News and Happenings at the museum!
One of the main priorities of the New England Accordion Museum is to keep the spirit of the accordion and its influence alive.
With a variety of accordion brands including: Giulietti, Bugari, Dino Baffetti, Hohner, Paolo Soprani, and more, these vintage traditional accordions each provide their own unique story and history. Paul Ramunni makes it a point to share with all visitors the stories of the accordions within his collection. Each accordion has a story to tell and their memories are worth hearing.
Along with the stories are historical facts about the accordion and its history as well as featured articles about those in the accordion industry. Our mission is to preserve the history of accordions and supporting those who are or would like to understand the accordion industry better.
The Power of Music and the Accordion Story #5
10/23/2026
When you read this next story, you may be tempted to think it’s made up or false. But rest assured that it is true and in addition, at the end, you will see the video.
Last year, I received a phone call from a family in Boston, Mass. They heard of our accordion museum and wanted to donate their mother’s accordions and music so they would be cared for. I gladly accepted the gift and planned to meet with them soon. Their mother, Rosemarie Hoffman Molitor, was born in 1929 and grew up in Germany. She spent the first year and a half of her life in an orphanage before she was adopted by Georg and Marie Molitor. She had numerous physical issues and for quite a while she could not walk. But her new parents gave her the care she needed and she became healthy.
The family delivered the accordions, two of them, along with four boxes of sheet music and history. I was very surprised to see that both machines were Hohner Morino chromatic button units, B system with a converter free bass adaptation on the more recently built accordion. They are both quite heavy and Rosemarie had a special harness made so she could stand up while playing.
Rosemarie’s story came to me in bits and pieces but it is amazing. She learned how to play the accordion with some of the top teachers in Germany in the 1930’s. She continued her playing and began to win many competitions. She was ten years old when WW II began. During the war years she and her family had constant personal strife with the Nazis. She was asked on many occasions to play at Nazi dinner party events, but she always bravely refused because she did not like what Hitler was doing to Germany and the world. The Nazi party did everything they could to “persuade” her to play for them. They even forced her father to drive one of the bomb trucks to the front lines, an extremely dangerous job. The trucks contained the bombs and munitions needed in the war effort. But Rosemarie, in her pre-teen years, remained firm in her refusal to play even though she and the family feared a reprisal from the Nazis. However, they eventually survived the Nazi threats.
She went on after the war to win many competitions in Germany and she studied with Prof. Hans Brehme, Rudolf Wuerthner, and Hugo Hermann all very prominent musicians at the time. Together they all pioneered the playing of classical music on the accordion. They wanted to expand the accordion’s repertoire to include classical music beyond just folk music. Rosemarie focused her playing on Bach’s music primarily.
She was asked to join the prestigious Hohner orchestra at age 17, the youngest member ever to play in that group. She stayed with them for over four years. Her list of musical accomplishments and German championship status is enormous. Her music was recorded and can still be heard on the web today.
While I was learning all of this from the family on their visit to me, I asked them when she had passed. They looked at me, smiled and said, “Oh no, she is very much alive and well!” I was stunned and I said, “She must be almost 100 years old!” To that they replied, “Yes, she is 96 years old. Would you like to speak with her? Or better yet we could face-time her!”
So, there I was speaking to and looking at someone who lived through all those horrible years under the Nazi regime. I never dreamt I would ever have the privilege to talk with someone who survived WW II. What an amazing conversation that was…I will never forget it. She was not only a world class accordionist but also a brave hero for standing up to the Nazis and Hitler himself, even at her and her family’s own peril.
Shortly thereafter, PBS Western Reserve contacted me to do a story on our accordion museum. When they taped the story, I told them about Rosemarie. They contacted the family out in Los Angeles and sent reporters to her home to interview her. I’ve included their interview video below. Sadly to say, Rosemarie passed not very long after this interview.
It turns out that accordion players can be heroes too, and Rosemarie Molitor certainly fit that description and honor.
