Shedeck, tells me we are only at 50% of our membership renewals. I'm hoping that we can improve that substantially. If you haven't mailed your renewal for 2013, please do so now. The OAC meetings should be special. Do you have any ideas on what we can do to achieve that goal? Please let me know. Dick

— Dick Albreski

From the board · February 2013

Vol. 11, No. 11

I am so proud of our Club. We were without a doubt the largest accordion club group attending the NAA last month. Thank you all. Well, back to business. We will have a mystery guest at our next OAC meeting on April 15. Many of you know this person, or should know him/her. Some may know that this person also plays the accordion. Now who might this person be? Come to the meeting and find out. It would be great if we all played together, the tune "Easter Parade" that was in the March newsletter. How about it? Let's do something never done before: Let's have more playing than listening. Don't forget to bring your accordion. I was deeply touched by a gentleman who truly enjoyed our Youths' performance at the NAA. He has donated a sum of money that is intended to benefit our youth. Fifty dollars was given to the OAC youth fund, and additional dollars were given that will be spent educating a future ambitious student at my studio. In the May newsletter, I will announce and give the details for a contest that will give a lucky student between the ages of 6 and 13 the opportunity to learn the accordion. If you know of any potential young person who is thinking about learning the accordion, this could be their golden opportunity. This will include an accordion, educational materials, and lessons for a given period of time. I stumbled onto an additional motto for our Club. I think it really says what we want to do this year and the next. We want your membership renewal dollars to be a good investment. If you haven't renewed to date, please do. See you all on the fifteenth.

— Dick Albreski

From the board · March 2012

Vol. 11, No. 10

!The Oklahoma Squeezins! March 2012! , I was your vice president, and today, because I did such a good job, I am now your new president. Well, it sounds good, but it didn't happen that way. Yes, I am your president, and I will do my best to gain your approval. I'm also excited about our vice president, Bob Mansfield, who knows how the OAC was started and how we must continue. We now have a very dedicated and hard working BOD. BOD is short for . This abbreviation became very popular recently, and is a convenient way to save words. Do you know what Albini, Sanders, Simon, Maschler, Thunander, Semichasnaya, and Bratkovich have in common? If you don't, you should! They are some of the many accordion artists who will be performing at the National Accordion Association meeting March 15 to 17, 2012. This year there will also be three adult bands that you can join. There will be numerous workshops that will answer questions you haven't even thought about. There will be manufacturers with accordions (and related accessories) that you have never thought of playing. At this meeting, you can experience the TODAY in our accordion world. There's still time, so think about it if you haven't already registered. You can go to the National Accordion Association 2012 website for more information. If you don't support the NAA, we may lose an opportunity. World Accordion Day will be held on May 6, 2012. May 6 was chosen because it was on that date in 1829 when the accordion was patented in Vienna. This is an international promotion for all accordionists and related groups to do something special to promote the accordion. Here's an opportunity for us. Yes, all of us. What are your individual thoughts on how our Club could celebrate this day? Speak up. I can't wait until our next meeting. I'm a little biased. I told you earlier that I was directing the Adult Fun Band at the NAA. Thanks to some students and friends, at the March 11 meeting we will give a preview concert of the arrangements I have prepared. We may not be as rehearsed as the OAC Orchestra under the direction of Dan Orza, but we will try. Come and give us a listen. Quoting the words of deceased member Fred Onken, "We don't make mistakes, that's the way we play it." As president, I want to know what you would like for the OAC. If you don't tell me, I will never know. See you all at the March 11 meeting.

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From the board · February 2012

Lois Roth

Vol. 11, No. 9

!The Oklahoma Squeezins! February 2012! , I'm back. What I mean to say is: I am now the f this great accordion club. I am excited. We have a great secretary in Lois Roth, a great librarian and webmaster in Diana Richard, and the best treasurer -- as you know, my wife Evie. With such great people, I won't have much to do except look handsome. January has started out with a rewarding meeting. The February 12 meeting will be even better. Our Youth will perform and I promise you, they will perform. Don't miss this meeting. Save the dates. The National Accordion Association's 25th annual convention and trade show will be from March 15 to 17, at the Westin Park Central in Dallas, Texas. Murl Sanders is the guest conductor of the professional orchestra, and Betty Jo Simon is only one of the many guest artists that will be performing at the convention. For more information, go to the NAA 2012 website. I was asked by the National Accordion Association to conduct the Recreational Band plus the Youth Band at the March meeting in Dallas. My goal is to have several local accordionists and students play my arrangements for your pleasure and enjoyment at the March 12th OAC meeting. This will be our dress rehearsal. Anyone going to the NAA on March 15 who would like to play in the Recreational Band, please contact me ASAP. There will be local rehearsals before the Dallas event. I feel this will be the OAC year. Knowing the elected officers and their dedication to the accordion and our Club, I see big things in the horizon. Please continue to support our Club through your membership. Q. What do a true music lover and an accordionist have in common? A. Absolutely nothing. Q. What do you get when you toss an accordion off a tall building? A. Applause. Q. What does a long court hearing and a bad accordionist have in common? A. There is always a huge sigh of relief when the case is closed. Q. What is an accordion good for? A. An introductory course on map folding.

