Toccoa Falls College Receives Remarkable Gift: The “Traveling Steinway”

Toccoa Falls, Ga. (September 10, 2025) – On August 26, Toccoa Falls College received a priceless gift, a beautiful 1969 Steinway Grand piano. Its ebony satin finish, rich resonating strings, and Bavarian spruce soundboard are a masterpiece in themselves. Yet what truly sets this piano apart is the remarkable history embedded within the very fibers and grains of its wood.

Known as the “Traveling Steinway,” the piano was purchased by Mr. Ray McDonough in 1969 and remained in his care for 56 years. Having learned and mastered the instrument since the age of eight, Mr. McDonough was invited at 18 to serve as pianist for the United Methodist Men’s Conference. He went on to play for men’s conferences and couples’ retreats across the state of Florida for more than 25 years. During this time, he not only purchased the Steinway but also invented and built a device known as “the Dolley” to safely transport the piano from his modified van to event centers.

TFC received this beautiful instrument through God’s orchestration and the generosity of Ray’s daughter, Ruth McDonough, a TFC alumna. After reading an article in Connections Magazine about the college’s vision to become an “All-Steinway School,” the family decided that the final home for the “Traveling Steinway” should be the Toccoa Falls College Music Department.

From 1969 to 2025, Mr. McDonough faithfully invested in this holistic endeavor, offering his gifts, stewarding his talent, and preserving the instrument for the glory of God’s Kingdom. Through one man and one piano, the artistic craft and rich theological palette have carried forward, from men’s conferences in the 1970s to the quiet revival God is now stirring at Toccoa Falls College.

The college is honored to have been chosen for such an extraordinary gift, ensuring that the musical offering from the heart of Mr. Ray McDonough will continue to inspire for generations to come.