The Power of Music & the Accordion Story #4
10/14/26……The Sacrifice
It always amazes me when I hear how often people brought their accordions along with them as they went into war zones. I would think that as they prepared to go to war, their greatest concern would be for their own safety and survival. But instead, some folks thought about how they could best serve, not only their country, but also help their fellow recruits make it through the war.
A few years ago, I came into contact with a former chief Navy mechanic on an USS aircraft carrier during WW II. His job was to keep the planes serviced and mechanically running when they returned damaged from missions. Chief mechanic Tom, played an accordion and had it on board with him. His shop and crew operated in a very large cavernous repair area below the main upper flight deck. The crippled aircraft would be lowered by elevator down to this secondary deck to be worked on.
During the war in the Pacific against Japan, many of our Navy airmen and support crews lost their lives in the effort. Casualty losses averaged overall about 50% – 60%. The loses came from combat, operational accidents, mechanical failures and missing in action events. Many flights were long range over open water where rescue at sea was oftentimes impossible. Landing and takeoff on the flight deck was challenging, to say the least, especially in rough seas.
Sometimes late at night, when things were quieter, Tom would play his accordion in that lower deck area. He said that the acoustics were amazing. The sound of his playing would travel throughout the entire ship. He told me the story of how many of the flyers came to him just before they were to go off on their missions. They would thank Tom for playing each night as the music reminded them of home, their family, and how it meant a great deal to them. Tom had a very hard time saying goodbye to each one. He told me that it would break his heart before each mission. He knew their chances for a successful return were poor. And many pilots did not return. That’s when Tom realized how important his accordion music was for each person. It was probably the last time many of the fliers would ever hear music.
He told me that his commanding officer not only approved of his playing in the repair area, but that he actually set time aside each night for the event. Tom felt his music was a language and just another way of speaking to each of the fliers. Even the spiritual songs he played, such as Amazing Grace, was his way of saying a prayer for each crewman. Every time a crew member was lost, he personally felt the weight of the loss. The last time I saw Tom, he said that he could never forget that experience. So many of those soldiers sacrificed their lives for us, for our country and our way of life. But then he said something else to me that was amazing.
Tom told me that as a child he grew up in the Catholic faith which taught him that Jesus died for our sins. Christ actually sacrificed himself so that we might enjoy eternal life with God in Heaven. Every time Tom met one of the airmen before a mission, he thought about how similar it was to what Christ did. These men were risking and, in many cases, sacrificing themselves so that Tom, and the rest of us, could live out our lives. The impact of that observation has never left me.
It’s difficult for me to write about these stories that I hear from people like Tom. They are so very important. Then I listen to current day news reports about all the political and cultural divisions in our country. When we consider all of the personal sacrifices so many folks made in the last 250+ years to keep our country and families safe, our debt to these heroes cannot be calculated. It is too great. The power of music can and will help us heal our differences, if we let it.
And of course, in the middle of all this, the mighty accordion is there doing its part in delivering music in those dark and critical times. Music was then, and still is now, the “voice of Heaven” and it will lead all of us home…if we let it.
The Power of Music and the Accordion……Story #3 10/8/26
Story #3… Whose Accordion is This?
Of all my encounters with people over the years in our accordion museum, I think this following story best demonstrates the power of music and the accordion.
A gentleman named Peter called me and asked if he could visit our museum with his wife, Elsa. She used to play the accordion, but with the onset of her Alzheimer’s disease she had stopped playing. Peter was desperate to do something that could possibly help stem the progression of the disease. She used to play the accordion quite a bit, especially as a young girl growing up in Lithuania. He was hoping that a visit to our museum, where she would be surrounded by accordions, might do her some good.
Elsa was born in 1930 and when she was thirteen years of age, she began playing the accordion and taking lessons. When she arrived at our museum, she acted as if she had never before seen an accordion. She was quietly interested in the instruments that we had on display, but nothing triggered her memory of the past.