— Lois Roth

From the board · January 2012

Oliver Delaney

Vol. 0, No. 0

Members: It is my duty to inform you that our president, Oliver Delaney, recently submitted his resignation for personal reasons. The month of December was tumultuous for the Club, with the cancellations of the Christmas Party and monthly meeting. In accordance with our bylaws, the vicessumes the responsibilities of the office for the unexpired term. As many of you know, my work takes me out of town quite frequently, and has precluded my attending meetings and playing a greater role in the Club. Although I do not foresee my work situation changing, I will make every effort to provide the Club with the leadership it deserves. On January 2, your elected board of officers will meet to discuss the state of the Club, and chart a course for success in 2012. We will hold our regularly scheduled general membership meeting at Messiah Lutheran on January 8 at 3:00 pm. At that meeting, we will report to you the outcomes of the January board meeting. I hope to see you at the January 8 meeting. I ask for your patience during this time, and for your continued support of the Club. I also ask that you retain your membership by submitting your annual dues as soon as possible. With sincere thanks, Phil Scibelli , January 2012! The Oklahoma Squeezins

— Oliver Delaney

From the board · December 2011

Vol. 0, No. 0

NAA Website [image] NEED REPAIRS? LESSONS? ADVICE? CONTACT US! [ You Are Visitor 291 [image] July 20 Regular Me Sunday, July 12th, August 2 Regular Me Sunday, August 9th,

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From the board · October 2011

Oliver Delaney

Vol. 11, No. 5

!The Oklahoma Squeezins! October 2011! Traditionally, the Oklahoma Accordion Club holds one major outdoor function in late summer. With the heat this year, the OAC has moved the picnic to the Fall. It will be held on Sunday, October 16. We plan to get together at 2:00 pm (a little earlier than usual). Location 5701 Highley Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73111 405/427-3564 Food Bring a side dish or salad (for the table) Meat dishes will be provided Soft Drinks Will be provided. If you have a favorite beverage, you are welcome to bring it Program Very loose (you may be requested to say a few words about your musical endeavors -- be prepared) Accordions welcome Directions 5701 Highley Drive is on the northeast side of the city, not far from the Cowboy Hall of Fame. 1. Take I 44 (old Rte. 66) to Kelley Ave. (Kelley is between Broadway Extension and Eastern) 2. At Kelley go south to N.E. 55th St (entrance to the Wildewood addition) 3. At 55th, go east (only way you can go) to the end (approximately four blocks). That is Highley Drive. 4. Turn left. Property is on your left. 5. Turn left into the first drive and come up to the house. This property is what is left of an old 350-acre milking farm. It was also the Decorator Show House in 1979, and now is the home of Oliver and Clare Delaney. It is seldom open to the public. The OAC has prospered this year, with good programs, many new and enthusiastic members, and a strong presence in community playing. OAC really shines at the annual National Accordion Association Conference in Dallas. Its young orchestra grows. Internally, we have started a few projects of note that will bear fruit next year. What is needed is your company, if not every month, then at least every other month. Come to the picnic, meet and greet old friends, and make new ones. You will love it! Let us know if you will be able to attend the picnic: 405/427-3564. Our annual Summer/Fall gathering is set for Sunday, October 16, starting at 2:00 p.m. Directions to the home of Oliver and Clare Delaney are above. Again, the address is 5701 Highley Drive, Oklahoma City; zip is 73111 (for MapQuest search). The theme is Oktoberfest (since we are gathering in October!), but it is not limited to just Oktober feasting. So, as you prepare a small dish for the feasting table (remember we are "snacking" at 2:30 pm or so), think fruits and vegetables - light and tasty, also nuts and breads. We would like to have some idea of your presence ("no hear = no show") so we can plan accordingly. Accordions are welcome, along with a brief (two to three minute) introduction by you of your interest in and of the accordion. No accordion? No problem, just make up the "brief." Let us know if you are coming by calling 405/427-3564. Fall Picnic Oliver Delaney Accordion Club Newsletter Volume 11, Issue 5 September 2011 THE OKLAHOMA "Our squeezin'...is pleasin'"

— Oliver Delaney

From the board · November 2010

Jimmie Woolly

Vol. 10, No. 7

By the time you read this, Halloween will have passed and we will be getting ready for Thanksgiving. The other night Beth attended orchestra practice at Dan's home, and when she got home I asked her if she needed help carrying her accordion in. Beth told me that she had left it on the front porch to make it easier to bring into the house. I quickly ran to the front door, but I was too late, there was another accordion there beside hers. Jackie would understand how I feel about this, she to has experienced this. Bring your favorite tune to the November meeting and share it with us. Also, remember it is time for elections, and the only office that is confirmed for the New Year is my new position as past president. So, be prepared to help your club. A d v e r t i s e n e n t s

— Jimmie Woolly

From the board · September 2010

Lois Roth

Vol. 10, No. 5

!The Oklahoma Squeezins! September 2010! This month, I believe that it would be nice to hear music that deals with the hot summer we are having, and maybe a little music dealing with rain would be a good thing. You never know what makes rain -- maybe the sound coming from accordion playing will help Mother Nature. One of our members, Janet Haskin from Tulsa, has been injured and we hope she recovers soon. She suffered first, second, and third degree burns in a home accident. Just one word of note that I haven't heard for a while and I believe it bears repeating: don't leave your accordion in your car on these hot days. It acts just like you and I do in extreme heat and cold. If this bothers you, just tell me to mind my own beeswax. Our club needs your support, so please come to our meetings. Bring those accordions and let's hear some of those wonderful songs that all of you play. Don't forget, we meet the second Sunday of each month. • Bill , June Butricks, Evie Albreski, Autumn Albreski, and Dick Albreski before the meeting Lois Roth, Diana Richard, Dan Orza, Karen West visiting before the meeting Some August Meeting Photos Beth Henson The handshake grounded him and caused his Cordovox to give him a jolt. You can barely see the smoke above his head.

