The Brighton Board of Education has approved the purchase of a rebuilt 1927 Steinway Model L from Piano Nation in Milford for $25,000.

The instrument will be used as a practice piano and will be housed in the choir practice room. The school district got a break on the price as the piano had an original value of $74,000 and a store price tag of $54,000. The district put out a request for proposals and received 10 responses. The proposals ranged from a high of about $88,000 to a low of just under $20,000.

Steinway & Sons is regarded as the most well-known and revered piano manufacturer in the world. It was founded by a German immigrant to the US and has factories in New York and Hamburg, Germany. Supt. Greg Gray tells WHMI that Choir Director Phil Johnson wanted a Steinway because that’s the brand that’s used onstage at the Brighton Center for the Performing Arts, where the different choir groups perform.

The high school has a highly-regarded vocal music program and its top chorus was invited to Italy last year. The climax of the trip was performing a number before Pope Francis and singing a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. However Gray says that was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence that won’t likely be repeated anytime soon.

Brighton High School has four main choirs and three after-school ensembles, and Gray says they will get plenty of use out of the piano. (TT)