Unbeknownst to Elsa, Peter had brought her old Hohner accordion along with them for the visit. With her husband standing behind her, I sat directly in front of Elsa and set up some of her old sheet music that she used to play. I then took her accordion out of its case and placed it in her lap. She acted as if she had never seen it before and asked me, “Whose accordion is this?” For the next 30 minutes or so, she must have asked me that question at least 10 times. And we kept insisting that it was her accordion.
At first, she didn’t seem to understand and would not try to play the accordion. I gently helped her place her fingers on the treble keyboard side. I then showed her how to press the keys down ever so slightly as I worked the bellows from the other side, and that produced the sound. It was amazing to see the transformation. The sound of that Hohner represented the sound of all her childhood memories.
As soon as she heard it, she acted as if a switch had been flipped to the “on” position inside of her. Both Peter and I were amazed. She started to play more notes on her own and then stopped and remembered back to when she was 13 years old. The transformation was instantaneous and simply beyond amazing.
We just sat there stunned while Elsa clearly and precisely told us the smallest details of her normal day when she was a young teen back in 1943 during the years of the Nazi occupation. She looked directly at Peter and I as she told us how her father made a large basket that fit onto her bicycle for carrying the accordion. He would caution her every day to go quickly and directly to school and not to stop anywhere. People were fearful of being detained by the Nazi soldiers for no apparent reason.
A number of times she would stop talking and play a little bit more of a song and then continued to talk. After a while the “spell” she was in seemed to lift and the Elsa of her childhood reverted back to the Elsa of today. And yes, when it was all over, she turned to me and asked once again, ‘Whose accordion is this?”
When they were leaving, Peter’s comments to me were very touching. He said, “Thank you for doing this, Paul. For a short while today, you helped give me back my Elsa. I had forgotten how sweet and beautiful she was.”
That encounter had a tremendous impact on me. I witnessed how possible it is to lose a loved one, while they still remain alive and awake with us every day. While today there might be medications that could help people like Elsa, I could not deny the power of the music she played together with the feeling of having the accordion once again functioning on her lap. What’s also very interesting is that Elsa’s recollection was that one event where her father provided a way to care for her most precious possession, the accordion. She also recalled how his love for her came in the form of a daily warning about Nazi soldiers. In both references we see the power of love for a daughter and her music.
When I hear these kinds of stories from folks who visit us, I feel as though I journey back in time and experience a little of how difficult it was for people who lived then. I cannot help but feel great compassion for them and the sacrifices they made for their country and loved ones. And I know I will continue to marvel at the power of music and the accordion.
The Power of Music and the Accordion………Story #2 10/2/26
A few years ago, I received a phone call from a 91-year-old lady, Lydia, who wanted to donate her childhood accordion to our museum. She told me that music had been in her life all the time, in one way or another. She took lessons on the accordion when she was very young, which also inspired her to take dance classes. Her experience with music and dance at a young age led to her becoming a Radio City Rockette in New York City.
The day she arrived at our museum I was shocked to see that she was severely bent over the cane she needed to use in order to walk. Lydia came through our front door with her niece right behind her, who was holding the small accordion she had for us. We have an old Wurlitzer juke box in our place and it caught her eye. She asked me if it worked and I said yes, it does. Then she said, “Will it play a Polka?” I nodded yes and smiled. With wide eyes and anticipation, she said “Please?”
I selected Frankie Yankovic and his band playing one of their hit songs “Just Because.” Well, her niece and I were about to witness one of those times in our lives when something, which is obviously impossible of happening, instead takes place and becomes a reality right before our eyes. The music began and this lady went from being in the shape of an upside down “L” to standing there straight and tall. I saw her eyes glaze over as she threw the cane into a nearby corner of the room. Then she began to dance. Her niece was so shocked and frightened that she dropped the accordion on the ground and ran to take a position behind her grandmother, anticipating that she would fall. I jumped in front of the lady and stayed close enough to her to catch her in case she would mis-step and fall.
