Sisters High School has a new piano

Amanda Sarles (standing) and Sarah Douglass check out the new piano. photo by Jim Mitchell

Luck, coincidence, miles of driving and hard work by a handful of Sisters High School staff and students paid off this month in the donation of a new baby grand piano to the school.

Last summer Brad Tisdel, director of the Americana Project at Sisters High School, was doing a music gig at Black Butte Ranch. A break reunited Tisdel with pianist Michael Allan Harrison and his partner, singer Julianne Johnson, who had been performing at a lawn wedding outside. Tisdel had previously performed as an opening act for Harrison.

In discussing their respective careers, Tisdel related the story of the Americana Project. Harrison and Johnson became interested and invited Tisdel to perform at a Fall Outdoor Festival outside Monmouth.

Tisdel and Kerani Mitchell, an Americana Project student, performed and spoke about the project. At that time, Harrison invited Mitchell to record on a fund-raiser Christmas album for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

She drove to Portland to record "Welcome to my World" and and repeated the drive to perform in a live benefit concert in Portland.

In their Black Butte meeting Tisdel learned about the Snowman Foundation, founded in 1999 by Harrison, to promote the performing arts in the Pacific Northwest. The Snowman Foundation has raised close to $700,000 and placed over 30 pianos in targeted schools, "at risk" facilities and community music groups.

Tisdel and Jody Henderson, Sisters School District Band Director, put together a proposal to the Snowman Foundation with information on how the piano would benefit the community as well as the school -- Americana Project, Sisters Folk Festival, Sisters Jazz Festival, guest performers, school choir and more.

This month, Tisdel, Henderson and Mitchell took another long drive to Portland to attend the Snowman Foundation's "Ten Grands" benefit concert. At the concert Tisdel accepted the donation of a Kohler and Campbell baby grand piano for Sisters High School.

The piano arrived in perfect condition last week to the excitement of a small contingent of staff and students. A few students got to try it out immediately. And Tisdel, Henderson, and Mitchell all agreed the many miles of driving were worth it.

Next month, there will be a community celebration of the receipt of the piano and to honor the people who have presented it. Michael Allen Harrison and Julianne Johnson will attend and perform.