Fans attending the Nov. 3 football game between West Virginia University and Texas Christian University will experience a once-in-a-lifetime event at halftime as the WVU Marching Band carries a Steinway & Sons grand piano onto the field.

WVU’s legendary music professor and pianist James “Doc” Miltenberger will then perform “Country Roads” with the band.

It was Doc Miltenberger who originally wrote the arrangement of the popular song that the Band plays today. Miltenberger recently celebrated his 50th year on the WVU music faculty.

All of the excitement at the game on Nov. 3 is part of the College of Creative Arts’ effort to become an All-Steinway School, joining other major universities across the country and throughout the world that use Steinway pianos exclusively.

Football fans and arts supporters of that initiative will be able to text a $10 contribution to WVU’s All-Steinway Campaign, using their cell phones—before, during and in the weeks after the game. Just text “WVU PIANO” to the phone number 85944 and show your Mouintaineer Pride! (Please note that there must be a space between WVU and PIANO.)

According to Dean Paul Kreider, the College of Creative Arts two years ago began an initiative called “All Keyed Up,” that is sponsored through the WVU Foundation, and in conjunction with Steinway Piano Gallery Pittsburgh, the regional representative for Steinway & Sons.

“All of this will advance the quality of education in our School of Music,” he said.

“The designation of WVU as an All-Steinway School will add to the reputation of our nationally recognized music program, as we join 150 of the world’s most prestigious music institutions who perform solely on Steinway pianos.”

“Some donors may choose to give larger gifts to the Steinway Campaign, but for this event at Milan Puskar Stadium on Nov. 3, we are asking for a texting gift of $10, and you don’t even have to be at the stadium that day to make a gift.”

Dean Kreider said that 70 percent of the pianos at the WVU Creative Arts Center are at least 30 years old. Therefore, the College is committed to raising $4 million to purchase more than 65 new Steinway pianos.

“Steinway pianos are the standard for concert stages worldwide, with 98 percent of performing artists choosing to play Steinway,” he said.

The designation as an All-Steinway School is reserved for schools of music who meet Steinway’s criteria which provide for the best instruments possible for the study and performance of music.

Currently, All-Steinway Schools include Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Yale School of Music, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Texas Christian University, Oklahoma State University, the University of Maryland, and many others.

For more information about how to contribute to the All-Steinway Campaign, contact Glenn Rosswurm, director of development at the College of Creative Arts at 304-293-4331 or email Glenn.Rosswurm@mail.wvu.edu.

For more information on Steinway pianos, visit the Steinway & Sons website at www.steinway.com.

And if you aren’t able to attend the game, be sure to check out the College of Creative Arts website and Facebook page afterwards, to see a special YouTube video of this one-of-a-kind performance of “Country Roads.”

-WVU-

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.