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School acquires Legend’s piano

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By Jill Kelley, Staff Writer Updated 2:05 PM Friday, November 26, 2010

WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County — “Let them shine.”

When John Legend recorded his song “Shine” for the documentary “Waiting for Superman,” he might not have had the students at Spring Valley Academy in mind.

However, those local students will be able to shine now that they have Legend’s grand piano — the very one he used to record the song.

Spring Valley Academy — a private, kindergarten through 12th-grade Seventh-day Adventist college preparatory school in Washington Twp. — is still recovering from a 2008 electrical fire that caused millions of dollars in damage.

“We had seven wonderful pianos,” said Laura Grodrian, the school’s piano teacher. Only one could be salvaged. The school has since received another as a gift from Jack and Barbara Fritzsche, and bought two others, including Legend’s.

Grodrian said Legend recorded the song at Springfield North High School, and the piano then went to Kincaid’s Is Music in Springfield.

She said the music store’s Rick Dustin had helped assess which SVA instruments could be saved after the school’s fire.

“I called Rick and said we needed a grand (piano). He said, ‘How would you like to have the one John Legend played?’ ” Grodrian recalled. “I just happened to call him on the right day.”

Grodrian, who is in her 11th year at Spring Valley Academy, said she is excited to have this piano not only because it was Legend’s but also because of the song he recorded.

“It is regarding education in America,” she said. “And the movie is geared on the fact that every kid should have a great education regardless of their paycheck.”

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