Livestream | Minor Version of "Pennsylvania Polka"

Hi, I’m Dallas Vietty—accordion performer and educator based in Pennsylvania, USA. I’ve been teaching and performing for over a decade, always looking for creative ways to reimagine the music we think we know. In this livestream, I’m taking on a fun and slightly mischievous challenge: turning one of the most iconic American polkas into something completely unexpected.

This episode is called “Minor Version of Pennsylvania Polka”, and I’ll be exploring what happens when we flip this joyful, major-key classic into a darker, more brooding minor key. Will it still dance? Will it still swing? Will it sound totally wrong—or strangely brilliant? That’s what we’re going to find out together.

We’ll look at the choices involved in reharmonizing a tune like this—how the melody interacts with new chord colors, how to keep the groove alive, and how changing modes can transform the emotional character of a piece. I’ll share the arrangement process live, walk through the harmonic and rhythmic decisions, and of course, try it out on the accordion to see what works (and what doesn’t).

If you’re curious about musical transformation, or just love hearing familiar tunes in a whole new light, this session will be a great mix of theory, creativity, and good old accordion fun. Come see if the Pennsylvania Polka can handle a little minor-key drama!