Good times rolled out on Baycourt's grand piano

Pianist Magdalena James, with son Gregory who turned the music pages, had a rare taste of one of the world's finest concert grand pianos yesterday at Baycourt Theatre. Photo/George Novak

The chance to play on the Rolls-Royce of concert grand pianos was too good an opportunity to miss for Mount Maunganui mum Magdalena James.

Baycourt's Steinway, usually the preserve of concert pianists, was rolled out for a special one-off day for pianists of all ages and abilities.

Mrs James was one of 15 people who swooped on the chance yesterday to play the $280,000 instrument before a small but appreciative audience.

"It was a great opportunity, I could not miss it," she said after her 35-minute recital that featured the works of Chopin, Grieg, Albeniz, Debussy and Granados. Her 11-year-old son Gregory was the page turner.

Mrs James said it was the first time she had played a Steinway on a stage in a big theatre. "I enjoyed pretending to be a concert pianist."

The graduate of the University of Music in Warsaw said the piano was not her main instrument. Her area of expertise, Dalcroze Eurhythmics, was part of the school curriculum in Poland. Students were taught the concepts of rhythm, structure, and musical expression using physical movement.

And although she was a wee bit rusty in places, it did not prevent Mrs James from getting a standing ovation from the audience for the sensitivity of her playing.

The organiser of the Steinway Open Day and chairwoman of Friends of Baycourt, Anna Finlayson-Smith, was delighted with how the inaugural day had gone. Best of all, it was free to performers and the audience.

"It was a great response. People complimented us on the concept and are already asking, will we do it again."

She was nervous about how it would go, but need not have worried because all the session times from 10am to 5pm filled up. Performers included piano teachers like Emily Macklow and Christopher Archer playing selections and then allowing some of their pupils the chance to enjoy the grandest grand piano in the world.

The open day received world-wide praise, with emails including a Steinway retailer in Boston who said it was a fabulous idea and a marvellous outreach for the Steinway.

Baycourt's D-274 Steinway concert piano
- Handmade over three years in Germany
- Nearly 3m long and weighing 430kg
- Delivered to Tauranga March 4, 2009