Newsletters
Marketing Part 1 – Accordion Course
By Yve Ord & Reklam – Yvonne
Are you curious about the accordion and what it’s like to learn how to play?
Then you’re welcome to join me as I go through the ten digital lessons I’ve signed up for. This way, you can see for yourself how it all works.
My name is Yvonne. My love for the accordion began early in life. But it wasn’t until I was around 13–14 years old that a family friend, Gerhard, discovered my deep interest in the instrument. I had absolutely no interest in the kind of music others my age listened to—pop, rock, and so on.
Gerhard had been the bandleader of Jerres Kvartett, consisting of Gerhard on accordion, Sten on clarinet, Börje on guitar, and Lennart on drums. Since Gerhard had also left the island for a life in Stockholm and was living alone after a divorce, he often spent Saturdays with my family for dinner—and to my delight, he always brought his accordion.
I still remember the moment he played and then said, “Come here, I’ll show you the accordion.” He helped me put it on and showed me how to press the buttons on the chromatic accordion. It was a magical moment, and from that day on, I wished for an accordion of my own. But my parents couldn’t afford one—my father worked for the railway, and my mother took care of a child at home. I understood that there was no point in begging.
Instead, I received a guitar and lessons through the Stockholm Municipal Music School. But it wasn’t the same. Even though the guitar was considered more modern, my dream of the accordion never disappeared.
I was very creative and began writing poems and rhymes as soon as I learned to read. I taught myself how to rhyme, and I wrote songs. It became my way of surviving the difficult years of bullying.
My mother used to sing to me when I was little. She knew old songs like Elvira Madigan and was a fan of Cacka Israelsson, so Gamle Svarten and En sliten grimma were often played on the gramophone. From my father, I got spiritual music—and of course Jokkmokks-Jokke. My father thought it was remarkable that a railway worker like Jokke became an artist. I myself listened a lot to Thore Skogman.
My interest in music has always stayed with me, and my love for writing eventually became a business idea—and led me to become an author.
I listened to many accordionists live: Andrew Walter, Carl-Einar Schierman, Walter Eriksson, Hasse Tellemar, Ricke Löw, Hans Wahlgren, and our own local players Hans and Dolle Muthas, Allan Nilsson, and Erik Olsson, among others.
As a retiree, now close to 70, and longing to reconnect with my creativity, I contacted my good friend Bengt in Östersund. I asked him whether he thought I should buy an accordion—or a bag of birdseed and sit in the park feeding pigeons. Bengt immediately said, “Buy an accordion.” It’s important to ask the right person—a fellow accordionist.
Through Karlssons Musik in Fjärås, I found a beautiful chromatic accordion. I contacted Bengt, and he checked it out right away. He called back and said, “Call them NOW and say you’ll buy it before someone else does.” Soon the accordion arrived by the hazardous goods boat to the island. Bengt gave me instructions on how to take care of it, and my dear friends in Leksand—both accordionists—answered many of my questions.
I had a lesson book and began reading sheet music. Everyone told me, “You can probably play by ear.” That left me unsure of what to do, and reading notes felt like being back in school music class. I played a few short tunes but never really got started.
That’s where many people give up. There are many accordions sitting untouched because their owners never got any further. But that’s not the purpose—accordions are meant to be played. It wasn’t until I discovered Lars Ek’s Accordion School that I felt I had finally found my place. And I truly had, because the piece I now get to learn is Elvira Madigan, the very song my mother sang to me when I was little.
If you, too, long to learn the accordion, you’re not alone. I’ve looked at Sweden and Norway, and there is a strong interest among young people—and many women choose the accordion. I’ve also met older beginners, even up to 80 years old. And it’s not the electronic instruments they’re drawn to, but the acoustic ones. The “nerdy” label the accordion once had is gone, and the instrument has gained a completely new status.
For me, a course like Lars Ek’s Accordion School is perfect. You study at your own pace. I have no other educational opportunities on the island, and sitting alone with a book didn’t suit me—I felt isolated. But having a digital teacher strangely doesn’t make me feel alone. I really listen to what Lars Ek says. I notice that I’m absorbing the knowledge of sheet music and now understand its value. I was surprised when I sat in church with a hymnal and could read the notes thanks to the accordion course. So Faster Anna and the good horse are now firmly in my memory. When you start the course, you’ll understand what I mean.
Make sure your computer can run RealPlayer. Nothing worked for me at first because I have a Mac. But everything was solved once a technician understood how important it was for me to get started. I bought a new Mac, and he fixed everything so I can now watch the Data School on FrosiniSociety.org. It’s not newly recorded, but that doesn’t bother me at all—in fact, I think it has great charm because of it. And you get all the knowledge you need.
I also discovered that it’s helpful to film the current lesson with my phone. That way, I can watch it without the computer. The phone is always with me. I repeat the notes while walking. I rewatch the lessons again and again and absorb the knowledge. I repeat everything our teacher says. A digital teacher is the only one who accepts that.
Now I’ve reached Lesson 2, and I haven’t grown tired of it—instead, I can see that I’m making progress.
Back