Development Of The Accordion
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A speech by Dr. Herbert Scheibenreif about "Different aspects of the development of the accordion" presented at the 2026 Saratov Video Conference
Patent of Cyrill Demian 200th Anniversary in 2029 and World Accordion Day
The first World Accordion Day was held on 6th May 2009, marking the 180th birthday of the accordion - 6 May 1829, the date the accordion patent was filed. On May 6, 1829, Cyrill Demian (1772–1849) an organ and piano maker of Armenian origin, accompanied by his two sons Karl and Guido, filed a patent in Vienna, Austria for the accordion.
Consign: No. 1433 listed a new type of instrument consisting of a small box with “feathers of metal plates and bellows fixed to it” making it easy to carry and play. The new instrument was seven to nine inches long, three-and-a-half wide, and two inches high. The bellows were fixed above the box with five claves fixed below. The makers claimed it was possible to perform marches, arias, melodies, even by an amateur of music with little practice, and to play the loveliest and most pleasant chords of three, four and five voices with little practice. The patent was approved a short time later on May 23, 1829.
Since 2009, World Accordion Day has been very successful, generating a lot of positive publicity for the accordion. Every association, group, orchestra, performer and teacher, is asked to actively support this event by encouraging national and local accordion activities to happen in their country on this day.
The All-Russian Day of Bayan, Accordion and Harmonica is celebrated each year (on the third Saturday in March) at the Gnesin RAM Concert Hall in Moscow, Russia. The Department of the Bayan and Accordion of the Gnesin RAM established the event with project manager, Friedrich Lips. The aim of the event is to become part of a national cultural project. The initiative began in 2010 and demonstrated great enthusiasm in all regions of Russia, both from amateurs and professional musicians, and resulted in a truly national celebration.
Development of accordion making
In 1907 Piotr Sterligov created a new instrument (so-called “bayan”) with 55 treble buttons (4 rows) and 72 basses (with preset chords, often known as "standard bass"). In 1929 he built the first bayan with single tones (bass) with a new bass mechanism (so-called converter) that permits, by pressing a button, to switch from standard bass preset chords to single notes of many octaves. This invention considerably increased the performance of the bayan. In the 1960ies Yuri Volkovitch further perfected the design and quality of the bayan to create the 'Jupiter' (3 and 4 voices), forerunner of the modern professional concert instrument which attained its worldwide reputation. This concept became the basis used by accordion manufacturers of professional concert instruments around the world. Friedrich Lips and Mogens Ellegaard had the idea of combining Russian reeds and Italian mechanics in the same instrument.
World Accordion Museum Alliance (WAMA)
The World Accordion Museum Alliance is a global initiative held under the auspices of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA), to coordinate the efforts of Accordion Museums and collectors around the world. Within the CIA member nations, Accordion Museums are found in Austria, China, Finland, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Sweden, the USA and more, with private collections being held in many other member nations. We aim to unify our collective efforts to ensure that the history and development of our instrument is protected well into the future.
World Accordion Museum Alliance (WAMA) Mission Statement:
The World Accordion Museum Alliance is an International partnership committed to the conservation, protection and promotion of our global accordion heritage. Our common responsibility is to preserve our accordion related treasures, document the accordion's cultural heritage, encourage discoveries and tell our story for future generations.
World Accordion Museum Alliance (WAMA) Global Initiatives:
WAMA aims to carry out International missions in association with the CIA and its member nations, affording the opportunity to discuss and reflect on museum and heritage related issues such as: documenting and digitalization of accordion heritage information as found in various cultures represented by its member nations; developing a digital platform where information can be researched and shared; creating a global data base of instrument collections utilizing recognized Museum standards; exploring enhanced business models for Museums’ financial sustainability; building alliances and partnerships within and outside of the Museum field and ensuring future generations of Museum leadership and collection entrustment.
Development of pedagogy
As you know the artistic playing of the accordion has developed immensely during the last years. In various countries and at universities the accordion has been acknowledged as fully equivalent to other instruments, famous composers such as Sofia Gubaidulina have written works for the accordion, and - last but not least -the quality of the instrument has been improved to a large extent. People celebrated this development euphorically, but very often they forgot the basic problems of the education of beginners: Which instruments are apt for children? What about the repertoire - only original music or transcriptions as well? Is it better to begin with the stradella bass or the baritone bass manuals? etc.
