EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — At 10 years old, El Paso accordion player Madeleine Sapien is preparing for a major weekend performance after being invited to play with Piñata Protest.
“I’m very excited because it’s a really great opportunity that you should take, and I’m really excited about it,” Sapien said.
Sapien said her interest in the accordion started at home, where her whole family has attempted to learn the accordion, but no one had been able to master it.
“So I decided it was my turn to play,” Sapien said.
At just 10 years old, Madeleine Sapien has already performed her accordion skills on plenty of big stages! (Madeleine Sapien)
Sapien said she asked her parents about learning, and her father told her, “If you’re really serious, then you have to come up with half the money.”
Sapien said she then went to her grandfather for help buying her first accordion.
“So I went straight to my grandpa and I asked him, and they got me the money,” Sapien said. “So he got me my first accordion and that’s how it all started. That’s how my whole career started.”
Sapien’s father said the family has a strong musical background, but the accordion had been a challenge.
“Everyone has tried to dabble, but we just couldn’t pull it off,” Sapien’s father said. “And the family plays guitar, drums. We’re all instrumental, like in our whole family, but no one has ever been able to tackle the accordion.”
Sapien and her family also connected with Sound Stage 9, a local music production facility that offers lessons.
Sapien’s father said he initially wasn’t sure where to turn for instruction.
“Whenever I bought the accordion, I didn’t know what else to do after that because usually I feel like the accordion is family driven,” Sapien’s father said. “So I called around and it just so happened on a Sunday they called me back and said, ‘Hey, yes, sir, we’re offering accordion lessons now.’”
Sapien has already performed outside of El Paso, including appearances in San Antonio.
El Paso 10-year-old accordionist Madeleine Sapien to perform with band ‘Piñata Protest’
Sapien said one of her biggest experiences so far was performing with Sound Stage 9 and El Paso legend Roger Argenis for a Grammy-winning performance in front of a local crowd.
“The biggest thing that I’ve gotten to do is perform. It’s been really great because accordion is my passion,” Sapien said. “And I played at Album Park with Sound Stage 9. It was really cool. I was like really nervous. But the fact that you’re getting to play on stage is a good thing.”
Sapien’s father said she spent most of May performing in San Antonio, and that she has been reposted twice by Grupo Fontera while playing their songs!
Sapien is set to perform this Sunday with Piñata Protest at Paulina’s Badlands Bar and Grill.
Doors open at 7:00 pm.
Madeleine will be performing this Sunday with the band Piñata Protest! (Piñata Protest via Facebook)
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