Alexandr Hrustevich performs Bach, Sibelius, Vivaldi, Albioni

Accordion virtuoso:

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What a great performance in a beautiful setting, being shown before a full size organ while giving a wonderful concert on a lap-size organ. I especially like the Sibelius and Albinoni pieces. Some years ago I was fortunate to see a concert given by that yearā€™s Russian national bayan accordion champion. Thanks for posting!

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Youā€™re lucky, Margaret, to have such a beautiful memory of the Bayan champion! Sometimes, I have found myself irritated when listening to some people play the accordion, as it is difficult to handle the bellows, which affects phrasing, and given that it can take many years to learn how to control the bellows. I sure appreciate the virtuosii who have mastered how they handle the bellows, and the Russians have excellent and rigorous music schools for this instrument. The sheer amount of effort it takes for a person to learn how to play an accordion well, makes me appreciate champions, and artists like Mr. Hrustevich.

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Thanks, BlueNose, for sharing this article from the accordionists forum. The author of the article ponders the design of the accordions that sound like pipe organs, even though they donā€™t have any pipes at all, and the ā€œpipeā€ sound is simply a register that opens the air port for a High Pitched Reed to be sounded simultaneously with a Low Pitched Reed. I have seen the insides of accordions which have been taken apart, and I marvel at their complex design (Renaissance era?). I love the Youtube video just below that article in your link, in which a group are playing some Chinese Sheng reed instruments, the very ancient precursors to the accordion. Are you an accordionist?

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No Iā€™m not. Just interested. :slightly_smiling_face:

Amazing!! Thank you for posting this!! :+1:

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Thanks, Kalamona, for sharing the Peter Bence clips! He seems to have an unusual approach to piano playing, and also seems to have a Midi-accompaniment system set up. It is wonderful how he dances in his seat, just ā€œjumps into the musicā€, also how he makes fuller use of the instrument by exposing and handling the piano strings as well as the keyboard.

We really marvel at the capacities of different musicians, how they all find their own unique way into communication via their instruments! Do you play any musical instruments, Kalamona?

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i played violin, a little piano, and some drums along the way. in the last few months i was dreaming about getting a violin and play again. my grandfather was a first violin in the last century. but my teacher was very rabid and cynic, couldnā€™t bare him too much. my sister plays piano, my wife plays piano and have been singing in choir for 36 years. daughter piano, lesser son (sous-chef) plays marimba, vibraphone, drumsā€¦
but no, there wonā€™t be a bandā€¦ although never say neverā€¦:wink:

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Wow, Kalamona, that is impressive musical family! You are very fortunate!! It would be great if you can find a violin, and let that past unpleasant experience with your teacher fizzle out, ā€“ violins are such incredibly expressive instruments (albeit difficult to master).

For inspiration, hereā€™s a short concert (starts about 5 minutes into the video) that our friend, violinist, Pablo gave at a church last year, with his musical friends. (Unfortunately, we did not attend that concert live, as weā€™re not into the masking thing at the local churches ā€“ we donā€™t enter buildings that ask people to mask up).

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Violins are expensive, usually a lot more affordable to rent one first some music shops will credit rental payments towards an instrument purchase can be as low as $30 a month for a $1,200 violin.

People who want to play an instrument, often find a way, outside of money barriers.
Not only that, there are plenty of others who help, when they are able, without any exchange of money.
I gave my violin to our violinist friend, asking him to find a student to whom to give it, when the timing is right, and when the student is the right one for the instrument.

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iā€™ll have to check in the local music school, and they give me one to practice. just havenā€™t gotten there yetā€¦