Association Operating Procedures

Mission, Vision, History, Leadership, and Workshop Topics

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Who We Are

    The National Accordion Association, Incorporated, proudly recognizes and encourages the use of all types of accordions (acoustic and/or digital).
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Mission Statement

    The National Accordion Association, Incorporated, is a music organization that exists to support accordionists and to encourage an appreciation of the accordion by the general public. The Association seeks to motivate accordionists to build their musical skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform both solo and with other accordionists and musical instruments. Opportunities are provided for accordionists to collaborate with each other and to learn through numerous events held yearly at the National Accordion Convention and at various locations throughout the year.

Vision Statement

It is the vision of the National Accordion Association, Incorporated, to serve the musical community of accordionists by:
  • Developing activities and events that serve the entire accordion community.
  • Promoting regular communications about local, regional, national, and worldwide accordion happenings.
  • Recognizing deserving accordionists regarding recordings, training materials, public awareness, community services, news articles, public radio and television coverage, and other accordion-related innovations.
  • Expanding the services of the annual National Accordion Convention to include a National Awards Ceremony.
  • Continually offering training sessions designed to advance the musicality of all accordionists.

Values Statement

The individual
    Regardless of age, gender, level of talent or experience, we welcome and value everyone. We welcome the diverse contributions each can bring to the organization, to the quality and betterment of the lives of those for whom they perform, and the contributions that each one can bring to other players and performers.
Equal opportunity
    We strive to train and educate everyone with equal vigor, fairly, and in an open, constructive, and honest environment.
Ethics
    We hold to the ideals of openness, honesty, and truthfulness in all our dealings, whether with vendors, conventioneers, instructors, and internally within our Association. Tact and diplomacy, especially in critique, is of paramount importance. We encourage each of our student attendees to embody the same high ethical standards in their dealings with instructors, peers, and clients.
Goodwill
    We encourage collaboration with other accordion groups and teachers nationwide. Beginning with 2024, we are establishing a particularly close partnership with the Convention Host City and surrounding states. All accordionists are encouraged to establish goodwill relationships with places of worship, senior centers, nursing facilities, and other public service organizations.
Education
    We focus on the overall education and maturing of accordionists, regardless of their musical skill levels. The objective (and incentive for them to come, participate, learn, and benefit) is to contribute to the success of the musician as they mature and publicly perform. We train musical skills such as basic theory, building treble chords, building bass chords not built into the existing rows, playing by printed charts and by ear, sight reading, improvisation, and other basics.
Continuity
    To continue to provide high quality services, we must remain financially able to do so.

Association History

    The National Accordion Association, Incorporated, was founded in 1986 by several accordion enthusiasts living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Soon after starting, the Association expanded nationwide. Since “teamwork” has become an excellent way of promoting accordions, the NAA has become the “Accordion Network” for sharing information among other accordion organizations. The first area-wide meeting was intended to be a mid-winter party; however, members from other areas attended. That original party soon morphed into a world-class convention.

Annual Convention

    The National Accordion Association, Incorporated, holds a yearly convention. To accommodate our growing and changing membership, Association Officials customize each annual convention to foster the interest of the conventioneers. Our convention includes workshops, concerts, playing opportunities, training sessions, communications, and an opportunity to share accordion experiences with each other and with world class musicians. Most of all, our conventions are designed to be fun and educational for accordionists, family members, and the general public.

Leadership

    Leadership of the National Accordion Association, Inc, is controlled by IRS rules as stated in the 2010 Texas incorporation laws. Board members are appointed and self-governed in accordance to feedback from the membership.
    The expiration date of each Board member is automatically renewed in a three year cycle to reflect the Association's convention contract cycle.

Workshop Topics

(70% of the workshops are interactive and/or play-along)
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Know Your Accordion:   Introduction to accordion: Treble, bass, bellows, reeds, musicality, registers, tuning, repairs, straps, sound systems, fingering, chords, electronics, physics of playing the accordion, etc.

Musicality (Expression) and the Accordion: Vibrato, glissando, piano, forte, keyboard attack, effective use of treble, bass, bellows and registers (switches), etc.

Musical Styles and Ethnic Genres
Styles: Improv, Pop, Rock, Country, etc.
Genres: Cajun, Czech, Irish, French and Italian musette, Balkan, Latin, Ezmeralda (Disney) and endless other styles of music.

Music Theory Simplified:   Structure, Circle of 5ths, key signatures, counting, rhythm, tempo, chord structure, scales, using lead sheets, modifying piano music for accordion, etc.

Effective Practice and Presentation (More Than Drills): Practice for a purpose, setting goals to achieve mastery, sight-reading, performance skills; mirrors, muscle memory exercises, musicianship; listening, applying, etc.

Strategies for Working Together and Group Applications: Duets, ensembles, orchestras, bands, other instruments, vocalists:   Differentiating: Comping, backup, jamming, listening skills, group practice and performance strategies, directing ensembles, etc.

Solo Performance Strategies:   Playing by ear, iPads, music selection, using background music; memorizing, arranging, performance tips, gigs, arrangements, getting experience, etc.

Effective Use of Technology in Music:  
Home technologies
: Roland, iPad, amp, drum machine, MP3 files, MIDI, channels, MIDI (in-out) sound banks, music arrangement software, page-turners, etc.

Web-based technologies: YouTube, Skype instructors, educational websites, certifications, 24/7 training, college courses, and unlimited research opportunities.

Personal Evaluations/Critiques:  Circles, positive feedback, gleaning information from the professionals one-on-one, etc.

Participation (Performances During the Convention):   15-minutes of fame, orchestra, bands, jams, stages, banquet, etc.
Copyright © 2018 National Accordion Association, Inc. All rights reserved.
The National Accordion Association originated in 1986. Our first website was created in the mid-1990s and updated often.
This Operating Procedures page was last updated in January 1, 2024.