Boomer Accordionist

My Baby Boomer Accordion Playing Journey: Dr. Joanie E. Leichter Dominick, Accordion Aficionado

My Accordion Website: All Things Accordion

http://www.allthingsaccordion.com

Happiness is Playing My Accordion: Dr. Joanie E. Leichter Dominick with her 120 Base Mother of Pearl Piano Accordion

made by Vinny Roberts in Italy. I was playing at the Atlanta Accordion Club in this picture.

Why I Love the Accordion: Celebrating Life by Playing, Learning, Listening, & Dancing with My Vinny Roberts' 120 Base Accordion Beauty

By Dr. Joanie Leichter Dominick, Life Long Accordion Aficionado

I have always loved the Accordion. The brillance of the instrument, the sound of the keys and the bellows, the accordion looks alive when it is being played. It touches the musical soul of the listener and the musican.

I started Accordion lessons after a 46 year break. I studied Accordion from 1962 to 1965 at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Elementary School. Studies with Vinny Roberts, who brought the accordion to the Roman Catholic Schools of NYC.

Thank you to my wonderful Parents Doris & Joe Leichter for buying me my Accordion and paying for three years of lessons. I was just introduced to Lou Jacklich, who is a Master Accordionist, who shared that his current Accordion Students are Baby Boomers and Beyond, whom are returning for Accordion lessons. Most played as children.

That is my story. We just had World Accordion Day on May 6, 2012. Now June is Accordion Awareness Month. The Accordion is a Multiage, Multicultural, and Multiple Source of Joy Instrument! Let's share the Accordion Joy!

Sections of Accordion Afficionado

Part One: My Accordion Story

Accordion Story 1930's:

My Maternal Grandmother, Ana Morahan Leicher, gives my Uncle, Robert Emert Leichter, the Accordion. My Dad decided to play it. He got a Trumpet to play. It was a Piano Accordion with Twenty Bases.

Accordion Story 1950's & 1960's:

At 11 years old I begin three years of study with Vinny Roberts Studio 1962-1965. The Vinny Roberts Studio on Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx, NY, comes to the Roman Catholic Schools to give lessons.

I sign up witht he support of my parents at my school, St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Jamaica, Queens, NY. My parents buy me my beautiful Mother of Pearl 120 Base Piano Accordion, manufacted in Italy, commissioned by Vinny Roberts in 1963. See me holding the accordion in my picture above.
My Mother, Doris Anne Donohue Leichter, takes the Q 25/34 Bus every Wednesday afternoon for three years to carry my 120 Base Accordion to my lessons. Thank you so much Mommy.

Each end of school year, we gave an Accordion Concert. In the Eighth Grade, I play duet with Mary Ann Hutchinson 1965 "Bits & Pieces" Dave Clark Five.

Accordion Story 1970's & 1980's:

My dear friend, Rose Costabile drives my accordion down from New York in the 1970's. My current accordion teach tells me that she was great to do this as accordions can get damaged on airplanes.

Play at the Department of Speech Communications Holiday Parties while I was an instructor at the University of Georgia. I was a big hit!

Accordion Story 1990's & 2000's:

Play my accordion for fun, at neighborhood parties, over the phone for relatives and friends

In 2006, I begin to attend to Atlanta Accordion Club.

Bonnie Rowe gets me my beautiful new straps
Play a duet at the Atlanta Accordion Club with Jake Herzog
See Tout Les Soir Play in Pensacola April 2012
Decide to take lessons with Simo Tesla
World Accordion Day May 6th, 2012 & Little Grandma's Birthday
First Class Monday May 7th, 2012 with My Accordion Teacher Simo Tesla
Using My Palmer Hughes Books for my lessons. My Parents bought me the orginal set, my Great Uncle Tom Walters and Great Aunt Eileen Walters gave me the collection of Palmer Hughes again in 1980.

Celebrate!

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