Elena Fainshtein is a well known and respected teacher, musician and an inspiration to all. The accordion is an integral and highly important part of Elena Fainshtein’s life. She encompasses all aspects of the accordion and musical world: Performer, Teacher, Arranger, Mentor, valued member of accordion organizations such as ATG and more. She helps her students actualize their musical potential in a meaningful, kind and practical way.

Elena is a warm and approachable person. She shares, “I was born in Belarus, which was part of the Soviet Union. I never knew my grandparents who died in World War 2. My parents met in the orphanage they grew up in & both dedicated their lives to teaching.

As a child, I liked to read, draw, and have kid fun like every other child. At the age of five I was stung by a hive of wasps, and lost my ability to speak after having a horrible reaction & being in a complete state of shock I became mute. I remember my dad taking me to many doctors & therapists, trying to find any possible way to help me get my voice back. For a whole year he was seeking the best doctors while hoping for a miracle. The verdict he received was troubling to him, but as a child I did not realize the seriousness of the matter…”Your daughter will never speak again…” He was told.

I remember taking the train with my father from Moscow to Minsk one day, I remember seeing tears running down his cheeks and seeing a lady approach him to hear our story. The lady, who I have never met since, advised him to buy a musical instrument, believing that music can help restore my ability to speak. A few days later he brought home a suitcase; I was thinking that it was time to go to see another doctor so I started to cry. He then opened the suitcase and I looked in and saw the button accordion for the first time in my life! I grabbed it, pressed the buttons & to my delight the accordion made a sound so I repeated this sound with my voice, and shouted to my dad “thaaank yyoouu.”

I remember my mom, when I was trying to say something and started stuttering, she was telling me “Elena, take your accordion and sing everything that you want to say” and I did.

I first took private lessons and then attended the School for Gifted Kids in Minsk, Belarus, where my second instrument of choice was piano. Then, I went to the Minsk Music College, graduating with the highest grades possible. After music college, I attended the Academy of Music in Minsk, from which I graduated in 1987. At the age of 17 at music college I began playing as an Accordion Duo with my classmate, Gregory Fainshtein, who became my husband and music partner for life and the rest is history!”

Since their school days, Gregory and Elena have performed concerts all over the world, including Belarus, Russia, Georgia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Germany, Israel, and the United States. They performed at all NAA conventions, and in 2013 and 2015, performed together at the ATG. In 2014, they performed at the Las Vegas International Accordion Convention (LVIAC). In 2019, Elena was able to take one of her top accordion students, Elijah Clements to LVAC, where Elijah received a scholarship and they performed a half-hour solo and duet concert.

Elena Fainshtein has been teaching piano and accordion successfully for over 30 years, giving lessons in three different languages. She currently resides in Plano, Texas where she maintains a private home studio called Musical Expressions.

Elena has a very interesting and varied career. Recently she was contacted by professional trombonist Lucas Kaspar who commissioned a composition for trombone and accordion by Michael Johnson entitled, “Opa’s Yodel” in memory of Johann Kaspar. Elena and Lucas will perform this new composition at the International Trombone Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 12, 2023. Elena is very excited about this unique project. A recording will be made soon and available to view.

Elena is involved in so many musical endeavors that it is difficult to know where to begin since she is happy and passionate about all of them, ranging from her accordion and piano students to her own projects. Several of her top students participated in the ATG Zoom Recital on April 30, 2023. On May 13, 2023, Elena will be a featured performer at the Big Squeeze Youth Accordion Championships at the Bullock Museum in Austin, Texas. (See article in this month’s Highlights publication). At the Big Squeeze concert, Elena will perform a varied program of Eastern European music including Ukrainian, Finnish, Belarusian, Gypsy, Jewish, and generally global music, a mixture of all types and genres. Her student, Elijah Clements will also be included in the program. Elena is also proud to announce that her student, Timur Didych, 16 years old from Southlake, is a finalist in the Polka Division of the Big Squeeze Championship.

On May 6, 2023 – World Accordion Day, Elena will celebrate this special day with all of her students (and accordions) at an informal get-together at her home in Texas.

On June 10, 2023 there will be a student recital (Musical Expressions) at the local concert hall with more than thirty students participating. Elena is proud of all of her students, especially her “Big Squeeze” champions – Elijah Clements, Elayne Doggett, Alex French, and Peter Gresser.

So much more can be said about Elena but her accomplishments speak for themselves. Wishing her continued successes.