NASHVILLE, TN — Students, faculty, and alumni waited patiently outside of the Harris Music Building on Tuesday, Nov. 28 for the arrival of four Steinway Boston upright pianos to be placed in their practice rooms and classroom at Fisk University. “This is only the beginning,” said Philip Autry, D.M.A., music discipline coordinator. “Becoming an All-Steinway School will ensure that Fisk is positioned to recruit the best young musical talent. Our students and faculty will have access to the best instruments to achieve their technical and artistic goals.”
According to Autry, generous supporters have financed the replacement of practice pianos in the Harris Music Building. “Since coming to Fisk, I kept a budgeted maintenance program in place, but our teaching and concert pianos are worn out, ranging in age from 25 to 90 years old,” said Autry. “For a music school, and for their locations, purposes and heavy use, that is a great institutional life of a piano. It’s time to invest in the next century of music study at Fisk University.”
The All-Steinway School initiative is a two-million dollar effort to replace older teaching instruments and concert grands with state-of the-art, Steinway grand pianos of the appropriate size.
The initiative will include an endowment to pay for future maintenance and growth while providing music scholarships for deserving students. “Words can’t express how excited I am,” said Kaylina Crawley, a 2010 graduate of Fisk. “The new Steinway pianos will encourage the students and give them a chance to practice on new equipment and enhance their performance.” Several Tennessee universities have transitioned into All-Steinway Schools, including nearby Belmont University and Lipscomb University. “I’m glad to see this is happening at Fisk and I encourage everyone to continue to give to the music department, which is already great but can be so much greater with the support of our alumni and friends of Fisk,” said Crawley.
For more information on the All-Steinway School initiative, please visit www.fisk.edu/academics/all-steinway-school. About Fisk University Founded in 1866, Fisk University is a private, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Consistently recognized for its brand of academic excellence, Fisk ranks in the 2018 U.S. News & World Report’s listing as a Top 10 HBCU. Fisk was also ranked #3 for most awarded research expenditures in the 2017 rankings of National Liberal Arts Institutions by The Washington Monthly.
To learn more about Fisk University, please visit www.fisk.edu
