Bill Schimmel, a virtuoso accordionist and composer, has called New York home since attending Juilliard in the 1960s. His career, spanning professional music, music education, and accordion performance, began with a simple desire to fit in with his family. “Whenever I went to parties and family gatherings,” he recalls, “the accordion players – the uncles – were having more fun. So that’s where I wanted to be. Initially, to be a respectable member of the family.”
However, what initially helped him connect with his family later set him apart from his friends growing up in Philadelphia. As a teenager, Schimmel remembers bringing his accordion to parties, hoping it would attract attention. “And it wasn’t!” he laughs. “This was post-World-War America and we were all trying to be Americans, and I think you put an accordion on and you immediately show your ethnic roots.”
After graduating from Juilliard, Schimmel navigated New York’s professional music scene, composing, conducting, and playing. His band, The Tango Project, even taught Al Pacino to tango for the film *Scent of a Woman*, leading to Schimmel’s big-screen debut. His music has since graced numerous stages and television shows.
Today, Schimmel continues to share his passion for music, collaborating with former Juilliard classmate and dancer Micki Goodman and his son Michael to work with special-needs adults. He also hosts annual accordion seminars, dedicated to fostering a resurgence of the instrument and ensuring its place in the future.