— Lois Roth

From the board · July 2010

Vol. 10, No. 3

Well, it's officially been celebrated - now our club is 10 years old. We all had a wonderful time at our tenth anniversary celebration. The food was very extravagant, and there was more than enough of it. If you missed it, you missed a great celebration. Oliver Delaney did an excellent job of working with his committee to help us celebrate our anniversary. It was a time of remembrance as well as celebration. Sunday, July 11 is our next meeting. Come join in as we celebrate our summer.

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From the board · May 2010

Jimmie Woolly

Vol. 10, No. 1

In this article, I would like to mention two people who work hard behind the scenes. One is Frank Gesinski, who produces our newsletters tirelessly. He has to remind me to write these articles, but he always has patience and makes sure the articles get placed into our newsletter, and he does a great job. The second person I want to mention is Diana Richards. She has done a wonderful job on our website, and it looks great. From both my wife's and my own experience with newsletters and websites, I can assure you that these are very hard working positions. Many hours are spent preparing and inputting data on both, and a lot of times we don't show our appreciation enough. I for one wanted to make sure you know who the two people are who work very hard to advertise the Oklahoma Accordion Club. May is coming up, and spring is in the air. So, bring some wonderful music to play for the club members present. If you have suggestions for our club, do not hesitate to contact me to let me know what you like and don't like. We officers are here to serve you the club members, but please remember that we are members also. My email address is MustangBilly@cox.net and I can be reached via my cell phone: 405/822-3770. The Oklahoma Accordion Club Orchestra will once again perform for the Elks Lodge Annual Italian Festival. This is the fourth year that we have been invited to perform at this festival. They love us and enjoy our music. All members of our orchestra are invited to perform on Saturday, June 5th, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. And, of course, everyone performing will be rewarded with lots of wonderful Italian food. The location is at the Elks Lodge at 4711 N. Tulsa in OKC, just south of NW Expressway. OAC members can come as paying guests of the orchestra. Questions? Contact Dan Orza. Italian Festival Dan Orza Accordion Lessons Dan Orza Two Master's Degrees in Music & Ed. Music Educator Dept Head Retired US Army Band Commander Conductor at NAA Call 405/326-1124 Dano9731@att.net

— Jimmie Woolly

From the board · March 2010

Bill Henson

Vol. 9, No. 12

March is here as I write this and I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully, it will get warmer, and the warmer it gets, the warmer our hearts should become to play the accordion. The National Accordion Association (NAA) get-together will be held on the same weekend as our club meeting. However, I will do my best to be back in town for those who want to attend our monthly meeting. There will be no officer's meeting at 2:00 pm or orchestra practice at 2:30 pm. We will have just our normal meeting at 3:30 pm. This may work out well, because a lot of music is normally played during orchestra time, so everyone should be fresh and ready to play at 3:30 pm. Since March is the month for wind and kites, I'm sure you can come up with some songs that deal with this time of the year. So, put your minds to it and bring us a tune that reflects how you feel as spring starts to arrive. Advertisement

— Bill Henson

From the board · February 2010

Vol. 9, No. 11

For those of you who have web access, if you haven't already done so, you really need to check out our new website that is now maintained by Diana Richard. Jackie Mashore, who did a marvelous job with our previous website, has turned the reins over to Diana. The website has useful and interesting features, several of which are still in development. I am working with Diana to catalogue most of the Squeezins issued since the founding of the club. You can view a slew of pictures from many of our past meetings and other occasions. One thing that I originally missed about the photos is that you can double-click any one of them, and the site will display many other photos from the same occasion. Haven fun viewing! What a great club! Wow, I understand we had really good attendance at the January meeting. I also understand we had several people we haven't seen in awhile attending, and I'm glad to hear that. At the time I am writing this, we are bracing for another possible bad snowstorm. This time I will not be here in Oklahoma to be involved in it, but Beth will. I don't know about the rest of you, but it will be a while before I ever wish for a white Christmas again. I want to thank you club members for supporting me, especially when I have missed the Christmas party and the January meeting due to work requirements. I don't like missing the meetings, but this is part of the price I have to pay with my new job. The officers of your club are willing to step in and help wherever needed, and I appreciate that. Last year was an interesting year. It started off with Troy losing his job and moving away, and then I lost my job of 29 years and one day, and then, after five months, I was fortunate enough to land a job back in a career field that I held 29 years, five months, and one day ago. I feel young again! I feel revived! And I look forward to our February meeting. The meeting is on February 14th, so bring all the romantic music you can find. Let's really fill the air with wonderful sound. Accordions are Red Accordions are Blue Accordions sound great You should play yours, too. Bill

