((PKG))  ACCORDION PLAYERS  
((Banner:  Just Playing))

((Reporter/Camera:  Jill Craig))
((Adapted by:  Philip Alexiou))
((Map:  Alexandria, Virginia))
((JOAN GRAUMAN, HISTORIAN, AMERICAN ACCORDIONISTS’ ASSOCIATION))  
This is our 80th anniversary celebration and the most wonderful part of that is the governing board of the American Accordionists Association.  We are a group of volunteers who just love our instrument. 
((NATS))
((JOAN GRAUMAN, HISTORIAN, AMERICAN ACCORDIONISTS’ ASSOCIATION))  
The accordion has given us so much joy in our lives that it’s our pleasure to give back.  And we love to see the young people learning, and we get to see them year after year, growing up and expanding their musical abilities, and to see our friends again.  It’s a wonderful reunion.
((ALEX CHUDOLIJ, ACCORDIONIST))  
Being from an ethnic background, I’ve grown up in a Ukrainian community all my life, with children’s groups and resorts in the Catskills, and stuff like that.  And actually, from the age of 15 to 23, I had a house band or played in the house band at the resort.  So, I love the folk music.  It was all around me.  I was in a folk dance ensemble until I played the accordion well enough that they threw me out of the ensemble, said, “you’re going to play for us not dance in it.”
((JOAN GRAUMAN, HISTORIAN, AMERICAN ACCORDIONISTS’ ASSOCIATION))
We put on all kinds of special events at this festival. 
((NATS)) 
((FRANK BUSSO JR., ACCORDIONIST)) 
I’m the accordionist with the United States Air Force Strolling Strings.  It’s too enjoyable to stop.  You know, I’ve been playing now 33 years, and there’s never a shortage of performance opportunities and a great opportunity to make people happy and enjoying music and have a good time. 
((NATS)) 
((FRANK BUSSO JR., ACCORDIONIST)) 
You know, there are some times when we might show up to a dinner at the chief of staff’s house, and there might be some tension between our leaders and the leaders of the visiting nation.  And then we’ll go into the residence and perform a selection or two from that guest nation, from the hometown perhaps of the leader, and all of a sudden, it seems like the tension goes away a little bit.  And we’ve been told that sometimes after we perform, that’s when some real discussion and progress is made.  So, we help to break that ice in a very friendly way.
((NATS))