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Courtesy Photo
A crew from Apollo Piano Moving Co. loads a 1,000-pound Yamaha semi-concert grand piano Monday from Downtown Piano Works. The piano is headed to the White House for a PBS concert Wednesday. |
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Even in snow, the show must go on, especially when the show is at the White House.A piano from Downtown Piano Works, 74 S. Market St., was on its way Monday to the White House for a PBS concert celebrating Black History Month. "As part of the Yamaha Concert and Artists Bank of Instruments, we provide pianos when needed," said Dan Shykind, who owns the shop with his wife, Theresa. John Legend, one of the performers for the concert, set to be held Wednesday, is an official Yamaha artist. The Shykinds have provided pianos, through the Yamaha program, to performers at Wolf Trap and other venues, including the Weinberg Center for the Arts. It is the first time one of their pianos will be used in the White House. Shykind said he was contacted two weeks ago by Yamaha and it was confirmed last Wednesday. "We knew they would be picking it up today," he said. A truck and three-person crew from Apollo Piano Moving from Pennsylvania parked across East All Saints Street. "The lift came down on the snow," Shykind said. "I only use Apollo, they are the only one I trust." The crew covered the Yamaha semi-concert grand piano and loaded the 1,000-pound instrument onto the truck. The Shykinds said while the Secret Service did not come to his store, the movers have to take the piano off-site and have it checked before it will be taken into the White House. The movers had to be checked ahead of time, with their Social Security numbers and other documents, Shykind said. A Yamaha technician will be cleared as well, to make sure the piano is in tune and set up properly prior to the concert. With more snow on the way Tuesday and Wednesday, Shykind said the piano might not be delivered back to the downtown store Thursday as planned. "Worst-case scenario, the movers will store it in their climate controlled facility, and redeliver to us at a later date," Shykind said. The concert is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Thursday on PBS stations nationwide. The theme of the concert is music from the Civil Rights Movement. Besides Legend, other performers will include Yolanda Adams, Joan Baez, Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Jennifer Hudson, John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Seal, the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Howard University Choir and The Freedom Singers, Rutha Harris, Charles Neblett and Toshi Reagon. Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Queen Latifah and Joanne Woodward will be guest speakers.
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