Intermission: An Evening of Music, Craftsmanship, and Community
There are some evenings that are about much more than the event itself. Intermission, hosted by Vaulted Keys Piano at The Athenaeum in Old Town Alexandria, was one of those evenings.
On July 21, pianists, teachers, clients, colleagues, friends, family, and members of the local arts community gathered for an evening celebrating music, craftsmanship, and the remarkable tradition of PETROF pianos. With live performances, beautiful instruments, Czech heritage, and plenty of time for conversation, Intermission was exactly the kind of event we hoped it would be.
And, fittingly, it took place in the beautiful gallery at The Athenaeum—a space that provided an inspiring backdrop for an evening centered around art and music.
An Evening with PETROF
At the heart of Intermission were two PETROF instruments: the PETROF Storm, a 6'4" grand piano, and the PETROF Spring, a 48" upright.
PETROF has been building pianos in the Czech Republic since 1864, and the company remains a family-run business with a remarkable six-generation history. The instruments combine traditional European piano craftsmanship with an unmistakable artistic character, and having both the Storm and Spring together gave guests an opportunity to experience two very different expressions of the PETROF sound.
We were especially honored to have Anna Petrof, President of PETROF and a sixth-generation member of the Petrof family, join us for the evening.
Her presence made the evening particularly meaningful. For Vaulted Keys, being able to connect our local community with the people behind a piano company with such a long and fascinating history is one of the things that makes representing PETROF so special.
Music at the Center
Of course, no piano event would be complete without music.
We were incredibly fortunate to have two outstanding pianists, Mary Voutsas and Misha Tumanov, perform throughout the evening. Their playing brought the PETROF instruments to life and gave our guests the opportunity to experience their musical personalities in a way that simply cannot be captured by specifications or photographs.
The program included music by composers including Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, and Franz Liszt, connecting the evening to both the Czech musical tradition and the broader European piano repertoire.
The performances were interspersed with conversation and time for guests to explore the instruments, meet one another, and simply enjoy being around music.
That balance was intentional. Intermission was never meant to be a formal concert or a traditional piano sales event. We wanted it to feel like a gathering—a chance for people who share an appreciation for the piano to spend an evening together.
Bringing People Together
One of the most rewarding parts of the evening was seeing how many different parts of the piano community came together.
Pianists and piano teachers joined clients and prospective clients. Technicians, colleagues, friends, and family members mingled with artists and representatives from PETROF. We were also pleased to welcome representatives from the Embassy of the Czech Republic, adding another connection to the Czech heritage behind PETROF.
For us, this is an important part of what Vaulted Keys is about.
A piano is an object, but it is also a gathering place. It can be the center of a living room, a concert hall, a teaching studio, a home filled with children learning their first pieces, or a room where friends gather around music.
The relationships that develop around these instruments are ultimately what make the piano business so rewarding.
A Special Thank You
An event like Intermission takes a community to make it happen, and we are grateful to everyone who contributed.
Thank you to Mary Voutsas and Misha Tumanov for sharing their extraordinary musicianship with us and our guests.
Thank you to Anna Petrof and Krystof Macovec for joining us and representing PETROF, and to the entire PETROF organization for supporting the evening and for continuing its remarkable tradition of Czech piano making.
We are grateful to The Athenaeum for opening its beautiful gallery to us. The setting was a perfect match for the evening, and we could not have asked for a more fitting space in Old Town Alexandria.
A special thank you also goes to Patty Anderson of Staged Living DC for her help and support with the event. We’re indebted to her for her experienced eye and attention to detail.
We also appreciate the representatives from the Embassy of the Czech Republic who joined us, and, most importantly, everyone who came through the doors. Our clients, pianists, teachers, colleagues, friends, and family helped make the evening feel less like an event and more like a genuine gathering of the piano community.
Looking Ahead
Intermission was a wonderful reminder of why we enjoy what we do at Vaulted Keys Piano.
Our goal has never been simply to place pianos in homes. We want to introduce people to exceptional instruments, support the musicians and teachers who use them, and create opportunities for people to experience the piano in meaningful settings.
The Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia region has an extraordinary community of musicians, educators, artists, and music lovers. We are excited to continue finding ways to bring that community together.
For those who were unable to join us, we've put together a short highlight video (above) capturing some of the evening's performances, conversations, and atmosphere.
And for everyone who was there: thank you for making Intermission such a memorable night.
We hope this is only the beginning.
Vaulted Keys Piano is proud to represent PETROF in the Washington, DC region and to be part of a community that continues to value beautiful instruments, exceptional musicianship, and the enduring experience of live music.
