Moving Pianos for Churches, Schools and Venues in Nashville

Churches, schools and venues move pianos for different reasons than households do. A sanctuary is renovated, a choir room is reorganized, a school shifts practice-room uprights between buildings, a venue brings in a grand for a single performance. The piano is the same, but the job is shaped by schedules, facility rules and several people who all have a say. Here is how to plan a piano move for a church, school or venue in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

Scheduling around services, classes and events

Timing is usually the first constraint.

• Churches often have a narrow window between weekend services, midweek gatherings, weddings and funerals. Moving a piano the week of a major holiday or special service leaves little room if anything needs adjusting.
• Schools generally prefer moves during breaks, after classes or before the school year starts, when hallways are empty and practice rooms are not booked. Concert season and graduation are usually the hardest times.
• Venues and event spaces run on load-in and load-out times. A piano for a performance needs to be in place and settled before rehearsal or sound check.

Give your mover the window you have to work within, not just the date. A move that has to happen between 8 a.m. and noon on a Tuesday is planned differently from one that can happen any day that week.

Plan for tuning, too. A piano that has just moved needs time to settle before it holds a tuning, so for a concert or special service, schedule the move early enough to tune it afterward. Our guide to piano tuning after moving explains the timing.

Sanctuaries, stages and platforms

Facility pianos rarely sit at ground level with a clear path to the door.

• Sanctuaries often have steps up to a chancel or platform, sometimes with narrow side stairs, rails or fixed pews close by.
• Stages may be reached by steps, a ramp or a rear loading door. A ramp is not always wide or gentle enough for a grand on a piano board.
• Practice rooms and choir rooms are often down long hallways, behind narrow doors or on another floor.
• Fellowship halls, gyms and multipurpose rooms may have floors that need protection along the route.

Describe the full route, from the piano's current position to the truck and from the truck to its new spot, and send photos of any steps, ramps or tight turns. If the piano is only moving between rooms or floors of the same building, see our in-home piano moving service; the same planning applies inside a church or school.

Moving more than one piano

Schools and larger churches sometimes need several pianos moved at once: practice-room uprights, a choir room piano and a grand on stage. Combining them into one job can simplify planning, but the quote needs a complete list:

• The type and approximate size of each piano.
• The current location and destination of each one.
• Which pianos must move first and which can wait.
• Any pianos leaving the property, such as one being donated or sold.

If the group includes a grand, note its length. A grand has its legs, lyre and pedals removed and is strapped to a piano board before it moves, which takes more crew time and more room to turn. See our grand piano movers page for how that works.

Put one person in charge on site

Facility moves can involve pastors, worship leaders, music directors, principals, facilities managers and event staff. Pick one person to be the on-site contact on moving day. That person should:

• Have keys or access codes for every door on the route.
• Know exactly where each piano should be placed.
• Be able to make a decision if something changes, such as a blocked hallway or a room still in use.
• Coordinate with custodial or facilities staff about elevators, loading doors and alarm systems.

One clear contact keeps the crew from waiting on approvals or getting conflicting instructions.

Get a written quote for the facility

Most churches, schools and venues need paperwork before work is approved. Ask for a written quote that describes the pianos, the locations and the scope of work, so it can go to a board, committee or purchasing office. If your organization requires vendor paperwork, such as proof of insurance or a vendor form, mention it when you request the quote so it can be sorted out before the move date.

Piano moving for facilities with Messolar

Messolar moves upright and grand pianos in Nashville and across Middle Tennessee, including Franklin, Murfreesboro, Gallatin and Hendersonville. We plan the route before moving day, pad and wrap each piano and provide a written quote. Learn more on our page for piano moving for churches, schools and venues.

Request a facility quote

Send the list of pianos, the route and your available time windows. Request a piano moving quote and we will build the plan from there.