So, the three of us moved along in the aisles of accordions that were on display, in time with the music. Lydia was twirling around like a ballerina, singing along with the song and crying like a baby. Her tears made their way onto my face as I tried to stay as close as possible to her. She never missed a beat and did not mis-step. When the music stopped, she returned to her original position. We quickly gave her the cane and led her to a chair. Lydia was embarrassed and she apologized as she composed herself. After a minute or two, she looked at me and said, “Paul, if you had put a million dollars on this table for me, it would have been nothing compared to what I just experienced. I cannot thank you enough.”
From time to time, people ask me why we continue to build up this accordion museum and promote playing the accordion. It’s because we continue to experience, first-hand, events and people like Lydia. There is great power in our memories and when they transfer into musical instruments such as an accordion, a pathway of expression opens up. Then those of us fortunate enough to witness that expression get a glimpse of Heaven. We all know that music is the language of Heaven. That day, in our accordion museum, I was convinced of the mission we are on here to preserve and promote the accordion.
You really do need to visit us. There are over 500 accordions on display…it’s worth a trip from anywhere!!
The Power of the Accordion and Music……Story #1 9/25/2026
We started our accordion museum about 15 years ago. At first the attraction was all of the wonderfully created variations and sounds the accordion was known for over the last 200+ years. As the collection grew, we came across more and more backstories of how people experienced life while interacting with other folks and accordion music. Those stories have grown in number and have now become the main reason why we continue to curate these accordions. Our museum has become, in a way, an orphanage for accordions and the memories they carry. I plan to share some of these stories with you in the weeks ahead, because they had great meaning, not only to the people who experienced the music first hand, but especially for us going forward. History has a way of repeating itself, and these stories need to be remembered and passed along to all who will listen and learn.
I have to start with the accordion owned by Barbara O’Connell who grew up in the western part of America and from a very early age she was a prodigy with the accordion. Around 1933, when she was 10 years old, she asked her dad if she could have a new accordion since the one she was playing was second hand, old, and falling apart. The one she picked was an Italian made Chiusaroli accordion costing about $750 at that time. Her father was barely earning $10 a week and with the Great Depression devastating many families, he could not afford it. But the people in her town did! Everyone knew of Barbara and her accordion and with many nickels, dimes and quarters, they bought her that accordion. They put her name on it and Barbara played it everywhere.
By the time Barbara turned 19 years of age, she had become a very independently minded young lady. She announced to the family one day that she was scheduled to leave on a trip to Europe to join with the USO and entertain the troops in the war effort of WW II. Her family was very much against her leaving and going into a war zone so far away. But she sensed that her music was critically needed, and she felt called to this task. So, she went all alone and made her way to where the center of the war was occurring.
The first time she was scheduled to play for the troops she was listed as the last person to perform that day. She looked out on a “sea of gray,” she told her family, with thousands of uniformed troops waiting patiently and quietly for her to play. But then, Barbara realized her great mistake. Out in the distance she could see all of the troop carrier trucks and vehicles waiting for when she finished playing. The men before her were going directly back to the front, into harm’s way, and she realized that she was playing for many soon to be dead soldiers. She had come to this place with cheerful sing-along type music, the kind she played back in the states. But there was nothing cheerful about this occasion. She muddled her way through this first event but swore she would never do this again unless she could play something that would strengthen the troops and give them hope.
At that time there was a well-known singer, Kate Smith, who was popularizing the new Irving Berlin song, “God Bless America.” It was written in 1939. Barbara got the sheet music and memorized it. She always ended her playing for the troops with that song. Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be sitting in that situation knowing where you had to go to do your part in the war effort? You knew also that your chances of survival were poor at best. Now listen to the words of that song. You will see how perfectly it fit into that situation at that time. For many soldiers it was the last music they ever heard. But for many others, it gave them purpose and hope.
I was told that Barbara played her accordion for well over 200,000 troops during the war. It’s amazing to think that a 19- or 20-year-old girl with an accordion could have had a significant impact on the outcome of the war. At that critical moment in time, she helped give them the strength and resolve to see their task through to the end, regardless of the cost.
