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Dale Wise fixes an old accordion in his Burr Hill home's workshop. He offers free two-day seminars in accordion repair, teaches music and hopes to interest more young people in the instrument.
Wise applies natural beeswax mixed with linseed oil and resin to a reed block in an
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Tucked quietly among the trees of northern Orange County is a log home that, from the outside, gives no hint of what lies within.
Once inside, a visitor will see an organ against a wall, a friendly dog and, on second glance, will spy a brand-new shiny and sparkling black accordion perched on its custom-made stand.
More accordions, mostly decorative antiques, are displayed around the house. An open accordion with a lovely gray pearl finish holds a mirror in the bathroom.
Ah, a musician lives here. And if asked, he will play beautiful music for you--songs he wrote, jazz, spirituals, patriotic tunes. Even a polka, if you like.
Meet Dale Wise, a passionate musician who has played the accordion for the last half-century; has taught instrumental music for nearly as long; has designed, repaired, sold and acquired more accordions than he can count; and who, at an age when many people are retiring, wants to share his gifts with his community.
"I'm getting older and my clock is running," the 62-year-old Wise said recently. "I'm intent on getting more young people involved in the accordion."
Wise hopes to find a group of young folks between 8 and 11 who would like to explore their musical talent on the accordion. The group would meet at his home, would have free use of the instruments and would not have to pay for the instruction.
The only requirements would be a commitment to devote 10 weeks to the instruction--long enough to get a good feel for the instrument, and that they be accompanied to one lesson a week by one of their parents.
Wise is also interested in encouraging people to learn to repair the instruments and regularly gives free two-day seminars at his Burr Hill home.
Accordion repairmen have traditionally been more interested in protecting their turf than expanding their profession, Wise said.
"The secretive nature of accordion repair has resulted in much repair knowledge going to the grave," he said. "The mind-set has been a 'if I tell you, we'll both know and then you'll take my business' sort of thing."
Wise has made and sold numerous videos about both accordion repair and performance, and he refers to himself as "a teacher to the core."
A native of Ottawa, Ill., he is the son of musician parents (guitar and ukulele players) and started playing the accordion when he was 11 years old. When he got to high school, he began teaching the accordion while taking lessons himself.
A graduate of Bradley University in Peoria., Ill., Wise has both an undergraduate and graduate degree in music education. He taught instrumental music in high schools in Illinois and Arizona, and, in 1971, moved to McLean, Va., and took a job teaching music at Cabin John Junior High.
In 1980, he decided to devote himself exclusively to the accordion. He began teaching privately, selling and repairing instruments and formed the company, Accordion Plus. His son, Todd, now heads the company, which is in Oakton.
Wise and his wife, DeAnn, moved into the Burr Hill log home four years ago, but he returns to the Oakton studio to teach for four days of every two-week period. He has associate teachers in Aquia Harbour, Arlington and Potomac, Md. His 34 students range in age from 6 to 66.
Along with teaching, Wise maintains a steady schedule that includes solo performances, as well as playing with small groups and big bands. He recently performed at the Willard Hotel in Washington, and has entertained five U.S. presidents.
Interest in the accordion is cyclical, says Wise, and he's happy that it's on the upswing. The instrument is played by musicians as diverse as Danny Federici in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, jazz great Art Van Damme and Queen Ida and Her Zydeco Band. It can be heard on recordings by Norah Jones and the Talking Heads--and as background music in the dentist's office or elevator.
The accordions that Wise designs are manufactured by Guerrini in Castelfidardo, Italy, which is known as the accordion capital of the world. There were once several U.S. manufacturers of accordions, but now most are made in Italy or Germany. Lesser-quality instruments are being made in China.
"Our efforts have been to design instruments that are smaller and lighter, yet very high quality," Wise said.
The sparkling black accordion on the stand in the living room is a professional instrument designed by Wise and sells for nearly $6,000. Instruments are available for as little as a few hundred dollars or as much as $50,000.
In addition to importing and selling instruments, Wise sells 31 different products related to the accordion--videos, CDs, self-help studies and educational materials. He is setting up a Web site, accordionplus.com, to market them.
He has never recorded his music. But, as he says, his clock is running, so maybe he'll get to that soon.
To reach ROBIN KNEPPER: rknepper@earthlink.net
