09/05/2026
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated 16 pianos—15 Yamaha uprights and one grand piano—to the Bahía Blanca Provincial Music Conservatory, helping restore instruction after a 2025 flood destroyed much of the school's instrument collection.
Announced July 20, the donation will benefit roughly 1,500 students who study at the conservatory annually. The March 7, 2025 flood destroyed numerous pianos and library materials, severely disrupting classes at the nearly 70-year-old institution, a leading arts education center in Buenos Aires province.
The pianos were presented at a ceremony attended by provincial and municipal officials, school administrators, faculty, students, and Church representatives. Conservatory director Rocío Migueles thanked the Church, saying the gift "returns hope and allows us to keep training musicians with the quality that characterizes the Conservatory."
Pedro De Gaudio, the province's director of arts education, and Bahía Blanca Mayor Federico Susbielles also spoke, both crediting the donation as key to the institution's recovery and the city's cultural development.
Iván Guzmán, representing the Church, said he was honored to support an institution where his wife and daughters had trained musically. He noted the donation came through the Church's Humanitarian Aid Fund, which draws on contributions from people worldwide who wish to serve regardless of race, creed, or nationality.
A video shown during the ceremony documented the flood's damage before showing students playing the new pianos for the first time. The event closed with a concert on the new grand piano, including a performance by a young Church member who played the hymn "Peace in Christ."
The donation marks a major step in the conservatory's recovery, allowing students to continue their training in improved conditions.