Gift of music: Taupō couple giving away much-loved piano

Taupō couple Bevan and Pauline Choat want to give away their upright piano but are having trouble finding a taker. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

Taupō couple Bevan and Pauline Choat have a beautiful piano. But it is years since anybody played it.

Bevan gave up long ago and Pauline, who was an accomplished player of classical music and who won several music scholarships, has arthritis in her hands and can no longer play.

"It's so long since I've played that I don't even read the music any more."

So the couple in their 80s made the decision to give their beautiful Meer upright piano and stool away, a decision that's taken on some urgency now that they've decided to recarpet their Taupō home.

What's more, if the recipient organises transport and the cost is reasonable, they'll even pay for it to be moved to its new home.

Bevan and Pauline say they have had years of enjoyment from their piano and would love for it to go to a good home with people who will look after it and take pleasure from making music with it.

"I'd like it to go to someone who's a caring person and who's interested in music."

But with digital keyboards lighter and more popular, they're struggling to find anybody who wants an upright piano, even a well-maintained one with a lovely sound like theirs.

Sadly, if they can't find somebody to adopt the piano they'll be left with no alternative but to pay somebody to dismantle it and take it to the Taupō landfill.

"It would be a shame for it to go to the tip, but it's no good leaving it here," Bevan says.

The couple have been trying for a year to give the piano away. Bevan says he has offered the piano to three local schools and to Habitat for Humanity without success, and local op shops won't take it because of the weight.

The couple did have a person in Auckland who wanted the piano and had organised the transport but the deal fell through when the Covid-19 lockdown happened.

With time marching on, the couple are upgrading their home so their children will be able to sell it with minimal hassle after their deaths, and the upgrade includes new carpet. That means having to bite the bullet and get rid of the piano.

To enquire about adopting the piano, email paulbev@xtra.co.nz.