Courtesy Steinway-Artist-in-Residence Rebecca Penneys to Debut New Steinway Concert Grand Piano at USF

Friday, December 13, 2019
Rebecca Penneys in front of a piano in a concert hall
On Sunday, January 19, 2020, at 2 p.m., USF Courtesy Steinway-Artist-in-Residence Rebecca Penneys will debut a special Steinway black walnut concert grand piano at the USF School of Music Concert Hall.

Donated to the school by an anonymous donor in 2017 and recently restored with a generous $35,000 gift from Penneys herself, the piano will be looking and sounding its best when it takes the stage for its first USF performance.

"My mission is to help promote music and music education in the Tampa Bay area. ... My hope is that all my projects will help next the generation of musicians fulfill their dreams," said Penneys. "Good instruments are essential for all pianists. It is my great honor and privilege to welcome this special piano to USF, and give a celebratory concert."

In addition to performing on the piano, Penneys will also make comments about the music and the instrument, which features a striking walnut case. It has been restored to a like-new condition by the Music Gallery of Clearwater.

This newly-acquired unique Steinway instrument matches USF’s commitment to trusting the Steinway brand. In 2011, the USF School of Music became a prestigious All-Steinway School, giving USF music students the opportunity to create music from practice room to stage on exclusively Steinway & Sons pianos.

You are invited to join the College of The Arts for this special event. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for seniors and active military, and $15 for general admission. A reception will follow the concert in the USF Concert Hall lobby. To purchase tickets, visit the USF College of The Arts box office in the School of Music Concert Hall or call (813)-974-2323.

About Rebecca Penneys

American pianist Rebecca Penneys is a recitalist, chamber musician, orchestral soloist, educator, and adjudicator. For over six decades her passionate and insightful performances have held audiences spellbound. Hailed as a pianist of prodigious talent, she possesses a daredevil technique, the sort charismatic stage presence that demands attention, and an interpretive gift that make her performances into musical revelations. She is Founder/Director of Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival, a tuition-free piano festival held every July at USF.