He Says: Katy has been pretty diligent about posting on the blog and I have been..... Well, sort of slack. I'll have to admit that I've been waiting to really blog after we actually make the transition to Main Street. So I hear there is a story about a piano that needs to be told.
In 2010, Katy and I had season tickets to the SC Philharmonic. There was a silent auction where a Steinway grand piano was donated by Rice Music House. On the last performance of the season, the highest bidder would be presented at Half-Time (Intermission). When that day came, I awoke with a vision that I would have that piano. Okay, I'm already embellishing. We went to the Thirsty Fellow beforehand and I, *gasp*, had two too many scotches and ended up bidding on this magnificent piano. My thinking was that "Surely, someone in this city has more money than me and will out-bid me." Well, there seems to have been a recession and no such person had the disposable income to purchase this grand piano. At the beginning of the second half of the performance, the Chairman of the Philharmonic made the presentation. He made the announcement that Morihiko Nakahara had been granted an extended contract. This is good. Really good. He then announced that the Steinway piano was purchased my a Mr. Jason Watkins for $9K. I might add that this was a pretty good steal considering the retail price for said piano was $14K. He stated: "It is because of generous donations from philanthropists like Mr. Watkins that we are able to retain such talent as Morihiko." Meanwhile, my realistic spouse was crawling under the seats. The bright glare of sobriety came to visit me that evening and it became clear that I was not a man of means..... not a philanthropist. And I was the proud owner of a Steinway piano that I could not afford. I won't get into the details, but suffice to say, the loan officer at the bank had a real giggle over this. And the story of this pauper living on a prince's wage has been the fodder of many stories.
I will say that the piano was wonderful. Many recordings were made. I contributed to a couple of soundtracks. The sound was incredible. A truly great instrument. But it had to go. That thing was enormous. And loud. There is no way that I could keep such an instrument when we move to Main Street. So I made an exchange with Hannah Piano Company. Even Steven. I gave them this hulk of a piano in exchange for a Yamaha grand piano that is Digital (Volume control), and smaller. But it still looks like a grand piano. And it sounds and feels like one too.
I made the decision to go ahead and give the Steinway to Hannah before Christmas with the understanding that I would order the Yamaha after an offer was made on the house. So I called them Thursday to say that we need to go ahead and get the ball rolling. I asked if they have sold the Steinway. He said "Yeah..... and what a story that was." I proceeded to tell him how I attained the piano and we agreed that a book could be written about this instrument.
He proceeded to tell me that the Steinway now resides in a "Shotgun-Shack" in Orangeburg, SC. It appears that some woman who doesn't even play the piano ran into some money and decide to class-up her shack with a beautiful grand piano. The mover from Hannah told me that he still doesn't understand how the instrument even fit in the house. There isn't even room for a sofa and it is safe to say that the piano is probably being used as the table for a television.
So there it is. The Steinway is living a life of its own. A great story. I hope to follow its path. Perhaps its next home will be on Rainbow Row on the Battery in Charleston. Or maybe a church in North Carolina. Whatever happens, it has given great happiness to this Pauper-Philanthropist and it will have many more lovers and stories.
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