Grantham Prep Wins Historic Piano
Pupils at Grantham Prep School are celebrating after winning a very special grand piano in a prestigious national competition. Head Kathryn Korcz was presented with the heirloom Broadwood & Sons piano, which was once owned by the family of cellist Jacqueline du Pré, in a special ceremony earlier this month. The school were awarded the prize after writing about their love of music, in a competition run by ISA and two of our Gold Suppliers: telecoms and IT specialist du Pré plc and education management information system developer Double First Ltd. The piano, which has been in the du Pré family for many years, was generously donated by Piers du Pré, founder of the du Pré Group. Mr du Pré said that he wanted the piano “to find a new home where it will be cherished and used for the advancement and great love of music”. The piano was built sometime between 1900 and 1910, in the same era that Broadwood and Sons supplied a piano to Captain Scott's Antarctic expedition. John Broadwood & Sons is the oldest and one of the most prestigious piano companies in the world and the company holds the Royal Warrant as manufacturer of pianos to Queen Elizabeth II.