Ken Yagelski
Hall of Fame – 2003
Ken Yagelski of Virginia Beach, Virginia has dedicated his life to playing and promoting the chemnitzer concertina. Ken learned to play the concertina from his father, Stanley Yagelski (WCC Hall of Fame) and has been performing with the concertina since he was twelve. As a teen, he played many venues throughout Chicago and Northwest Indiana. He has mentored many novice musicians and helped more advanced players with instructional materials. He was a charter member of the Saint Joe Concertina Club in Michigan City, Indiana, and performed with Kolegi in the Baltimore, Maryland, area for many years. Ken continues to support many concertina events throughout the country.
Ken’s family cherishes the many ethnic traditions that have been handed down through the generations, including the enjoyment of Polish-American music and the chemnitzer concertina. He created the first version of the Concertina Music website in 1996 to help promote and preserve an important part of his Polish heritage; the music and the instrument that so many have grown to love. Managing the website has introduced Ken to many wonderful people from around the world. It has been very rewarding for him to provide a valuable resource to so many appreciative people.