Oh, Contrarian!: January 2016

About Me

Location: Bedford, Ohio, United States

After a career as a teacher of English, theater, and psychology in grades 6 through 12, Bill Lavezzi began a second career in 2000 as a full-time advocate for public education and educators. Interests include theater and music. While teaching, he directed or produced over thirty school theatrical productions, and since the early eighties he has served two parishes in southeastern Cuyahoga County as an organist, pianist, and cantor. Since 2010, he has been the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Central Committee member for Bedford precinct 6B.

Sunday, January 31, 2016

After 45 years, Grandma Carrier's Piano Sings Again!

Today, piano technician George Knotek finished work on our new-old piano.

Lynn's grandmother, Helen Slattery Carrier, was a piano teacher. Long after she stopped giving lessons, knowing that I was the only relative who played, she left this piano to Lynn. It spent the years since 1971 at Lynn's mother's house, and when the house was sold last May, we finally sent it to George for rebuilding.

This is a Wurlitzer baby grand made in 1934. At 4'6", it's the smallest grand I've played, but after George's expert attention, it sounds much bigger. He refinished the sound board and plate; replaced the strings; refaced the white keys and refinished the sharps; and regulated, voiced, and tuned it. Eden Finishing in Slavic Village sanded down and refinished the aged mahogany case.

I'm proud to make Grandma Carrier's piano sing again!