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From the board · January 2010

Vol. 9, No. 11

When you receive this we will have begun a new decade. What will 2010 through 2019 bring? I don't I have a crystal accordion, but I hope that more people will discover the accordion for the value it brings to the world of music. In the previous decade, I discovered the accordion, and I'm very glad I did. It is a wonderful, challenging instrument, and it can be used for all occasions. Our meeting will be the second Sunday of this month, so please plan on attending. Our website has had a lot of photos uploaded, so take a few minutes and go look it over. During these long winter months, it is a good time to play and practice. So look at music that makes you feel good, and bring a tune to the meeting and play it for us. Since January is a cold month, maybe we should look at songs that warm the heart. See you at the meeting. Bill

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From the board · December 2009

Bill Henson

Vol. 9, No. 10

The meeting this month is at the Czech Hall for our Christmas Party. However, we won't be conducting any business, just having good fellowship time with each other. I have good news and bad news for this December's party. The bad news is that I won't be attending, my wife Beth will, but I am sorry that I will be missing this party. The good news is that my unemployment has ended and I'm working, which is the reason why I won't be there in December. And even though I won't be with you, I will be thinking about all of you. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. As I write this we are preparing for Thanksgiving and I, for one, feel I have a lot to be thankful for. So, bring your accordions, bring some Christmas tunes, and get involved with the club. We now have our website up and working: http://www.okaccordions.com/ Merry Christmas to all, and I look forward to seeing you next year. Our next meeting will be held on Sunday, January 10, at the Messiah Lutheran Church, which is located at the intersection of NW Expressway and Portland Ave., just west of I-44 and Baptist Hospital, and across the street from Deaconess Hospital on Portland Ave. Festivities begin at 2:30, when the orchestra rehearsal starts. At 3:30 our meeting begins, followed by individual and group performances, and then a "jam session" follows until 5:00 or 5:30 pm. Everyone in encouraged to come, and everyone is encouraged to perform. If you are shy about playing alone, some of us will play with you. January Meeting Advertisement

— Bill Henson

From the board · October 2009

Bill Henson

Vol. 9, No. 10

It's hard to believe that fall is here. I have had a great summer, and the Oklahoma Accordion Club has done very well this year. We have seen members at several different venues, and this is good for our club. The month of October is going to be a busy month. Several of our members are traveling or working during our meeting date, including yours truly, but rest assured there will still be a meeting. Jimmie Woolly will be handling the October meeting, so please put together some polkas and plan on being present. I know Jimmie loves to play the accordion, and your support will be very appreciated. November is just around the corner with Thanksgiving coming, so think about what type of music you would like to hear or play at the November meeting. December is Christmas, and we will not have our meeting on December 13. The officers currently are planning our annual Christmas party on December 5, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. This would allow several of our out-of-town members the opportunity to be able to attend during the day and allow them time to travel back home. So, watch for details as we complete the preparations. We will also be helping a charity at Christmas as we have done in the past, so watch for details. 12, 48, 72, 120, I'm just covering all the basses.

— Bill Henson

From the board · September 2009

Vol. 9, No. 9

In case you are not aware of it, we missed a lot of you at the last meeting. We still had a good time, but we did have such a low attendance that Dick Albreski has put off his BS class till next month. So if you want to see our seminar on BS, come to our next meeting. I believe Beth will explain in her minutes what BS stands for. If you look inside an accordion, you will find a very highly tuned instrument. The reed blocks are fascinating, and someone sat down and figured out you could push air through the reeds and make different scale notes. That is truly amazing to me. I'm sure it didn't happen overnight, but the way it ended up is truly impressive, and it continues today as we go deeper into the electronic world. That is why I was interested in learning how to play the accordion. If others that play other instruments studied the inner workings of the accordion, I'm sure their appreciation of the instrument would be greatly improved. Of course, when you make an instrument that can reproduce several instruments in sound, you do have a tendency to intimidate the other musical instruments. If you haven't heard Dan Orza's story about how he received a music scholarship only to be told that he had to learn a different instrument other than the accordion, it is truly a classic history of how the accordion was not well received even in our lifetime. Hopefully I will see you at the next meeting.

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From the board · August 2009

Bill Henson

Vol. 9, No. 8

Well, I hope it has been hot enough for everyone. I have been out working in the heat over the past month, and it has been hotter than I can remember for a long time. When I moved to Oklahoma, they told me if I didn't like the weather, just wait and it will change. If you planned on going to the Big Squeeze that we had planned, I need to tell you that we have decided to cancel it this time because of scheduling problems with several members of the club. We will have our normal meeting, as scheduled, at the same meeting location. If you are concerned about our change of plans, I wouldn't worry. I'm sure there will be plenty to keep everyone busy. Dan is working hard to keep the orchestra involved, and we are being sought out by several groups to perform, so if you can work it in your schedule, let Dan know of your interest. I don't know how many of you have played with groups before, but the nice thing about playing with a group is that there are several different expertise levels that all join to make one really good performance. I myself, normally, will play a third part since I am still pretty low in my playing ability. However, someday I hope to improve my level of skills, and this is where we need your assistance. Plan on coming to our next meeting and we would like to hear you play your accordion -- ether individually or with a group. We all respect each other, and I believe it is good to perform with your club members. If I haven't told any of you lately, I want to tell you now that I appreciate all of you. Nice people make life really nice. Editor's Note Because of a PSO power failure, a couple of pieces of my computer equipment bit the dust and had to be replaced. As a result, this issue of the Squeezins was delayed.

