Shops and Teachers in USA, Canada, Continental Europe

[Paulz]

Hi I am a intermediate level player who is struggling to move up a level because here in Wellington, New Zealand, there are no teachers. I would also like to buy a better (medium size) piano accordion. So in 2 years time, when I go into semi-retirement, I want to take 3 months off and go to some place (sorry, not the UK) and buy a better piano accordion and take an intensive 3 months of lessons. Can anyone please give me advice on the best city that might offer both a great shopping experience and a great teacher who could do this for me?

 

[JerryPH]

USA has more choices/chances/opportunities than Canada, but Canada has many world class instructors like Joseph Macerollo or his protégé, Michael Bridge and many others. A lot depends on what kind of accordion you want to play, for example, if you need classical Bayan, the best place in the world for a Bayan and a Bayan instructor is Russia. Brush up on the appropriate language... lol

As far as known good places to make an accordion purchase for a used or new one In the USA, it's really hard to beat places like Liberty Bellows because they have a good selection and even better reputation for being fair.

 

[Keymn]

It is nice to have a music store near-by that actually stocks accordions, vaccordions and arranger modules. The online ordering is somewhat difficult to choose. I have bought accessories online from Liberty Bellows, no problems. And the right person answered the phone to answer my question.
I think Roxy’s is another good place. I like Leon’s video as they demonstrate the operation’s of VAccordion, BK7m...etc., which I prefer than buying sound sets.

 

[Paulz]

Many thanks for this. Liberty Bellows looks amazing. it has given me a few ideas already.

 

[Glenn]

A practical problem for your continental Europe options will be your language skills. In france <EMOJI seq="1f1eb-1f1f7">??</EMOJI> and italy <EMOJI seq="1f1ee-1f1f9">??</EMOJI> you’ll have to speak the language. In the Netherlands <EMOJI seq="1f1f3-1f1f1">??</EMOJI> or or belgium <EMOJI seq="1f1e7-1f1ea">??</EMOJI> you may get by with English but the three teachers I’ve had over the years couldn’t do it. Germany <EMOJI seq="1f1e9-1f1ea">??</EMOJI> will be no better, nor anywhere east of there.

 

[Geronimo]

A practical problem for your continental Europe options will be your language skills. In france <EMOJI seq=1f1eb-1f1f7>??</EMOJI> and italy <EMOJI seq=1f1ee-1f1f9>??</EMOJI> you’ll have to speak the language. In the Netherlands <EMOJI seq=1f1f3-1f1f1>??</EMOJI> or or belgium <EMOJI seq=1f1e7-1f1ea>??</EMOJI> you may get by with English but the three teachers I’ve had over the years couldn’t do it. Germany <EMOJI seq=1f1e9-1f1ea>??</EMOJI> will be no better, nor anywhere east of there.

I think it will depend on the age of the teacher in most of Europe. At least in West Germany, someone being now in the fifties would rarely be unable to speak English, and younger ones rather better than worse. For most formal teaching educations, you need to have a high school diploma (Abitur) where a language background is not optional, and most take English as first or as second foreign language. Now if you are looking for a bayan teacher, youll have a high quota of people even in Germany wholl speak German well enough to get along but speak an East European language natively and could work in Russian without a lot of problems.

But native German teachers are usually at home with piano accordion. If they offer CBA, it tends to be C system since that has the same free bass layout as customory piano accordions. Regionally you have B system in the East and in the Wurtthemberg area (including Trossingen), but C system when you get to Switzerland. Its a bit muddled. In those areas with a regional preference, perhaps 5% of CBA players, elsewhere less.