Clark Music pianos and the teaching studios of Dianne Hellert and Kniskern Music House will all be sharing space at Clifton Park Center (CPC) as of Dec. 1.

CPC owner Don Greene, who plays a Steinway, came up with the idea when Hellert’s lease was about to expire at one of his other properties on Route 146. Clark Music’s owner, Hugh Murphy, was looking for a way to reduce overhead, and the Kniskern Music House was also ready to move from a building on Route 9. The combined facilities will go by the names of Clark Music and The Hellert Studio.

Clark Music, founded in 1859, is the authorized upstate New York dealership for Steinway & Sons. Their customers include Proctors Theatre, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Troy Music Hall, three dozen colleges, and thousands of families who have bought quality instruments.

Dianne Hellert received her undergraduate degree from Capital University, Columbus, Ohio in piano and voice. She received her masters degree from SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, which made a historic purchase of 141 new Steinway pianos from Clark Music in 2007. She has taught public school music in grades K-12 for eight years, has maintained her private studios for more than 25 years, is a certified Yamaha music instructor, is currently instructing 70 students, and supervises 12 additional teachers with degrees from Juilliard to Berklee College of Music.

Private instruction will be available in piano, violin, viola, cello, flute, guitar, drums, voice, and musical theatre. Instrumental rental and sales will be available. Hellert expects to double her current student enrollment to 400 within one year.

For more information, call 669-4188 and go to www.hellertpianostudio.com.

--Jennie