Never discount the value of your music and playing. It is the language of heaven, and with music we can start to live in heaven even while we are still here on earth.
8/16/2026
I’ve been wondering… (part 1)
For some time now, we’ve been gathering at our accordion museum every month to hear people sing and play their musical instruments. We’ve had singers, violinists, flautists, an oboe player, drummers, guitarists, harmonica players, pianists, autoharp players, and of course a goodly number of accordionists. What never ceases to amaze me is that we never have any disagreements or stress among the players and listeners even though most of us do not know each other. We all get along…and I’ve been wondering why and how that can be. After all, the media keeps telling us daily about the conflicts and wars all over our country and in the world. We are so divided that it can keep us from wanting to gather and enjoy the music.
I’ve been looking at the possibility that perhaps music has more power and impact than we think. It may have the ability to neutralize the bad feelings, fears and thoughts we have toward other people. If that is the case, then it is most important for us to understand how it works. After hosting and curating our accordion museum (www.neacmc.com) for the last 18 years, here is what I’ve learned so far:
-Music has the ability to transport us back to a previous time in our lives. Many of the songs we listen to today originated in the past. When we hear them in the present, our thoughts can go back to the memory of better times. We remember the good old days when friends, gatherings, feelings were pleasant and people were perhaps more friendly. Life seemed more predictable. Music then, has the power to take us away from the unpleasant present and replace it with the familiar and nostalgic past.
-Music can place us in a kind of “bubble state” where it can dominate our thoughts and attention and filter out the worries and stresses of the present. In a way, we can be temporarily separated from our worries. It also disarms us from the need to shield and protect ourselves from perceived threats and disagreements we may be living with.
-Assuming that these first two points are true, music then has a clean “page to write on” for the listeners present. We can enjoy the full impact and meaning of the music being played without being influenced by the problems and worries in our lives. Hence, everyone present can become more pleasant! Music can provide us with a release and a way to enjoy each other’s’ company so our differences of opinions are set aside, at least for a while.
-I’ve also wondered about another possible quality or characteristic about music. There is archeological evidence that music, in some form and shape, has been part of human development for many thousands of years. It appears in many of the spiritual and celebrational experiences of families, tribes and countries of the distant past.
But most importantly, it seems to have a special link to the divine. Many church and spiritual services around the world today are filled with musical worship which has been passed down to us from the distant past. I think we all have a secret desire to communicate with our God, and music has always been, and still is, a powerful way to experience a bit of heaven while here on earth. This last point is really intriguing to me especially as I approach the last part of my life. I suspect that there are some eternal truths I have yet to discover, and these are critical to my completing a life well lived. Access to these truths may be through the door of music.
This is why we have we have our accordion museum. I’ve come to believe that many of us tend to preserve the stories and instruments that remind us that music is more than just a collection of sounds. It can become a bridge for us between generations and cultures. It may even serve as a bridge to the eternal.
Please forward your thoughts and comments to me in the days to come. Whatever else I discover about this topic, I will continue to share with you.
Thank you…
Paul Ramunni
Our next “Groovin’ at the Depot” meeting is Sunday, 9/20/26 … 3 PM to 5 PM***
8/23/26
I’m Still Wondering… (Part 2)
My last posting a week ago spoke of how music helps us recall the past and can help transport our memories back to special times. It also helps us come together and make friends regardless of strong beliefs and differences. I also mentioned, that for many people, music can provide us with a connection to the divine. That last point reminded me of an unanswered question I had for the longest time. I always wondered what caused the explosion of all the hymns that were written back in the 1800’s. It’s reported that in the 19th century alone, well over 400,000 hymns were composed, and it is likely that more than 500,000 were written worldwide over that period. It was the time of the Second Great Awakening which occurred from 1790 – 1840.
In the early 1800’s people were faced with many challenging issues including rapid social change from industrialization. American families and businesses were moving westward. Democratization in the new American government was something people were trying to get used to. There were strong desires for moral reform, anxiety over social issues with slavery, poverty, and women’s roles topping the list. We would have to add to that the impact of the Civil War as well.
