Free Concert On Apr. 5 Introduced The Community To The PAC’s New Steinway “Model D” Piano In Grand Fashion!
When general manager Keith Arsenault took the job running the Hillsborough County-owned New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) last year, he told members of the county’s staff that, “If this is really going to be a ‘real’ Performing Arts Center, then we need a real performing arts piano.”
The PAC opened a little more than a year ago, but now, Arsenault finally has a truly grand piano that he believes will help fulfill the PAC’s destiny as a real performing arts center — a brand new Steinway & Sons “Model D” concert grand piano, also known as the flagship of this world-renowned and historic American brand.
Only the Neighborhood News was on hand when the spectacular new piano was delivered and re-assembled on the NTPAC stage on Mar. 21 and we also attended the first-ever performance unveiling the new Steinway to the local community, which was held on Apr. 5 and was called the “Concert Grand” — and what a grand event it was!
“When you’re making a substantial acquisition like this, you don’t just pick something out on eBay,” Keith said.
So, Steinway & Sons graciously flew Keith, Steinway Tampa Bay (which has showroom locations in Clearwater and Tampa) vice president Jonathan Hunt and two “much better pianists” with them to the piano maker’s headquarters in Queens, NY.
“We got a three-hour tour of the factory to see the amazing process of building these pianos,” Keith said. “And then, we were faced with a room with five of them — ostensibly identical Model D grand pianos — but each one with its own voice and personality.”
They went up and down the line playing each piano and comparing them.
“And then, finally,” Keith said, “someone sat down at the fifth one in the row and played a big fat chord and we all just kind of went, ‘Oooh, that’s the one.’ Not too long after that, the Steinway folks came out and put a ‘Selected’ tag on the piano, so that nobody else would get it.”
He joked, “I knew I didn’t have to, but I even wrote down the serial number to make sure we got our piano.”
Jonathan, who says he usually makes the trip to Queens “about three or four times a year,” said, “Steinway does a pre-delivery inspection, they disassemble and wrap the legs, wheels and foot pedals and pack it into a big box and deliver it to our factory. That takes about two weeks. We then have our own pre-delivery inspection and prep process. We put it back together, allow it to acclimate to the Florida weather, test the sound, and then disassemble and wrap and box it up again to get it ready for delivery.”
Keith noted, “The whole process from Queens to final destination took a little less than the month we were told to expect it to take. And, throughout the process, we got blow-by-blow updates like, ‘The piano has left the factory,’ and so forth. It was basically like tracking it online as it made its trip. This was the first time I’ve had my hands directly involved in this process. It was very special.”
A Truly Grand Concert Event!
Speaking of special, “The Concert Grand event on Apr. 5 truly was just that.
“We have six magnificent pianists performing tonight,” Keith said as he kicked off the Concert Grand festivities that evening, “these musicians range from classical to jazz to piano ‘four hands,’ where two of them play the piano at the same time.”
It was a wonderful, free piano concert that filled nearly all of the 324 available seats at the NTPAC. It started with delicious, free food provided by Via Italia, the authentic Italian restaurant located in The Village at Hunter’s Lake plaza, which is in front of the PAC on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.
The food — which included tasty meatballs and sauce, plus bite-sized pieces of tender chicken parmigiana, bruschetta, a charcuterie selection and more — was sponsored by Steinway Tampa Bay.
Keith also noted that neither the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa, Ruth Eckerd Hall nor the Mahaffey Theater in downtown St. Petersburg has its own Steinway. “So this is a pretty big deal that Hillsborough County has made this amazing investment in the performing arts for us here.”
Jonathan added, “I also just love this facility (NTPAC). As much as the Concert Grand event is about this piano, we just want people to know that the New Tampa Performing Arts Center is here and is a great asset to this community.”
As to how he feels about the selection his group made, Keith said, “I couldn’t be happier. As Jonathan said, ‘This piano is a rocket ship’ and, given the acoustical nature of this room, and the fact that we will likely be using this piano as much for legitimate jazz events as for classical, it’s just the perfect piano for this space.”
He also noted that the purchase of the Model D also included two Steinway uprights manufactured in Hamburg. Germany.
Editor’s note — It was absolutely mesmerizing to see the Model D being taken out of its special box, with each of its legs and the beautiful, easy-rolling brass wheels separately wrapped, and then rolled on a dolly to, and then laid out on, the NTPAC stage. And then, to see Jonathan and his two assistants meticulously re-attach the legs and foot pedals to the 8’, 11-3/4” long behemoth and then turning the nearly 1,100-lb. piano upright before wiping it down to allow the high-gloss, ultra-black paint to emit its perfect, reflective glow was a sight I know I will never forget. But, to hear it played by such outstanding pianists was even more incredible. Bravo, Keith and Jonathan!
For more information about the NTPAC (8550 Hunters Village Rd.) visit NewTampaArtsCenter.org.
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