Cheney teen takes home grand prize at accordion gala
When you think accordion, don’t think polka. At least not if you’re around Sammy Thomas of Cheney.
Thomas, the 17-year-old grand prize winner at the recent International Accordion Celebration in Leavenworth, Wash., says the association between the instrument and polka music has contributed to the lack of awareness about the versatility of the accordion.
Thomas was one of four local prize-winners at the competition June 22 through 24. He took home $1,000, a medallion and trophy for his victory in the open category and also placed first in the jazz competition.
Corrie Ann Sams from Spokane Valley was third in the junior category, and Rosella Stroud and Rita Ramos of Nine Mile Falls finished first in the duet competition.
Practicing the instrument has pretty much been a full-time job recently for Thomas, who will be traveling to Buffalo, N.Y., next week for the U.S. national competition, hoping for a victory that would qualify him for the World Cup in Italy later this year.
Thomas also began playing piano eight months ago, and after only six months won a silver medal in the Gonzaga University Musicfest.
Thomas is a home-school student who will be a senior this fall and plans to attend Eastern Washington University – “it’s just up the street from my house” – and major in music. He also is a student at the Holy Names Music Center in Spokane, where he studies music theory, history “and just about everything else musical.”
He began playing the accordion just before his 11th birthday, inspired by a CD his mother brought home.
Sammy takes lessons from Spokane instructor Ilmar Kuljus, who’s been teaching for more than 50 years. Thomas’ favorite genre is jazz, but he also plays classical because it’s necessary for competitions. And he loves to compose on the fly.
“There are tons of jam sessions at all the different clubs and festivals. I’ve traveled up and down the East Coast playing.”
The accordion is enjoying a resurgence of sorts, according to Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce representative Bill Rietveldt, promoter of the recent event.
“The instrument was more mainstream in the past,” he said, “but it’s coming back,” he said..
“It’s being used now in arty, nontraditional ways. It’s a natural for Leavenworth, of course, with our Germanic theme, but it’s increasingly popular all over the world. ….
“Playing the accordion makes you be a performer – it’s strapped to you, and it is part of the performance. I like to say it’s like having a band on your chest.”
It’s certainly taking Sammy Thomas places, hopefully to Italy at the World Cup event to which no American has ever been invited.
Just don’t ask him to play the polka.
Thomas welcomes contributions to help defray travel expenses. If interested, call 768-3454.