Scituate’s Acquisition of a New Concert Piano

There are moments in time when all the stars align: the timing is right, the motives are clear, and the benefits are overwhelming for an important decision. Although the right choice may seem clear-cut, it still takes hard work of a few to make this dream a reality.
The Scituate community was recently presented with one such opportunity. With the opening of the new multi-million dollar perforing arts center, the Scituate community invested in a Steinway & Sons Model D concert grand piano. to match the quality of this impressive new facility. For those who aren’t music aficionados, the Steinway D is the gold standard for concert grand pianos; in fact, it can be heard in some of the most famous concert halls across the globe. Scituate has made the decision to bring this world-class instrument to their community and elevate the appeal of the new performing art center.
Jim Thomas, the SHS Fine Arts Department Chair, was one of the most important proponents of acquiring the Steinway D concert grand. He explained, “How it sounds, the way it projects, the longevity and durability of the instrument — these are the reasons we viewed the purchase of this instrument as an investment.” With regard to longevity, if taken care of properly, the Steinway D is expected to last over 50 years.
While Thomas fully believes the Steinway D is a wise investment, it certainly is not a cheap one: The Steinway D costs roughly $140,000 while the next tier of pianos, the Boston Grand, also designed by Steinway & Sons, costs $60,000. Thomas emphasized that it “makes sense to do it right and finish it wright with a piano that’s comparable to the space it would be occupied in.” Thomas was not alone in his efforts to secure a Steinway D concert grand for the new performing arts center, as Scituate partnered with a Boston-based piano company, M. Steinert & and Sons. Thomas worked closely with Brendan Murphy, vice-president of the company. Murphy usually focuses on piano sales to higher education; however, as a former student of Mr. Richter (the SHS chorale director
), a SHS alum (class of 1999), and current resident of Scituate, Murphy wanted to b directly involved in this process.
In fact, the beginning of the concert grand’s acquisition may actually be attributed to Murphy, who implored Richter, “Don’t cut your ideal until they make you cut your ideal,” despite reservations that the odds of purchasing the instrument were unlikely.
While Richter and Thomas emphasized the potential benefits for both students and the community, Murphy handled the technical details and advantages of this piano. Murphy’s support of the purchase stems from the sentiment that ” this is a piece of equipment that will let [students] reach their highest potential.”
Through the efforts of Thomas, Murphy, Richter, Scituate School and Building committee member Michael Hayes, and Superintendent John McCarthy, the Scituate community will soon be able to benefit from the investment in the Steinway Concert D grand piano.
The new Scituate Center for the Performing Arts represents a huge step forward for the promotion of music in the community, and the new Steinway D concert grand matches this commitment measure for measure.