You Threw Away a Good Career
By Cynthia E. Mehary
Buffalo, NY
I don’t know what possessed my father to buy me an accordion. He even hired a teacher to come to the house once a week to give instructions. At the time, I was a seven-year old little girl. The accordion was as big as I was and it seemed to weigh much more than I did. My little shoulders were weighed down with this instrument and I had to always sit down while playing. At such a young age, I hated not only the instrument, but also the daily practice. In those days, children did what they were told and so I took lessons. These lessons continued well into my teenage years.
Somewhere in the midst of my accordion lessons, my parents bought a piano and proceeded to hire a piano teacher for my sister. After each of her lessons, I would play around with the piano, since the keyboard was the same as that of the accordion. Well, I fell in love with the piano and I taught myself to play it, while gradually having less interest in the accordion.
By the time I was 12 years old, I was proficient enough on the piano to play children’s songs in church during Sunday school, which became a regular duty. One Sunday at a program, the church officials honored me, as well as others, for our participation and help. I received a certificate and an envelop with a small sum of money. I felt really good until my mother, upon learning that the church had given me money for playing the piano, began pressuring me to return the money. She continued hounding me throughout the program until I finally went to the committee and explained that I could not take the money. I don’t remember how much it was, but it could not have been more than $10. I continued teaching Sunday school and playing songs for the children, never receiving another cent. That was the beginning of my real concern about my future. I could see that there was no future for me in music—piano or accordion.
There were no African American girls playing the accordion. For that matter, I did not see any women playing the accordion. Also, I did not see how I could live and make money as an adult playing the piano for free at church. Since my mother had forced me to return what I was given, I thought no one, especially the pianist, was paid for doing anything in the church.
Then came the era of rock and roll during the 1950s and 1960s. All kinds of music was being played, sung, and danced during that time. I knew my father would not let me, or my sister, join a band, travel the road playing music, or even play at a local tavern. We grew up in a strict environment. My life consisted of school, church, and home. So, what was I going to do with my limited music talent? There was no one to counsel or mentor me about the possibilities of a career in music.
During high school, I majored in music and participated in band, chorus, and music theory classes. I noticed that in the band or orchestra, there could be only one pianist, and that person had to be outstanding. Without piano lessons, I never had the opportunity to accompany a singer, band, or orchestra. Wanting to join the orchestra, the teacher suggested that I play the bass fiddle. I again found myself playing an instrument that was taller and heavier than I. However, after a few lessons I was able to pluck the chords at the right time and participate.
Somewhere, during those four years of high school, I remember an announcement about a talent show. I began practicing the accordion to participate in the competition. I did not expect to win, but I was chosen as one of the winners and I was asked to return and play the song I had played for the competition. The day came, but I was so nervous I forgot everything and just stood there, completely embarrassed. That was a disaster. My shyness and nervousness decided my fate. I would to choose something else besides music. I kept thinking, “What is a little African American girl going to do with an accordion?” After all, no orchestras or bands had accordions. 
So when I went to college, I majored in secretarial science and became a business teacher. I have taught for more than 30 years and, as a business teacher, I saw my career change continuously. As soon as I became comfortable and knew what I was doing, it was time to start all over again.
Prior to my father passing away, I would often talk to him about the problems of being a teacher and how our world, especially the business world, had changed since the advent of computer technology. One day he looked at me and said, “You threw away a good career. You would have been better off if you had stuck with music. Who knows, you could have been the first and only black female accordionist.”
With the recent death of my father, I now have acquired, not only the accordion, but also the piano. I am finally taking piano lessons and realize how much I missed not having had lessons. The rudiments of scale formation, tetrachords, and transposition from one key to another are just a few of the things I am learning and I love to play the piano as much as I did as a child.
I am even thinking of trying the accordion again. As an adult, I will attempt it with a more positive attitude. Perhaps music could have been my career, but life takes its turns. This time around, music is for personal enjoyment and to help me during this period of grief.
Is there still hope for that little girl who loved the piano? Who knows!
