Overview:

Peterborough's restored Chickering grand piano will make its debut in a celebration on Sunday, April 19.. The historic instrument has been part of Peterborough's history for over 100 years.

Peterborough’s restored historic Chickering grand piano will make its debut at an all-afternoon celebration starting at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at the Peterborough Town House, hosted by the Monadnock Folklore Society and the Town of Peterborough.

“We are very excited about this event celebrating this historic instrument, which has been part of Peterborough’s history for over 100 years,” said Lisa Sieverts of the Monadnock Folklore Society.

Admission to the celebration is free, and donations the Monadnock Folklore Society, which has committed to maintaining the historic piano going forward, are welcome.

The event will open with performances by the Monadnock Chorus, pianist Dan Sedgwick and violinist Marjorie Gere, pianist Virginia Eskin, and pianist and composer Ben Cosgrove. Following these performances, Laurie Indenbaum on fiddle and Larry Siegel on piano will play songs composed by late Peterborough folk music legend Bob McQuillen.

At 5 p.m., the concert will be followed by a contra dance with Steve Zakon-Anderson calling and music by the Sugar River Band (the Orzechowski family with Sarah Bauhan) and the Open Band.

A contra dance will be held Saturday at the Peterborough Town House.
A contra dance at the Peterborough Town House. Credit: Staff photos by Ben Conant

Piano is part of Peterborough history

The Town House’s Chickering grand piano has a long and storied history. The instrument was built in the 1890’s by Massachusetts-based Chickering & Sons, which was the first piano manufacturer in the United States. Chickering & Sons, founded in 1823, was later purchased by the American Piano Company and later, the Baldwin Piano Company.

In 1918, the piano was gifted to the town of Peterborough for the grand opening of the Town House. The “Peterborough Transcript” mentioned the “Chickering Concert Grand Piano” in a story about the dedication of the Town House which ran on Thursday, March 7, 1918.

According to Sieverts, who worked with the Monadnock Center for History and Culture in Peterborough to research the history of the piano, there is no written record of who donated the instrument to the town.

A historic photo of the Peterborough Town House. Credit: COURTESY

The piano served the town of Peterborough for well over 100 years. Sieverts said the piano, being in a heavily used public space, “has had a hard life.” At some point, the piano was damaged when being moved from the stage to the floor of the Town House.

“Until about eight or 10 years ago, were will still using that piano at least monthly for our folk dances,” Sieverts stated in 2024. “It’s been used by countless other groups and for hundreds of other community events over the years.” 

A photo from the restoration process of the piano as of Oct. 1. Credit: COURTESY

By 2023, the piano was “showing its age,” and the Town of Peterborough had to decide whether it make more sense to try to restore the instrument or purchase a new piano for the Town House.

According to the Town of Peterborough, an expert piano restorer then assessed the instrument and “noted that despite its condition it had the potential to be an outstanding performance piano.”   In researching both options, Sieverts learned that “restoring the piano was by far the most cost-effective solution.”

“The restorer said we could never buy a new piano as good as this one. It’s very special,” Sieverts stated.

Peterborough’s Chickering piano is especially beloved by the Monadnock Folklore Society and in the local contra-dancing community, where it is known to longtime dancers as “Johnny Trombly’s piano.”

Johnny Trombly, a piano player in Ralph Page’s orchestra, which led the resurgence American of folk and contra based in Nelson, NH through the 1960; was also a mentor of the late Bob McQuillen, a nationally renowned composer and dance caller who lived in Peterborough.

The late folk music legend Bob McQuillen. Credit: COURTESY
Peterborough’s antique Chickering piano is in need of an estimated $45,000 in repairs.
The piano prior to restoration. Credit: JESSECA TIMMONS/Ledger-Transcript
A detail of the Chickering piano in the Peterborough Townhouse, which is estimated to date from the 1890s.
A detail of Peterborough’s historic Chickering piano. Credit: JESSECA TIMMONS/Ledger-Transcript

The Monadnock Folklore Society partnered with the Town of Peterborough to raise money from state grants, private foundations, and individual donors to fund the 11-month restoration process, which cost in total around $45,000. The project, which started in December 2024, was supported by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, the Conservation License Plate Program and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

The restoration was completed by Massachusetts piano restorer Jim Ialeggio, who specializes in Chickering pianos. A photo history of the work is available at monadnockfolk.org/about/help-save-bobs-piano/.

“This restoration is more than fixing an instrument. It’s about honoring the legacy of local musicians like Bob McQuillen and maintaining the joy of live music in Peterborough for generations to come,” Sieverts said.

The Chickering grand piano in the restoration process. Credit: COURTESY

The Monadnock Folklore Society has presented contra dances and concerts of traditional music in the region since 1982.  For more information, call 603-762-0235 or visit www.monadnockfolk.org.