Grand Concert – Songs of Spring to benefit the local women’s shelter will play out Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
The annual concert earned its moniker from former parishioner Sally Wise, who thought the church’s fabulous grand piano should be heard by a broader audience.
“People took lessons here, (opera singer) Stephanie Nakagawa got lessons on this piano,” says Rev. Woldy Sosnowsky. “Because of the piano, they called it the grand concert and while we feature the piano always, the concert has morphed into more of a variety concert.”
The piano was made by Chickering and Sons, a Boston, Mass. piano manufacturer, and was built around the turn of the 20th century.
It came to Salmon Arm from Manitoba when its owners, George and Mary Watson moved here in the early seventies. It was too big for their home so, in 1974, they donated it to the Presbyterian Church, which was located in the downtown are until 1981.
Mary was the church pianist and the piano has been rebuilt by local piano technician, Deborah McCann, who has restored the sound to its original beauty.
The last concert was held in November 2012, so when Andrew Stoney became the new music director at St. Andrews, he also acquired the job of organizing another grand concert.
“Andrew is an extraordinary pianist and has invited some of his friends – Emily Wark will play Rachmaninoff, Andrew will accompany some violinists and a cellist on works by Vivaldi and Clara Henderson will perform folk and country on accordion,” he says. Also on the program are Jim McConnell and Juanita Austin and their group Black and Blues, Olga and Igor Aleksiienko, who will perform Ukrainian folk tunes, tenor Richard Good, who will sing a number of show tunes and classical guitarist Jonathan Stutchberry.
“The performers will present their gifts free of charge in recognition of what the women’s shelter does,” says Sosnowsky, who will act as MC for the concert. “We look forward to a very exciting evening of music.”
Admission is by donation and tax receipts will be available for donations of $10 or more.