Starting on a high note

An instrument like no other

Like Tam, Sean Wong first came across the accordion while studying overseas in 2009. He would watch buskers in France play the instrument. Wong loved the light-hearted and happy atmosphere that accordion performances were able to conjure up, and he wished Hong Kong could get some of that atmosphere. After his return to the city later that year, Wong began taking accordion lessons as well as learning via the internet.

Wong said one of the most interesting features of the accordion is its distinct sounds. While most musical instruments can produce only a particular type of sound, the accordion can produce the sounds of several instruments, such as the flute, bassoon and even organ, by selecting the corresponding register switches on the instrument. "It can sound like an entire orchestra all by itself," he said.

In 2011, Wong started an accordion group, The Accordi (with the Chinese character for "people"), with a number of fellow accordion students after a busking performance they did on Christmas Eve was a hit with the audience.

"None of us had any busking experience, but we saw that the audience really enjoyed listening to the accordion. That is what led us to form the group as we wanted to share our love for the accordion and its beautiful music with more people," he said.

Since then, the group, which consists of 13 members, many with full-time jobs, continues to busk every Christmas as well as perform occasional gigs and mini-concerts.

Wong believes the relative lack of interest in the accordion in Hong Kong is because one doesn't get to hear much of the instrument in the city. A dedicated accordion concert or recital is rare in Hong Kong. And if students are looking to learn a music instrument in school, not too many have an accordion available for them to try. "How can you know if you are interested in something if you don't even know it exists?" he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly made it harder for the group to give performances or even practice together. However, Wong continues to create new accordion arrangements for songs and shares them with the other members to practice by themselves.

"Especially for a less-common instrument like the accordion, I think it is very important for those who are interested in it to be able to find others and play and learn together. It makes the experience even more enjoyable," he said.