Alan Keith Teachers

With over forty years of folk and traditional music experience, Alan has collected, built and learned to play in excess of thirty instruments. As well as being a fine musician and entertainer, Alan can relate a great deal of information on each instrument he plays, having studied it’s history and traditions, organology and methods of construction. Alan’s research has taken him to Europe and the British Isles many times where he has both studied and performed.

Alan currently offers private and group instruction in beginning and intermediate diatonic accordion. Note: The bisonorous diatonic accordion differs from the more familiar piano accordion, in that it produces a different note per bellows direction for each button. Other bisonorous reed instruments include the anglo concertina and the harmonica. Instruments are available for rent and purchace from Alan.

Alan gives private lessons at his home in Mountain View, California, and often gives group lessons at various traditional and folk music camps in Northern California (call or write for dates and locations). Lessons include highly valuable information on reed-making, instrument set-up, tuning and maintenance, as well as historical and cultural uses, etc. – topics usually not covered by other instructors.