A bandonion encourages and challenges melody playing, tone shaping and harmonic accompaniment in equal measure. In contrast to other instruments, the child has to master everything at the same time. Compared to a piano, it is much more in terms of tone shaping. The operation of a bellows is more lively and and more physical than striking a piano key. Most children are little volcanoes, constantly throwing energy around. The complexity of a bandonion would be an opportunity to let off steam in a playful way. Everything that music in detail is required here in its entirety. (Picture: Young boy with Kusserow bandonion)

Grandchild with Grandpa Emil and his wife and a diatonic accordion. Photo 1920/30s

The accordion is the only type of harmonicas that is used to a greater extent in the musical education of children. The mostly used standard bass accordion can also be viewed critically. Especially when the instrument is learnt as a first instrument, its ready-made chords tend to place less demand on left-handed playing and related theoretical knowledge. More sense makes here a small accordion with a melody bass, i.e. a single tone bass.

Annelise at the outing of the Halle Bandonion Club in the Dölauer Heide in July 1950.

Large, heavy accordions are not conducive to learning, or even harmful to health, if they are bought like trousers a few sizes larger than required. Even a bandonion (see picture) only makes sense from about 4-5 years of age, because before then the span and strength of the arms are often not sufficient to operate the instrument. For children under 5 years of age, the bandonion also raises the question of a suitable instrument.

A concertina is probably ideal for the little ones. The size, weight and key spacing are perfect for small hands. A single-choir instrument would be sufficient and is particularly suitable for ear training, as it plays single notes instead of double notes. There are many models of bisonoric concertinas at low prices. Their system with up to 40 notes usually corresponds to the core range of the most bisonoric bandonions, so that what has been learnt can be continued on the bandonion. But for unisonoric instruments, there is no concertina system that can be played on a bandonion.

Manufacture: VEB Bandonionwerk Carlsfeld (formerly A. Arnold), am 13.2.1952
2-choirs (8'+4'); H: 22cm; D: 24cm; 4,1kg
Right manual: b-c3, 33 keys; left: E-g1, 34 keys

For example, the Kusserow bandonion was offered as a separate youth model. A reduced range allows for a smaller body, which accommodates children's arm spans and reduces the weight. It also has a manual with reduced vertical key spacing, which takes into account the smaller smaller finger spans. For under five-year-olds, however this model might still be too big.

Around 5cm less in height and depth than the youth bandonion, the currently available C64 mini-bandonion from the Untersee company in Rorschach/Switzerland. The Kusserow instrument measures 19.5 x 18.5 cm, has 64 notes and is also built with a single chorus.

It would also be important to be able to offer concertinas for small children. If one waits until the child be able to hold a large bandonion, the best learning phase up to the age of 5 remains unutilised. An important phase, in wich intuition still acts far ahead of the mind. Another major problem is the small second-hand used market for bandonions. A second-hand accordion is available at any time and at favourable prices, which is probably one reason for its larger number of accordion students.