My sister was in an accordion band/orchestra when we were little. I have a memory of my parents dropping her off for a practice at a local hall, and there were a lot of children with accordions arranged like an orchestra. Why the accordion was so popular from the 1940s to the 1960s seems strange. There were many orchestras during this time. I assume it was the great European emigration after the war.
Which music school did we take accordion lessons at? We all took lessons, as accordion was a beloved German instrument, and my grandfather played accordion. Elio Viola was a well-known accordionist and he had a highly successful Accordion School from the late 1940s in St. Catharines. The Ryson’s Studio in St. Catharines is a candidate school we could have had lessons at. They are known for having Polka King Walter Ostanek as a student. The teachers were Ernst and son Boris Bergstrom - those are familiar names They also opened the Master Conservatory in St. Catharines. I don’t recall that we went there.
There are reminisces at a site called accordionists.info - The Accordionists Forum, and one of the contributors is Riccardo who regales with stories of his lifelong love of accordions and experiences in Hamilton and St. Catharines. Here’s the link.
In the conversation between these accordionists, one of the participants still plays in an accordion orchestra - in the Netherlands.
To learn more about St. Catharines in the 1960s, 70s and 80s - there is a Facebook page HERE. Lots of pictures.
