The Steinway Victory Vertical Project www.victoryvertical.com

Music of World War II Garik Pedersen, pianist

Music and Morale Pianos and Patriotism

Steinways and Submarines

What is a “Victory Vertical?”

Artist Bio

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Dr. Garik Pedersen first heard about the O.D.G.I. “Victory Vertical” pianos during an impromptu interview with Henry Z. Steinway in his office at Steinway Hall in New York City a few months before Mr. Steinway’s death in 2008. Since then he has become increasingly fascinated with this incredible story. Pedersen, a Steinway Artist, has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States and in Europe, Asia, Canada, and Central America. He has presented programs for the U.S. State Department, the National Federation of Music Clubs, Music Teachers National Association, the European Piano Teachers Association, Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Associations, the Royal Conservatory of Music, and on numerous public television and radio broadcasts. Currently a professor of piano at Eastern Michigan University, Dr. Pedersen has taught undergraduate and graduate students from many U.S. states and 17 other countries, producing prizewinners in national and international—as well as numerous regional and state--competitions.

A student of Wesley True at the University of Central Missouri, which awarded him its Distinguished Alumnus in Music in 2010, he was the final DMA piano student of John Simms at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1986. Gary is a past president of Michigan Music Teachers Association, which honored him with its Distinguished Service Award in 2016. He received the Michigan Touchstone Award in 2017 in recognition of his “commitment to Michigan’s artistic excellence and his advocacy for the arts.” He is listed in the 2018 edition of Who’s Who in Fine Arts Higher Education.

The Victory Vertical Project 2019-20 Season

Oct. 25-26 OMTA State Conference

Sylvania, OH

Nov. 1 WVMTA State Conference

Huntington, WV

8 Chelsea Retirement Community

Chelsea, MI

10-11 Trezevant Manor Memphis, TN 17 First Presbyterian

Fine Arts Series Gainsville, GA

Jan. 29 Schoolcraft College Livonia, MI Feb. 7-10 Terrace Hill Historic

Site Des Moines, IA

Faith Lutheran Church Des Moines, IA 13 Central Michigan

University Mt. Pleasant, MI

19 All Seasons of West Bloomfield

West Bloomfield, MI

24-25 Trinity University San Antonio, TX 25 University of Texas San Antonio, TX Mar. 1

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11

First Methodist Church Yankee Air Museum Indiana University

Ypsilanti, MI Belleville, MI Kokomo, IN

19 All Seasons of Birmingham

Birmingham, MI

21-25 MTNA National Conference

Chicago, IL

Apr. 3 All Seasons of Rochester Hills

Rochester Hills, MI

27 College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO

May 10 Toledo Museum of Art Toledo, OH 20 Michigan League,

University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI

What is a “Victory Vertical?”

When the United States entered the war in 1941, raw materials, including iron, copper, and brass, were diverted to the war effort, and piano makers were suddenly forced to manufacture other products or go out of business.

The Steinway factory in Astoria, Queens, New York had already begun to build gliders for troop transport and coffins (unfortunately, also for troop transport) when Henry Z. Steinway and Roman de Majewski developed a plan to build a small, lightweight, inexpensive upright piano that could be packed in a crate and shipped to soldiers in the field, supplying them with music to improve morale and strengthen resolve.

These 40-inch, boxlike instruments came with sheet music, instructions and tools for tuning and repair, as well as handles for easy transport. The enthusiastic response to the first shipment of 405 pianos resulted in more orders for O.D.G.I. (Olive Drab Government Issue) “field” pianos, and when production ended in 1953, 2,436 “Victory Vertical” pianos had been shipped to troops on three continents, and countless hours of diversion, education, entertainment, worship, enrichment, and outreach had been provided.

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To schedule The Victory Vertical Project for your event, visit victoryvertical.com