Association hires concert piano

The Pearl Beach Progress Association is offering its concert piano for hire and for recital, following its purchase in June last year.

The association purchased the piano with the help of a $5000 donation by a local family.

The donation from the Irvine family was to commemorate their parents, Alex and Helen Irvine.

The piano is a black Kawai upright, believed to have been in little use by a family in Hong Kong, and subsequently purchased from Gray's Music, Singleton, via a Newcastle firm which imports pianos.

The piano's first formal use by the association was for the Central Coast Conservatorium, in a concert given by students from Gosford and Slovakian music group Nitra.

The piano was formally presented to the community in a ceremony as part of the 10th Annual Pearl Beach Chamber Music Festival on the June Long Weekend last year.

It was proposed that its use would continue in the annual Pearl Beach Chamber Music Festivals.

It is also available for hire by appropriately qualified persons.

Gosford Conservatorium Music Scholarships funded by the local community and the Irvine family will ensure its continued use as a recital instrument for the benefit of Peninsula residents.

The piano's commemorative plaque reads:

"In loving memory of Alex and Helen Irvine, proud Pearl Beach pioneers. Donated by their loving sons Alex, Jim, John and Warwick"

Helen Irvine was the daughter of John Knight, and John and his sisters Rosie and Daisy Knight bought five of the first blocks offered for sale in Pearl Beach in1926 and built the first house in the area.

This first fibro and timber home "Noonameena" or "sleeping place in the bush" was completed in 1927 for Daisy Knight.

Press release, January 17 Kay Williams