Accordion players in USA
srbarete
Hello! Does anyone know the industry estimate for number of accordion
PLAYERS in the USA? The industry estimate for number of accordions in
the USA is supposedly 9 million, but I imagine there are many of these
poor unfortunates which are stored in a closet or attic, without benefit
of some loving accordionist to tickle their keys!
Thanks, Lynda
Vince Kurpan
srbarete wrote:
>
> Hello! Does anyone know the industry estimate for number of accordion
> PLAYERS in the USA?
A few months ago on the E-Town Radio show they said 2.5 million in the
USA. I'm not sure where they got the number.
VK
Robert Berta
Seeing that at one time the accordion was by far the most popular instrument in
the US I suspect that there could be 9 million ACCORDIONS around....but now I
would bet that there maybe 15 percent of that number actually being used.
As far as I know the champion country for number of people playing the
accordion is China. It is evidently the most popular instrument by a wide
margin. They have something like 3 accordion factories and millions of players
according to feedback from people who have performed there (Barbara Ann
Martindale, Veiko Ahvenainen to name a couple). They can't keep up with the
demand for accordions and so have to import from other countries like Germany
and Italy as well.
Barbara gave me an album of pictures she took while there and it was amazing.
many bands with hundreds of players, audiences with thousands of people, and
many virtuoso's even at very young ages...she spoke of one girl probably 8
years old who was playing the most difficult music with ease. I saw several
pictures of large schools with 20-30 kids in group classes. Seems that they
have a real taste for western music but also have some beautiful composers. It
would be nice if we had more access to those compositions.
Bob Berta
cbentz
srbarete wrote:
>
> Hello! Does anyone know the industry estimate for number of accordion
> the USA is supposedly 9 million,
Two million accordions mfr and shipped to the USA during the last 50
years would be on the very high side. That's assuming every
accordionist owns an accordion. If the entire world were included, a
figure of 5 or 6 million might be plausible.
For the past 50 years (18250 days), 9 million accordions translates to
an average of 494 accordions mfr per day, every day including weekends
and holidays, or, 180,000 annually for 50 years. Even in it's heyday,
180,000 accordions would have been more than was ever recorded on import
records.
As to how many people in the US lay claim to being an accordionist, that
a whole different issue. It's kind of like listening to all the polka
accordionists who lay claim to having played with Frankie Yankovic at
one time or another. Gosh, they must number in the thousands.
Unfortunately, there is no real industry clearing house to follow total
mfrg, sales and importing. The only real accurate records are import
and duty records for accordions made outside the US. Accordions mfr (or
assembled) in this country, total less than 150,000 for 50 years.
Cliff Bentz
David Batty
In article <01bd721b$b2a9d540$cf24...@rkb4ws01.comp.pge.com>, Robert
Berta <RK...@pge.com> writes
she seems to take them everywhere with her so she can show people either
during the break or after her performance, I saw her at Blackpool,
Stockport AC, Wyre Accordion Festival. She said she was amazed at the
number of people who played in China and quoted 30,000,000.
David Batty
www.sectorsoftware.demon.co.uk
da...@sectorsoftware.demon.co.uk
bel...@accordions.com
David Batty <da...@sectorsoftware.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>Barbara was showing those pictures at her concerts over here in England,
>she seems to take them everywhere with her so she can show people either
>during the break or after her performance, I saw her at Blackpool,
>Stockport AC, Wyre Accordion Festival. She said she was amazed at the
>number of people who played in China and quoted 30,000,000.
This number is true. I have been there twice; the first time was in
1988 with the Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra (the first time a
foreign accordion orchestra had toured there), the second time was
January this year for a personal holiday. There have many fantastic
accordionists already. I feel honoured to know many of them
personally! I truely believe they will be a force in international
competition in the years to come (as they have already started to).
Two good friends of mine; jazz accordionist Grant "Yogi" Martin and
Maurice Jones have performed in China regularly over the past two
years. They get packed houses at every venue! They both perform in a
jazz and rock style that is virtually never heard in China, which
tends to be totally Classical.
Wayne Knights
Webmaster
Accordions Worldwide
http://www.accordions.com