Newspaper Article 1999 – Grand piano all paid for

Grand piano all paid for

The money borrowed by the Havelock North Community Centre Trust to purchase the Meissner Family Grand Piano has been repaid in full just 13 months after the piano was secured for the Centre.

Former chairman of the Trust, Mark von Dadelszen, who initiated the purchase of the piano, says a $14,000 grant from the Eastern and Central Community Trust paid off the final balance, but he acknowledges the importance of public donations made during the series of lunchtime concerts at the Centre and other special fundraising initiatives in aid of the piano. “It is a magnificent piano and this was reinforced by renowned singer Patricia Payne recently during her performance at the Community Centre. She said that she usually approaches a performance of Wagner with trepidation when accompanied solely by piano but she was so impressed with the Centre’s grand piano. Patricia asked the audience whether they realised how lucky they were to have such a wonderful asset,” says Mark.

Growing interest

He predicts that the piano will increasingly be in demand for concert and recital use and that has to be good for both the Community Centre and Havelock North. “People who would otherwise perhaps not have come to the Centre have done so to hear the piano and that usage is likely to keep growing. A seed recently sown in Wellington re: the piano has resulted in a positive enquiry and now that we have the piano paid off, it is important that it continues to be well utilised,” says Mark.

A modest sum of money remains in hand to cover future maintenance of the piano and bearing in mind that it will cost around $2000 to get it re-strung, such a fund is important to have.

Hireage of the piano for concerts and recitals will generate enough funds for day-to-day maintenance such as tuning and given that the monthly lunchtime concerts have proved so popular, it is hoped that they will continue again next year.