"My neighbors gave my family this accordion 30 years ago and I thought it was going to waste," said Mansfield, who also sings, acts and writes his own music.

Although the accordion may seem like a random instrument that few people play, let alone know about, it has been making a comeback, according to Mansfield. In fact, in August 1989, the accordion was recognized as San Francisco's official instrument for its popularity in the early 1900s while San Francisco grew as a new city.

Although Mansfield's ease at playing the piano accordion makes it look like a piece of cake, he insists that it's exactly the opposite. Indeed, it's chocolate soufflé, or an eight-layer cake demanding the highest level of skill. The instrument is "very, very complicated," he said. The left hand plays the little black buttons that control the base notes while the right hand plays the piano keys, which Mansfield said, are actually simple to play. "It's easier to pick up," Mansfield said. "With the piano, it takes year and years to gain mastery."

Alexis Kim

An accordion player must also control the bellows — the black rubbery folds in the middle of the instrument that produce the sound. "When I pull out on the top and back in on the bottom, I push and pull in air which makes the sound and controls the volume," Mansfield said.

As Mansfield's experience with the instrument grows, he's begun to write his own accordion music. "I've started to write this short French cafe musette and a Polish war call song," Mansfield said.

Some people have associated Mansfield and his accordion with the quirky musicians they often see underground. "People have told me I should go down to play at the subway station, make some extra change," Mansfield said, laughing. "Maybe I will someday."

Mansfield's talent with the accordion isn't surprising considering his family's lyrical tradition. His sister plays the bass, his brother plays the drums and both his parents play the guitar. At home, his dad will often conduct four-part harmonies that involve the whole family. "I've been singing with my family most of my life," Mansfield said.

Mansfield has extended his success in Lowell's choir and the spring musicals — Guys and Dolls, Smile and now Miss Saigon — by putting together several musical groups on his own. "I started a caroling group of seven people the week before Christmas where we visited several registries," Mansfield recounted. "It was a success!"

He is also starting a barbershop quartet. "It's a group of four men singing in a close type of harmony associated with old-timey, on-the-corner-in-front-of-the-barber shop, 40s/50s music," Mansfield explained. Junior Ramon Solis, junior Tom Collins and senior Andrew Akroboff will be the three other singers. Aiming for a performance at the school's talent show, Mansfield plans to take a new song such as a rap and change it into a classic barbershop piece.

Mansfield's eccentric and eclectic musical choices reflect his general philosophy of being an individual who doesn't worry about what other people think. "People know me as the big guy with the long braid who's often chuckling to himself," Mansfield said. "I try to have no worries— there's no point in it. As for the braid, I don't know why I have it— it just grew! And yes, I will eventually cut if off."