Murray State University’s Department of Music to offer free concert on Oct. 16 to celebrate new Steinway grand piano
By Aviva Yasgur | Sep 16, 2026
MURRAY, Ky. — Murray State University’s Department of Music invites the public to a dedication concert of its new performance Steinway grand piano to be held on Friday, Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Hall located in the Old Fine Arts Building on Murray State’s campus.
A dessert reception will follow the concert. The concert and reception are free to the public and will take place as part of the many activities planned for this year’s Homecoming Weekend.
The concert is designed to demonstrate the extraordinary range of sound and tone made possible by the fine craftsmanship for which a performance Steinway grand piano is so esteemed. Founded in 1853, Steinway & Sons has been hand-crafting world-class pianos that have come to be revered by generations of musicians for both their superior design and high caliber materials. The performances will feature solo, piano four-hand, and two-piano repertoire from a variety of classical composers such as Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and others played by Murray State University students, faculty and alumni.
The purchase of the piano was made possible by a gift from an anonymous donor, who in May 2025 made the largest single gift commitment in the history of the University’s Department of Music. This transformational investment allowed the department to purchase this new Steinway Model D concert grand piano as well as rebuild essential components of its older Steinway Model D.
“This gift is a dream come true for the Department of Music,” said Dr. Matthew Gianforte, professor of piano in Murray State University’s Department of Music. “While we have been fortunate to have been able to keep our concert pianos in playable shape for many years, old, tired pianos can be difficult for pianists to control and even harder for technicians to maintain a high quality of touch and sound. Our beautiful new Steinway, chosen in New York last summer, and our second concert grand, rebuilt by Steinway Nashville, will truly inspire students, faculty and guest artists to make beautiful music in our Performing Arts Hall for years to come.”
Chair of the Department of Music Dr. Mike D’Ambrosio added, “The impact of this brand new, world-class caliber Steinway piano extends far beyond just our piano students and faculty. Nearly every recital in our Performing Arts Hall includes a piano in the concert, whether it be a student's senior voice recital, a tuba professor's recital or a guest artist's violin recital. This unprecedented, generous gift instantly raised the quality of all of those concerts—for our students, our guest performers, and our audiences. The donor's recognition of the importance of music to this University and to its capacity to truly change lives, is inspiring for all of us.”
The anonymous gift also established two endowed funds that will shape the future of music education at Murray State for generations to come:
• An endowed Fund for Music Excellence, which will provide perpetual support for departmental needs, faculty development, programmatic innovation and student experiences; and
• A new Music Scholars Endowment, a scholarship supporting music students with financial need and exceptional talent.
These endowments will address not only immediate needs, but also long-term priorities such as student recruitment and retention, faculty support, performance travel and internship funding.
“Students studying music today are tomorrow’s performers, educators, composers, music industry professionals and leaders in the arts,” said D’Ambrosio. “This gift ensures that they have the best instruments, the best instruction and the best opportunities to grow and succeed. It affirms what we’ve always known: music matters. And at Murray State, it thrives.”
The department has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music since 1936 and by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation for its teacher certification programs. Murray State music graduates go on to become opera singers, music publishers, recording artists, artist managers, award-winning educators, recording engineers and more—each proudly carrying the Racer music tradition into the world.
The department’s broad range of ensembles and organizations—from the famed Racer Band and EQ Blu to the Wind Ensemble, Concert Choir and Campus Lights—offers real-world experience and lifelong connections for its students.
For more information about the Department of Music at Murray State University, visit murraystate.edu/music.
To learn more about supporting the Department of Music, please contact Director of Development Rebecca Dyer at 270-809-3940 or visit murraystate.edu/giving.