With all of that stress, people naturally turned to their faith for answers. The vehicle for these answers came in the form of music. What interests me the most however, is the fact that the accordion was being developed exactly at this time and patented in 1829. It turns out that this instrument was perfectly suited for helping to deliver the much-wanted hymnal music and peace.
From about 1800 to 1880 a new concept developed known as Frontier Worship. During the Second Great Awakening, worship often took place far from established churches — in fields, cabins, and makeshift camp meeting grounds. Families traveled long distances for days-long revivals, bringing with them whatever instruments they owned. Among the most beloved were free reed instruments: melodeons, concertinas, and early accordions. These accordions fit frontier worship because they were:
• Portable — easy to carry on horseback or wagon
• Durable — less fragile than fiddles or parlor instruments
• Loud and expressive — able to project over outdoor crowds
• Accessible — simple enough for ordinary people to learn
A single player could provide melody, harmony, and rhythm, making the accordion ideal for communities without trained musicians or formal church choirs. Camp meeting worship was emotional, spontaneous, and participatory. The accordion’s bellows allowed players to swell, soften, and shape musical phrases in ways that matched the heartfelt preaching and spirited hymn singing of the era.
Many families used their instruments for:
• Home devotions
• Informal worship gatherings
• Accompanying revival hymns and folk spirituals
The accordion’s voice became part of the soundtrack of frontier faith.
I’m convinced that this whole process was not just for entertainment. It was a way to prepare people of that time for what was ahead in the days to come. The U.S. Civil War was soon to become a reality and even in the distance, WW 1 and WW 2 needed to be endured. There were natural disasters to occur such as the Galveston Hurricane where between 6,000 and 12,000 lives were lost in 1900. There was the constant threat of pandemics, diseases and other health crises too. In 1850 the average life expectancy was 40-45 years of age. The survival forecast for our newly formed country was challenging, to say the least. The accordion was created at the perfect time and managed to help connect people with their God and with one another by producing the music and sounds of love and care.
The next big question now is for us today. Can we still look to our faith, music and instruments such as the accordion, to successfully bring us together? We too are living at a time where many of us are experiencing issues at least as serious as the issues of our predecessors. I have an answer for that question.
Thank you…
Paul Ramunni
8/31/26
I’ve Been Wondering… (Part 3)
Our accordion museum and sales shop( located at 75 Main street, North Canaan, Ct) opened its doors in 2011. I have personally witnessed the impact that the 500+ accordions and their stories have made on the well over 18,000 people who have visited us. I’ve been wondering what exactly is the quality and nature of music that can make changes in the way we think and act. Music can somehow take us out of our present state of mind and help us travel back to re-live happier times and memories. It also has the power to make us more receptive to adopting changes in our thinking and behavior going forward. I am very interested in finding out how that works given all the daily reports of division and ill will in the world, our country and personal lives today. I decided to go back into the past 200 years to see if and how people used music as a way to unify divergent beliefs of their time.
I researched back into the early 1800’s when the accordion was invented and I found out that people did use music to help deal with their disagreements and life challenges. They turned to the spiritual side of their lives for help by composing over 500,000 hymns worldwide, many of which we still sing today. These songs emotionally charged their music and gave hope to people struggling with the ravages of the Civil War, WW 1 and WW 2 and other serious challenges. I also noticed that many of the threatening events that were occurring in the 19th and 20th centuries were very similar to those we are facing today.
In the 1800/1900-time frame, people were struggling with rapid social change from industrialization, a massive westward expansion across the USA, waves of immigration coming from other countries, new ideas about religion and life in general. All of these pressures led to moral and ethical confusion, and fear that they were losing their cultural core. And so, they turned to the only two things they still believed in and relied on…their music and their faith.
