Help Darren move a Steinway!
Donation protected
Hey there! My name is Darren and I play the piano. I'm playing a Memorial Concert in Toronto for the Pulse victims on a GRAND PIANO that Steinway has donated, but I need to raise $650 to move the piano into the space!
Here's the story. A few months ago, I was selected as a featured artist for Nuit Rose, a queer art and performance festival happening in Toronto on June 25. After an exhaustive and exhausting (!) search for a venue with a grand piano, I decided to settle on an upright piano at the 519 Community Centre. The venue is totally accessible (important!) and right in the heart of the Village and the festival. I was excited.
But then I heard that the piano I was to be performing on was really not in good shape. Like "missing a key" not in good shape. So then I wasn't sure if this was going to work at all.
You see, I just finished a Masters of Music in piano performance at the University of Montreal. I'm classically trained, but I'm actively stepping away from that to bring my music to non-classical listeners. Plus I always cover my hair in glitter and have been known to wear very short shorts on stage (even at my final Master's recital). Although this certainly raises some eyebrows in the classical world, this is my passion. As a queer performer, I want to centre that identity on stage, and bring more diversity to the way classical music is presented. But, as a pianist, finding a suitable instrument is always a challenge.
Back to the story. So I posted on Facebook, to get my community's feedback on what I should do (venue suggestions, etc). On a whim, I decided to tag Steinway Piano Galleries Toronto in the post. That night, I get a message from the Regional Director of Steinway, telling me to call him on Monday. So I do. And he offers to sponsor the event and bring in a STEINWAY 6-foot grand piano to The 519!! How incredibly generous, waiving thousands of dollars of rental fees. I'm absoutely floored.
The only issue is that there are still $650 in "hard costs" to move and tune the piano. That was too much for me and the volunteer-run festival to cover, so the journey continued. I pursued many options. I contacted other venues, even the big ones like Koerner and Massey. They were already booked. I looked for sponsorships from music donors. Also a dead end.
In the midst of all of this, the shootings in Orlando happened. This brought up all kinds of fear, hurt, anger, and sadness for me. I knew that it was all the more important that I brought this music to the Village. I had titled my performance "Resilience," and came to see how poignant it would be for this moment. The program leads the listener through tragic death in the streets (Janacek's "From the Street"), despair and loss in the darkness (Scriabin's "Black Mass" Sonata), then climbing out of the depths and emerging resilient (Ginastera's set of dances). I am dedicating my performance to the victims of Pulse, and want to create a space for my community to heal as we strive to emerge Resilient.
So here I am. Asking for YOUR help. My community. To move a Steinway and have a concert and continue moving towards healing. Any little bit helps. Thank you so much. <3
Here's the story. A few months ago, I was selected as a featured artist for Nuit Rose, a queer art and performance festival happening in Toronto on June 25. After an exhaustive and exhausting (!) search for a venue with a grand piano, I decided to settle on an upright piano at the 519 Community Centre. The venue is totally accessible (important!) and right in the heart of the Village and the festival. I was excited.
But then I heard that the piano I was to be performing on was really not in good shape. Like "missing a key" not in good shape. So then I wasn't sure if this was going to work at all.
You see, I just finished a Masters of Music in piano performance at the University of Montreal. I'm classically trained, but I'm actively stepping away from that to bring my music to non-classical listeners. Plus I always cover my hair in glitter and have been known to wear very short shorts on stage (even at my final Master's recital). Although this certainly raises some eyebrows in the classical world, this is my passion. As a queer performer, I want to centre that identity on stage, and bring more diversity to the way classical music is presented. But, as a pianist, finding a suitable instrument is always a challenge.
Back to the story. So I posted on Facebook, to get my community's feedback on what I should do (venue suggestions, etc). On a whim, I decided to tag Steinway Piano Galleries Toronto in the post. That night, I get a message from the Regional Director of Steinway, telling me to call him on Monday. So I do. And he offers to sponsor the event and bring in a STEINWAY 6-foot grand piano to The 519!! How incredibly generous, waiving thousands of dollars of rental fees. I'm absoutely floored.
The only issue is that there are still $650 in "hard costs" to move and tune the piano. That was too much for me and the volunteer-run festival to cover, so the journey continued. I pursued many options. I contacted other venues, even the big ones like Koerner and Massey. They were already booked. I looked for sponsorships from music donors. Also a dead end.
In the midst of all of this, the shootings in Orlando happened. This brought up all kinds of fear, hurt, anger, and sadness for me. I knew that it was all the more important that I brought this music to the Village. I had titled my performance "Resilience," and came to see how poignant it would be for this moment. The program leads the listener through tragic death in the streets (Janacek's "From the Street"), despair and loss in the darkness (Scriabin's "Black Mass" Sonata), then climbing out of the depths and emerging resilient (Ginastera's set of dances). I am dedicating my performance to the victims of Pulse, and want to create a space for my community to heal as we strive to emerge Resilient.
So here I am. Asking for YOUR help. My community. To move a Steinway and have a concert and continue moving towards healing. Any little bit helps. Thank you so much. <3
Organizer
Darren Creech
Organizer
Toronto, ON