— Bill Henson

From the board · July 2009

Vol. 9, No. 7

First, I want to say thank you to Dick and Evie Albreski for allowing the OAC to come to their home for our annual picnic. It was a wonderful party, and we had a lot of members attend. Second, Dan needs our members' help. If you plan to perform at the August Big Squeeze, he has a form that he needs you to fill out. The Big Squeeze will occur on our regular meeting day, so we will not meet at the church for our regular meeting that day. This frees all of you to come to the Jazz Lab in Edmond to attend the event and support your fellow club members. Third, I just want to say thank you for the great attendance at our meetings this year. We have been requested to perform at several functions, and I know a few of our members have performed recently at an Italian festival. There are more gigs coming up, and you do not have to be a soloist to be in the orchestra. That's it for me this month. See you at the meeting in July. First Evie and I want to thank everyone who helped and attended last Sunday's OAC picnic. In our club we have "special" people, and no one enjoys their company and talent more than I. Accordion clubs are very important to the accordion, and have given it new life. During the "dark ages," when the only accordion you saw was on the Lawrence Welk show being played by Myron Floren, the popularity of our instrument didn't grow. Dick Contino played in Vegas, but unless you were in Vegas, you didn't see or hear him. I believe, thanks to accordion clubs, the accordion has reached new heights in popularity. I for one know of the increased activity here in Oklahoma. There is always something that doesn't make it any easier. OAC member Johnnie Zibert sent me an article announcing that the Grammys dropped the Polka Album Award. The accordion is an integral part of polka music. This won't kill the accordion, but it certainly won't help. Now back to our club and our financial status. We have $1,485.89 in the checkbook, and our expenses for June came to $203.26. See you all on July 12th at the Messiah Lutheran Church. Here's a tidbit from "Squeezie DeBello": The world's largest accordion is 99.6 inches tall - 74.8 inches wide - 33.4 inches deep. It weighs approximately 440 pounds. It was built in 2001 by Giancario Francenella in Ancona, Italy. It has 45 treble keys --120 basses and 240 reeds. For complete information, please check the Guinness Book of World Records. Imagine this one on your knee!

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From the board · June 2009

Vol. 9, No. 6

Hopefully this newsletter finds each and every one of you in good health and enjoying your accordion music. Seems like lately we have to worry about everything, the most current worry is the H1N1 virus, originally called the Swine Flu. From everything I hear on the media, we don't have to worry in Oklahoma yet, but by the time this article finds its way into the newsletter and it arrives in your hands, we could have our own outbreak. The club has a lot of activity going on, and the most important thing I want to mention is our next monthly meeting. It will be on our normal date, but it will be a picnic instead of a meeting. We will meet at Dick Albreski's home, and I'm sure anyone who had to have an accordion repaired will know where that is. There should be information in this newsletter as to what to bring and location information. You may want to start planning now for our next Big Squeeze in August. This time we are going to have all local entertainment. I believe you will agree we have some of the best talent around. Tell your friends -- you never know how attached they may grow to accordion music. I've invited several people, and of those who attended before, many have enjoyed it so much that they have come back more than once. I know there are a few of you who have been missing our meetings, and I do hope that you will be able to find time in your schedules in the future to support your club. Plus, we miss you. See you at the picnic.

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From the board · May 2009

Vol. 9, No. 5

Just a reminder to those who missed our last meeting, our next meeting will also be in the first weekend in May. This is because of Mother's Day occurring on our normal meeting date. The past few meetings have been great; those who have been there have been very positive about the performances. We have a good club with a lot of talent. Everyone is welcome to come and play their accordion. In the future we are going to incorporate some of what we experienced when we went to Dallas to the NAA. Workshops are very educational, and I enjoy learning new things that I may not have known before. So be prepared to learn as well as be entertained at future club meetings. Behind the scenes, you have several very dedicated members. Of course, the ones you know about are your

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From the board · April 2009

Vol. 9, No. 4

For those who had to wait outside for the doors to be unlocked at our last meeting, I fall on my sword and ask for forgiveness. It was poor planning by me, but I have taken measures to be sure more than one member has access to the building in the future. This month I'm writing this article from the National Accordion Association (NAA) in Dallas. We are having a great time, and even thought the attendance is down and it is raining outside, we are having a wonderful time with our workshops and evening performances. At our last meeting we had numerous performances by our members; we had just about everything you can think of, including Frankie and Eleanor Martinez plus their band members. Hopefully, this newsletter will make it to Troy Jones, because I want to express best wishes to him and his wife as they are traveling from Oklahoma to Wisconsin to live near their children. This last meeting was Troy's last, and I will miss his gospel melodies. Our meeting this next month will be on April 5, that is one week earlier than usual, but we felt that we should not have our meeting on Easter. Also, the following month will be a week earlier in May because of Mother's Day. I hope everyone is having a good time at the meetings. Bring your friends, and come join us.

