By Chris Teh
Wanting the legacy of helping the community to live on, the family of the late educator Datuk Seri Dr N.S. Selvamany contributed a piano from their house at Anderson Drive to the SMK Convent Ipoh music room.
The piano, which was manufactured in 1955 and had been with the family since they bought it in 1963, was sent for refurbishment before moving to the school on November 21.
“We wanted to contribute the piano to the school because the existing piano in their music room was very dated,” said Malini Patel, daughter of the late Datuk Seri Dr N.S. Selvamany.
Explaining further, she said, “The piano has not been played in recent years. Both my sister, Nalina Prabhu and I are no longer living in Ipoh. Our mother, given her old age, does not play the piano anymore either. Thus, we would like to contribute the piano to somewhere it can continue its purpose, rather than sitting away in our house.”
Malini reminisced the days she played the piano when she was young and said, “My late father loved hearing me playing ‘Ave Maria’, which was his favourite song. As my mother used to teach children how to play the piano, I learned from her.”
“I also remember that the piano, on my late father’s request, had its stand custom-made because he did not want to ruin the house floor,” she mentioned.
“We contacted Peter Ho from Wagner Music Shop for help refurbishing the piano,” the Main Convent girl added. “Thanks to him, the piano will have a renewed purpose in our alma mater.”
Peter said that the late Datuk Seri requested him to perform further refurbishment.
“He asked that the back of the piano be installed with netting,” he explained. “This is to prevent pests from entering the instrument.”
The principal of SMK Convent Ipoh Ms Foo Mei Mei conveyed her gratitude to the family for the contribution of the piano.
“I really have the family to thank for their kindness,” she expressed. “The piano will be put to good use.”
In order to take good care of the piano, Foo said that no one could simply play the instrument.
“Anyone who would like to use the piano will have to request for permission from the school,” she stated. “This is to prevent it from misuse.”
