Department of Music Chair Andrew Bonacci, Ph.D., had been trying for some time to find a way to equip his department and Westfield State University with a new concert grand piano for Dever Stage. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, Bonacci now finds himself in the middle of selecting not just one new piano, but 20.
In May, Westfield State University announced its largest philanthropic gift to date in its 178-year history. An anonymous donor gifted $1.1 million to purchase 20 Steinway & Sons pianos, setting the course for Westfield State to earn an All-Steinway School distinction. The historic donation was made in honor of the late Dr. Catherine Dower, who served as a longtime chair of the University’s Department of Music, a professor emerita, and a major donor.
“The purchase of exclusively Steinway & Sons pianos allows Westfield State to join the ranks of some of the most prestigious schools in the world and enjoy the coveted All-Steinway School distinction,” says Dr. Bonacci, who last month traveled to the Steinway & Sons factory and showroom in New York City to select the concert grands of the new fleet. He was joined by fellow faculty and students to sample a large inventory of pianos to select the instruments that would ultimately make their way to Westfield in August and early September.
The New York trip followed a similar trip to Boston, where students and faculty also spent time tickling the ivory to select six studio grand pianos to purchase.
Students involved in the selection process were in awe and now have a greater appreciation for how transformational the gift and resulting selection of world-class pianos has been for the University and its students.
“Not many people get to experience this, to see where these instruments are coming from. The whole experience is surreal,” says Veronica Rovatti ’19, of Feeding Hills.
“The faculty have shown us how to train our ears to listen for the subtleties of how each Steinway & Sons instrument sounds different,” says MaKenzie Carvalho ’20, of New Bedford.
“It’s like squinting your eyes, but you’re using your ears.”
Dr. Bonacci explains that Westfield State will become the only public university in New England to earn the All-Steinway School distinction. Less than 140 colleges or universities in
the United States have received this renowned status.
“Access to these top-notch instruments at our public university is awesome,” says Isabel Caraballo ’19, of Springfield, whose sentiment was echoed by all three women after their involvement in the selection process.
“This is a game-changer for Westfield State,” says Brendan Murphy, vice president and director of Institutional Sales at M. Steinert & Sons, Steinway & Sons’ area distributor. “The All-Steinway School distinction elevates Westfield State’s commitment to excellence.”
Following the selection trips and purchases this summer, the 20 pianos were delivered in August and early September, in time for the Sept. 23 naming ceremony for the newly renovated Catherine Dower Center for the Performing and Fine Arts. The Steinway & Sons pianos were placed and will be used throughout the Dower Center for performances, practice, and lessons. Some will also be used in other performance areas on campus. Among the 20 instruments purchased are two concert grand pianos.
“Thanks to the selfless generosity of an anonymous individual, future performers and music educators will study in a world-class environment on the very best instruments available,” says Dr. Erica Broman, vice president for Institutional Advancement.
