Shhhh! The piano is sleeping

For the last few years, we’ve worked with our friends at the Regina Symphony Orchestra to host our Sounds of Summer Reading program. The event pairs summer reading recommendations with matching music, performed by accomplished pianist and Regina Symphony Orchestra Conductor/Music Director, Gordon Gerrard.

My fellow blogger Pam from Collections pulls together a list of summer reading recommendations to share, while Gordon finds music that he can play to match the mood. It all comes together pretty easily.

The only missing piece? A grand piano.

We’ve got plenty of string and percussion instruments in our lending library, but no piano. Each year we face a daunting challenge: where do we get a grand piano, and how do we get it into the library?

This year, the University of Regina’s faculty of Faculty of Media, Art and Performance came to our rescue with a beautiful piano for Gordon to play. One problem solved. Now, to get it into the building.

First thing in the morning on June 27, the piano will travel (via local mover) from the College Avenue Campus to our Program Room at George Bothwell Branch. The legs and pedals will be removed, and everything will be carefully wrapped in blankets and loaded onto the truck. 

The piano will arrive at the library, where it’ll be reassembled and given some time to adjust to the temperature in the room (this step is crucial for good sound!). Later in the day, a piano technician from the U of R will stop by to tune the piano and move it into place for the performance.

Gordon will pop in for a quick rehearsal on the piano before the audience starts to arrive. After its hour in the spotlight, the piano will spend a quiet night at the library before making its return trip to the University.

Something special happens whenever we fill our library with live music. It might take a bit more legwork (and a moving truck) to get there, but it’s worth it!

Megan - Community Engagement