Accordion | Chris Miller | Intermediate/Advanced | Period 2 | Week 1 (July 6-10, 2026)
This is a repertoire class that will focus on three tunes named after Cajun dancehalls in Louisiana. All songs will uses the Cajun accordion in the key of C. Two Waltzes and one two-step—Belizaire Waltz, key of G, (aka Phil’s Waltz) by Nathan Abshire; Triangle Club Special,
key of G, (Aldus Roger); and Tee Maurice-(use Nonc Allie Young version and Bois Sec Ardoin version as models for accordion work, but the melody is most clear in Doc Guidry’s fiddle version in D)).
• All these songs are available to hear on YouTube.
• If student spend time before attending class getting these tunes into their memory and work to be able to hum or whistle them for the first class meeting, progress on the instrument will go faster.
• A simple skeletal version will be available in tablature.
• Use of recording devices is welcomed and encouraged.
• Requests for additional songs will be honored
About the Instructor
Chris Miller has been an active performer and music educator in southwest Louisiana for the last 44 years. He has performed with Cajun music legends like Rodney LeJeune, Hadley Castille, the Vanicor Family and many others, along with his own groups—Louisiana’s Kingfish, and Chris Miller and Bayou Roots. Chris is a singer/songwriter and plays accordion, fiddle, piano, harmonica and several other instruments. The Cajun French Music Association (CFMA) has awarded him and his band “Band of the Year”, “CD of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” “People’s Choice,” and has won the “Accordionist of the Year” three different times from the CFMA, Chris is a Cajun Music Hall of Fame member at the CFMA in Lake Charles. He has Music Education degrees from McNeese State University and recently retired after teaching 33 years at Barbe High School in Lake Charles. He recently began piano services business, “Bayou Piano” and continues to teach privately and perform with his band in the area. Chris has taught frequently at “Augusta Heritage Cajun Week” in West Virginia as well as “Blown Away on the Bayou” in Opelousas. He is also the choir director at St Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Lake Charles.