| SVU |
CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIETY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES |
SVU Washington Donates a New Piano to the Embassy
On
Tuesday, October 12, 1999, on the occasion of a recital by piano prodigy Lukas Vondracek
at the Czech Embassy, Dr. Alexej Borkovec, President of the Washington, DC Chapter of SVU
(Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences), presented the new concert piano Petrof III M
to Martina Vondrova, wife of the Czech Ambassador. Mrs. Vondrova expressed her delight and
her heartfelt thanks.
The new piano is the culmination of a two-year effort by the Washington, DC SVU chapter to
acquire a new, high quality instrument for the Embassy. Since 1990, SVU Washington, DC has
been co-hosting concerts at the Embassy, and in recent years it had come to their
attention that the Baldwin piano on the premises had seen better days and was not adequate
for the needs of the fine musicians who perform at the Chancery. After two years of
research and negotiations, the SVU chapter was informed of the possibility of buying an
excellent piano from the Petrof company in Hradec Kralove, who was willing to sell it to
SVU at a very advantageous price. Beginning in August 1999, SVU organized a fund raiser,
mailing requests for contributions to all SVU chapter members, as well as to known
music-lovers who attend the Embassy concerts on a regular basis. Within two months, over
$9,000 was raised, the rest coming from the coffers of the SVU chapter.
The SVU Washington, DC chapter is very proud to be making this gift. It is not only a gift
to the Embassy, but an assurance of the quality of music which will be perfomed at the
Embassy in the years to come. The Czechs, all agree, have no better and more appreciated
export than their music.
Source: Czech the News November 1999
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