The idea to acquire a piano for the West Tisbury library originated this past spring when friends rented a piano for Jonathan Revere’s memorial service at the library.
“The reaction from everyone about the piano that day was so strong,” selectmen Richard Knabel said. So strong, in fact, that he started thinking: What if the library permanently had a piano?
Mr. Knabel asked library director Beth Kramer and “she thought it was a really good idea,” he said.
He turned to David Stanwood, “the piano man of Martha’s Vineyard,” to spearhead a search to find the perfect piano. It didn’t take long. On Sept. 24, on behalf of the town, the West Tisbury selectmen unanimously voted to accept an original rosewood Steinway & Sons baby grand piano that dates back to 1901. Mr. Stanwood rebuilt the piano in the early 1990s and will continue to maintain it.
The piano was gifted from a group of private donors and purchased from the estate trustee of David Frantz Jr., an Island resident who died at the age of 91 in January 2014.
“I was not familiar with Mr. Frantz before this,” Mr. Knabel said. “But this July at the annual book sale I happened to find a book with his name inside it.”
There will be a dedication concert for the piano on Oct. 12 at the library. Island musicians Maria Newman, Martha Thatcher and Delores Stevens will perform. Thereafter, it will be used for adult and children’s programming at the library.
The piano dedication concert at the West Tisbury library is on Oct. 12 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified library director Beth Kramer as the director of the library board of trustees.
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