Alpine Squeeze bringing oompah rhythms to Round Top

ROUND TOP—In the rolling hills of Greene County, where oompah rhythms have long echoed through the air, Eric Baal is preparing to welcome a new generation of musicians to a tradition he’s spent a lifetime sustaining.

From May 15–17, Baal will host the 2026 Accordion Weekend at Riedlbauer’s Resort, a gathering that blends performance, instruction, and old-world camaraderie in a setting that feels as rooted as the music itself.

Baal has run the festival since just before COVID. Now in its post-pandemic revival years, the event is both a celebration and a recruitment effort.

“I hope to inspire some fresh new blood to get involved,” he said.

For Baal, the accordion is less a career choice than an inheritance. Both his mother and father shared a deep interest in music, and that foundation carried through generations. His family’s story traces back to immigration from Germany—his grandparents even have a plaque at Ellis Island, commemorating their arrival to the United States.

As a child, Baal’s family regularly traveled to the Hunter Mountain German Festival, an experience that introduced him early on to the cultural hub of Round Top and ultimately to Riedlbauer’s itself.

“That’s really where it all started for us,” he said.

Though rooted in Bavarian tradition, Baal’s approach to music is anything but rigid. His band, Alpine Squeeze, adapts constantly depending on the audience.

“When it comes to what we play, it’s about reading the room,” Baal explained. “If we’re at a bar, we might lean into current music but done in a traditional style. If it’s Oktoberfest, we stick to the classics.”

That flexibility has helped the band connect across generations—something reflected in the programming of the Accordion Weekend, which will include group performances, contests, and open participation sessions.

One of the more unexpected highlights of Baal’s career came during a performance at the Hofbräu Bierhaus in New York City about seven years ago. During a Steuben Day celebration, a high-profile guest stopped in: Markus Söder, the leader of Bavaria.

“We had no idea he would be there,” Baal recalled. “He was a very nice man.”

The encounter, he said, was both surreal and affirming—a moment when their commitment to traditional Bavarian music was recognized at the highest cultural level.

Back in Round Top, Baal’s musical relationships run deep. He has shared the stage for years with die Schlauberger, a group he now considers more than collaborators.

“We consider them family,” he said.

That sense of community is central to the Accordion Weekend, where attendees are encouraged not just to watch, but to participate.

This year’s event will feature keynote speaker Angelo Ramunni, founder of the New England Accordion Connections Museum. The museum houses more than 600 accordions from around the world, each with its own story—many of which Ramunni has documented through his work as an author and educator.

“He’s a guy who knows his stuff,” Baal said.

Ramunni will offer both group sessions and one-on-one instruction, giving attendees rare access to a leading figure in accordion preservation and history.

The weekend’s schedule reflects both reverence and reinvention: group performances, contests like “Accordion Idol,” and informal jam sessions designed to bring players of all levels together.

For Baal, the mission is simple—keep the music alive but let it evolve.

“Tradition matters,” Baal said. “But so does making it your own.”

More information can be found at www.riedlbauersresort.com.