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I'm leaving for New York on Dec.23 for Christmas. While I'm in NY, it's been arranged for me to play for a Juilliard professor at his home. This is scheduled for either the 28th, or the 29th. My problem is that in the interim - the 23rd thru 28th/9th - I have no piano to play. I'll be staying in Middletown, NY, Connecticut and NYC. I'll be staying with family, and none of them have a piano. The only thing I thought of would be to go to every piano store in the area, and try to get as much time in as I can. Any suggestions on what I could do here? Thanks

Hi, Orlando:

Wow - nice opportunity!

Many church groups own pianos. If any of your relatives belong to a church, perhaps they could arrange for you to practice during a time when the piano is not otherwise in use. You might also check with the local YMCAs/YWCAs and some of the larger retirement communities and senior citizen centers to see if there is a piano that you might use for a brief practice session. You might offer a free lesson in exchange for some practice time.

Have a good trip and a great lesson. Be sure to post to the details upon your return!

. . . Linda

We had a similar problem when visiting my cousin's farm last summer. What we ended up doing was renting a practice/lesson room in a music store in the nearest town. Wasn't even an acoustic piano, but better than nothing. They charged $15 for each hour. We had hoped to get some free time at somebody's church, but that didn't pan out. I don't think people really took our request very seriously, not realizing how it important it was for my daughter. Make sure you stress how important this is to you, when you are asking around!

Orlando,

Three places pop into mind right away, there are probably others.

Studio 2000, a place I've never been to but they have a space with a Steinway, reasonable hourly rate ($15 I think). It's around 58th Street, west side.

Cap21 on W. 18th Street. They have 11 multi-purpose studios, used by dancers, actors, etc. Each room has a piano. I've only been in room 11: the cheapest room, also the smallest, but far big enough to practice. Room 11 has a Baldwin console in it. Not a bad piano but the acoustics are atrocious. That room rents about $12/hr. if I remember correctly.

The Lucy Moses School on West 67th Street. They rent practice rooms w/ piano on an hourly basis. Depending on class schedules you may be able to get some time in there. Less expensive as I recall.

I don't have the phone numbers of any of these places with me since I'm at work, but I'll post them tomorrow.

BTW, enjoy your stay in NYC. If you'd like to try getting together, post as such. Maybe a few of us NY'ers can get together with you for a holiday lunch or coffee.

Linda, Bernard, c v mom - thanks! I'll be checking up on all of those suggestions. Bernard - I'd be happy to get together; it's going to be very hectic for me once I'm in NY, but I'm sure I can fit lunch in; but you know I'll have to demand to hear the Sonatine! :-)

call beethoven pianos and ask them if they ever make pianos available to people who need to practice, short term. when i was there in october, they were letting someone come in in off hours to practice. i don't know if this was a special case or not.

if they can't accommodate you, they may know of other facilities you can use. try to talk to carl and explain your situation.

also, have you tried asking the julliard professor if you might get short-term permission to practice at julliard? julliard may also know of rental practice rooms.

You can actually just go to Juilliard and warm up. Their practice rooms are locked, IIRC, but just ask someone practicing nearby to open a room for you.

Lowenthal?