You Will See Painted Pianos All Over Berkshire County

You’ll see them all around the Berkshires soon.
Beautiful Painted Pianos have begun arriving at parks and libraries, galleries and restaurants.

Photo courtesy of Christine Melanson. Outside the North Adams Public Library.

Photo From the Library of Congress

IBerkshires.com reports that the summer-long collaborative celebration of the Berkshires Summer of Music and famed conductor and pianist Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday will be making music in the community beginning tomorrow and running through August 25th.

There will be a number of pop-up concerts and the event will conclude with an auctioning off of the artwork to benefit the Berkshire Music School August 26th.
Tracy Wilson, executive director of the Berkshire Music School, said the concept had been to provide a musical connection, and more than a dozen pianos have been donated.

Photos by the city of Pittsfield Parks and Recreation

A little history for you on the Berkshire Music School.

The Pittsfield Community Music School opened its doors to 40 students in 1940, thanks to the philanthropy of Winnie Davis Long Crane, with the original mission,

"to provide quality education in music and musical opportunities to people in the greater Berkshire community regardless of race, religion, ethnic origin, disability, age, or ability to pay”.

In 2002, the name evolved into the more inclusive Berkshire Music School.

The School moved to its 1870 historic Pittsfield home in 1943. A carriage barn on this Wendell Avenue property was restored in 1996 to create a 90-seat recital hall and additional teaching studios.

Mrs. Crane guided and served the Music School for 37 years. She and her husband, Bruce Crane, faithfully filled the annual gap between tuition income and operating expenses.

Upon her death, Mrs. Crane generously bequeathed an endowment which continues to support the vision of the School today. Unfortunately, proceeds of this endowment do not meet the current needs of BMS, and it does not provide for any depreciation and capital needs.  Berkshire Music School depends upon the generosity of its local community, grants and fundraising activities to provide the necessary funds.