Unfortunately, they called me “Sharon” and spelled my last name wrong!! AND put my actual address?? Very weird! But at least they got the rest right! 

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This photo, taken when I was 13, made the front of an arts and events-type newspaper insert – sent out to many major newspaper publications throughout many southern Ontario cities once (maybe twice??)  a month, including the Toronto Star and the Kitchener-Waterloo Record.  The accordion wasn’t very popular in the 70’s, so this was kind of a big deal!  

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Part of the “big deal” though, was that Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition, drawing 1.5 million visitors every year, was the 2nd biggest Canadian accordion competition, after the Canadian Nationals.

The last “big deal” was that I didn’t only win the Junior title, but I worked so hard to be able to enter into the more advanced categories (you could enter to compete with older students, just not younger) and I won the Intermediate title as well!  This was why I was invited to perform at the Concert of Champions, which was generally only for the more advanced players.  I don’t remember ever seeing anyone as young as I, and not every instrument was invited every year.  It was truly an honour. 

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This was also my “coming out”.  Pretty much everyone read this very popular insert – as it gave all the concert photos and reviews of recently past concerts, and upcoming concert announcements of famous bands and where and when to get tickets etc. for the whole of Southern Ontario.  So, there I was, and that’s when all my classmates and teachers found out that I played accordion!  Up until that point only my very closest friends even knew I played, even though I’d been competing and doing so well since I was 8 years old.  At the time of this publication, I already held the Canadian title for my age group. 

Glory days!! Haha!

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