I am from Provo, Utah originally but have lived in Colorado since 1981. I have always LOVED music for as long as I can remember! My mother listened to classical piano music and her favorite operas on our old stereo all day long and my father played a trumpet in his own band way back in the 50's and 60's so we also listened to a lot of jazz (big band style). I took piano lessons for two years in the 60's (age 9 and 10) and ended up quitting because I did not like my extremely stern teacher.
In 1990 in our small Branch in Frisco, Colorado we suddenly found ourselves without any pianists. I was asked to accompany the Primary children and have learned to play the organ as well. For the last thirty-plus years I have been the organist/piano accompanist for the Frisco congregation and also in our new ward where we live now. I've played for many meetings, programs, musical numbers, and funerals over the years. About 15 years ago I suddenly had a desire to teach beginning students and have had a thriving piano studio ever since.
I first met my piano when we moved to Frisco, Colorado in 1981. A new friend invited us to her tiny cabin to have dinner and there it was in the middle of her small living space with a fish tank on it. I was drawn to both the piano and the gorgeous tank. She told me that an old woman in Frisco had given it to her in exchange for lessons but the lady had passed away and I never met her. A few years later my friend moved to Utah.
One day in the late 80's I received a call from another friend of mine that sounded a bit hysterical on the phone. She said if I didn't come get the piano she was planning to push it off her deck! Apparently this woman had been gifted the piano and her boys were "playing" it with her husband's construction hammers! It's a huge upright so it took several strong men to get it to my house and it has been with me through several moves and years of enjoyment and lessons.
The piano is a 1912 Hasbrouck New York Cabinet Grand. It has such a huge place in my heart! It doesn't take much work to tune it and has a gorgeous deep tone.
One day about a year ago I was looking online to find some history of my Hasbrouck and discovered a video of Brigham Larson Pianos restoring a "twin" of my piano. I was in awe of the beautiful finished product! I would love to have mine restored to its original elegance once again.
