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Santa Catalina School is now home to a Steinway concert grand piano.

The piano was donated to the school by Lyn and Renée Bronson, two distinguished performers and teachers on the Monterey Peninsula. Mr. Bronson was a private music lesson instructor for Santa Catalina for many years.

Steinway & Sons describes its concert grand pianos, measuring just under 9 feet long, as “the overwhelming choice of the world’s greatest pianists and for anyone who demands the highest level of musical expression.” Santa Catalina Music Department Chair Mark Purcell called the piano a “glorious instrument of performance.”

Mr. Bronson purchased the piano from the factory in Germany in 1976 and has kept it “beautifully maintained” in the decades since. True to its name, the piano has a long history of use in concerts, including at Carmel’s storied Sunset Center. The inside of the piano bears the signatures of professional musicians who have played it.

Now, Santa Catalina’s music students have the opportunity to run their fingers over the black and white keys. “Renée and I hope that the gift of this piano will last for years and inspire future generations,” Mr. Bronson said. “We’re glad it’s here.”

To celebrate the donation, Santa Catalina hosted a special concert on March 26 in the Mary Johnson Recital Hall. “Grand! A Concert of Gratitude” featured performances by current and former students in Catalina’s private music lesson program—Joseph ’28 LS and Eugene ’20 LS—as well as by the school’s talented roster of piano instructors. You can watch the concert on our YouTube channel.