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07. 10. 12. - 16:00

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07. 10. 12. - 16:00

Accordian gets a musical revival

Following on from lederhosen and yodelling – now another Alpine tradition is taking on the world after it was revealed there has been a boom in accordion sales.

The accordion which is the traditional instrument of choice for Alpine bands and folk music is now more popular than it has been for decades - according to organisers of the annual harmonica contest at Flachau south of Salzburg. This year they had a record-breaking 150 musicians taking part.

In addition courses in how to use the harmonica are reportedly packed out every month according to music schools. The respected Musikum Music School in Salzburg says that it currently has 500 students studying the harmonica on its courses.

School spokesman Anton Gmachl said: "What is really amazing is that we now have a really long waiting list to get on harmonica courses when not so long ago it was an instrument everyone was writing off."

Anton Mooslechner who organised the accordion festival said: "We keep wondering when the boom in popularity for the harmonica is going to end but it just keeps on getting more popular. It doesn't matter whereabouts in society somebody is from or how old they are – the bug to learn to play the harmonica seems to affect potentially everybody."

Musician Markus Dygruber who gives lessons in the instrument said it was increasingly popular because you could use it to play almost anything – whether it was your own tune or one of the musical classics.

Austrian Times

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