It is very interesting to note that today we have much of the same kind of pressures and troubling life challenges. Digital technology overwhelms us in the same way – socially, morally and psychologically. In addition, we have invasive social media, the polarization of many issues, and hyper-individualism to deal with. We also have our own moral confusion created by AI, global communications, and cultural shifts, all of which create ethical questions faster than we can answer them. The people who lived in the 1800/1900-time frame benefited greatly from linking their faith with the music of that day. Going forward then, I’m wondering if music (still) holds the key for helping us work together in finding the right answers we need, just as it did for many people 100-150 years ago.
Here’s how I think it can be done.
One of our goals at our museum is to create a climate where people can make new friends through music. We strive to tell personal historical stories involving the accordion which hopefully will be received with a sense of emotional resonance. These stories we’ve collected are actual lived experiences involving music, which makes them real, powerful, and believable.
The atmosphere of our museum and sales shop is one of beauty and quiet reflection. There are over 500 accordions, all exquisitely decorated, in our display. It never fails to impress folks. That effect works well as we move the experience to another level when we play an accordion and encourage folks to try it as well. The live music lends realism to the companion stories we tell. People today are moved by personal stories and not by arguments.
We have learned that when visitors find us, they are usually quite unprepared for what they see. They come into the museum not knowing what to expect and like many of us, they might be preoccupied with personal concerns and distractions. We walk them slowly through the display realizing that many may have a memory of a relative in the distant past who may have played an accordion. That can immediately make the tour very personal and important to remember. Many will take pictures and video of their time at our museum and sales shop.
The ultimate experience occurs when we play an accordion for the visitors. Or better yet, when they play one. There is lots of laughter, smiles, and sometimes, even tears because it brings back sweet memories. The end result is that we’ve made friends. This process opens the heart faster than any other method. Today people crave that personal connection and attention. That cannot be experienced in a large lecture hall. Once the heart is open, we then have a chance to reconnect as friends and we can move forward to more agreement and better outcomes.
The bottom line is this. We can help bring people back together again by providing a simple musical platform for small groups. It’s inviting people to come, listen and even learn about music. We would be rediscovering shared humanity while practicing concerned compassion. In the process, we are connecting with history, so the experience is not something totally foreign to us. We can sing, tell stories, and perhaps even heal the effects of loneliness.
We are already doing this at our accordion museum and have been for the last 12 months. And it works! I would encourage all of you to share with me your thoughts on this plan. Come and join us at our next “Groovin” meeting on Sunday, September 20, 2026, 3 PM- 5 PM. Bring your instrument, or come to just listen and make new friends and help us make new memories.
All are welcome…
Paul Ramunni
Groovin at the Depot
August 8, 2026
Connecticut Public interview
June 25th 2026
Robin Hood Radio podcast
June 10th 2026
Accordion Museum Brings Music History to Connecticut
September 24th 2024
Rita Davidson Barnea, Editor Accordion USA News
Did you know that there is a wonderful accordion museum, The New England Accordion Connection and Museum, in North Canaan, CT.? The museum is in the railroad station in the center of North Canaan, right in the center of town. Business owner Paul Rummuni’s love of accordions originated with his mother. Paul sat down with Ann Nyberg to talk about some of the things that the museum has to offer.. Continue
With More Than 500 Accordions On Display, This Small Town Museum In Connecticut Is A True Hidden Gem
Posted in Connecticut Museums, Small Towns June 14, 2023 by Lisa Sammons
There are plenty of great large, expansive museums in Connecticut that cover a variety of topics, or at least really broad topics. The Yale Center for British Art has more than 2,000 works of art spanning more than a century. Historic home museums like the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum typically cover specific time periods, but have a variety of items on display documenting what life was like in that era. Places like that are great, but there’s something special about going to a museum with more of a specific focus. Sometimes, these places may sound a little wacky to the uninitiated – there’s a whole museum devoted to what?! – but they’re often quite interesting! I’ve found in my travels that some of these museums are often more educational and fascinating than even larger, more renowned sites that cover a broader array of topics. One such museum with a hyper-specific focus is the New England Accordion Connection and Museum Company in Canaan, CT. This unique accordion museum in Connecticut is a great day trip. Continue...
