88 Keys to Sound Success
Wits Universities' Linder Auditorium and the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra have inaugurated their new Steinway & Sons concert grand piano. The Steinway, imported by Pianoforte, made its debut during the JPO's third season on 9 August 2007, in a performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, with Steinway Virtuoso Gustavo Romero as soloist.
The Linder Auditorium was packed to capacity as audiences flocked to the first concerts of the new season of the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra performances.
The concert on Women’s Day, 9 August 2007, served as the inaugural concert of the magnificent new Steinway D Concert Grand piano that was flown in from Germany at the beginning of August. In celebration of the arrival of the approximately R1,2-million piano and to mark the achievement of the 88 keys to success fundraising campaign, a small function was held to thank the donors and all those involved in bringing the piano to Africa.
Prof. Yunus Ballim, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic and Principal of Wits University thanked all the sponsors – corporates, families and individuals for their contributions. He elaborated on the importance of the arts as a means to create and facilitate meaning and understanding that cannot be expressed in any other way. A plaque containing all the names of the sponsors was unveiled by Prof. Steven Jurisch (JPO), Prof. Mary Metcalfe and David Freemantle.
The 88 keys to success fundraising campaign was driven by Freemantle, Facilities Manager at the Linder Auditorium. “I want to express our enormous thanks from the Wits School of Education to David and his team for all they have done to make this campaign a success,” said Metcalfe, Head of the Wits School of Education. “We would not have achieved this feat without his hard work and commitment to the Linder, a prestigious musical venue.”
Metcalfe also thanked the Wits School of the Arts for sponsoring Malcolm Nay to fly to Hamburg to choose the best Steinway to match the acoustics of the Linder. She also expressed her appreciation to the Development Office, Marketing and Communications and other support units for contributing to the success of the project.
To learn more about this fundraising campaign, contact us and we will provide you with all the relevant information.