The search for optimal repertoires, instruments and playing systems represent basic problems in the teaching of beginners, and there are still no final solutions in sight. Music literature used for beginners should in any case correspond with the mentality, the talent and the interests of the pupils, and it should never be chosen according to competitions. Music renews itself constantly. A lot of oeuvres the sound of which was unpleasant for people of earlier centuries, are popular works of art today. Accordionists often lack frankness of new and strange things, which - in the end - also helps traditional music. For its further development the accordion needs the impulse of contemporary artists and composers, and that not only in the artistic field, but also for the teaching of beginners. Where are such oeuvres for the accordion like the one Schumann and Tchaikovsky wrote for beginners learning to play the piano? Studies and methods are numerous, but their profitable use depends very much on the pupil's qualification. ("The pupil is the method!") Good music for beginners is unfortunately very rare! If there were enough good original oeuvres for the accordion, there would not be the problem of having to use transcriptions.
For playing an instrument special anatomic and physiological conditions are very important. The anatomy of a musician, the structure of his hands (which can be measured) and their relation with the nervous system set natural limits. Today we can find out the possibilities of a player which are limited by his physiology, we can study his playing, we can show his mistakes and measure and bring out the ones which are not always to be heard. Thus, there are bases for new teaching methods. Generally seen, a normal physical development is enough for the successful accordion player. No special body measurements, functions of muscles or processes concerning the nervous system are necessary. On the contrary, we must find such measurements which interfere with playing the accordion to advise a pupil against choosing this instrument. Unfavourable anatomical or physiological conditions can, however, be compensated by high musicality, strong will and mental flexibility. Laxity in movement is certainly an essential qualification for successful playing. The necessary fingerings should be reached without bracing, the player should have developed a normal body size and a certain ability to open, move and stabilize his fingers. The absolute aim should be the often discussed standardization of instruments - correspondence of beginners' instruments, those of advanced learners, up to the concert instruments. The button accordion has gained its practical position in the artistic playing, but a similar development will certainly be necessary for the education of beginners. Today's participants in competitions will certainly influence their pupils towards this direction.
Similar to the problem of button or piano accordion there is also the question, if beginners should start with the stradella bass or baritone bass manuals. One of the mistakes of accordion teachers is to discuss systems instead of creating the basic requirements for a musically incontestable playing. Today the accordion is - concerning the quality of sound, the technical possibilities, as well as those of expression – an instrument which meets all technical, musical and artistic demands.
Systems are only a means to an end, the music must absolutely be the dominating purpose: this holds true for the folklore and also for the artistic domain of all instruments, not only for the accordion. Modern accordion teachers have to face the difficult task of being ready for both directions. As artist he aims at an artistic appreciation of his instrument in concert, but at the same time he makes propaganda to gain more prestige for the instrument and he educates a not too small part of the audience. Finally, we need both, a great number of accordionists and top performances of some exceptional players. If compromises are out of the question for artistic playing, there are - however - different criteria for beginners: next to consequent work (forming of sound already starting with the first lesson!) the love of making music should be a central aspect!
Although time is high, a basic and solid development of the accordion will take its time (like any other instrument), and the realization of certain aims of today will be the task of oncoming generations of pupils and teachers. We must not be impatient! Even small steps towards a developing process are precious! If, however, we want to raise the level of top players, we will first have to raise that of the education of beginners. Even the best teacher is good enough for that!
Accordion Instrument of the Year 2026 in Germany
In Germany the Conference of State Music Councils has chosen the accordion as Instrument of the Year 2026. This means that a versatile, modern and internationally acclaimed instrument will be the focus of the musical public for a whole year. The German Harmonica Association (DHV) welcomes this election, as it offers all musicians, orchestras and associations a unique opportunity to make the versatility and expressive power of the accordion visible.
The campaign year honours an impressively diverse instrument with an extraordinary tonal range. The accordion can unfold the fullness of an entire orchestra and at the same time bring out the finest chamber music nuances. Hardly any other instrument is so stylistically open and so the accordion is at home in almost every musical genre: from tango to musette, folk music, jazz and pop to contemporary music. This diversity will be experienced nationwide in the coming year.
With the title “Instrument of the Year”, the invitation is to all accordion players, ensembles, orchestras and associations to develop their own projects and events, such as concerts, workshops or creative hands-on formats. This action gives the instrument the chance to open doors and present itself to new target groups. Each initiative contributes to carrying on the special expressiveness and fascination of the instrument.
As a project of the state music councils, the “Instrument of the Year” is located in the respective federal states. The DHV regional associations work closely with the state music councils and actively participate in shaping the action year. Together, they plan central events, appoint ambassadors and set initiatives that strengthen the accordion regionally and nationally. This gives the theme year a strong nationwide structure and at the same time, room for regional accents.
