UConn Students Discover Hidden Treasures Inside Gift Of Boston Pianos

As seen in the Boston Chronicle, Issue Two, 2015.

Boston uprights share a pedigree with Steinway & Sons through designs that contribute to their 23-year legacy as consistent performers in the practice room. Students may not be fully aware of this prolific ancestry when they first sit down to play, according to Eric Rice, who chairs the Music Department at the University of Connecticut. UConn just nearly doubled its complement of Steinway-designed pianos.

"Uprights are necessary for small spaces and honestly, they do the talking in this area. It is through contact with the instruments themselves that students know
the quality of the instruments we have acquired," he said. "The Boston uprights fit the bill marvelously."

Dr. Rice stresses that musicianship is built through experience that demands providing the best equipment possible with multiple opportunities for study. To 140 music students achieving diverse objectives — from piano performance majors honing their skills to aspiring pedagogues sharpening their ears — reliable instruments are essential.

In May, the School of Fine Arts took delivery of 11 UP-126 uprights and a Steinway Model O Grand Piano through the efforts of Brendan Murphy at M. Steinert & Sons-Boston. The purchase comes by way of university funding and a gracious gift from the Lawrence J. Portell and Natalie D. Portell Foundation.

Students are "thrilled" with the arrival of new Bostons that replaced outdated pianos, likewise embracing the ultimate goal of becoming an All-Steinway institution. "The prospect of consistent quality throughout the school is a very positive development and as the primary users of these instruments, they are very aware of this," Dr. Rice said.

The School of Fine Arts also reaches out to non-music majors and the general public through its Community School for the Arts. "Many of those students are now learning on these new Boston pianos, which will significantly enhance their overall musical experience," adds outgoing Dean Brid Grant.

One of UConn's most popular off-campus activities takes place four times a year at Lincoln Center. Fifty students and faculty attend a rehearsal of the Metropolitan Opera, going behind-the-scenes at New York's cultural landmark to chat with singers, orchestral musicians, set designers, backstage personnel, and administrators.

"This experience, which I believe is unique to the School of Fine Arts, is invaluable to all of our students. For some, it provides their first exposure to opera while others come away with incredible insights into career opportunities. It helps develop a life-long love of opera and performance," Dean Grant said. Each year, through a competitive process, one student interns for a semester with many going on to full-time jobs at the Met.

Dr. Anne D'Alleva, who succeeds Dean Grant, enthusiastically supports the collaboration that began more than ten years ago. "I look forward to continuing this wonderful program with the Metropolitan Opera in the coming years," she said.