A concertina for our son - perhaps
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (326126)
Rockingham, Australia
October 24, 2022 4:56am CST
Our son in Ireland is a jazz musician and plays bass. He and his wife would like to buy a house but the banks won’t lend to an itinerant musician. They want borrowers to have a 9 to 5 type of job with a regular income. So he has taken on an administrative position with Music Generation Meath which is an Irish National Music Education Programme.
He plays around with other instruments too and lately has been playing a concertina. The word ‘concertina’ covers a range of bellows-driven instruments. The ‘keys’ are actually buttons. The concertina he has been using has given up the ghost and at the moment he can’t afford another so he is looking at having it fixed.
I was telling my brother-in-law about it and he said he has one that our son is welcome to. With luck, we’ll be able to take it to him if and when we go to Ireland next year. As the saying goes, when one door shuts, another opens.
The photo was taken in a café in Germany. There were dozens of concertinas and accordions hanging from the ceiling.
26 people like this
25 responses
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
24 Oct 22
Yeah, banks are weird. They want to make sure they get paid.
I hope your son can manage without one until you and Vince can go to visit him and his family.
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
24 Oct 22
@JudyEv Oh, okay. That makes sense, then.
3 people like this
@Treborika (17311)
• Mombasa, Kenya
25 Oct 22
Even banks in my area behave the same
2 people like this
@Beestring (13383)
• Hong Kong
24 Oct 22
My elder brother plays concertina and I learned a bit from him too.
3 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45594)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Oct 22
That photo would make an interesting jigsaw puzzle.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45594)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Oct 22
@JudyEv I do them online, too, but it's not the same.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (326126)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Oct 22
@BarBaraPrz I don't have much room here to set them up and leave them till I get finished. Occasionally I do a 500 piece one but rarely tackle a 1000 piece anymore.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (157247)
• United States
24 Oct 22
Great photo. I hope you get to go to Ireland.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (326126)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Oct 22
@LindaOHio No, but they don't know us either. 
I'm sure there will be lots of emails back and forth first and the website is bound to have some boundaries and safeguards in place.
I'm sure there will be lots of emails back and forth first and the website is bound to have some boundaries and safeguards in place.1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (157247)
• United States
25 Oct 22
@JudyEv You're going to swap homes? Do you know these people well?
1 person likes this
@sharonelton (25140)
• Lichfield, England
24 Oct 22
It's a shame they won't lend him money because he's a musician. I'm an artist and I doubt they'd lend to me either. It's a shame he's been forced to take a job in order to get mortgage.
The concertina sounds like a very interesting instrument.
2 people like this
@sharonelton (25140)
• Lichfield, England
25 Oct 22
@JudyEv Well that's one thing I suppose. I'm sorry he was only able to play background music at drunken weddings. Maybe it'll start to pick up again soon?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326126)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Oct 22
@sharonelton He had other more satisfying gigs but the weddings paid well and, after covid, there seemed to be more weddings than ever.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157671)
• United States
25 Oct 22
Nice the family can share that way.
2 people like this
@marguicha (215828)
• Chile
24 Oct 22
My best friends´ younger daughter is a musician. Dixie had to help Camila so that she could buy a house. The Banks would not accept her as she does not have a "normal" job. Camila is able to pay the mortgage but she has to give the money to Dixie and Dixie gives it to the Bank. They wrote a paper that says that that house is Camila´s.
2 people like this
@marguicha (215828)
• Chile
24 Oct 22
@JudyEv Fortunatly Humberto earns well. But he has had to help most of his children along the years as most of them are "artsy".
2 people like this
@allknowing (130122)
• India
24 Oct 22
I do not have a good ear for playing nor singing but would any way love to sing if people are kind enough to listen. Are you a good singer?
2 people like this
@allknowing (130122)
• India
25 Oct 22
@JudyEv Same here. I was in the choir when I was young.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (48561)
• Canada
24 Oct 22
We all had to take piano lessons growing up.
My baby brother protested and after a couple of years of learning the basics, he went on to learn the accordion.
That is a very complex instrument to learn, I remember very well when he would hit a wrong note, it seemed much louder than the correct notes that he would play.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (48561)
• Canada
24 Oct 22
@JudyEv Yes, starting on the piano did give all of us the good foundation for reading music.
My brother did not like playing the accordion, but he was not one to enjoy performing so much as to be listening to someone else perform. That is half what is needed to succeed as a musician even if it is not on a big scale-scale......haha
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79960)
• United States
24 Oct 22
I'm sure you son will be very happy with the concertina when you visit and can bring it to him. He sounds like he's a very talented musician.
My grandson plays trumpet and is in the jazz band at school (in addition to the marching band). HIs jazz group will be going to Germany next year and he's so excited. Nex time he comes over I'm going to show him this picture.
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79960)
• United States
26 Oct 22
@JudyEv they certainly do have much better opportunities than we ever did growing up. My grandson is really looking forward to his trip to Germany and two weeks ago the kids from Germany came here. Great experience for them all
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326126)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Oct 22
@Marilynda1225 It does anyone good to see something of how other countries live and do things.
@JudyEv (326126)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Oct 22
He might get his repaired. It's part of a big collection of instruments available for hire by young people - all to do with his job. There is a big demand for concertinas but the one he has keeps breaking down so it was on a back shelf.
@snowy22315 (170509)
• United States
24 Oct 22
Interesting to see all of those hanging from the ceilings. I hope you can bring him one. I take it his wife does not work??
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (86820)
• United States
24 Oct 22
I am so glad to hear your brother in law has it and you may take it to your brilliant son
I really wish they could buy a house.
I really wish they could buy a house.2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (73725)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
24 Oct 22
Well, all the best of luck to you with that and I hope I works out,
2 people like this
@noni1959 (9883)
• United States
26 Oct 22
I love the cafe photo. Thank you for sharing since I had no idea what a concertina is. That is so nice of your brother-in-law. I hope your son can buy a home soon. You would think if he can prove two years of steady with his self-employment, they would do it.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26224)
• Singapore
24 Oct 22
I hope this piece fits like a glove to meet his needs.
I recall your mentioning your son not being able to get a bank loan due to not holding a regular job.
I think they should accommodate by extending a lower loan if need be rather than stick to a one-size-fits-all approach.
2 people like this
