A synopsis of a very few commentaries that have graced my career:

A) I play the accordion in addition to having a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Toronto. “My dear boy, we have not stooped so low”.

B) “Over my dead body: the accordion will never be accepted into the Faculty of Music”.

C) “Can you compose the concerto for any other instrument other than the accordion?”.

D) “I had no idea that you could play the accordion?”: From someone who commissioned several modern works for me but made the statement to me after I had played several commercial, popular pieces.

E) “I do not want an accordion in the band…” “Well then, you will not have the band either”

F) “I hate the accordion”. So I asked the composer to suggest a composer he would recommend to write a special piece. Surprisingly, he said “I will”. I retorted “but I thought you just said that you hated the accordion?”. He said: “I was joking”.

G) “I won you in a lottery to play for my guests to be invited to a special party, but I do not like the accordion”. What can I say but “so do I since you have a conservative view of the instrument”. She decided to have me as a “mystery guest”, to the surprise of guests of the hospital.

My response to all of these was gracious and taken with a sense of humour understanding that there is quite a bit of difference between ignorance and stupidity.