I am Peggy Mueller, from Germantown, Wisconsin.  I play the Button Box Accordion, or “Steirischer Harmonika,” “Knopf” or “Ziach,” as it is call in Europe.   The instrument in my opening picture is the new one that I bought in Germany in November, 2009.  It is a “Muller.”  It has a beautiful sound, and I just love it! 

I learned to play this instrument by ear from my father, whose parents came here from Burgenland in Austria at the turn of the century.  My father, brother, husband, daughter and I played button box together for several years.  We played whenever requested and were the Austrian-German representatives for the First Family Music Festival, which was the debut event for Milwaukee’s Rainbow Summer series.

In 1993 I attended Joe Smiell’s Button Box Camp in Norden California.  There, along with button box players from all over the United States, I learned to play the instrument from standard musical notation.  Currently I am on the teaching staff of the camp.  It has been a great deal of fun to be there every year, and I have learned so much just by teaching! 

The music that you hear on this website is called “Landler for Peggy.”  It was written for my by Joe Smiell.  It is very special to me, and because Joe gave me  such a very special “gift” I don’t share the music with anyone. 

For the past three years I have had the opportunity to study at a Volksmusik Seminar directed by Hans Auer of Bavaria in Germany.  The combination of the private lessons and the broad spectrum of students, and wide range of instruments, has enhanced my understanding of the traditional folk music that I love to play.  While traveling in Germany and Austria I have had the opportunity to meet and play with some of the finest button box players in the world.  I have learned very much from them, and plan on continuing the learning process so that I can become a better player and better teacher to my own button box students.  I hope that my example will motivate the young people here to learn about and play this style of music.

I perform at parties, picnics, festivals, schools, business organizations, with other music groups, and have played throughout the United States.  Since 1989 I have been a regular performer at Milwaukee’s German Fest.  I have also played in Germany and Austria, including a live performance on ORF radio in Graz, Austria.  In 2000 I played at the World Beer Festival in Singapore.  

I have produced three compact disc recordings, “So klingt’s bei us,” volumes I and II, and most recently “Musik macht Freundschaft.”  The music on them consists of solo button box performances as well as ensembles with other button box players and  players of other instruments – zither, tuba, strings and more wind instruments. 

Hansi Mueller, my husband and a first generation Bavarian, joins me when I play somewhere.  He plays the wooden spoons (Löffelschlagen).  The spoons were hand carved in Austria, specifically for playing music – not for cooking (although he is a great cook)!  In my performances he also cracks the whips (Goasslschnalzen), which he bought in Germany in July of 2006.  Goasslschnalzen has become very popular in Bavaria, and Hansi is proud to have been first to have performed this art in the Milwaukee area and at Milwaukee’s German Fest.  Hansi also works with my sound system, and gets the audience involved in the performances – singing, dancing, etc. 

Recently my nephew, Andy Hacker, has joined us during our music programs.  Andy is an outstanding tuba player, a music major at Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, studying instrumental and general music education.  Currently he is the principle tubist with the Carroll College Wind Symphony.   Andy plays other brass wind instruments, button box accordion and joins Hansi in cracking the whips.

We call our little group “Tanzlmusi”or “little dance music” (please see the section regarding the Tanzlmusi group on this website). Often times we joined by other button box players and musicians on many different instruments.   We always have lots of fun.  Hopefully you will enjoy this website, check out my schedule and see the fun that we have. 

Please feel free to contact me via email.  I love hearing from everyone!  I can be reached via e-mail at btnboxpeg@wi.rr.com.