The majority of students at Oakland University have walked by it at some point or another. Some have sat near it. A few have even gone right up to it and played it.

The piano in Fireside Lounge in the Oakland Center has long been a staple to the heavily trafficked area, providing some students with study music and others with an audience.

Matt Gartshore is there for the latter.

Gartshore, a junior majoring in music, can be found behind the Kawai grand piano a few times a week. On Monday, he was in Fireside Lounge practicing Alexander Scriabin’s “Sonata No. 3 in F-sharp minor.”

As a music major, Gartshore has access to practice rooms in Varner Hall, but likes Fireside because it’s bigger and the nearby distractions of students help prepare him for a real concert.

“Sometimes it’s nice to come practice here,” Gartshore said.

Gartshore, a classical music afficianado, said he’s most fond of Baroque and the 20th century romantic period.

He started playing about 15 years ago, partly because he wanted to and partly because his mother is a piano instructor. After graduation, Gartshore, who also plays violin, said he hopes to get a job performing or conducting.

Moving out into the open

When Richard Fekel came to OU 15 years ago, he discovered that there was a piano tucked away in a large back room.

Fekel, director of the OC, said an OU alum donated the Steinway piano to the university in 1994.

“I thought it would be nice if we could bring it out to Fireside Lounge where people could see it and maybe great musicians would play it,” Fekel said.

However, the piano was very old and needed a lot of work. Instead of trying to fix it, they sold it and purchased a K. Kawai, which has remained in Fireside Lounge since 2007.

Fekel has since seen many “fun” and “impromptu” performances, including a duet.

“At the beginning of fall, I saw a saxophonist accompanying the piano,” Fekel said.

A welcome neighbor

Only a brick wall separates the ID card office from the Fireside piano, meaning those working inside the office don’t have to strain to hear the music.

Don Ritenburgh, manager of ID card operations, said he’s subconsciously tuned the music out over his 13 years in office. He said the piano playing usually hits its peak during the noon hour.

“Sometimes it’s nice to have music in the background,” Ritenburgh said.

In the summer when very few people are around to play the piano, Ritenburgh said they’ll often play music to ease the nervousness of students who are having their picture taken for their ID cards.

“We want people to feel relaxed in here,” Ritenburgh said.

According to Ritenburgh, the Oakland Center has someone regularly come in to tune the piano and the students take good care of it, recalling only one bizarre incident where someone dropped a cell phone inside the piano and several students had to help retrieve it.

Ritenburgh added that he’s never had to yell at a student or ask anyone to stop. He is, however, waiting to hear one song in particular.

“I keep waiting for someone to play Guns ‘N’ Roses’ ‘November Rain,’ but I haven’t had that yet,” Ritenburgh said.

Though technically further from the piano, where junior Carmen Dreim stands behind the ID card office desk is closer to the door, which is typically open.

It’s her second semester as a student employee at the office and she said she hears the piano throughout most of her 12-hour workweek.

“Usually I enjoy it, but sometimes people play the same songs over and over,” Dreim said.

Dreim, who used to play piano but no longer does, said she likes classical music, specifically Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.”

Study companion

Carly Zacharias, a sophomore majoring in English, visits Fireside Lounge about two to three times a week. Much to her enjoyment, someone is almost always playing, she said.

“It helps me (study), actually. (It’s) pretty calming,” Zacharias said. “People talking distracts me, but the music, not at all.”

Sheereen Syed, a sophomore majoring in health sciences, also enjoys listening to the piano. Syed visits Fireside for long periods of time and appreciates the talent of those who perform.

“I wish I could (play),” she said. “I really want to learn.”

Marcus Chaney, a senior majoring in political science, taught himself how to play piano about 15 years ago. He said his favorite types of songs to play are classical, gospel and jazz.

Without hesitation, he sits down to play the Fireside piano about four to five times a week, though he tries not to disturb those nearby.

“I try to play when there’s not too many people around,” Chaney said.

The piano is open for anyone to use, as long as they continue to take care of it.