Departures...

It's time that I announce that I am leaving Orlando, FL and returning to the west coast of Canada!

My time here in the deep South has been full of experiences, stories, characters, much professional and more extensively - personal growth.

I will miss The Ziti Sister's, and Katia (my character), but I must continue on with my adventure in "Saving the World with the Accordion" :)

Ciao, grazie, and arrivederci to the Italian Pavilion! I'll be on my way by the end of June, so please come by and see the show before then!

Thank you again Walt Disney World for this wonderful experience and opportunity!

*If you're a Female Accordionist and interested in working for WDW, I recommend getting in touch with the WDW casting team, or the Central Florida Musicians Association Union, to find out more about an audition for this position!*

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An Accordionist lost in translation... or something like that...
It isn't easy to drop yourself in to a culture that is so different from what you know. Even though I was still within North America, Florida is very far from what this west coast, Pacific Ocean loving, progressive, liberal, socialist, feminist, human rights activist, Fruit & Veggies/Pho/Bibimbop/Seaweed salad eating, arts and community loving, raised by her strong willed Eastern European relatives, Accordionista has ever seen before.

I thought a lot about my lovely Japanese friends who I had met during their time living on the west coast of Canada. They couldn't get over how no one would carry an umbrella with them, as it's always likely to rain during the fall, winter, spring and summer. They thought we all ate too much food, and they loved all the space, open areas, and didn't understand why anyone would be afraid to walk home alone at night. They'd say "Afraid of what?? There isn't anyone around!"

If you're new to Orlando, here's some things you'll need:
-Plenty of sunscreen
-A car with air conditioning!
-GPS
-Rain boots!
-A can of RAID by your bedside!!

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Some sad news:

My beloved Gerda passed away this past Friday morning. She was my Opa's third wife, and my step-Grandmother from as early as I can remember.

I always felt special to have my Mom's Mom, my Dad's Mom, but also, I had a Gerda. 

She was a very special person, and between her and my Opa, really influenced me in my German heritage. Visiting them every summer growing up in Edmonton, AB has left me with many great memories. She'd have little trinkets for me waiting in my room, she was full of stories, and always made you feel at home. 

She was a fabulous German cook and baker, and she and my Opa loved to have a good time. They loved German clubs, Oktoberfest, Folk festivals, German music, and most of all GERMAN FOOD. 

When I hear the music, taste the food, and go to a German club - I think of them.

Their accents and German banter echo in my mind still. My Opa passed on many years ago, and now Gerda has ventured on to the next stage. I miss her deeply, and is forever in my thoughts and heart.

Word to your Mother!

To all the Momma's out there! ♥ Happy Mother's Day ♥!

My Mother is the original Accordion Girl, and I have early memories of her playing the accordion in our home. I played piano, and she can as well, but she would also rock out on our organ and accordion. 

I can remember being handed this baby Titan accordion when I was very little and my parents seeing if I could handle it in my arms. It was a bit overwhelming, and I don't remember it after that, and I stuck with the piano.

My Grandmother loved that I played the piano, attended all my nerve-wrecking recitals, and also supported me in what I chose to do with my life.

  

It was the anniversary of my Grandmother's passing just this past April 23th, and it had me wondering what she would think of what I have been up to over these years. She always loved that I played music, and I know my happiness was important to her and that I was healthy and well.

I wondered how she would feel about my lying in the ER from heat exhaustion. She would probably be horrified and since she was a religious -yet made up her own rules- would have let me know she was praying for me.

She'd probably also wonder if I work with Mickey, and then tell me a long story about Walt - from the point of view where you'd almost think she knew him.

My Mom wanted to learn how to play the piano when she was a little girl, but like many parents in the 50's and 60's they said "YES!" to the Accordion Salesman and purchased my Mom the baby Titan accordion instead of a piano. It came along with several instructional booklets, which we still own.

It wasn't long after this that my Mom and Grandmother took a trip to a pawn shop and purchased a cream and gold coloured 150-bass Quagliardi accordion. This was the first accordion that I learned on.

My Mother's family also had a Harmochord, which is pretty sweet if you ask me! It is much like an accordion, only electric and laid out in front of you. 

You press the power button and wait to hear as it revs itself up, vroom vroom vroom... it has a volume control of loud and LOUDER. Let's just say it's the unromantic cousin of the accordion ;-)

This is my Grandmother on my Dad's side. She is very supportive of me as well :)

She is also a very good sport and wore this Beefeater hat for this picture! Thanks Grandma!

This probably isn't a Beefeater hat, and I'm sure my Dad will let me know what it is actually called :P

I don't know the details of the story, but there was an accordionist on my Dad's side of the family, and this male relative played a diatonic squeeze box of sorts.

 

For those who know my Mommala you will know that she is very sweet and loves to laugh. She especially loves to laugh at GOD, the Scottish Drag Queen.

I'm sorry we're so far a part on Mother's Day, but I'm thinking of you!! XOXO

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom and Grandma!

HAPPY WORLD ACCORDION DAY!

Today is May 6th which means it is World Accordion Day!

How will you spend this day celebrating the accordion?

