Accordion enthusiasts gathered in Dallas this weekend to celebrate their beloved instrument at the “Big Squeeze” accordion festival. Organized by Texas Folklife, the event took place on Saturday at the West Dallas Center of Dallas College.
Participants ranged from young novices, starting at age 12, to established professional groups like “The HomeBoyz.” The festival highlighted the accordion’s significance in various musical styles popular in Texas and Mexico, such as tejano, conjunto, and norteño. The accordion was introduced to the region by German immigrants in the 1800s and integrated into local folk traditions. Czech immigrants also contributed to its musical heritage, and French settlers in Louisiana and Texas helped shape zydeco music.
Texas Folklife’s goal in hosting the concert was to preserve these diverse traditions and inspire new musicians to take up the accordion.
This mission resonated with many performers, including Elena Fainshtein, who attended with two of her students. Fainshtein, originally from Belarus, has been promoting accordion awareness in the U.S. for over 20 years.
“My dream is to make the accordion popular in America again,” she said. “It truly is the best instrument!”
Fainshtein runs a music school with students from various locations, both local and international. Two of her students performed at the concert, including Elijah Clements, who was drawn to the zydeco music of Louisiana and southeast Texas.
“I first saw a zydeco instrument and was instantly captivated by it,” Clements recalled. “The fascination with its appearance and mechanics led me to the squeezebox, and my love for it has only grown.”
The nickname “squeezebox” comes from the way players compress the accordion to produce sound by forcing air through its reeds. Clements embraces this term, expressing his affection for the instrument.
“I always hug the instrument because it’s so dear to me,” he said. “For a ‘squeezebox,’ it truly holds the instrument’s soul.”
Among the younger attendees was Elayne Doggett, who began playing after watching an online performance.
“I saw someone playing the accordion, and my mom asked if I’d like to try it,” she said. “We borrowed an accordion, and I found an amazing teacher. It’s been a fun journey ever since.”
