Forty pianists struck a simultaneous chord as they showcased a brand new fleet of Steinways at a city college.
The perfectly-timed performance of In C by Terry Riley celebrated a £2m investment that today makes Leeds College of Music the first music school in England to boast All-Steinway School status.
It joins the likes of Yale University’s School of Music and the Juilliard School in New York.
In total, 54 upright and grand pianos have been delivered to the Quarry Hill site, including a Model D Concert Grand and Model B Music Room Grand.
The multi-million pound investment also sees the refurbishment of five recording studios, two mixing studios, a song writing studio and a surround-sound post-production theatre.
Leeds College of Music principal Philip Meaden said: “We have been anticipating the arrival of our new fleet of Steinway pianos for a number of months now so it’s spectacular to see them all in the same room and being played together.
“The performance is an appropriate way to mark the day and I am confident that the partnership will help students achieve musical excellence using world class facilities and equipment.
“Our major strength is in the depth and breadth of our offering, from jazz to classical and popular to production, as it empowers students by giving them skills to enjoy a successful career in the real world.”
Five Steinway pianos were hand-picked on a trip to the Steinway & Sons factory in Hamburg, Germany over the summer.
Professor Meaden and director of curriculum and research Randall Whittaker were joined on their fact-finding mission by a team of experts including Dame Fanny Waterman, founder of the YEP-backed Leeds International Pianoforte Competition.
Steinway & Sons was founded in 1853.
Comments