Schools can apply for pianos rejected by China from today

The Karel Komárek Family Foundation (KKFF) today invited schools to start submitting applications for all of the pianos that KKFF bought from established Czech manufacturer Petrof after their Chinese buyer had refused to accept the order. The invitation to submit applications is open until 5 October 2020.

“We were overwhelmed by the positive response to our purchase of the pianos, and would again like to express our gratitude,” said KKFF co-founder Štěpánka Komárková, who said that, not only did the Foundation receive a large number of positive responses, it has also received more than four hundred serious requests from applicants. “Due to the fact that the shipment purchased by my husband and I included three grand and eight upright pianos, we had to set clear rules about who can apply. Our mission includes the support and development of talented young musicians, and we drew up our criteria for the selection of schools according to this,” added Komárková. According to the invitation just announced, the application process for one of the eight PETROF upright pianos (types P118 M1, P125 M1 a 131 M1) and three PETROF grand pianos (one Passat and two Breeze) is open to art-based primary schools, primary schools with extended music teaching, primary schools with a music section, or schools for handicapped children with expanded music teaching. The precise conditions for the invitation can be found at www.komarekfoundation.org/pianadoskol

According to KKFF director Luboš Veselý, when evaluating applications from art-based primary schools the expert commission will take into account, for example, the history of schools and the quality of their teaching, as measured by achievements of pupils at the school in the last ten years, and for primary schools, the commission will look at the school’s activities in the fields of music, participation of pupils in competitions, or the organisation of public concerts. The number of pupils at the school will also play a role, and the schools current supply of musical instruments will also be taken into account – and primarily the number of upright and grand pianos at the school, and their condition. “School representatives can find the application form and the exact conditions for the invitation on our website. The invitation is open until 5 October,” added Veselý. www.komarekfoundation.org/pianadoskol Applications will be assessed by an expert commission with years of experience not only in music, but also in musical education. “We have been supporting classical music for thirteen years, during which time we have built an outstanding network of experts, whose knowledge we will also draw on for this” says Veselý.

“The massive level of interest in the pianos shows that Czech schools suffer from a lack of musical instruments, which is an impediment to the musical education of the youngest children. Music has always been a speciality of the Czech nation and supporting a broad base of musicians makes sense. For this reason we are considering how we can continue to develop the project to provide pianos to schools,” adds Štěpánka Komárková.