Jerry PH produced this video interview and it captures the essence of our mission here at NEACMC. Thank you Jerry & Enjoy Everyone!! 2018
An Interview with Paul Ramunni
Read reviewer/author Charles Cassady’s interview with Paul from Kirkus Reviews:
Lavishly Illustrated Essays on Accordion Culture Find Grace Notes
I’ve told that story about a hundred times. It still gives me goosebumps,” Angelo Paul Ramunni says, referring to the serendipity that led him to create an accordion-based museum in his home in Canaan, Connecticut—and, by extension, his lavishly illustrated book, Accordion Stories From the Heart.
The coffee-table–friendly volume relates many a tale with its full-page photos of accordions in all their hand-crafted, mother-of-pearl–inlay glory, which are “as intricately exquisite as any prized violin or piano,” as Kirkus’ review describes them. One story is about a little Hohner that succored its Russian owner through grim years of totalitarianism in the Soviet Union. Another tells of a Karpek “square box” in Chicago that earned its player command performances before Al Capone. A third relates the acquisition of a Detroit-made 1920s accordion, lovingly, proudly, and painstakingly refurbished by a blind man. Read Full Interview Here
Hi Everyone,
I have recently released my new book “Accordion Stories from the Heart.” It’s a collection of accordions from around the world and their stories, inspired by the extraordinary people who played them. There are more than 40 tender memory-evoking stories of people who played or listened to accordions over the course of their lives. It also features over 70 full color photos of spectacular, beautifully hand-built accordions. I am happy to report that people have not only been anxious to see the book but to also schedule an event where I will discuss the book, display sample vintage accordions and play a selection of popular songs to complete the event.
Paul Ramunni, author
Sept 2018
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An Interview with Paul Ramunni
Jerry Homolka produced this video interview and captured the essence of our mission here at The New England Accordion Connection and Museum Co. Thank you Jerry & Enjoy Everyone!! An Interview with Paul Ramunni
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Kirkus – Profiles
Read reviewer/author Charles Cassady’s interview with Paul from Kirkus Reviews: Lavishly Illustrated Essays on Accordion Culture Find Grace Notes I’ve told that story about a hundred times. It still gives me goosebumps,” Angelo Paul Ramunni says, referring to the serendipity that led him to create an accordion-based museum in his home in Canaan, Connecticut—and, by…
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Author Talk & Mini-Concerts Schedule
Hi Everyone, I have recently released my new book “Accordion Stories from the Heart.” It’s a collection of accordions from around the world and their stories, inspired by the extraordinary people who played them. There are more than 40 tender memory-evoking stories of people who played or listened to accordions over the course of their…
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The Surprising and Spectacular Joy of Accordions
GIZMODO | Show Me Your Nerd The Surprising and Spectacular Joy of Accordions Click here to see on gizmodo.com
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Hartford Courant Visits New England Accordion Museum!
[one_third last=”no” class=”” id=””] Our accordion collection includes hundreds of unique and beautifully handcrafted pieces, however, our visitors would agree that it’s the narrated experience that becomes most memorable after visiting NEAM. Director, Paul Ramunni, curates the exhibits and shares memories that tell a genuine story about each accordion. The New England Accordion Museum would…
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News From NEAM: July 2015 Edition
Accordions And Their Stories: A Living Legacy [one_half last=”no” class=”” id=””]The New England Accordion Museum opened its doors in the Fall of 2011 in Canaan, Connecticut. How it came to be is, in itself, an interesting story. I learned to play the accordion from age 10 to 17 while growing up on Long Island. I…
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Accordions Alive Event Was A Success!
[one_half last=”no” class=”” id=””]A Legendary Experience: Event Overview New and used accordions were displayed for sale along with sheet music of Italian and American accordion classics.. Entertainment was provided by Tony Lovello, a legendary accordionist that kept the crowd roaring with laughter and happy to see Tony perform with the same passion he always puts…