A Piano For Pushkin
Our first ever charity appeal A Piano For Pushkin was launched on Giving Tuesday, 1 November 2020, only weeks after we found out that the piano that has kindly been on loan to us is to be taken away. Dedicated to the purchase of our own grand piano, in just over four months, the campaign has raised 65 percent of our £25,000 target with all donations coming from individuals. Every day we receive a new warm and encouraging comment accompanying a donation on our JustGiving page, sounding like an ode to Pushkin House’s cutting-edge music programme for which the piano is the beating heart.
The campaign has also had engagement from people writing that their family trust would like to make a bigger contribution; author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia Sophy Roberts has raised both funds and awareness; and Suzy Brander of Beech Tree Yoga has dedicated one of her classes to our fundraiser. We have had the support of the music community with renowned pianists and musicians from Dinara Klinton, Kaya Apekisheva and Daniel Grimwood to Stefan Olsdal of Placebo and Cole Lam from School of Rock recording clips for social media under the hashtag #APianoForPushkin. We also saw you taking part in a Christmas auction where people and companies donated prizes for free, enabling us to raise £3,000 towards the appeal.
There is still some way for us to go but for now we want to say a big thank you for your generous support.
Music is at the heart of Russian culture and as such is a core part of Pushkin House’s charitable purpose. We are in need of a new shiny instrument, because the music programme in Pushkin House should go on giving a platform to young talent, revealing the beauty of familiar Russian music as well as focusing on the works of lesser-known composers. Even had our existing loan agreement been secure, it is usual for top cultural centres to have their own instrument, and music critic Jessica Duchen wrote in her otherwise glistening Arts Desk review of our current online Music Festival, that our borrowed piano “sounds not in the greatest of shape”.
You can donate to the piano appeal on our JustGiving page here. Thank you!
