The Shape-Shifting Sounds of the Accordion | Maria Telesheva | TED

The speaker, an 18-year-old from Eugene, Oregon, has played the accordion for 12 years and recently performed for NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts, playing "The Prelude and Fugue" by Bach. She enjoys playing various music styles, from Bach to The Beatles to AC/DC, often in a duet with her father, who is her teacher and a professional accordionist. She then introduces her instrument: a professional B-system chromatic button accordion with 120 buttons on the left and 106 on the right. Registers and chin switches change the tone, imitating instruments like the bassoon or organ. The bellows, which she constantly pushes and pulls, act as the accordion's lungs, controlling dynamics. Weighing 35 pounds, she calls it a workout and an intense brain exercise. She started playing after asking her father to teach her on a small accordion at home, quickly falling in love with it despite its limitations. Her father's guidance helped her progress rapidly. She concludes by playing "Moments Musicaux" by Franz Schubert.