A North Eugene High School student crosses the stage with a beaming smile at the Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration. The accordion strapped across her torso is nearly half her size, but Maria Telesheva carries it as though it’s an extension of herself.
After a cheerful introduction and a nod to the audience, many of whom play the very same instrument, Maria shifts into another mode entirely. The moment she begins to play, she disappears into the instrument. Her fingers glide with ease across the keys and buttons, drawing out otherworldly sounds.
It’s no wonder she caught the attention of NPR’s "From the Top," a nationally broadcast showcase of young classical musicians. But what may come as a surprise is how quickly Maria took to the accordion in the first place.
“I started to learn to play the accordion when I was about six years old,” she said. “It was when I saw a little accordion in our living room, and I came up to my dad and was like, hey, can you teach me how to play?”
Her father, Sergei Teleshev, an accomplished accordionist in his own right, said yes. The two began with simple chords, seated side by side on the living room couch. Within months, she was winning international competitions. At just six years old, she took home her first prize.
Now, a decade later, the 16-year-old has taken her accordion to stages around the world, sharing her love of music with audiences near and far. Her journey is fueled by a deep passion for performing, and she’s just getting started.
From international competitions to NPR
Last summer, at the Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration in Washington, Maria walked away with first-place awards in both the open and classical categories.
“That was definitely a big accomplishment,” she said. “ And being noticed by "From the Top" has led to many things.”
"From the Top" is a nationally broadcast program on NPR that celebrates exceptional young classical musicians. Producers invited Maria to apply for their six-week fellowship program.
From there, she was encouraged to apply for the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, a competitive grant given to just 20 students each year. She was selected and received a grant of up to $10,000 to invest in her musical education and performance.
“I was very surprised to be honest,” Maria said. “They called me right before Christmas. It was kind of like an early Christmas gift!”
The grant allowed Maria to invest in something very practical: a new accordion. Her current one weighs about 40 pounds, heavy enough to make every performance a full-body workout.
“For me personally, it’s very heavy,” she said. “Like for my shoulder and my back, it’s a lot of pressure. The lighter accordion will give me lots of possibilities. In terms of performance, it’ll be a lot more entertaining, I could incorporate singing and dancing and other stuff.”
Family ties
Maria and her dad often perform together under the name "Duo Two Accordions" and have produced two CDs. Their latest project is a musical inspired by Dracula.
“We incorporate a story into our program and have music based on the legend,” she explained. “We incorporate instruments that we haven’t in our previous programs, like the bandoneon, shakers, singing, and dancing. It’ll be all us.”
Their performances blend solo pieces and duets, and the connection between father and daughter is evident.
“Some people in the audience mentioned, ‘Oh, it looks like you guys are communicating with your eyes,’" said Maria. "And I thought that was pretty interesting, but yeah, we sort of do.”
Maria grew up immersed in music. Her dad performed with various ensembles, and the sound of the accordion was part of daily life.
“I grew up listening to my dad play. I really liked how the accordion goes with any other instrument,” she said. “You can have an accompanist or be a soloist. It’s just so compatible with basically anything.”
So naturally, she also plays a couple percussion instruments, sings, dances, and even plays flag football on her high school’s team.
But this musical journey hasn’t always been effortless. There was a time Maria almost walked away from it.
“At age eight, I even wanted to quit,” she said. “I was like, oh I cannot read music, and I had to, because I was getting to the point of learning more difficult things. After I crossed that bridge—and I’m glad that I got pushed to do that—it was just like a whole new world.”
Now she’s passionate about sharing that world with others and changing the way people view her instrument.
“A lot of people have many stereotypes, like polka and waltzes,” she said. “But it really is a versatile instrument and can fit into modern, even pop culture. It can play anything.”
It’s why she and her father organized an online international accordion competition.
“I think organizing a competition and bringing competitors from all over the world can bring attention to it,” she said. “At least the attention it deserves.”
Sharing the art of music
With one year of high school left, Maria isn’t sure where her future will lead. Although, she has considered continuing her education in business to pair with her music.
“I am very proud of being invited to perform on a big stage, for me, that’s most enjoyable. I want to be a performer,” she said. “That is where my passion lies, and I’m trying my best to make it there.”
For now, she’s staying busy with a packed summer of music. She and her father will perform in California and Illinois, in addition to a string of local gigs around Oregon.
Like a metronome, her heart beats steadily for music, with a mission to share that rhythm and the joy it brings.
“I have a passion for music. I really want to share it with other people and make them smile,” she said. “I want to make them feel very deep emotions—the ones that I do—and I think art does that the best in our society.”
