As I attend various accordion events around the country, I have been interviewing all types of people who love the accordion and are involved with the accordion in very unique ways. Here is my interview with Karen Lee which took place on January 16, 2011 at the FMAE event in Arizona.

This is the first of what will be many interviews with accordion people.

R:What do you do?
K:I am the engraver for the Frank Marocco Accordion Event and I also do lead sheets for him.

R:How long have you been doing this?
K:For several months now. I taught myself about 8 or 9 months ago.

R:What is your profession?
K:I am a retired trial attorney. ‘

R:How does that career compare to your new musical career?
K:My musical career is much more fun! Less confrontational. And equally puzzle solving. It is a people type of thing.

R:How did you meet FM?
K:He is one of the people that is associated with the accordion club that I belong to. I play with the North Hollywood Accordionaires. I heard him at the club several times. And then I attended his events. Then I asked him if I could be his student and he said yes.

R:How long have you been studying with him?
K:About a year and a half.

R:Did you play the accordion before that?
K:Well, I played “at” the accordion before. At my first lesson I learned that I did not play the accordion at all.

R:Did you play as a child?
K:I played the piano and the pipe organ.

R:How long was that?
K:From the time I was 4 until 37.

R:What made you decide to play the accordion?
K:You can’t carry a pipe organ around!

R:That’s true. When was the first time you played with an accordion orchestra like this?
K:Probably 5 or 6 years ago with the Accordionaires Orchestra.
There were 5 or 6 people then. Now there are over 20. Janet Hane’s group.

R:When do you take lessons from FM?
K:When he is in town and I am in town.

R:Can you share something that you have learned?
K:Strive for tone.

R:How do you do that?
K:Keep the bellows under control. Always keep pulling or pushing the bellows.

R: What is your educational backround?
K:I went to Loyola in LA. It was a 2nd or 3rd career for me.
I started as a high school English teacher. Then I became a HS libarian. Then I went to law school.

R:Seems like a natural progression of events. Are other people in your family musical?
K:No, its just me.

R:Have you attended other accordion conventions and festivals.
K:I have been to Las Vegas.Silver Falls, Galla-Rini, FMAE

R:What would you say is unique about accordion people?
K:They are all friendly! Have fun with your accordion!

R:How long do you practice?
K:I practice every day between 2 and 3 hours.
Frank said to practice scales every day.

R:What do you think of this Frank Marocco Accordion Event?
K:This is my 5th one! I would not miss it!
You get to become friends with many people.

R:How did you get into engraving music?
K:Another thing I did was join a Klezmer band. They only had a score. There were no accordion parts written out. I researched and got a basic program, Finale, which I took it to Frank at my lessons and he helped me create an accordion part. Frank said, “Would you do this for me?” I said, “Sure, that would be great” And it is great! Frank has been very helpful to me.

R:Isn’t it time consuming?
K:Yes, but it is fun for me.

R:What are you working on next?
K:When he has something for me to do , I will do it.

Karen, thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. Best wishes for future successes in all your accordion endeavors.