Ken Yagelski
Hall of Fame – 2003
Ken Yagelski of Virginia Beach, Virginia, has devoted his life to playing and promoting the Chemnitzer concertina. Taught by his father, World Concertina Congress Hall of Fame member Stanley Yagelski, Ken began performing on the instrument at the age of twelve. As a teenager, he played extensively throughout Chicago and Northwest Indiana, mentored many beginning players, and supported more advanced musicians with instructional materials. He was a charter member of the Saint Joe Concertina Club in Michigan City, Indiana, and performed for many years with the band Kolegi in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Today, Ken continues to lend his time and talents to concertina events across the country.
Ken’s family treasures the rich ethnic traditions passed down through generations, especially the joy of Polish-American music and the Chemnitzer concertina that has always been at its heart. In 1996, he created the first version of the Concertina Music website to help promote and preserve this important part of his Polish heritage—the music and the instrument that so many have come to love. Through the website, Ken has met wonderful people from all around the world and feels deeply rewarded by the opportunity to provide a resource that means so much to so many appreciative visitors.