George Secor performs the popular Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5 on his small accordion with 25 keys and 15 bass buttons.

Look What This Little Accordion Can Do!

At the ATG Festival in Lisle, Illinois last week, we wandered into the exhibit room where George Secor was playing Brahms’ Hungarian Dance #5. “Nice playing” I thought – and then I saw his tiny 25 key, 15 bass piano accordion.

I was fascinated and watched intently. This is NOT a Stradella bass, I surmised. George explained that the little instrument has the Moschino free-bass system, which allows him to play music that’s as complex technically in the left hand as it is in the right hand.

George Secor is a native of Chicago and began to study the accordion at the age of 6 in 1950. From the age of 10 until he was 22, he studied with Mario Moschino, a Chicago-based accordionist and teacher who developed the Moschino free-bass system.

George switched to a full-size Moschino free-bass accordion in 1961, and it so revolutionized his playing that he has never even entertained the idea of going back to the Stradella system.

George retired a few months ago from a long career in information technology. He is now working hard to promote the Moschino free-bass system, which he describes as “easy to play and fun to learn”, and will be happy to share his information with all who are interested.

George can be reached by email at gdsecor@yahoo.com.