BY WAYNE BARRON

Like comedian Rodney Dangerfield, accordion players have often complained that they “don’t get no respect.” But that might soon change, thanks to a remarkably talented pair of musicians known as Acclarion.

Accordionist David Carovillano and his wife, Becky, a gifted clarinetist, brought their show to Backus Auditorium Oct. 23 in the second of this season’s Border Concerts.

Billed as “Canada’s premier classical accordion and clarinet duo,” Acclarion delighted the audience with a performance that featured dazzling technique, lush melodies and light-hearted conversation.

Most of the selections were either arranged or composed by David, resulting in a sound that is unique. The interplay between the instruments was so clearly constructed that it was often difficult to tell which instrument had the melody line.

Classical standards from Handel, Mozart and Puccini were given new life through the amazing dexterity of lightning-fast fingers. Acclarion also included several familiar contemporary pieces, such as Henry Mancini’s “Moon River” and the well-known Scott Joplin rag, “Easy Winners.”

The duo played a couple of David’s own compositions — “Klezmerized,” a clever mix of jazz, blues, and Jewish music, and “Kenortango,”

a piece inspired by Becky’s hometown, Kenora, Ontario.

There were certainly lost of smiles and contended sighs following Acclarion’s spectacular performance. For sheer entertainment and fun, this was one of the most impressive shows in recent years at the Border Concerts.