The story of a Piano Teacher's Piano

I started my life as pieces of wood and wire.  Selected by German engineers, I was crafted, assembled and shipped to America.  I found myself in Houston, Texas at Houston Piano Company in the Heights.  

One day, a short lady came and played alot of pianos.  She liked my sound and the way my keys feel, and bought me!  I was headed to Katy, Texas to begin my life in a piano studio.

Being a piano teacher's piano is not easy.  I am played by at least thirty different students every week.  Sometimes the teacher plays me along with string or wind players who are working on pieces for contests and recitals.  Lots of wonderful vibrations go through my soundboard.  Everything from classical to pop, country to jazz, hymns to comtemporary worship has passed through my strings.  I get more use per year than most instruments can hope for in a lifetime.

The humidity in Houston took its toll.  The teacher had her technician install a special device to regulate the humidity in my soundboard, and to keep me in tune and sounding great.   Being the instrument of a piano teacher means that I always get regular tunings, because my owner goes crazy when my strings are out of tune!

​Here I am in my happy home in Katy, Texas:

Yes, I had to share space with a Roland digital.  It's a great instrument, too - but can't compare to my lovely acoustic sound.  

The day came when the teacher made plans to move across the state.  Several movers came to give estimates to move me.  They wanted to take out my action and clamp a board across my keys!  They are only furniture movers.  The teacher was very worried.  She found a company from Dallas with an extension office in Houston.  They only move pianos.  They make trips from Dallas to Houston to Austin and back to Dallas every couple of weeks.  They move 1600 pianos a year!  She contracted with Piano Movers of Texas to take care of me.

Nice men came to the studio the first week of January.  They put lots of comfy blankets on me and shrink wrapped my case.  They gently put me on my side and took off my legs.  They wheeled me out, placed me in their truck, and I was on my way!  What an adventure!  I travelled west, then north to Dallas.  I stayed in their climate-controlled warehouse for a month while the teacher settled in her new home.  I made many friends in the warehouse.  All of the pianos there were envious of me, because I have the life of being a piano teacher's instrument.

The day came for me to move to my new home.  The same men came and repeated the process.  Soon I was in my new room in Denton, Texas!  I love it here!  The humidity is better, my room is bigger, I sound great, and I don't have to share space with the digital pianos.  (They do have a cool music lab across the hall where they get to hang out with ipads and computers, though.  I will miss that.) Here I am in my new home.  I hope you come visit me sometime!