Each year in early March, the Texas Accordion Association holds their National Accordion Convention. Accordionists from all over the United States and sometimes overseas, gather in Plano, Texas to celebrate the accordion during three days of Concerts, Workshops, Jam Sessions and lots of Texas style FUN!

We invite you to browse the following information to give you an idea of what treats are in store for accordion lovers who venture by the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Plano, Texas from March 7-10th, 2002.

We wish the Texas Accordion Association all the best for a most successful weekend.

If you have any questions, please direct them to TAA President Norman Seaton who will have a "Texas Size" answer for you: e-mail: nns5522@dcccd.edu


Convention Activities
Roundtables, Mini Lectures, Texas Traditions
National Accordion Convention - Texas Style
March 7-10, 200

Holiday Inn Convention Center
Plano, Texas

700 East Central Parkway
(Hwy 75 between Park and Parker)
Make those reservations today
so we can book the entire hotel!

$59.00 per night

Norman Seaton: nns5522@dcccd.edu
Call 972-881-1881

2002 Festival Orchestras

Mini Lectures
Round Table Discussions
Jam Sessions
Accordion Dealers' Showcase
Accordion Swap Shop


Mini Lectures/Roundtable/Texas Traditions | Workshops | Festival Orchestras
Activity Summary:

To provide more specialized training sessions, the electronic convention planning team (e-Team) decided to offer a musical smorgasbord. Judy Dillard has arranged with the hotel to provide a buffet luncheon between 11:30 and 1:30 on both days so the conventioneers are able to select from numerous educational opportunities. Feel free to mix and match optional activities for fun and variety. Each session is restricted to 15 minutes (2 minutes to change tables) and 12 to 15 participants each.
Simultaneous Mini Lecture Topics and Facilitators

(10-minute presentation and 3 minutes for questions and answers)

  • Accordion care and maintenance Dick Albreski
    Dick will give recommendations on the everyday care of accordions, discuss some early warning signs of potential accordion problems, give a brief demo on the internal working parts of an accordion, answer any related questions pertaining to the accordion.
    Dick owns and operates 'JUST ACCORDIONS' in Oklahoma City and he is the president of the OKLAHOMA ACCORDION CLUB.
  • Marketing yourself Oliver Delaney
    Many believe that publicity is marketing, or it's free advertising, or even selling yourself or program; and for that reason marketing is often the most misunderstood. Marketing concerns itself with all phases of delivering your music to the ears of your audience: developing the program, pricing your services, locating places to deliver your program and knowing your audience. Bring your personal promotional material and ideas for a professional evaluation given by Oliver.

    Oliver Delaney, of Oklahoma City, was born and raised in Ireland. As a young man he moved to New York. Drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, he landed in Oklahoma and continued thereafter to make his home there. As the President of the Oklahoma Malt Beverage Association for the past 18 years, he has directed the state beer wholesalers Public Relations and Government Affairs programs.
  • Assembling a program Jackie Cook
    Jackie will be discussing how we plan our choice of selections for the different situations we play. We ("Ancient Spirit") perform 3 nights a week in a large German restaurant. We also play in several retirement centers around town. We soon will be playing in an Italian restaurant where we will be strolling as we perform our music. I look forward to sharing our experience with the conventioneers.
  • Toastmasters organization Toastmaster
    The "fear of speaking in public" is often listed as one of our greatest fears! It is also a fact that many musicians are expected to be great public speakers, but very few accordionists are comfortable speaking in public. Once again, the Texas Accordion Association is first to offer unique professional training for the accordion world.
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Simultaneous Roundtable Discussions

(3-minute opening and 10 minutes for discussion)

  • Accordion conventions, attractions and distractions Norman Seaton, President of the TAA
  • Monthly meetings (starting, maintaining, and reviving) Greg Klugiewicz, Dallas Coordinator
  • Pricing jobs (on-going restaurant jobs vs. private parties) Sharon Seaton
  • Finding accordion resources (teachers, accordions, web) Arleen Faulkner
  • Newsletters (Display of accordion newsletters from all clubs) No facilitator - just display & discussion (All accordion organizations are encouraged to send sample copies of their newsletters and other promotional material for this display) Send display material to: Greg Klugiewicz, 1410 Bluebird Lane, Garland, TX, 75042
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Texas Tradition - On-Going Jam Sessions
On-Going Jam Sessions

In the tradition started by the Texas Accordion Association, the "on-going jam session" will again be a favorite convention feature. The jam session consists of various small groups that take shape as players get together informally during the mid-day smorgasbord and after the Friday and Saturday night concerts. All acoustic accordions, whether diatonic, piano, or chromatic, are encouraged to join in, along with simple percussion instruments. No complete drum sets or MIDI instruments are allowed.

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Texas Tradition - Accordion Dealer's Showcase
Accordion Dealers' Showcase

One of the convention's highlights is always the Accordion Dealers' Showcase. A number of accordion and music dealers will be represented at the 2002 Convention. Each dealer will be set up in his or her own display room, in order that convention participants may try the various brands of accordions available for purchase. This is a unique and invaluable opportunity for those who are in the market for a new accordion!

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Texas Tradition - Accordion Swap Shop
Accordion Swap Shop

The Accordion Swap Shop is a great way to sell your old accordion to make way for the new one you want to buy at the convention! Bring your accordion and display it in the Swap Shop room. It is the owner's responsibility to determine the price and to take care of the accordion. The owner should also post the price on the accordion with a short description of the accordion (i.e., age, number of reeds, quality of reeds if known--handmade, hand finished, etc.)

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