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EDINBURG — Silence filled the air here at the Promenade Park Amphitheater as one by one accordionists lined up for their chance to show off their musical skills. That’s when the silence ceased.
With a squeeze of their accordion, notes began to crescendo from the bellows and across the amphitheater Saturday, creating a vibrant and lively ambiance for those in attendance.
The city of Edinburg partnered with the Museum of South Texas History and Texas Folklife to host the annual Edinburg Music Fest, which featured the 17th annual Big Squeeze Conjunto Semi-Finals.
The Big Squeeze is a popular accordion competition where young accordionists from Texas are invited to compete for the championship and bragging rights. Texas Folklife holds competitions throughout the state where players compete regionally before advancing to the championship.
According to Charlie Lockwood, executive director at Texas Folklife, the goal of the nonprofit organization is to preserve and present folk and traditional arts throughout Texas.
The Rio Grande Valley has acted as a perennial power in this contest, routinely producing championship accordionists for several years.
According to Lockwood, this year’s competition featured 12 contestants performing with about eight of them being Valley residents.
Genres performed included polka, conjunto, Tejano, zydeco, cajun and others.
Among the musicians was 10-year-old Ethan Torres, from Los Fresnos, who picked up his love for music after playing guitar with his neighbor’s band when he was about 5 years old.
“I never knew how to play the guitar,” Ethan said with a laugh, adding that he continued to learn other instruments such as the piano until finding his calling — the accordion.
He explained his music teacher at Los Fresnos Elementary taught him how to play the accordion. Since then Ethan has performed and competed with the school’s conjunto group.
Ethan put his skills to the test Saturday when he competed in the Big Squeeze 16 and under category. For Ethan, this competition gave him the opportunity to express his love for his heritage.
“It’s part of our culture, and I really like playing music,” Ethan said with a smile.
Mission native and Palmview High School alum, Giovanni Guerrero, 15, also competed Saturday under the 16 and under category.
He stood on stage with a smile across his face as he played his black and red accordion. His smile grew as the crowd cheered him on.
“The reaction of the people, seeing that they enjoy it gives me more motivation to keep on playing,” Giovanni said.
For him, conjunto music has been a part of his life from the start. Growing up he would often listen to norteño music with his dad. It was this music that inspired him to try his hand at playing the accordion.
When he was about 7 years old he received his first accordion, and has since continued to develop his skills.
But Giovanni wasn’t the only Palmview High School student competing in the Big Squeeze. In fact, his friend Daniel Hernandez, 17, and Angel Guerra, also 17, sat next to their accordions as they awaited their turn to perform.
Although friends, Daniel and Angel were preparing to compete against one another in the 17 to 21 category for a spot in the finals.
For Daniel, playing the accordion was a way to express his emotions when words cannot.
“I’ve always liked music my whole life. It’s a way to express myself,” Daniel said, adding that he was inspired to play the accordion by his uncle who also plays the instrument. “You really feel the music.”
He first began playing the accordion in August 2022.
Angel on the other hand picked up the accordion from a young age after practicing on his dad’s accordion.
He explained that his favorite part about performing was the energy from the crowd and the opportunity to express himself through music.
“I’m ready,” Angel said with confidence when asked if he was nervous to compete.
Houston native Ruby Acosta,16, said she first picked up the accordion during the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to find a hobby. Now that hobby has turned into a talent she wants to showcase in the 16 and under category of the Big Squeeze competition.
“My favorite part about it (the accordion) is going on stage and showing people my skills,” Ruby said about her first time competing.
In the end it was Chelsea Campos from San Benito, Giovanni, Roberto Martinez III from Edcouch and Adiel Emmanuel Vazquez from Pasadena who advanced in the 16 and under category while Anthony Ortiz Jr. advanced in the 17 to 21 category.
In the grand prize category, Eligio Martinez from San Benito and Gilberto Treviño from Palmview were announced as the winners.
The finals are scheduled for May 13 in Austin.
To see more, view Monitor photojournalist Delcia Lopez’s full photo gallery here:
Photo Gallery: Valley’s young accordionists get their squeeze on in Edinburg
