My name is Elena Fainshtein (Maiden Name: Dubovets), and I am a professional musician. My instrument of choice from childhood has been the button accordion, traditionally known as the bayan.
I started to play this unique instrument at age five. I first took private lessons and then attended a school for musically gifted children named after I.O. Ahremchik, in Minsk, Belarus. At the age of 15, I was accepted into the Music College in Minsk, where I graduated with highest honors. After Music College, I attended the Belarusian State Academy of Music (the highest level of musical education in Belarus) and graduated in 1987.
I have enjoyed performing from a very young age. Born into a family of teachers, I had the opportunity to perform at school for many occasions, at parties, and even at weddings.
I began playing in an accordion duo with my classmate, Gregory Fainshtein, at 17. He became my husband and music partner six years later.
Since our school days, Gregory and I have performed concerts all over the world, including Belarus, Russia, Georgia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Germany, Israel, and the United States. Our performances covered a wide range of styles and genres – classical, folk, jazz, and modern. We performed together for about 30 years until his death in 2024.
Gregory and I have been members of the National Accordion Association for over 20 years and have performed nationally at various conventions, including the Las Vegas Accordion Convention and the Accordionists and Teacher Guild International Festivals.
We lived in Israel for 12 years. During that time, we worked with Omanut Le Am, the Israeli state organization for musicians, and gave many concerts as an accordion duo. We has the opportunity to visit Israeli cities from the north to the south with our performances.
We moved to Plano, Texas, with our children in 2003. Gregory was a huge help in organizing my accordion school “Musical Expressions”. He also arranged numerous pieces for our accordion duo and the Fainshtein Accordion Ensemble. We performed together in many U.S. states. We were honored to be invited to speak at a TedTalk, which was held at Dallas College-Mountain View in 2018. Look for it on YouTube!
When the pandemic began, we gave charitable concerts to raise money for the CDC. We ended up raising almost $2,000!
I have been teaching piano and accordion for over 30 years. Plano, Texas, is my current home, where I work in my private home studio, known as Musical Expressions. These days, I also teach online, and I have accordion students all over the world. I also began working as a Professor of Accordion at Dallas College in August 2024.
Music is my life and nourishes my soul. When I am sad, music lifts the sadness. It turns rain into rainbows.
I greatly enjoy unique performance opportunities! Bringing music and drama together, my accordion was used for storytelling in a live musical theater performance in Fiddler on the Roof! There was something incredibly special about contributing to the atmosphere, emotion, and storytelling of live musical theater through my accordion. The accordion helped create the soundscape of Tevye's village and had the audience tapping its toes in accompaniment. It brought such joy to me to participate.
I also love to perform duets with my most talented students! When two accordions come together, the musical depth is not arithmetically increased but rather exponentially. The voices of two accordions together, contrasting yet complementing, has been described by audience members as something very special.
I strongly believe in musical collaborations. Therefore, I established my Accordion Ensemble in 2013, comprised of my students, to give them the opportunity to learn how to play with other musicians. It teaches them how to listen to the others, become one musical organism, and challenges them to expand their repertoire. Ultimately, they become much better musicians than if they only practiced at home alone or with me. Even beginners are welcome in the Accordion Ensemble, and I can find music for any level.
In 2022, I established the TromboKordion Duo with Lucas Kaspar. Dr. Kaspar is a Professor of Trombone at Arkansas State University. We regularly perform nationally and internationally.
To conclude, I regularly say, “Play the accordion and a miracle will happen!”
Join me on the Accordion Adventure, and a miracle will happen for you, too!
