NOCCA’s “new” Steinway piano pictured in it’s original home in Berne, Switzerland.

Did you know the grand piano used at the Vernon And District Performing Arts Centre is owned by the North Okanagan Community Concert Association (NOCCA)?

The “new to us” fully restored 1978 Hamburg Steinway saw its first concert in the Kultur Casino Saal, Berne, in Switzerland. During its time as a concert piano, its keys were caressed by pianists Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Edith Wiens, Elizabeth Leonskaya and Tatiyana Nikolayeva.

In 1988, the piano was purchased by a concert pianist who brought the piano with him to Canada when he moved here in 1995. After making a personal decision to downsize his residence, he asked Verhnjak Pianos in White Rock to find a buyer. Rod Verhnjak, knowing that NOCCA was in the market for a concert grand, contacted us and the rest is, as they say, musical history. After several technicians’ reports, as well as gracious playing by Ian Parker and Sarah Hagen, NOCCA made the decision to purchase the piano and proceed with the necessary refurbishing.

The piano was officially purchased by NOCCA in January 2015. The piano has been restored by Verhnjak Pianos of White Rock, BC, a firm with an excellent reputation of rebuilding pianos for more than forty years. We opened our 2016 – 2017 season with the ‘new’ Steinway played by Ian Parker, who introduced this beautiful instrument to us in a stunning performance.

NOCCA extends a sincere “thank you” to all the members, artists and donors who have contributed their support in bringing this new musical voice to our stage. We look forward to many more years of exceptional keyboard performances on our “new” Steinway Concert Grand.