After a professional career as an economist and researcher, my passions carried me into the realms of music and poetry where I have had opportunities to explore new avenues, including learning to play accordion and arrange music.
Since 2014, I have studied accordion with Karl Kment. During this time, I have learned to play a range of repertoire and musical styles, including Latin, polkas, waltzes, marches, jazz and improvisation.
Early on, Karl added arranging to my lesson assignments and, later, he provided an introduction to composer, Mark Greathouse. I have arranged several of Mark’s piano compositions for accordion (and other) ensembles.
An aside: Since I’m writing this bio to post on my web site and not as a straight-laced resume, I’ll step back and say that I’m having a blast! Like a feather lifted by a breeze and carried hither and yon, I’ve had opportunities to experiment and explore musical ideas that I wouldn’t have dreamt five years ago. I’m lucky to have Karl Kment as a teacher and mentor and to have been introduced (by Karl) to Mark Greathouse who was willing to see whether I could arrange his music. I’m also fortunate to have found other musicians, many associated with the Rose City Accordion Club’s annual Accordion Camp, who are focused on providing a nurturing musical environment. It’s like music becomes an ecosystem where thoughtful encouragement promotes growth. I’ve learned the importance of finding people who say “yes, you can do that” even (or especially) when your own voice(s) suggest that you shouldn’t even try. I’ll go on to say that any of you, no matter your age, if you wish you had learned a musical instrument — go for it. Start now! There’s no downside. It’s fun and promotes all sorts of connections.
My musical background includes piano lessons as a young child; teaching myself to play mandolin at age eleven; and playing alto saxophone in high school band and stage band. Starting in the mid-1980s, for about ten years, I played alto saxophone in the Mat-Su Community Band. In the early 1980s, I studied violin with Kathryn Hoffer (Anchorage, Alaska). Since 2018, I’ve played 2nd violin in the Bend Pops Orchestra. (Another aside: I did not expect to relearn violin after 35 years of not playing. It took me a year but was worth it. I’m happy to be playing in the Bend Pops Orchestra now.)
I participate in the Central Oregon Accordion Club and have performed with Club members at assisted living residences in Bend (Oregon), at the Gazebo in Leavenworth, Washington during the Leavenworth International Accordion Festival, and at the Visitors Center in Joseph, Oregon during the Oregon Alpenfest.
I have also played accordion with Kittitas Valley Fiddlers & Friends.
Arrangements, Published
Copy Cat, composed for piano by Mark Greathouse. Arranged for accordion duet and published in Northwest Accordion News, Fall 2017.
Clown Dance, composed for piano by Mark Greathouse. Arranged for accordion trio and published in Northwest Accordion News, Fall 2018.
Arrangements, Performed
Copy Cat, arranged for accordion quartet (2018) and also for two violins, flute and accordion (2019).
A Portland, Oregon accordion quartet performed Copy Cat Quartet at the Rose City Accordion Club, Accordion Camp in June 2019. [YouTube link: https://youtu.be/kshkPfSxRpY]
Copy Cat Quartet was performed by a Bend Pops Orchestra ensemble (2 violins, flute, and accordion) at the Bowman Museum in Prineville, Oregon (October 2019). I played accordion with the quartet. [YouTube link: https://youtu.be/dKt0dUJrklk]
Clown Dance was performed by a Portland, Oregon trio in June 2018. [YouTube link: https://youtu.be/KNOKWqZATNs]
Go Tell It On The Mountain, Carol of the Bells, and Huron Carol were performed at a Bend Pops Orchestra holiday event at Barnes & Noble in Bend, Oregon (2019). The trio arrangements were for two violins and accordion. (I played accordion.)
Arrangements, Not Yet Published
Kidding by Mark Greathouse. Arranged for two accordions.
Carol of the Bells and Huron Carol arranged for accordion trio (or quartet); second version for 2 violins, flute and accordion.
Go Tell It On The Mountain arranged for accordion trio; second version for 2 violins and accordion.
Varpunen jouluaamuna (Sparrow on Christmas Morning) arranged for accordion quartet; also for 2 violins, flute and accordion.
Two Guitars, A Paraphrase for accordion quartet.
Beautiful Days Waltz (Pietro Deiro, 1916), arranged for accordion trio.
Fire Drill March (Harry J Lincoln, 1909), arranged for accordion duet.
Schön Rosmarin (Fritz Kreizler), arranged for accordion solo by Katie Eberhart and Karl Kment.
Caprice Viennois (Fritz Kreizler), arranged for accordion solo with advice from Karl Kment.
Tu Sais (Serge Walter, 1923) arranged for accordion trio.
Articles
Tango in D – Prologue*, Northwest Accordion News, Winter Quarter 2019.
Alpenfest’s Ad Hoc Accordions, Northwest Accordion News, Winter Quarter 2016.
Overture to Castelfidardo, Northwest Accordion News, Fall Quarter 2014.
Notes
*Karl Kment’s arrangement of Tango in D (Isaac Albéniz) was published in Northwest Accordion News (Fall 2019). [Solo performance of Tango in D by Karl Kment. YouTube link: https://youtu.be/OIZH2qTXkZ4]