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From the board · March 2009

Vol. 9, No. 3

The second meeting of 2009 was a lot of fun. We had visitors from Tulsa -- all now members of the Oklahoma Accordion Club -- who visited us and played several songs for our meeting. It was a fun day with a lot of sharing of music. We will have to return the favor and visit them sometime when they have their meeting. Feedback that I received from numerous members has left me with the impression that we are on the right track so far. I want our meetings to be fun, but we do have to take care of a little business along the way. We have business-type cards made up for us to use to invite people to come to our meetings. Keep in mind, you do not have to play an accordion to be involved with the Oklahoma Accordion Club. If you have a friend who mentions that they used to play, invite them to come with you to a meeting. It might ignite an old love for something they have done in the past. Last month I left you with a statement that this month I would tell you about superglue and heat. Well, believe it or not, that is what got me interested in the accordion. I'm a car nut at heart, and one Sunday after church services my wife and I planned to go to an estate sale in Mustang. The reason I mentioned that I was a car nut was that there was a 1961 Chevy that was going to be auctioned off in the sale, and the car had belonged to a Chevy car club member. That meant that the car was probably in pretty good condition. It was, and even though I thought I would be lucky and no one would show up for the auction, I was wrong. There were a lot of people who thought the same thing I did and were interested in the car. Needless to say, I did not get even close to getting involved in the purchase of the car. However, they did have something that caught my eye, and at the same time it also caught my wife's eye. There was an accordion setting on a table, with all the other items for sale, in the bright sunshine on that beautiful 90-degree day (remember the 90-degree part). It was a 48-button accordion with "S. Mario" embossed on the front. As we got closer to the item, I mentioned to Beth that this might be something nice to have, and she said she had also looked at it and liked it. So we waited. And when the time came, we bid against a couple of other people, and won. Later, when I was at home, I tried to play it, or I should say operate it, because I had no idea how it worked. After a couple of squeezes back and forth, I could hear objects rattling around inside. Remember the accordion setting in the 90-degree heat in the sun? What I have learned since that time is that, since I would not have liked sitting outside in the sun on that table in a 90-degree day, then the accordion wouldn't either. The next day I was thinking about all the stuff rattling around, so I decided to take it apart to see what was wrong. Probably within 15 minutes I had it apart, and I could see all the objects lying around that I now know are called reeds. So, I carefully matched each one of them up to the reed blocks and superglued them back on. Word of caution, don't try this at home, this is not the proper way to repair a Continued on

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From the board · February 2009

Vol. 9, No. 2

As most of you already know, in January I took over the task of leading the Oklahoma Accordion Club (OAC) as your president. Our first board meeting occurred prior to the club orchestra practice, and I will try to speed these up in the future since we had to rush through orchestra practice. One of the things that I have resumed is the jamming session. I personally missed them and, from the responses I've received during and after the meeting, the idea was well received. Actually, I may implement what occurred at our meeting, where everyone jammed on all three songs that I brought. It really sounded good. We also have a theme for February. The theme will be love songs, so dust off your music and bring out a tune you would like to share with the club. For those who missed the meeting, I will repeat a comment I made during the meeting. I'm not Dick Albreski (however, I am half-Polish, since my mother's name was Baronowski), I'm not as pretty as Jackie, and I'm not as sophisticated as Dan, so basically I'm just the Accordion Guy. So I will be leaning on the people I just mentioned and on the other officers, committee members, and club members to help me do the best job I can for the OAC. When I joined the OAC several years ago, being so new to the instrument, I wasn't sure what this club was going to be like, but I have never regretted attending a single meeting. The only time I was uncomfortable was at our Christmas Party a month ago when the temperature dropped from 72 to 32 while we were inside. I knew it was getting cold, but I was not ready for what I felt when I walked outside. So, come to the meetings, get involved. I'm trying to come up with something for everyone. We also have a request to play patriotic music at the Bethany First Nazarene Church on February 26. The OAC will be paid for our performance. It's not too late to get involved and help the OAC out. In my next article, I'll tell you what I learned about superglue and heat.

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From the board · January 2009

