LFHS Applause Organization, along with numerous donors, managed to raise over $100,000 in donations for the Music Department to buy a new grand piano. Specifically, the LFHS Choral Department will inherit this generous gift from the donors.

Applause launched the Buy a Key fundraiser in order to gather enough money to pay for the piano, The piano they bought? A Fazioli F212.

The acclaimed Italian piano company is known for its elaborate handmade and expensive instruments. Lake Forest High School is one of only two schools in Illinois to have a Fazioli piano. .

“We have an Honors program where the students sing in recitals and play their instruments,” said Choral Director Tim Haskett in the Buy a Key promotional video. “And the piano is a huge asset to us in that program, as well as all of our concerts.”

But why did the music department need a new piano?

The music faculty said that the Yamaha was in need of replacement. After 26 years of accompanying the choir and soloists in recitals, playing under band and orchestra instruments, and through everyday wear and tear, it was time to retire the instrument. The sound wore away, and the it was constantly in need of being tuned.

“We listen to the recording after our concerts ,and we know that the instrument is holding us back,” said Orchestra Director Robert Bassill. “The piano has served us well, but over time, has lost some of its tone and quality of sound.”

When the new piano was delivered in the mid-March, the choir accompanist, Mrs. Mah, played a piece to showcase the signature sound of the Fazioli. According to Fazioli, the instrument is specially tuned by sound engineers to produce a lower bass and mellower sound.

“What we found is when you bring in a high-quality instrument, it raises the level of… of our performers,” said Band Director Janine Kessler. “The piano has the ability to do that more than any other instrument.”

Last Friday, the music department hosted a donor’s recital to showcase the new piano.

To open the recital, a representative from PianoForte gave a presentation on the history of the Fazioli company, followed by Timothy and Natasha Mah, who performed a four-hand piano piece.

Featured in the recital were LFHS music students. Rana Muratoglu and Adam Clayton sang solos accompanied by Mrs. Mah, and Eva Sharman, who performed a piece for solo piano. Priya Krishnaswamy accompanied Grace and Jane Mockus in a piano trio, and Katie Pierce performed on oboe. Faculty members closed the recital with a trio by Mrs. Mah, Mr. Bassill, and Mrs. Kessler.