News - Chance to Learn - A chance to learn from a master

    Webber-Camden resident John Bispala participated in a master accordion class taught by Friedrich Lips of Russia in September when Lips visited the Harrington Accordion Concertina Technical Repair School in Superior, Wisconsin. Friedrich Lips is professor of bayan and accordion at the Russian Gnessin Music Academy in Moscow. In 1994 President Boris Yeltsin presented Lips the distinction of a “People’s Artist of Russia,” and Lips continues to be internationally acclaimed for his musical performance.

    The director of the Harrington ARTS Center and Accordion Museum in Superior, Wisconsin, is Bispala’s accordion teacher, Dr. Helmi Harrington of Burnsville. The accordion Bispala played for Lips’ master class features a combination free bass, enabling this instrument to play 81 of the 88 notes of a piano keyboard. One of the songs he played for Professor Lips was a Russian piece by A. Liadov, The Musical Snuffbox. The other song was a Finnish piece composed by Karl Collan, Sylvia’s Christmas Song. The professor graciously critiqued Bispala’s performance and gave positive and helpful instruction.