Svolvær church
In Svolvær Church, there was a good but smaller grand piano that was not really suitable for this room for a long time. Therefore, the church was not used very much during the festivals, with the exception of a concert in the summer of 2019. Afterwards, talk began in the festival's board about whether Svolvær Church should also acquire a concert grand piano. This is without a doubt - together with Stamsund Church - the church with the best acoustics for classical music in Lofoten.
STEINWAY & SON'S MODEL D, 2019
In Svolvær Church, there was a good but smaller grand piano that was not really suitable for this room for a long time. Therefore, the church was not used very much during the festivals, with the exception of a concert in the summer of 2019. Afterwards, talk began in the festival's board about whether Svolvær Church should also acquire a concert grand piano. This is without a doubt - together with Stamsund Church - the church with the best acoustics for classical music in Lofoten.
Knut Kirkesæther moved to Oslo in autumn 2019. He then got in better contact with the new owner in Steinway Norway, Gisle Daus. In his showroom at Stortingsgata 30, he had exhibited a newly renovated Steinway & Son's model D. The instrument had been standing for 30 years at Heimdal Videregående Skole just outside Trondheim. The instrument worked very well, and the price was "only" NOK 750,000. Again, Christian Ihle Hadland was sent out to take a look at the quality. He was very well pleased.
THE FESTIVAL'S SECOND CONCERT GRAND
As the organ in Svolvær Church had been out of service since 2017, a fundraising campaign was already underway under the auspices of the congregation. It was therefore unthinkable to suggest that Svolvær Menighet should invest in the instrument.
During a board meeting of the Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival in autumn 2019, the summer's surplus was again a topic. At the same time, the festival was in the process of entering into a new sponsorship agreement with Nordic Last og Buss - which is owned by the culturally interested Per Gunnar Strømberg Rasmussen. The board was therefore unconditionally positive about financing the instrument.
After some haggling, the price ended up at NOK 675,000, which was financed with a 5-year loan from Sparebank 1 Nord-Norge of NOK 400,000. The festival paid the rest in cash.
CHRISTMAS GIFT TO SVOLVÆR CHURCH
Svolvær Church got its Steinway & Son's model D in mid-December, and was further inaugurated by the pianist Christian Grøvlen on 10 March 2020. Thus, Steinway & Son's concert grand piano number 10 in place in Lofoten. The grand piano, which was in the church from before, was placed in Straumen church just outside Laukvik.