Music Trade Review

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PIANO
ACCORDION
T
HE spectacle of a three-year-old child playing the piano
accordion might appear, to the layman, to be something
of a wrestling match between the youngster and the
instrument with the odds somewhat in favor of the
latter, the reason being that up until recently the piano
accordion has not been generally regarded as a medium for
the musical training of small children.
The rapidly growing interest in the piano accordion as
an instrument for the amateur, however, has naturally
attracted attention to its possibilities as a medium for child
training in common with the other instruments of the orches-
tra and band. Concrete evidence of these possibilities is
offered in Denver, Colo., where a clever teacher, Miss Mern
Reitler, has been able to organize a complete piano accordion
band composed of children of various ages, all trained by
the group method.
Miss Reitler has had considerable experience in the train-
ing of children in music and has been able to instil in the
minds of the people in Denver the fact that small children,
mere babies, can be taught to play musical instruments
whether they happen to be musically inclined or not, empha-
sizing the fact that she likes best to deal with normal children
and does not confine her interest to the prodigies that come
to light occasionally.
Through the efforts of this teacher and others Denver
has come to realize the fact that it is possible to train young-
sters in the playing of musical instruments, for the city has
the distinction of having an orchestra composed of what are
declared 1 to be the youngest musicians in the world, their ages
ranging from two to five, and their instrumentation, includ-
ing the violin, banjo, 'cello, trumpet, saxophone, xylophone,
drums, piano and the piano accordion. Moreover, the per-
formance of these youngsters in ensemble playing would do
credit to much more mature organizations.
In Its Most Entert
DENVER YC
It was through the observance of this orchestra that Miss
Reitler conceived the idea of organizing a complete piano
accordion band, for it was quite evident that the youthful
players were often more interested in that instrument than
in the others of the orchestra. Perhaps it was the bright
appearance of the piano accordion or the volume of noise
that might be produced 1 , but nevertheless it had a charm that
could not be denied.
At the outset the suggestion that children three years old
and upward could be taught to play the piano accordion
appeared ridiculous to the parent and to many musicians,
but the teacher soon convinced them that by means of a
special system she had devised acceptable results were soon
accomplished. Under this system the appeal to the child is
made through the medium of color, for every youngster likes
bright colors. It also eliminates the necessity of constant
practicing, which fact itself has a strong appeal, and with no
arduous work in between the children look forward eagerly
to lesson days. The spirit of competition in the little folk is
found to be much keener than in older youngsters, which is
one reason why class work is so successful.
After the little ones have mastered the smaller piano
accordions of the twelve bass type, they are advanced to more
ambitious instruments and finally taken into the Reitler
MERN REITLER AND HER PIANO ACCORDION BAND
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
A p r i l , 1931