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Leap of Faith Rewarded
School pianist and student Clemmie Sherwood-Roberts at the Boston piano in Wycombe Abbey School chapel.
Go Forth in Faith is the motto of Wycombe Abbey School, an independent boarding school for girls 11 to 18 years of age in High Wycombe, England. And music director George Bevan took that motto to heart when he selected a new Steinway-designed Boston grand piano for the school chapel.
A generous gift to the school allowed Mr. Bevan to go forth to Steinway Hall in London to select a new Steinway grand piano for the school’s Fisher Library. And to the delight of everyone involved, there were funds enough left over to acquire a second piano in addition to the Steinway… although not enough for another Steinway.
This is where the faith comes in. As it happened, the school really needed a new piano for its chapel, where a Steinway grand piano from 1896 – the year the school was founded – remained in daily use. That’s when Keith Glazebrook of Steinway Hall – keeping budgetary constraints in mind – recommended a Boston grand piano “from the family of Steinway-designed pianos.”
Mr. Bevan quickly turned believer, now calling the 5-foot-10-inch Boston grand “really fantastic.”
Before the final selection, Mr. Bevan had narrowed his choice to two Boston pianos. “One was very, very bright,” he recalls, “while the second piano was on the other end, but still with a lovely sound.” He asked to have the second piano re-voiced a little brighter and was extremely pleased with the results, confessing, “I didn’t expect it to be so different.”
Now, the Boston GP-178 grand piano is in the gallery at the rear of the chapel, where it plays an important role in the brief service that begins each school day. In addition, various choirs rehearse and perform here, including the senior Chapel Choir, which tours internationally.
The piano’s size is “perfect” for the raised gallery, Mr. Bevan concludes, and its tone is a perfect fit for the chapel’s resonant acoustics. “It’s just right for what we need.”
Wycombe Abbey is a leading girls’ boarding school located on 160 acres at the edge of High Wycombe, a northwest suburb of London. The Abbey is a gothic structure rebuilt in 1798 and comprises the original part of the school. The chapel, added in the 1920s, is at the heart of the school complex.
Music plays an integral role at Wycombe Abbey, says Mr. Bevan, who has been director of music for five years. Nearly three quarters of the 550 students play at least one musical instrument, and there are three choirs, a choral society, two orchestras, as well as string, wind and vocal ensembles. Seven full-time musical staff are joined by 35 visiting staff to offer instruction in all instruments. Professional musicians regularly are invited to perform and give master classes.
As anyone can see, there’s an ongoing need for quality music and quality musical instruments… even pianos that are 112 years old like the school’s original Steinway grand. So, exactly what did happen to the Steinway? It was relocated to one of the girls residence halls, where it continues being played… and played… and played… just as every Steinway is designed to do.