Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

An Accordion with a Mind of Its Own

Accordionist William Schimmel explains how his instrument lends itself to stylistic mash-ups and improvisatory approaches to composition.

06:23
Queue

Guest

Host

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on May 8, 1987

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, May 8, 1987: Commentary on the accordion; Interview with Stephen Frears; Review of the books "Anywhere but Here" by Mona Simpson and "Fierce Attachment" by Vivian Gornick.

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
51:49

Interview and Concert with William Schimmel.

William Schimmel is the accordionist for the Tango Project, and disagrees with those who malign the instrument and the dance/music. Schimmel has written a tango mass for accordion, conducted and performed in the Joseph Papp production of the "Three-Penny Opera," and composed the musical "Kill." Schimmel lives in New York and commutes to Philadelphia where he is the dean of the New Power School of Music.

Interview

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue