KrisAnn Sullivan
Frank House director, 308.865.8284 OR sullivankw@unk.edu
The Saturday at the Frank House program this Saturday (March 3) will feature “The Square for Kids,” a presentation designed for children ages five and older.
Hannah Kirschner, a University of Nebraska at Kearney freshman from Kearney, will demonstrate the Steinway square piano and give the history of the instrument.
“I’ll be giving a brief history of the piano and perform three pieces,” Kirschner said. “Then we’ll open it up and see what’s inside!” Kirschner, a UNK visual communication and design major, also volunteers at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island.
“I started volunteering though the Living History Apprentice program,” Kirschner said. “It’s a program where kids assist the living history interpreters. I love Stuhr, and one of my favorite parts has always been the stories– the stories that you learn from the interpreters, from the guests who come from all over the world, stories about the actual houses and artifacts.”
Square pianos are unique in that the early pianos only had five octaves and sixty keys, compared to the modern grand pianos with seven octaves and eighty-eight keys. Square pianos were first produced in Europe in the latter part of the 18th century.
“I first became interested in squares after I had played the Mathushek Orchestral at Stuhr,” Kirschner said. “It had such a gorgeous tone, and I didn’t know what kind of piano it was. I was intrigued, and research went from there.”
“The Square for Kids” begins at 1:30 p.m., and is free and open to the public. KrisAnn Sullivan, director of the Frank House, noted: “Donations helped refurbish the master bed chamber area and will be put to good use as we begin the other planned improvement projects in the Frank House. Saturday at the Frank House educational program volunteers help make the public aware of the needs of the house and the public responds. Donations are always appreciated in support of the Frank House.”
Upcoming events include: March 10, “Loper Low Brass”; March 31, “19th Century Gardening for 21st Century Wildlife”; April 7, “Frank House Easter Egg Hunt”; April 14, “Titanic: 100 Year Anniversary Displays”; April 21, “Spring String Concert”; April 28 “Fencing Like the Franks”; and May 5, “Flutes at the Frank House.”
The Frank House is open 2-5 p.m. Monday – Friday and noon – 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Guided tours are available. The mansion will be
closed March 18-25 during spring break and May 26-28 for Memorial Day.
For more information on the Frank House and Frank House events, visit: www.frankhouse.org.
