SOU Receives Gift of New Concert Grand Piano

(Ashland, Ore.) —The next time you attend a performance featuring piano at Southern Oregon University, you will be listening to one of the finest instruments in the world.
Local benefactor and patron of the arts Dr. James Havstad recently gifted to the University a new Steinway & Sons Model D piano. Known as the “Concert Grand,” the Model D is considered the standard by which all other concert grand pianos are judged.
Dr. Alexander Tutunov, professor of piano and artist in residence at the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University, along with local Steinway expert Tom Lowell traveled to the Steinway factory in Astoria, N.Y., where the piano was hand selected. It was then shipped by truck across the country before being delivered late last month to SOU, where it is now located in the Music Recital Hall.
The piano, which along with a second action is valued at approximately $170,000, is the first new Steinway piano to have a second action voiced for solo recitals. “This is unique and exciting for SOU and our students,” said Dr. Tutunov. “I cannot possibly convey how thankful I am for this generous gift and for the continued support of our music program by Mr. Havstad.”
The piano will be dedicated during the May 22 Tutunov Piano Series Grand Finale, featuring Dr. Tutunov, violinist Terrie Baune, and pianist Jodi French. A limited number of tickets for the event are still available, and can be purchased by calling 541-552-6348 or visiting oca.sou.edu/box-office. Full time SOU students can claim tickets free of charge.
“I am so pleased that I can fulfill a dream to have this piano available to faculty like Alexander Tutunov and the students in the music program,” said Dr. Havstad. “Especially with the extra action, this piano will attract outstanding pianists from around the world to perform at SOU.”
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.
About the Oregon Center for the Arts at SOU
The new Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University trains, nurtures, presents, and celebrates Oregon artists. The Center partners with distinguished arts organizations from throughout the state and the beautiful southern Oregon setting serves as a creative catalyst for the mixture of students, educators and artists nationally and globally.