How to book 251 concerts, part 3: Tap into networks

The challenge of this project is not just finding 251 places to play, but wherever possible, places with a playable acoustic piano. To locate them, we’re tapping into various networks.

Piano technicians. The Piano Technicians Guild has a Vermont Chapter. If there’s a piano that’s being taken decent care of, one of the Guild members is probably taking care of it. The President and Secretary couple of Justin and Emily Rose kindly posted a blanket inquiry to the Guild’s listserv that has led to useful tips on where to find pianos in out-of-the-way places, or where the best pianos are in place with several to choose from. In particular, technicians know about pianos in private homes that might not otherwise be easy to discover.

Librarians. Ironically, perhaps, town libraries are a frequently where a decent piano meets a public space. (I’ll play quietly.)

Music educators. Schools often have a piano in a big room, if not an auditorium. Much of Vermont’s population is rural and aging, so most towns belong to consolidated school districts that share a high school, middle school, or even elementary school with several other towns. This gives union school music teachers a central role and bird’s-eye view of the music scene in multiple towns. So far that has proven enormously helpful in getting information about a multi-town region quickly. Also, we are aiming to include collaborations with local musicians wherever possible, and music teachers know the musically active current and past students. The same is true of many church music directors, who may serve in multiple towns, or whose churches may have congregants from a broad area.

Town Clerks. When I started thinking about this project, Freddie Hart, who coordinated the Vermont Symphony’s Project 251 in the 1980s, told me to “talk to the Town Clerks”. That makes sense: in my town of Huntington, long-time Town Clerk Heidi Racht is the person who, put simply, knows everyone and everything. (Actually, she splits the role of omniscient ombudsperson with Linda Pecor, who runs Beaudry’s, the general store.) So far, though, we haven’t reached out to Clerks. I think the fact that one can do an internet text or map search on a town together with likely prospects such as “church” or “library” or “grange” has made the Town Clerks’ living knowledge a less obviously essential starting point. 

You know, as I wrote that last sentence, it felt quite sad and contrary to the community, humanist spirit of the project. Time to close the computer and start calling Clerks!