Vol. 9, No. 1

Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope that this past year was a good one for all of you, and the coming year brings Joy, Good Health and even more Happiness and Wealth. Our Oklahoma Accordion Club has accomplished many wonderful things these past couple of years. You should be proud of yourselves -- proud of OAC and proud of what we do and the reason we meet and perform. You make me proud to be both a member and your leader. Thank you for letting me do that. But now it is time for me to "pass the baton." Your new ill also work hard to keep OAC an active and involved performing accordion group. My one concern and continuing goal is increasing attendance and participation at meetings. To that end I will do all I can to assist as past president. Our December Big Squeeze was another outstanding success. We had a full house at the UCO Jazz Lab in Edmond. It was a long show, but everyone stayed until the end - they loved ALL the performers - they loved ALL the different types of music offered. Many thanks for Lou LeBurn and Sharon Fox for coming all the way from Missouri. They were so good. Our local fantastic pros Bob Mansfield, his group "Gypsy Wind," and Dick Albreski with his magic accordion were outstanding. And our two teenage guys Jarion Baquero and Micaiah Elliott were superb. The audience really loved the fact that we had such a variety of styles of music and different age groups performing. THEY WERE IMPRESSED. And I really believe that the Jazz Lab is perfect for our venue. Best of all, we made a nice profit for our club. Your new officers will take over in January. PLEASE COME TO THIS MEETING for the changing of the guard. Your newly elected officers are President Bill Henson, Vice President Jim Wooley, Secretary Beth Henson, Treasurer Dick Albreski, and Historian/Librarian Bob Mansfield. I will be involved with reviewing and updating the by-laws, along with my committee: Jackie Mashore, Max Gunther, Bob Mansfield, and Bill Henson. Our holiday Christmas party had to be moved from Messiah Lutheran Church to First Presbyterian Church. Everyone was notified, and we had quite a few people there. However, some who made reservations did not show. We had lots of really good food and plenty of wonderful side dishes and desserts brought by members. And we played Christmas carols till we dropped - what great fun. We had a whole load of GLOVES, MITTENS, SCARVES, and HATS… even a COAT to give to the Jesus House. Thank you all for your donations. The club will donate these items on your behalf. Musically yours, DANO OUR MUSIC, OUR ACCORDIONS, BRING US TOGETHER IN FRIENDSHIP, IN HARMONY IN LOVE, IN SHARED BLESSINGS, IN TOGETHERNESS WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO BELONG TO THE OKLAHOMA ACCORDION CLUB MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL DANO

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From the board · September 2008

Vol. 8, No. 9

Dan Orza Our next meeting will be held on Sunday, October 12, at the Messiah Lutheran Church, which is located at the intersection of NW Expressway and Portland Ave., just west of I-44 and Baptist Hospital, and across the street from Deaconess Hospital on Portland Ave. Festivities begin at 2:30, when the orchestra rehearsal starts. At 3:30 our meeting begins, followed by individual and group performances, and then a "jam session" follows until 5:00 or 5:30 pm. Everyone in encouraged to come, and everyone is encouraged to perform. If you are shy about playing alone, some of us will play with you. Meeting info Dan Orza It seems that the months are getting shorter, or maybe it's me getting older. Regardless, there is always so much to do and never enough time to get it all done. Thank you all for jumping in and helping out. Running OAC is really a simple job, but it's never a one-man job. Without your help, we would not have an accordion club. And that brings me to the first subject at hand: my term of office is coming to a close. I've been at it for two glorious years, surrounded by wonderful, enthusiastic, dedicated members. Together we have been able to do marvelous things because you, our members, have been there, working side-by-side, giving support, giving encouraging words and funds, and being there when needed. That's why OAC has grown. And that's why we have been able to perform at many functions, and to create The Big Squeeze and actually do two performances to two full-house audiences at the UCO Jazz Lab. I'm really very proud of all of you - of US. Bob Mansfield is heading up a nominations committee looking for a slate of officers. We need a president, vice president, and secretary. Some of you will receive a call to volunteer to lead our Continued on

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From the board · August 2008

Vol. 8, No. 8

Time flies. I hope your summer is going well - it's almost over. The kids are back at school…don't forget to slow down in those school zones. August has been really cool and very wet - now, that's strange for Oklahoma. I'm glad we had our picnic in June and had such great weather. We've had our July and August meetings and both were well attended. However, I think some of you were away on vacations, and some may have missed a meeting due to lack of a monthly newsletter. I apologize for not getting you a newsletter each month. Until Jackie returns as editor, we are fortunate to have Frank Gesinski, a past newsletter editor, volunteer to fill in. THANK YOU FRANK! Meanwhile, members of OAC have performed at the Statesman's Club at Tealridge Retirement Center in Edmond. I hope to have some photos for you in the next newsletter. Bob Mansfield and Jarion Baquero recently performed at a wedding because our club was contacted for music for the occasion. I'm so very proud of our membership and the willingness and ability to perform. What I'd really like to see improve now is our meeting attendance. So listen up everyone …. OUR NEXT MEETING IS THE SECOND SUNDAY IN SEPTEMBER….SEPTEMBER 14th….Mark your calendar… plan to come, bring you family. Come share the fun. Bring a snack to share if you can. Bring your accordion…play a solo or join and play with the orchestra or in the jam session. Just come and have fun. This IS a family event and a MUSICAL organization. The orchestra begins rehearsing at 2:30, our meeting starts at 3:30. Our

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From the board · February 2008

