Why Nassau?

There a question is a lot of people's minds about why I'm going to Nassau to rebuild a Steinway. Well, somebody's gotta do it.


Actually, the internet is a wonderful thing, and my name as a Steinway technician is very available because Bill Dollarhide, my boss at Dollarhide Music in Pensacola, is such a whiz at understanding the internet and working with it . In fact, if you put "Steinway technician" into Google my name comes up first -- that's worldwide. That's how I got the contact to go to Serbia four years ago for Steinway work (and a subsequent trip back two years ago to play solo handbell concerts), and that's how Mrs. Patricia Bazard found me through the Dollarhide Music website.


Mrs. Bazard is the founder and musical director of the Bahamas National Children's Choir, and when she was given an old Steinway for the choir to use she started looking around for someone to rebuild it for her. My name surfaced through her internet research, and we struck up a dialog about the project. That first contact was almost two years ago, and Mrs. Bazard has worked tirelessly to raise the funding necessary to see the project through.


The initial phase will commence this coming Sunday as I travel to the Bahamas and begin the work. I will get as much accomplished as possible in the two weeks that I will be there, and then travel back to Nassau in May to finish the job and get the piano ready for its first concert with the Children's Choir. On that trip I will also take my handbells and perform some solo handbell concerts including one in conjunction with the Children's Choir.


So, that's the story in its concise form. I'm anticipating a very interesting time there. I have no idea at this point where I'll be staying, or how I'll get around, or if I will have any assistance with the rebuilding work. I'm also having trouble convincing anyone that I'm going there to actually work! Pictures to prove it will follow.

Roger's piano

Here are the pictures of Roger Williams piano. These were made with my phone camera, and the light was not very good (no flash on the phone either) . It's actually gold and pretty spectacular, and I can't believe he's moving it around the country like he does.

I have subsequently found out that this piano, The Roger Williams Steinway, still belongs to Steinway, that it is the only piano they've ever named after a particular pianist, they let Roger use it apparently whenever he wants, and it's for sale -- for $288,000. He hopes that it doesn't sell, but if someone comes up with the cash...

I go back tomorrow to Gulf Shores to tune the piano again for him, and I'll stay for the performance. I also have to tune it on Tuesday and on Wednesday, but I won't stay on those days.

Trip Preparations

So, anyway, I'm getting ready to go. I'll have to pack up all my tools and somehow get them to Nassau, order parts from Steinway and get them shipped, and keep adding to my long lists of things to remember and do beforehand. I managed to do this same thing in Serbia a few years ago where I couldn't count on being able to buy any sort of part or supply, so I think it should be easier to accomplish in the Bahamas.

This picture has nothing to do with the trip, btw. I'm just trying out the software.

Going to Nassau

It's happening. I'm going to Nassau in just over two weeks.

More later.