The BAN Memorial Accordian Marching Band plays polkas and other songs in The River to River festival in New York on June 1, 2005. RICHARD B. LEVINE/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: lrphotos045225
If there is one thing you can find in New York, among the many things you can find, is large amounts of people playing the same instrument. Probably not the first thing that comes to mind and maybe not the most important thing you’ve ever wanted to see in life, but like-minded and talented individuals all get together for various reasons and play the same musical instrument. The polka category being eliminated from the Grammy Awards notwithstanding, accordion players get together in a band.
Band leader Walter Kuhr (R) conducts the all-women “Main Squeeze Orchestra” at the kick off of the First Annual NYC Main Squeeze Accordian Festival at Riverside Park South on Saturday, July 8, 2006. The fifteen member all-female band was the opening act for a variety of performers from around the world, all playing the much loved and much maligned accordian. New Yorkers from around the city and tourists alike enjoyed a day of squeeze box music from this unwieldy instrument of musical expression. RICHARD B. LEVINE/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: lrphotos026378
Incidentally, we have photographed not one but two accordion bands. Most people don’t even know there are any! Let alone an all-women accordion band.
Guitarists perform in Union Square in New York as part of Mass Appeal during the Make Music New York Festival on Thursday, June 21, 2012. Make Music New York, in its 6th year, provides over 1,000 free concerts in public spaces on the first day of Summer. FRANCES M. ROBERTS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: lrphotos070109
Recently the Make Music New York Festival happened and as part of their offerings they have a program called Mass Appeal. Like minded musicians in this case brought out their guitars on a warm summer evening to Union Square Park where they had a regular old hootenanny.
Harpists perform in Soho Urban Plaza Park in New York as part of Mass Appeal during the Make Music New York Festival on Thursday, June 21, 2012. Make Music New York, in its 6th year, provides over 1,000 free concerts in public spaces on the first day of Summer. FRANCES M. ROBERTS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: lrphotos070110
Not just guitars, but harpists had their own mass concert. It’s one thing to get people to bring their guitars out but to schlep your harp is another story completely. Got to give these intrepid harpists kudos for their perseverance and fortitude. Not to mention that the plaza where they performed was essentially a wind tunnel making it impossible to read the music, so they had to wing it.
Pianists play the composition “KUN” by Wendy Mae Chambers on Pier 15 on the East River in New York as part of Mass Appeal during the Make Music New York Festival on Thursday, June 21, 2012. “KUN” is scored for 64 baby grand toy pianos which were placed around Piers 15 and 16, inviting listeners to wander and listen to the configurations of the piece. Make Music New York, in its 6th year, provides over 1,000 free concerts in public spaces on the first day of Summer. RICHARD B. LEVINE/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: lrphotos070078
It wasn’t “76 trombones” but 64 baby grand toy pianos. They weren’t parading but they were also part of Make Music New York. The pianists played “KUN” by Wendy Mae Chambers, a composition scored for baby grand toy pianos. Spread around Piers 15 and 16 on the East River concert goers could walk around listening to the musicians. They also played for 4 hours (with breaks) giving you a long time to listen.
The Manhattan Ukulele Marching Unit joins The River to River festival’s UnParade on June 1, 2005 to kick off the month long series of performances and art in Lower Manhattan. The parade wound it’s way through Wall Street’s canyons and other streets filling the air with the music of ukuleles, accordians, boombox’s and alternative marching bands. Hundreds followed along to watch the various performances in the streets along the route. RICHARD B. LEVINE/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: lrphotos021036
The heyday of the ukelele was said to be in the 1930′s. It was advertised as easy to learn and no other instrument could make you as happy (paraphrased from an advertising brochure). Well, its still around making untold musicians and listeners happy as the Manhattan Ukelele marching Band proved. Makes you want to drag out those embarrassing 1960′s Tiny Tim records you still have in the basement.
Richard Levine and Frances Roberts, of Levine Roberts Photography, are a husband and wife team of photographers covering politics, environmental issues, the economy, business, and social and cultural issues in the Big Apple. See more photos from their collection on Newscom.
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Tags: levine roberts photography, make music new york, music festival, new york city, the big apple