Photo Courtesy of Chadwick Edralin

Mason student plays the accordion on Wilkins Plaza and spreads positivity through music

BY TANYA MALIK, STAFF WRITER 

Junior Chadwick Edralin, a computer game design major, taught himself the accordion as a hobby when he chose to take a semester off at Mason back in 2022. Edralin was also encouraged by his friend group to play the accordion after seeing the instrument being used in video games. 

“I bought the accordion while I was home from school, wanting to fill my time while away from school,” Edralin said. “I waited for a few weeks for it to come in and was so excited that when it finally arrived, I didn’t put it down for 6 hours the first day and practiced for about 4 hours a day—a large part of my day considering I was also working at the time.” 

Edralin faced hurdles when practicing the instrument due to the layout of the treble and bass buttons. When he returned to school, he had to manage his school schedule along with his accordion practice. He overcame both challenges through consistent practice and time management skills.

While Edralin doesn’t specialize in any specific genre or style, he mostly plays songs from video games. “Kass’s Theme” from “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” holds a special place in his heart as it shows him how memorable and iconic the instrument and its songs can be. Edralin also enjoys sea shanties like “The Wellerman,” as they also mix well with the accordion. 

Playing throughout the Mason campus has allowed him to gain confidence when publicly performing in front of others. He initially started playing in some fields behind his dorm and outside of SUB 1, where people could hear him as they walked to class. As he gained more confidence, he began practicing on Wilkins Plaza. He enjoys the positive comments and compliments that students give him when he plays, as well as talking to them about their appreciation for the music.

Even after playing in public for many months, playing on stage was a whole different beast. One of his most memorable experiences was performing in Mason’s Got Talent during GMU’s Family Weekend last year. Edralin says he relishes the memory and will participate in the talent show again this year.

Edralin believes that learning an instrument should be fun and fulfilling and one should balance their life and their hobbies, as too much of either can be stressful. Progressing in an instrument takes time but it will always come with proper practice.

“I am really happy to talk to people who are interested when I’m playing and always enjoy teaching the specifics of how an accordion operates,” Edralin said. “When people tell me they are surprised that I have so few years of experience and that they appreciate listening to my performance, I feel really fulfilled because it makes me feel accomplished for what my goal is: simply playing as a hobby,” Edralin said.

Students can often find and listen to Edralin playing his accordion throughout the week on Wilkins Plaza.