About Me
It started with an old button accordion and led me to a lifelong connection.
What is the Bandovalo?
The Bandovalo is my way back to music – and a new chapter for the bandoneon.
So the question is not “What is the Bandovalo?”, but rather “Who is Valentin Mende?”. Here comes the answer!
Hello, I’m Valentin, a Bandoneon player with a story that began as quietly as the instrument itself. So if you’re interested in how the bandoneon has shaped my story – that’s what this is all about.
How it all started
As a child, I discovered my passion for musical instruments when I came across my parents’ old, out-of-tune button accordions. At the age of four or five, I started strumming on them and quickly took a liking to inventing my own melodies.
This early enthusiasm eventually led me to the bandoneon, which I began learning at the age of nine.
But Music never lets Me go!
From my first notes in the Carlsfeld Bandoneon Club to my solo performances, I developed a deep connection to this special instrument.
But at some point, life got in the way – school, friends, parties, cars, video games. The bandoneon faded more and more into the background. And so I finally put the instrument aside completely.
Years later, I picked up the bandoneon again. Without any pressure to perform. Without expectations. And there it was again – that special connection.
Not perfect. But real.
Today, with Bandovalo, I want to show how versatile the bandoneon is. I combine it with modern music styles, special places and honest feelings. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real.
And to build a community in which people inspire each other, learn from each other and discover together what this instrument has to offer.
Because at the end of the day, I’m just another person who has rediscovered their instrument – and now wants to show others how much heart there is in it.
Insight and behind the Scenes
Follow me on Instagram – I’ll take you with me in my stories!