A synopsis of a very few commentaries that have graced my career:

A) I am being given a tour of the rarebook room at the Royal College of Music in London, having a Master of Arts Degree in Musicology from the University of Toronto, when I mentioned I also played the accordion, the gentleman said “My dear boy, we have not stooped so low”.

B) “Over my dead body: the accordion will never be accepted into the Faculty of Music” at the University of Toronto stated a senior professor.

C) “Can you compose the concerto for any other instrument other than the accordion?”, conductor of the Toronto Symphony to Murray Schafer.

D) “I had no idea that you could play the accordion?”: From someone who commissioned several modern works for me but made the statement to me after I had played several commercial, popular pieces at Peterborough before Princess of the Stars.

E) “I do not want an accordion in the band…” “Well then, you will not have the band either”, leader tells client.

F) “I hate the accordion”. So I asked this Canadian composer to suggest a different composer he would recommend to write a special piece for the accordion. Surprisingly, he said “I will”. I retorted “but I thought you just said that you hated the accordion?”. He said: “I was joking”. I want to write for you.

G) “I won you in a lottery to play for my guests to be invited to a special party, but I do not like the accordion”. What can I say except “so do I since you have a conservative view of the instrument” and I understand that. When she heard my suggestions about my mission to educate at a higher level, she decided to have me as a “mystery guest”, to the surprise of guests of the Toronto hospital.

My response to all of these comments was gracious and taken with a sense of humour understanding that my role was to educate the public.