LENOX, Mass. — Ventfort Hall will celebrate the return of the piano purchased by the Morgans in 1895 for Ventfort Hall.

 

The concert will be played on the rosewood, six foot Steinway. Attendees can enjoy some songs from the Bowery, a bit of Ragtime, and of course a bit of audience participation for a musical step back to the Gilded Age, with Amy Renak.  A tea shall follow the program.

 

A few months ago, an offer came from George and Sarah Morgan's great, great, great grandson to donate the piano that had been purchased by the couple 126 years ago for their new home, Ventfort Hall! He received the piano from his grandmother in 2011 who requested that if he could no longer keep the piano, it be returned to Ventfort Hall.

 

The piano had left Ventfort Hall when the Morgan children took over the mansion after their parents' passing and almost all of the original furnishings were auctioned off and thus lost to us. Since 1895 it has travelled from the Steinway factory in Astoria New York to Lenox, Ma to New York City to Portland Oregon and finally back to Lenox, coming full circle. 

 

Although Steinway keeps confidential information about their customers, Ventfort Hall was able to confirm, using the serial number etched into the piano, that the instrument was completed on March 28, 1895, and shipped to a customer at 104 Walker St. in Lenox, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1895.

 

That a piano purchased in 1895 is still owned by the same family is indeed rare. The piano arrived at Ventfort Hall last month. It is indeed a fitting addition to the museum. It makes the return of the piano even more special. This event is a fundraiser to establish a fund for the maintenance of the piano

 

Amy Renak has been a piano teacher and choir director in Pittsfield and Great Barrington for many years.  She happily teaches piano at the Berkshire Music School and Miss Hall's School, is the director of music at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield and is the choir director at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington.  Amy enjoys entertaining the occasional gathering, in a ball room, living room, or beautifully appointed drawing room such as the one at Ventfort Hall. Amy is married to Mark Mitchell and lives in Pittsfield.

 

This event is co-chaired by Board Members Helen Charbonneau and Natalie Johnsonius Neubert.

 

Tickets to attend the concert and tea are $35 per person. Reservations are required by calling 413-637-3206. Please note that all tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable. Payment is required to make a reservation for an event.  The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.