General News
13 August, 2025
Come along to Gil Alive’s ‘Party for the Piano’
Gilgandra is set to strike a celebratory chord later this month as Gilgandra Alive presents ‘Party for the Piano’, a lively evening honouring 40 years of music, community and memories made around the shire hall’s beloved grand piano.
The piano, purchased in the mid-1980s through the efforts of the then newly formed Gilgandra Entertainers’ Group, has since become a treasured centrepiece in the community’s creative life. Originally selected for its excellence in tone, strength and durability, the piano was acquired for a special price of $25,000 following a major fundraising campaign led by the group.
Over the past four decades, this full-size Yamaha Concert Grand Piano has been played at countless events, from community concerts and dramatic performances to Seniors Week festivities and the Gilgandra Film Festival. It has resonated with stories, laughter and applause, and has helped to cultivate local talent while also welcoming visiting performers.
The inaugural meeting of the Gilgandra Entertainers’ Group in 1984 set the tone for what would become a lasting legacy. The group worked to enhance the cultural life of the region, and the piano quickly became a symbol of that mission. A highlight of that meeting was the unanimous decision to pursue the purchase of a grand piano for the hall; a project that soon gained enthusiastic support from local organisations and residents alike.
The piano purchase also attracted renowned Australian classical pianist/composer, Roger Woodward AC OBE, who was the first person to hold a paid concert playing the hall’s new grand piano.
The upcoming celebration offers an opportunity to recognise this important cultural milestone, celebrate the community’s shared history and raise a glass to many more musical moments to come.
Whether you have played the piano, listened from the audience, or simply appreciate the role of music in our community, this event is a chance to say thank you to an instrument that has brought harmony to Gilgandra for 40 years.
