Everything Accordion Podcast

Financial freedom is a goal that many people aspire to, but few achieve. This doesn't mean though that YOU can't get there! For classical musicians, the challenge is even greater, as they face a highly competitive and uncertain market, low and irregular income, and high expenses. However, financial freedom is not impossible for classical musicians, if they are willing to adopt some strateg...

This is an experimental episode covering events of the current and upcoming week. Let me know what you think about it! This type of episodes will report on CD, books and sheet music releases of the current week and live events of the upcoming week. If you'd like me to cover your event or an event near you, send me a voice message or reach out to me via email and social media and I will read it...

Maciej Frąckiewicz is a Polish accordionist, active in promoting new music for the instrument, professor at the Hochschule in Detmold (Germany), the founder of a new festival in Bialystok and much more!  We talked about the relationship between discipline, often developed through practicing some form of sport, and music. The different stages of developing skills needed to become a professional acc...

This is a quick announcement regarding the Everything Accordion Podcast. If you'd like to support the podcast and help me get a new laptop faster, you can find our the different ways in which you can support me and the show at linktr.ee/everything_accordion_podcast Thanks and have a great summer y!

Dragana Kuzmanović is a Serbian accordionist, the founder and organizer of the Eufonija Festival in Novi Sad, an accordion teacher and much more!  We talked about the accordion environment in Serbia in the 1990s, how the accordion was a source of comfort during the trying times of unrest and civil wars in the Balkans, the creation of the Eufonija Novi Sad Festival, the driving goals behind it, the...

On today's episode I am talking to the first jazz accordionist on the podcast, Klaus Paier. The episode is in German, but you can find and read a transcript of the episode in English in my blog. We talk about how Klaus started playing the accordion, going from "not-a-fan" to becoming a professional musician, the importance of connecting with other musicians and allowing music projects to grow in t...

On this episode of  Career Friday , I wanted to talk about NIKE. Just kidding! This episode picks up where we left off the previous one. Getting your tasks and projects done. I think it is safe to say that most of us have had a situation in which we didn't do something, didn't apply for something or sent a concert proposal to someone because of our inner voice. Instead of "just"...

Michael Bridge  is our second guest from North America! He is a very active Canadian accordionist involved in a variety of musical and research projects.  We talked about the accordion environment in Canada, how Michael first encountered the accordion and later the wider international community, his two main ensembles, the digital accordion, his doctoral research... the episode is packed with inte...

Duo Das Kollektiv, Raphael Brunner and Juan Diaz, are a young accordion and flute duo who found their unique voice and who live their music anew every single time they go on stage. This was also the first time I met my guests face to face LIVE!  This episode is in German, but you will be able to read a transcript of  the conversation in English either on my Patreon or on my blog very soo...

Sergej Tchirkov is the first guest of 2023 on the podcast! A prolific musician, a curator and great supporter of new music and much much more . It was one of those conversations that flowed so naturally that one hour just flew by!  We talked about how pretending to play a musical instrument as a child grew into a professional music career, transcriptions, what is Russian music (?), the resear...

Frode Haltli is a musician who is not afraid to jump from contemporary to folk music, from classical to improvisation. He is among the most active accordionists today. He has a variety of solo and chamber music projects and all of them are unique! We talked about Christmas gifts and how they can propel you into a lifelong career, the many interests which Frode integrated into his career, the impor...

On this episode of Career Friday I wanted to talk about some tips and tricks on getting UNSTUCK and getting your tasks and projects done. If you need help or would like to talk about your doubts in becoming or continuing your career as a professional musician, you can book a virtual coffee with me or a one-to-one coaching session on my website. If you like my content, support me by sharing this ep...

On today's episode I am talking to one of the first returning guests on the podcast, a friend, a manager, producer, promoter of the accordion worldwide and great supporter of the podcast, Herbert Scheibenreif. The episode is in German, but you can find and read a transcript of the episode in English on the Patreon page of the podcast. Links below. We talk about the joy the accordion world and its...

On this episode of Career Friday I wanted to share with you my STRATEGY for getting more concerts. If you need help or would like to talk about your doubts in becoming or continuing your career as a professional musician, you can book a virtual coffee with me or a one-to-one coaching session on my website. If you like my content, support me by sharing this episode with your friends and on social m...

There are a variety of topics I would like to talk about on Career Friday , and I thought that start with the Mindset could be a good starting point for laying the ground for future episodes.  Key takeaways from the episode: What is success to you?  What is your why? Leaving the scarcity mindset behind us Cultivating a mindset of collaboration and abundancy If you are listening on Spotif...

João Barradas is among the most active young accordionists on the international music scene. He performs classical, baroque, jazz, he improvises and brings forward many cutting-edge projects.   It was an immense pleasure to sit down and talk with him about the difference in mindset when approaching improvisation and written music concerts, the state of flow when being on stage, the love for m...

This episode marks the inauguration of the Career Friday series. In recent years I became passionate about everything that has to do with being a musician, besides playing ones beloved instrument. This series will address broader questions and topics connected to the career of a professional musician. This will include (but not limit itself to) topics such as money, finances, strategy, online and...

Momir is a Serbian accordionist who moved around Europe and landed in Estonia, teaching at the Tallinn Music Academy, organizing an international festival, performing and much more. I am excited to discover all the amazing work he has done and keeps on doing, promoting our instrument at the highest level possible. We talked about his beginnings and the reasons behind his frequent change of country...

Lore is a Spanish-born London-based accordionist whom I met during my Erasmus semester at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. She is another great example of what discipline, curiosity, education and entrepreneurship can create when mixed together! I am also super happy that we managed to do an episode on the quarter-tone accordion. Want to know what it is? Listen to Lore explain it!! We ta...

Margherita Berlanda is an Italian accordionist whom I met at my entrance audition for the Conservatory of Trieste back in 2009. It was an absolute pleasure to sit down after 5 years since we last saw each other and have a chat about music, career and life! We talked about Margherita's path towards becoming a professional musician, her love of baroque and contemporary music, her different and very...

Iwo Jedynecki is the first Polish accordionist on the podcast! Our conversation was fun, insightful, inspiring, stimulating and filled with laughters. Check it out for yourself!   We talked about Iwo's natural transition into a professional musician, his love of music and football, his collaboration with the Polish violinist Karolina Mikolayczik, his approach to transcribing romantic period m...

We continue talking to Los Angeles based John Torcello about modern accordions, creative ways forward for the instrument, playing with orchestras and conductors like Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel and others. John talks about the company he founded with his borther and resuming his career as a professional accordionist. You will also hear the background story to the SoundSketches, which you he...

It was a pleasure to talk to the first North American guest on the podcast! Los Angeles based John Torcello is a musician, entrepreneur and a pioneer in the technology and recording field.  In the first part of the episode we talked about his beginnings as an accordionist, his studies, a different perspective on competitions, the music world in LA and Hollywood in the 1970's and early 1980's,...

It was a great pleasure to sit down and talk to Stefan Hussong , an accordionist who needs no presentation! We talked about his encounter with the accordion and his studies, some fun anecdotes about composers he worked with, the importance of competitions and having the right mindset for them, his vast discography and the recent CD dedicated to Antonio Soler's Keyboard Sonatas, his future projects...

On today's episode we have the Italian composer Gianluca Verlingieri who has written a great work for accordion solo called "Shift". I have had the privilege to record the piece on his portrait album "Musica ritrovata" released by NEOS Music this year. You will hear the piece at the end of the episode! We talk about how he became a composer, his encounter with the accordion, what he looks for when...