Great Piano Performances 
 
The Place
The Franco-American Heritage Center, an imposing stone edifice in the form of a Norman church, houses one of the finest concert halls for piano performance in the world. Built almost a century ago as the church of St. Mary’s Parish, in the heart of Lewiston’s Franco-American worker neighborhood known as “Little Canada,” the Center stands as a tribute to the hard work of the group of local citizens who in 2000, for $1, purchased the closed church, scheduled for demolition, from the diocese and set about to raise the substantial funds to restore and preserve the building and construct a performance hall and other facilities within, a place to be worthy of the Center’s mission of cultural preservation and advancement.

The former sanctuary, with its level floor and pews, was renovated to accommodate theater seating for 460 patrons on a raked floor, rising from the stage in front of the century-old hand-carved oak altar to the former choir loft at the rear. Sight lines are unobstructed from any point in the hall and the acoustics are near-perfect for solo instrument, ensemble, and symphony orchestra performances. Hand-made stained glass windows rise to either side of the vault and at the rear, making for a spectacular ambience during daylight hours.

The Piano
In 2005, The Midcoast Symphony Orchestra selected the Center as its inland venue. In early 2006, the generous contribution of a local citizen provided for the purchase of a Steinway Model D grand piano, selected for this space at the factory by concert artist George Sebastian Lopez, who had previously performed at the Center with the Midcoast Symphony. On March 31, 2006, before a sold-out house, Steinway artist Frank Glazer performed the “inaugural” concert with the new piano, playing Mozart’s concerto No. 23 in A major and Beethoven’s concerto No. 3 in C minor. Later that spring, Lopez returned to present a solo recital, and in the fall of 2006, the first Piano Series, now entering its third season, was underway.

The Musicians
Ensemble groups, orchestral performances, and Piano Series recitals have brought pianists of national and international renown, as well as “rising stars” from our own back yard, including Quebec province, and abroad. The Portland press very favorably reviewed several performances, and many “human interest” stories in the local paper, including a well-illustrated Sunday paper feature article on the piano’s selection at the Long Island factory, have piqued local interest.

Visiting artists ask, “When can I come back?” and “When can I make my next recording here?” The combination of the right piano, the sight lines and acoustics of the hall, and the special rapport with appreciative audiences draws performers back. (One recording technician adjudged the hall the best recording studio he had ever worked in: no special shell, baffles, or special draperies needed – just Steinway #574064, center stage, with microphones “live,” recorder “on.”)

Pianists with an interest in performing at the Franco-American Heritage Center should send their c.v. and appropriate press reports and reviews, as well as a CD recording, if available, to FAHC, P.O. Box 1627, Lewiston, ME 04240. Attention: Donald Christie, Program Committee (e-mail: dchristie@roadrunner.com)