Vol. 0, No. 0

National Accordion Association Convention MARCH 13-15, 2008 (Thur, Fri, Sat) Hope you have may your reservations by now and beat the February 25th deadline for the $85 / night special accordion convention rate. If not, the rate will be the regular $119/ night. The Richardson Hotel, in Richardson, Texas, just north of Dallas, will again be the location. Call the hotel direct at 972-231-9600 and ask for the IN-HOUSE RESERVATION DESK. It is best to call during the day and do not call the 1-800 number on the hotel website. Registration for the full convention is $150 for 3 days with banquet meals for accordionist, and a spouse pass is $50 without banquet. The OAC will be helping folks coordinate carpooling. Contact President Dan 326-1124. Additional information can be found on the NAA website which is updated as the convention date gets closer. The general schedule is now posted! NAA website: http://www.accordions.com/naa/ This will be one of the best TEXAS conventions ever!!! THINGS THAT FIT A short list of things that fit in the large OAC Tote Bag: A full-grown Jack Russell Terrier, Supplies for a sleepover, Ski Mask, dark shirt and gloves, $10,000 cash in small bills. The list is bottomlesskind of like the OAC tote. Get your FREE tote with your renewed OAC membership. Please complete the membership form found in the newsletter. Fill in all the spaces so that we may verify your information even if you are a long time member. Youth Members: that goes for you, too! Membership Dues options are listed on the form. Write your check to: Oklahoma Accordion Club The mailing address is at the bottom of the form. Thank you for your continued support of the best accordion organization anywhere! OAC OFFICERS President Mr. Dan Orza (405) 326-1124 bdomarketing@cox.net Vice President Mr. Bob Mansfield (405) 364-0037 bobmansfield@cox.net Secretary Mrs. Max Gunter (405) 946-9410 MaxJack1@aol.com Librarian Mr. Troy Jones (405) 821-9550 troyjones@troyjones.com Treasurer Mr. Roland Lohmann 216 Pine Tree Lane Norman, OK 73072 rolandshimr@aol.com Hospitality Ms. Anne DeJohn (405) 771-5772 OAC Orchestra Newsletter Editor Mrs. Jackie MaShore (405) 399-3555 jacmash@tds.net Youth Band at Convention There will be a YOUTH BAND at the NAA convention. An open invitation is extended to teenagers and younger who play accordion and read music grade 2 or better. Music for your grade level is now available at no-charge. Order your music through Dick Albreski at juaccord@Hotmail.com or call him direct at 405-721-0564. Music is free of charge. Youth attending the NAA receive complimentary registration with an adult paid admission. GOOD LUCK TO OUR YOUTH!!! Convention Hi-Lites • Drawing for a NEW DINO BAFFETTI accordion donated by Golden Age Accordions • Folk Dance Training • Youth Orchestra • Friday Polka Fest with Grammy winning Brave Combo! • Saturday accordion concert and dance • WORKSHOPS for everyone • Dealers and Swap Shop • Jam sessions • OLD FRIENDS AND NEW!

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From the board · January 2008

Vol. 0, No. 0

National Accordion Association Convention MARCH 13-15, 2008 (Thur, Fri, Sat) Make your plans NOW! There is nothing like being with a group of kindred spirits and surrounded by non-stop accordion music of the highest caliber. The Richardson Hotel, in Richardson, Texas, just north of Dallas, will again be the location. The room rate is $85/night until the February 25th deadline. It then goes back to the regular rate of $119/night. Call the hotel direct at 972-231-9600 and ask for the IN-HOUSE RESERVATION DESK and ask for the "accordion convention" rate of $85/ night. It is best to call during the day and do not call the 1-800 number on the hotel website. Registration is $150 for 3 days with banquet meals for accordionist, and a spouse pass is $50 without banquet. NAA members get a significant discount. The OAC will be helping folks coordinate carpooling. Additional information can be found on the NAA website which is updated as the convention date gets closer. The general schedule is now posted! NAA website: http://www.accordions.com/naa/ Youth Band at Convention Great news! There will be a YOUTH BAND at the NAA convention. An open invitation is extended to teenagers and younger who play accordion and read music grade 2 or better. Music for your grade level is now available at nocharge. Order your music today and be ready to join with others at the NAA Youth Band rehearsals. Contact Dick Albreski at juaccord@Hotmail.com or call him direct at 405-721-0564. Be part of the new generation. The 'Accords' Ensemble from OKC will participate in the NAA Youth Band OAC OFFICERS President Mr. Dan Orza (405) 326-1124 bdomarketing@cox.net Vice President Mr. Bob Mansfield (405) 364-0037 bobmansfield@cox.net Secretary Mrs. Max Gunter (405) 946-9410 MaxJack1@aol.com Librarian Mr. Troy Jones (405) 821-9550 troyjones@troyjones.com Treasurer Mr. Roland Lohmann 216 Pine Tree Lane Norman, OK 73072 rolandshimr@aol.com Hospitality Ms. Anne DeJohn (405) 771-5772 OAC Orchestra Newsletter Editor Mrs. Jackie MaShore (405) 399-3555 jacmash@tds.net Note from the Editor: Your suggestions and submissions are always appreciated! Treasurer's Report.............Roland Lohmann As I took office, the OAC checking account had a balance of $773.69. Members have renewed their memberships with dues in the amount of $269.00, which brings our total to $1,042.69. As my term as treasurer has now begun, I want to thank the club for the opportunity to serve. Thanks to Beth for a smooth transition and to Max and Beth for helping me with the drawing, and with collecting dues at the January meeting while I attended my Granddaughters first birthday party, arriving at the meeting just in time to hear some great performances! I appreciate Jackie's resolve to play something at each meeting, and, of course special thanks are due to my friend, Bob Mansfield, for encouraging me to get involved with the accordion and the club. Thanks Bob! I will not be at the next meeting because I will be on a mission to Israel with the Oklahoma City Jewish Federation. Beth and Max have once again graciously consented to help me. I appreciate you both. Roland R. Lohmann, Treasurer Mountain Smoke Band proudly supports the OAC http://www.myspace.com/mo untainsmokeband www.mountainsmokeband.c om Next show: Feb 29th UCO Jazz Lab

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