One way, would be to know how to spell ACCORDION. In other languages, there's the fisarmonica, akkordeon, accordéon... one thing I've noticed since my being here in Orlando is it is regularly misspelled to me as "accordian". EGAD!! Sacre bleu!! No no no! Maybe that's the redneck spelling? I need a Floridian diktionarie!

Okay, okay... knowing how to spell 'accordion' isn't really the best way to celebrate the instrument, it was just my way of correcting those who don't use spellcheck!

Back to the ACCORDION! Let's celebrate together, go through your musical library and realize how much music you have that includes the accordion within it. Embrace the sound of the richness in the reeds, how having this instrument in a song adds so much texture, atmosphere and mystique.

Here is my quick top 10 list of artists/bands that will help you appreciate this instrument in a non-Lawrence Welk/Grandparent's rumpus room/community centre/get me out of here - kind of way:

10. The Tiger Lillies
9. Yann Tiersen
8. Beirut
7. Gogol Bordello
6. Tin Hat Trio
5. Jeffrey Bützer
4. Turisas
3. Jason Webley
2. Taraf de Haidouks
1. Mahala Rai Banda

It surprises me how many times I am asked at my job "What is this instrument called?"

Let it be known, IT'S THE FURIOUS AND FEROCIOUS ACCORDION!
Bow down to the mighty accordion, for it will save the world, and I - it's loyal servant - will continue to spread melodies, knowledge, and awesomeness of this instrument to audiences of all ages.

R.I.P. Princess Muffin

Today's blog is in memory of Princess Muffin.

For those who don't know who Princess Muffin was, or did not have the pleasure of meeting her, she was The Great Giffoni's pet chicken/superstar hen. This chicken had so much personality, charm, and would always steal the show :)

She often appeared coming out of a flannel bag during the magic show, flapping her wings, and as expected she would plot her escape from the show all together. After eyeing out the highest point in the room, attempting to fly up to it, she would usually jump off her chair, head down the hall with a stream of giggling children following her.

Her entrance in to the magic show was always met with screams of joy and disbelief. A CHICKEN!!? NO WAY!! She would retort with clucks, and poops on the floor... how fowl! Bad-dum-bum-chhh. She was a funny bird, very vocal, and oh so sweet, letting all the children kindly pet her at the end of the magic show.

I got the news this past week that she passed away from an infection on her leg. I was also informed that Ella, her brown chicken friend, has had the hardest time with the loss, and has taken to wandering the neighbourhood.

Aside from the magic show, Princess Muffin was an avid egg layer, flower bed scratcher, watermelon snacker, neighbourhood watch dog, and would do the occasional fashion modelling on the side.

Princess Muffin shall be missed.

Saving the ER with the accordion!

Hey Mom and Dad!

So remember when my car overheated? Well.. now so did I! Aren't you thrilled!?

One of the scariest and traumatizing things that I have ever experienced happened to me last Friday. I came down with heat exhaustion and had to get my cast mate to drive me to the ER where I spent 4 hours having fluids pumped in to my arm, and my blood pressure monitored.

Tell me I need to drink more water, go ahead, tell me.

For those who know me well know that I treat my body like a temple, and condition it like an athlete. A basic mantra: treat yourself well, and you'll feel well. Water, electrolytes, proper nutrition, exercise - I think the YMCA staff know me by name.

Playing the accordion takes a lot of core strength, strong arms, and plenty of endurance. Accordionist's of the WORLD! How strong are our bodies!?? How heavy are our accordions!?

I'd like to thank the ER staff at the Dr. Phillips hospital for taking such great care of me, and for being so interesting to talk with. "Nice meeting you, hopefully we won't see each other ever again".

My doctor knew I was a musician but was puzzled as to what my instrument could be, that he was usually able to guess by looking at the person. He was able to narrow down that it was probably a woodwind. I replied with a coy "Yes...it's a woodwind". He was still unsure, and I tried to give him a clue with showing him my 'massive' arm muscles. He asked "the bassoon?" FAIL. He asked "One or two reeds?" and I told him "Oh, more than two reeds!"

He gave up and I told him "THE ACCORDION!"

We had a great chat about my European heritage, and how I came to be with this multiple reeded, bellowed instrument. He also charmed me with letting me know he's visited my home city of Victoria BC several times, and knew how lovely and majestic the west coast is.

 

I discovered a helpful site, by someone that is actually living in Florida, detailing temperature care for an accordion. This is a HUGE concern for me and my instrument, luckily I keep my most prized accordion at home safe in a temperature controlled apartment, but the one I use outdoors these days is considered a 'beater' and boy does it get hot, and you can feel a difference when you're playing. Kind of a weird heavy putty-like feeling, along with weird shrill squeaks of off-notes.

Here is a link to the helpful site: http://www.irishdancemaster.com/heatandhumidity.html

Things are definitely heating up in Florida, hopefully I won't have any reed blocks melting out of place and I'm keeping a close eye on my accordion at work since having to get an accordion tuned is very expensive!

I'd love to hear any feedback about any heat horror stories, or what you find works for you and your squeezebox in higher temperatures!