As part of Making Music's 90th anniversary celebrations, we're speaking to member groups across the UK about their stories, their communities and the joy of making music together.
One such group is the Bradford Accordion Band, a vibrant, genre-defying ensemble that's been surprising audiences and challenging expectations for nearly three decades. We spoke to founder and musical director Anita Bašić about the band's origins and its recent appearance at Bradford Progress.
From kitchen table to centre stage
The band began in 1997 in Anita's kitchen. 'I was teaching accordion one-to-one while raising my kids and doing a degree,' she recalls. 'Then I started arranging music for quartets and realised how much potential there was in playing together.'
She rented a church hall, gathered 14 players, and began conducting, despite never having done so before. 'It was really awful to begin with,' she laughs, 'but it was lots of fun.' Over time, the group grew in confidence and ambition. Today, they perform to packed houses at venues like Bingley Arts Centre, raising thousands for charity and delighting audiences with their eclectic, high-energy shows.
A band like no other
Bradford Accordion Band is proudly community-based and mixed ability. 'There's no audition,' Anita explains. 'I've got players with a wide range of experience and ability, and I make it work through differentiation and careful management.'
The band now includes accordionists of all sizes and styles, from 8-bass beginners to full-size 120-bass instruments, as well as button-keyboard players. 'We welcome both piano and button players,' says Anita. 'And I often recruit pianists: if you can play piano, you can learn accordion.'
To avoid a wall of sound, players typically use only one hand, supported by a dedicated bass accordionist, electronic double bass, bass guitar, and two pianists. The result is a rich, balanced sound and a setup that allows for creative flexibility.
More than music
The band is also a strong social hub. 'After every Thursday rehearsal, about 20 of us go to the pub,' Anita says. 'We may or may not talk about music, but the relationships that have developed are brilliant. Bradford Accordion Band is one of the most special parts of my life.'
That sense of fun and camaraderie extends to the stage. 'We've invited fire-eaters, ballerinas, rappers, ukulele groups, dance troupes and choirs to our shows. 'Our audiences love the variety we bring to our performances, so I am always seeking out collaborators to keep things interesting.'
Bradford Progress: music in unexpected places
In May 2025, the band took part in the Bradford Progress, a 17-hour music event led by Charles Hazlewood, Paraorchestra and Jeremy Deller as part of Bradford's City of Culture programme.
Their performance took place in the ticket office at Shipley railway station, a surprise for unsuspecting commuters. 'It felt like a flash mob,' Anita says. 'People getting off the train were totally shocked, but the acoustics were wonderful, and the staff loved it.'
The band didn't take part in the outdoor finale due to the risk of rain damaging their instruments, but Anita attended as a spectator. 'Accordion and outdoors don't mix,' she says. 'But the station performance was absolutely brilliant.'
Bradford Accordion Band at Hipperholme in 2025
Repertoire that delights
For Bradford Progress, the band played a crowd-pleasing set including The Muppet Show Theme, Daydream Believer, Eye of the Tiger, Simply the Best, and The Final Countdown. A highlight was a planned collaboration with a Ukrainian male voice choir, singing All Things Bright and Beautiful together.
'I'm really interested in the idea of "assembly bangers",' Anita says, referencing the popularity of nostalgic school songs. 'People love singing. It makes them feel better. For this very reason, we've launched our own vocal harmony group in 2025: the BABes (Bradford Accordion Band Entourage) who now perform a range of numbers alongside the band.'
Expanding the sound
In recent years, the band has welcomed wind players: flutes, clarinets, bassoons and occasionally trumpet. 'It enhances the sound and adds colour,' Anita explains. 'It also makes us look a bit more quirky, which I like.'
Visual presentation is part of the band's identity. 'I think about how we look as well as how we sound,' she says. 'There's something about a guy on electronic double bass in a hat: it adds to the performance.'
Looking ahead
The band's next major show is in October 2026 at Bingley Arts Centre, themed All Creatures Great and Smallish. It will raise funds for the blind and visually impaired, and feature guest performers Stefan and Denise, who appeared on Britain's Got Talent.
The programme will include a 'swan trilogy' (featuring Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, and a Scottish folk tune), Pet Shop Boys, It's Raining Men (linked to 'raining cats and dogs'), and film music like Black Beauty. 'I'll find a way to make anything fit the theme,' Anita says.
The band also does an annual fancy dress photo shoot to support the theme and build team spirit. 'It's about having a laugh, building confidence and making people feel good about themselves.'
Thinking big
Anita is passionate about breaking the accordion out of its niche. 'I want to challenge the stereotype of the accordion in this country; make it cool, accessible, and most of all, fun! I love connecting with other musicians and surprising people who say, 'I didn't know you could do that with an accordion.'
To learn more about the Bradford Accordion Band, visit their website and follow them on Facebook / YouTube
