Fabulous gift of a grand piano for Arran
For many years, the wistful idea that Arran could own a good grand piano has been talked about, but now, due to the immense generosity of Dr Colin Guthrie, the idea has become a reality. On September 6th, just in time for the big events of this year’s McLellan Festival, a magnificent 6’6″ grand piano made by Kawai, a firm renowned for the easy action and beautiful tone of their pianos, will be arriving at the Lamlash Community Theatre.
The story of how this miracle came about began at the McLellan Arts Festival last year. When Peter Alexander Wilson brought his Royal Northern College of Music students to give their memorable Opera Gala, he was concerned that the island had no top-quality piano. Finding that the community had already set up a Piano Fund with a small start of £800, he began to cast around seriously for a suitable instrument. Martin Smith, who owns Peter Smith and Sons (Pianos) in Paisley, was keen to help, and the well-known pianist, John Wilson, came up from Manchester to try out the instruments in the showroom. He also came over to Arran to assess the hall acoustically, and decided that the Kawai would be the perfect piano for the island’s needs – but affording it remained a problem.
Dr Colin Guthrie enabled the dream to be realised. Modestly and with no fuss, he contributed £20,140, enabling the piano to be bought outright. It will be housed on an A-frame, allowing ease of movement in and out of the community theatre in the high school, where it will be kept, and undoubtedly it will attract top-flight pianists who seek to perform on a first-rate instrument. On September 9th, when the Royal Northern students again give a magnificent Opera Gala, those who attend that event will hear the piano all its glory. John Wilson, who had so much to do with choosing it, hopes to be present to give a short recital before the main part of the evening starts.
Colin Guthrie (pictured) is modest about his great contribution to the island. ‘The Arran community gives so much,’ he says, ‘and I’d just like to give something back.’ A wise and intensely creative man, he has lived on Arran full-time for three years since his wife’s death at a sadly early age, and has no truck with the commercial greed that is so dominant in today’s life. Music is important to him, and so are the detailed, simple pleasures of knowing every inch of a beach and its unexpected gifts. His cottage in Brodick, bought ten years ago as a holiday home but now his permanent centre, is full of the fascinating natural shapes of driftwood, eroded metal and the remains of machinery, seen for their visual possibilities. With the sensitive awareness of a natural and highly perceptive artist, Colin lives by standards that are not self-seeking or competitive, and Arran, which he describes as ‘emotionally digestible’ has in countless ways given him value that he treasures. That he has chosen to give the island such an opulent gift as a token of that value is a rare and touching thing, but as he says with characteristic modesty, ‘It’s something that will last.’
