After elementary student Olivia Huelsenbeck wrote a letter to the editor in March noting that the 15-year-old Clavinova keyboard and piano in her music class was in poor shape, the community took note.

The Turtletown Players community theater group hosted a concert on June 1 that raised funds for the purchase of a new digital Clavinova piano.

Fifth graders Carly Bonar and Donovan Geiger practice for the All State Choir auditions while Sue Lough, their teacher, accompanies them on the new Clavinova purchased by community donations.

With the help of the Turtletown Players, Churubusco Rotary, the Dekko Foundation, the CES PTO and private donations, donations exceeded the $5,000 goal, said Sue Lough, longtime music teacher at Churubusco Elementary School.

Two weeks ago, a new Clavinova was delivered to Lough’s classroom.

“With the extra money, we were able to purchase some accessories like cables and a microphone that we would not have had the money for,” Lough said.

The new digital Clavinova contains the technology to connect to a computer, something the old one did not, Lough said.

Manufactured by Yamaha, the piano/keyboard combines the accurate reproduction of sampling technology with the richly textured harmonic nuances of a real grand piano. The piano offers such features as Internet Direct Connection (IDC), enhanced song and lyric LCD displays. 

Two fifth grade students who are preparing for the All State Choir auditions joined Lough after school Thursday to practice their songs while Lough accompanied them on the new piano.

“We’re all very excited,” Lough said, “And we certainly want to thank everyone in the community who made this possible.”