Meiriet's Culture Center

Autumn 2016 was Meiriet Kultursenter under construction, with an expected opening in 2017. No decision had yet been made regarding the building's own concert grand piano. At the same time, the festival's friends' association was on its regular themed trip – this time to Berlin – with Knut Kirkesæther as tour guide. It was during a tour of the concert hall of the Berlin Philharmonic that the idea went from thought to action.

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The festival's own piano technician – Thomas Hübsch – is responsible for the orchestra's approx. 20 grand pianos that are in the concert hall at all times. A tour of his workshop was rounded off by a surprise concert with Georgy Tchaidze. He then played on a Steinway & Son's model D that Thomas had just renovated. The instrument was therefore in top condition - and ready for sale for only €60,000. At the time, this corresponded to well under half of a new one.

Kirkesæther politely asked Thomas to wait to sell the instrument until the case at Meiriet Kultursenter was settled. In the municipal council, there was of course interest, but no money. The budget gaps were many and large, and several politicians believed that the house would initially have to manage without a concert grand piano.

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THE FESTIVAL LEADS

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During a board meeting of the Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival, it was decided to start yet another fundraising campaign for the purpose. The board put NOK 50,000 into the pot and started the campaign. Ambitious enough, the aim was to collect the money before the opening of the house, in May 2017.

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Unfortunately, the fundraising campaign came into competition with the Dairy's own campaign for the purchase of chairs for the main hall. The festival was therefore politely but firmly asked to end the action. At that time, the campaign was halfway through, not least because of a large donation from Vestvågøy Music Council.

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THE CULTURE CENTER OPENS – WITH ITS OWN CONCERT GRAND

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After a new board meeting of the Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival, a request was sent whether Vestvågøy Municipality itself could contribute the NOK 300,000 that was then missing. The decision took a long time, but in the end there was a grant of 350,000 which was also to cover the shipping from Berlin. The price also included travel and accommodation for Thomas Hübsch to prepare the grand piano for the inauguration in May.

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At Easter 2017, the instrument was driven from Berlin to Lofoten with a hired transport agency. The freight came to NOK 30,000.

The Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival put the new concert grand piano into use for the first time during the festival's opening concert on 10 July 2017. The grand piano then had a significant role, and was more than approved by both the artists and the audience.