Test a $100,000 Piano During Duke’s Annual Sale

Duke employees can slide onto the piano bench and test the sound and feel of about 75 pianos Thursday through Sunday in the Freeman Center for Jewish Life.The annual piano sale at Duke offers reduced prices on Steinway, Boston and Essex pianos; the selection ranges from grand and vertical pianos to QRS player and Roland digital pianos.“You’ll see lots of instruments on display, many more than you’d actually be able to see in a piano store,” said Scott Lindroth, Duke’s vice provost for the arts. “You’re able to get a much greater range of instruments to examine and try out.”Some of the pianos have been used for the past year at eight Duke campus locations, to include in the Bryan Center and in residence halls such as Kilgo Quad and Craven Quad. The instruments are provided to Duke for free through Raleigh-based Hopper Piano & Organ Company’s Steinway/Boston loan program. The pianos are sold and replaced every year at no cost to Duke. Money made during the sale goes to Hopper and supports the loan program.Piano pricing starts at about $1,500 to just over $100,000 for the most expensive piano on display, a Steinway special collection piano with an East Indian rosewood finish. The sale is open to the public on July 19 from noon until 5 p.m. at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life. A private appointment can be arranged for July 16 to 18 by calling (919) 613-4565 or by filling out this online form.“When you’re talking about hand-built pianos, each one is like us,” said Keith Pendergraft, a partner at Hopper Piano & Organ Company. “They each have their own personality. You sit and play, and you have a connection with a certain piano.”All pianos used at Duke have been professionally maintained and will carry a new factory warranty. Hopper will provide on-site financing, delivery and follow-up technical services.