Achievements
1. Thanks to our talented designers-masters, a multi-timbre, ready-made high-quality bayan has been created that fully meets the increased requirements of the performers.
2. In many higher musical educational institutions - at academies, conservatories, institutes in various countries, button and piano accordion classes were opened, which allows us to receive the same professional education as pianists, violinists ...
3. Pedagogy and teaching methods, drawing on the experience of predecessors and, which is very important, using the achievements of leading pianists, organists, violinists, etc., allowed us to create a highly professional theoretical base, thanks to which our students are equipped with all components of performing skills.
4. Thanks to the increased performing level, the leading accordion musicians managed to arouse sincere interest in the artistic and expressive possibilities of the accordion from the leading composers of different countries. And an undoubted repertoire breakthrough is that not only solo works are written, but also chamber pieces in various compositions, as well as concerts with chamber and symphony orchestras.
5. The high professional level of accordionists allows us to play music with major conductors, violinists, cellists, since the original repertoire of modern composers has already been accumulated, where our instrument is presented on an equal and decent level.
6. Based on the previous paragraph, we can proudly state that the accordion sounded in the largest halls of the world. This is the Great Hall of the Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky-Concert Hall in Moscow, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Lincoln Center in New York, Washington Center in Washington, Barbican Center in London and many others. Of course, these are still one-time actions, but the tendency to attract the accordion in the academic sphere is evident. All these achievements are undeniable, but the scale is still modest.
7. Accordion art develops in different directions: academic, folk, pop, jazz, and in all these areas, both solo and in ensembles. All areas have the right to live and are in varying degrees in demand in society. And if popular directions make their way quite successfully, then regarding academic performance it is necessary to talk about the support of patrons, sponsors, and management.
8. There is an excessive number of competitions, of course, to reveal the most talented young musicians, but where are the subsequent concerts, where could they show their talent? It is necessary to develop the festival movement so that young musicians can show themselves in public with the obligatory payment of at least a small fee.
9. There is still a lack of propaganda of our art in the media. Much depends on the active position of authoritative leaders in our business. We must become a full component of the musical culture of modern society. There was a period when we existed only in a narrow accordion society: we wrote for ourselves, played for ourselves and applauded to ourselves. But we must be needed by a much wider audience. In the 21st century, we and future generations of accordionists will be able to bring our instrument into a full-fledged orbit of academic musical art.
On the author
Herbert Scheibenreif studied the accordion among others with Lech Puchnow- ski, Mogens Ellegaard and Friedrich Lips at international seminars in France, Germany, Poland, Finland and Spain. 1994/95 he attended an advanced course at Russia‘s Gnesin Academy of Music in Moscow (class of Prof. Friedrich Lips). He represented Austria at Coupe Monidiale's in Helsinki, Eindhoven and Washington 1975-77.
Since 2006 he has been serving as a vice-president in both the national and international accordion confederations HVÖ and CIA. He is producing and distributing the Friedrich Lips CD-series and translating his many articles and three books „The Art of Bayan Playing“, „The Art of Arranging Classical Music for Accordion“ and “It Seems Like Yesterday”. He is constantly organizing workshops and concert tours of international accordion soloists in Austria. In 2012 he was rewarded the „Russian Silver Disc“ by Russia‘s Gnesin Academy of Music in Moscow for his outstanding contribution to the bayan art.
In 2014 he received the „Merit Award“ of the International Accordion Confederation in appreciation of his support of the international accordion movement in Salzburg (Austria). In 2025, he was named “Ambassador” by the American Accordionists & Teachers Guild, the Austrian Harmonica Association HVÖ, and the German competition "Akkordeon Grenzenlos."
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bachl, Hans: Musikerziehung, Wien,1978
Bresgen, Cesar: Musik - Erziehung?, Wilhelmshaven,1975
Lips, Friedrich: Die Kunst des Bajanspiels, Moskau,1985
Preussner, Eberhard: Allgemeine Musikerziehung, Wilhelmshaven,1975
Sittner, Hans: Musikerziehung zwischen Theorie und Therapie, Wien,1974
Komponist und Musikerzieher. Anregungen für den zeitgemäßen Musikunterricht. Herausgeber: österreichischer Komponistenbund,
Arbeitskreis für Musikerziehung, Nr. 1-5, Wien 1972-76
Schwingende Zungen, Verlag "Die Harmonika", Zeitschrift für die Freunde
der Harmonika, Trossingen,1956
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