moving a Stienway Grand

[Sarah Torrella]

On Fri, 31 Jan 1997 swinfo@g2g.com wrote:

>  "For a concert series that we host every summer, our Stienway must be
> moved a great deal.  I'm wondering if there is a way to move our piano
> up onto the stage, a 3 ft. lift, using a jack or pully type system
> instead of brute man power.  Do you know of any system on the market
> that may help us?"

Funny they should ask.  I just saw a deck, of sorts, that was built by the
props department at the Power Center for the Performing Arts exclusively
for the purpose of moving a 9' <other *rather heavy* brand> piano on and
offstage at a height of approximately 3.5' -- this so it will match the
height of the stage on which the rest of the "orchestra" sits.  Space and
time being at a premium, the prop designer decided that the only way to
achieve "parity" would be to elevate the piano (so as to avoid having to
hoist the thing 3.5' several times in a performance) for the duration.

The deck on which the piano now lives is quite impressive.  Not a hint of
bowing under the weight of the grand instrument.  I noticed that there
were some rather persuasive-looking brakes on the backside (upstage), too.
Good thing.  While I was tuning the piano, perched atop this deck, I felt
the entire "vehicle" shake and wobble with every yank on the tuning
hammer.  Must be a dream to drive that machine!  :-)

If this kind of thing is what they're after, I'll see about putting them
in touch with the designer of the unit.

			     Ron Torrella, RPT
			Assistant Piano Technician
			  University of Michigan
			      School of Music