Thanks to the vision of generous trusts and foundations, B:Music, the music charity responsible for Birmingham Symphony Hall and Town Hall, has purchased a new Steinway Model D concert grand piano for orchestras, concert pianists and performing artists to play at Symphony Hall, one of the finest concert halls in the world. 

Birmingham-based musician and graduate of the University of Birmingham and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, David Austin Grey accompanied B:Music’s Chief Executive Nick Reed to London’s Steinway Hall to select the new instrument, an artistic and musical treasure that will grace the stage of Symphony Hall for years to come.

Steinway & Sons handcraft instruments, considered to be the finest pianos available in the world today, in factories in New York and Hamburg. The new Model D concert grand piano, which is 9’ long, with a high gloss ebony finish and weighing 480kg, was acquired from the Steinway piano selection room in London. Located in Marylebone, it was opened in 1875 and became the first Steinway Hall in Europe.

It has showrooms as well as several practice rooms available for musicians of all ages. The 'piano bank' at London’s Steinway Hall boasts many Hamburg Steinways and also offers New York Steinways, satisfying a diverse range of pianists. 

With the addition of this new instrument, B:Music now has five Steinway pianos across its two venues, Town Hall and Symphony Hall, allowing the charity to permanently locate a Model D concert grand piano in the new Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space.

This new space in the foyer area of Symphony Hall hosts many performances by ensembles, guest artists and community arts organisations throughout the year.

B:Music Chief Executive Nick Reed, said: “Purchase of this long-anticipated instrument was made possible by funds from the Foyle Foundation, Backstage Trust and the Saintbury Trust, as well as private funds earmarked for Symphony Hall. I believe it is a worthy investment befitting B:Music’s internationally recognised music programme and the guests who use our halls. This concert grand piano will be with us for many years to come.”

Reed continued, “At present, Symphony Hall offers orchestras, concert pianists and performing artists the use of two 1991 Steinway Model D Concert Grand Pianos or a 2007 model. However, for concert pianos to present the highest sound quality, they should ideally be replaced every five to seven years; ours are 14 and 30 years old. Unfortunately, the age and stability of these instruments also means that we are unable to offer the pitch changes that are often requested by European orchestras. Therefore, it was of high priority that B:Music were able to address this situation. 

This purchase also comes as a result of the recent expansion of performance space at Symphony Hall and of B:Music’s ambition to make the finest instruments available to all. By adding a new piano of the highest quality to our stock, we hope to both inspire musicians at the beginning of their careers, such as those being supported by our talent development programmes, and to satisfy those world-class performers who regularly visit our halls.”

Nick Reed concluded, “We are thrilled to have selected one of the finest quality Steinway Model D concert grand pianos to nurture the world-class artistic inspiration and acoustic demands at Symphony Hall.”

For more information, visit: bmusic.co.uk