New England Accordion Connection & Museum (Aired on June 4, 2023)

2023-06-14

Radio Rotary welcomes Rotarian Paul Ramunni (and one of his more than 500 accordions) to the program. A few years ago, Mr. Ramunni learned of the connection between musical instruments, especially accordions and concertinas (smaller instruments sometimes called “squeezeboxes”), to the Holocaust. Concentration camp prisoners who played instruments were often used in propaganda bands. He began to collect historic accordions, having learned to play the accordion as a youth. His collection is now displayed in the old railway station in North Canaan, Connecticut, at the New England Accordion Connection and Museum, which also sells instruments and related items. Mr. Ramunni has many wonderful stories of how accordion music in the museum has had a profound effect on some visitors, many recounted in his book Accordion Stories from the Heart. On the show, he also plays a lovely rendition of “Arrrivederci Roma.”

Learn more:

New England Accordion Connection & Museum: https://newenglandaccordionconnectionandmuseumcompany.com/

Accordion Stories from the Heart: https://www.amazon.com/Accordion-Stories-Heart-collection-extraordinary/dp/0976176610

CMTQ Guide to Accordion Museum: https://www.ctmq.org/new-england-accordion-museum/

The Accordion in History: https://www.earlymusicamerica.org/web-articles/according-the-accordion-its-historical-due/