MUSIC lovers are being invited to ‘buy a key’ of a new piano which has been installed in one of Oxford’s newest arts hubs.

The secondhand Steinway D Grand is only the second full-size concert grand by the famed instrument maker in the city, and travelled all the way from Spain to take up residence in SJE Arts, the new concert venue at historic St John the Evangelist Church in Iffley Road.

It cost £77,000, the bulk of which came from a grant from the Wolfson Trust of £50,000, and fundraising efforts have left organisers with £9,000 more to find.

Michele Smith, pictured, bursar at St Stephen’s House which is running the new venue, said: “It’s mega exciting that it has arrived. It’s fantastic, it’s a beautiful piano with a wonderful sound.”

For £250, supporters can have a key named after them.

The piano will be played in public for the first time on Thursday, October 11, when Oxford Contemporary Music brings legendary New York jazz pianist Fred Hersch to perform.

Oxford Leider’s Sholto Kynoch flew to Granada in the August heat to try out the piano, and Marios Papadopoulos of Oxford Philomusica will be tinkling the ivories to see how the instrument sounds in its new home.

 To contribute to the campaign, email michele.smith@ssho.ox.ac.uk