Hi, I’m Michelle. I’ve had music in my home and my heart since early childhood. My dad pursued his degree in music when I was little. I was his steadfast companion, soaking in every note from under the piano, next to it, on his lap or even sitting on top of it. I would make up lyrics to songs that had none and sing along to the ones that did. He taught me play and it is still my happy creative outlet.

When I was 15 my family abruptly faced joblessness and homelessness and we had to leave California and move in with Uncle Joe, in Utah. We took only the possessions that fit in the car with us, including my four brothers and dogs. The piano didn’t make the list. We later learned that the piano we treasured had been destroyed. Heartbroken, years went by that we just didn’t have a piano in our family, I moved out for college, got married, supported my husband through his career in the Army, then we had 3 amazing kids, and now his career has shifted into law enforcement.

Post partum depression, hit me hard with my first baby, and it only got worse with the second. My husband's career demanded a lot of time away from home, I was lonely with three little kids. It was Uncle Joe who helped me realize I had lost a part of me when I stopped playing and singing back in highschool. So I would let him and my aunt play with the kids while I got a break and played their piano, and it was wonderful at recharging me. Uncle Joe passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in 2019. Yet another heartbreak.

What I found is that music, playing the piano and singing is what healed my soul.

When we bought our home I insisted that I must have a small separate front living room, some people call the home teacher room, but I call it my music room. This is where all the instruments are, we have been collecting second hand instruments for years, the kids and their friends enjoy it. When family comes over, especially my dad, this is where we gather. The SMALLEST room in the house, because music (only second to food) has become the center of our gatherings. 

I want this piano to last forever, to be our family heirloom. My husband and I enjoy playing, when ever my dad comes to visit we gather around and listen to him play on it. I heave every intention of this lasting forever. I found this upright grand piano on ksl and it ‘called’ to me. I kept looking at the ad for 2 months saving up the money for movers. It was meant to be in our family, it was like a magnetic force.

My dad and I have taken it apart, cleaned it and made some repairs. Brigham Larsen has tuned and helped make repairs as well. This piano will be our family heirloom because of how much it means to me. It is a 1908 piano, has a small crack in the sound board, and a few tuning pins that need replacing, some of the strings are mismatched, the hammer heads have seen better days and should all be replaced, the keys click when I play, some notes are very muffled others reverberate a bit too much and the damper doesn’t always dampen. It's not perfect on the exterior, you can tell that its been moved incorrectly a handful of times based on the scuffs. Nothing too serious though. Restoring this piano isn't just about refurbishing wood and strings; it's about revitalizing our life long connection, ensuring that every note resonates with the richness and depth it deserves. Winning this contest would mean giving me the gift of continued inspiration, allowing melodies to soar to new heights and a legacy of music to endure for generations to come. 

• YEAR 1900-1910
  
• MAKE Behr
• FINISH Cherry or Oak
• CATEGORY CONTESTANT