THE MID-SOUTH STEINWAY CHRONICLE
INSTITIUTIONAL NEWS FROM AMRO MUSIC AND STEINWAY & SONS
LANE COLLEGE HITS THE FAST TRACK TOWARD ALL-STEINWAY STATUS
With bold leadership and rapid progress, Lane College is setting a new tempo for excellence.
JACKSON, TN – Lane College’s journey toward becoming an All-Steinway School is moving at a record-setting pace. In nearly ten years of working with institutions across the Mid-South, Steinway’s regional representative has “never encountered a school this fast.”
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Ole Miss partners with Steinway ICC Building a Future for Music
Music Professor Alexis Rainbow and Vice President Darlene Samuels attended the Steinway Keys to Finding Funds Seminar with Steinway representative Gabe Statom
The momentum began in February when Professor Rainbow introduced the idea. Professor Henning soon joined the effort, and President Dr. Donald Comer quickly became theinitiative’sfirstdonor.
“I came out of corporate America, and for me it’s all about the facts and how you position them,” Comer said. “The Steinway inventory of our pianos and the assessment of their age and quality made a compelling case for me to get fully behind the mission. We don’t have a shortage of talent, but we are challenged with therighttoolstoinspireanddeliverthequality ofoutcomesIknowwecanachieve.”
Lane has already purchased three Boston grand pianos and three Boston uprights—six newinstrumentsinjustafewmonths.
For Henning, the president’s leadership has been key: “If it was not for his openness to this and being our first donor, this would not have happened. Our students are going to benefitfromitgreatly.”
A major factor in Lane’s rapid success is a new fundraising strategy dubbed “presidential salons.” These targeted events bring select donors into intimate settings where faculty share the story with data, images, and even customized piano arrangements. One donor—a classical guitarist—was particularly impressed by the depth and personalization of the presentation.
Music faculty from Lane College presents at Amro Music as part the Steinway Saturday series
The next goal is acquiring a Spirio, Steinway’s high-resolution player piano. Plans are in place for a Spirio residency on campus, giving donors, faculty, and administrators a firsthand experience with the instrument. The hope is to keep the piano atLaneuntilfundraisingiscomplete.
Looking ahead, Lane could become the first Historically Black College or University in Tennessee to achieve All-Steinway School status.Thedistinctionwouldnotonlyelevate Lane’s music department, but also serve as a beacon to prospective students across the region.
“For a student to walk into a space and see instruments of this caliber, it tells them we take their artistry seriously,” Hampton said. “It says: you belong here, and your talent is worthinvestingin.”
Faculty members believe the initiative will ripple far beyond the practice rooms. Upgraded pianos will enhance performances, attract guest artists, and inspire the next generation of musicians. “This isn’t just about today’s students,” Henning said. “It’s about building a legacy that will resonate for decades.”
“Lane College has no shortage of talent — our students and faculty are gifted, passionate, and eager to reach the next level. What we’ve lacked are the tools to match their potential. This initiative ensures they are equipped and inspired to deliver excellence at the highest level.”
– Dr. Donald Comer, President of Lane College
With committed leadership, innovative fundraising, and a clear vision, Lane College is setting the tempo for what’s possible when passionandpurposeworkinharmony.
BOSTON GRAND PIANO FEATURES:
Hard Rock Maple Inner Rim
Octagrip® Pinblock
Tapered Solid Sitka Spruce Soundboard
Swedish Steel Bass Strings
All Wooden Action Parts
Casters with Double Brass Wheels
Polished Brass Hardware
Slow-Fall Fallboard
Full Sostenuto
Locking Top and Fallboard
Classic Coved Top
Lower Tension String Scale for Increased Tonal
Clarity, Depth, & Sustain
Professor Dylan Griffith and a student at Lane College
OLE MISS RAISES THE BAR WITH STEINWAY PARTNERSHIP
OXFORD, MS – When the University of Mississippi Department of Music hosted its Steinway Spirio residency, no one could have predicted how quickly it would spark a transformation. Within days of the event, Provost Noel Wilkin recognized the potential and designated funds for the purchase of a Spirio | r, launching the flagship institution’s nextchapterwithSteinway&Sons.
“This really was the provost’s project,” notes Department Chair Nancy Maria Balach. “His immediate understanding of the pedagogical and performance impact was what moved this forwardsoswiftly.”
The Spirio has already become the most indemand instrument on campus. From piano majors to choral ensembles, juries to rehearsals, nearly 90% of the department now uses it. Students describe it as “the best piano I’ve ever played,” while faculty report that it haselevatedbothteachingandperformance.
But the initiative didn’t stop there. In partnership with Steinway, Ole Miss launched Sip in the City, a new alumni engagement program modeled after athletics roadshows. The inaugural event at Steinway Hall in New York City showcased faculty member Dr. Adrienne Park and three students, while reconnecting dozens of alumni with the university. The evening built momentum for future donor cultivation and positioned the arts as a driver of flagship pride.
“Our needs aren’t wants — they’re essential,” says Balach. “As Mississippi’s flagship, we should be the most forward-thinking in music and the arts. Spirio was the first step. Next, we aim for another Spirio and a new concertgrand.”
Both Balach and Park emphasize that the progresshasbeenpossiblethankstosincere
Students from the University of Mississippi performing at Steinway Hall with Professor Adrienne Park
relationships — between faculty and leadership, with alumni, and with Steinway. “You have to know your institution, be intentional about your goals, and bring the rightpeopletothetable,”Balachadds.
“Our needs aren’t wants — they’re essential. As Mississippi’s flagship, we should be the most forward-thinking in music and arts. Spirio was the first step. Next, we aim for another Spirio and a new concert grand.”
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Nancy Maria Balach, University of Mississippi Music Department Chair
With 150 music majors and growing, the demand is clear. And if the success of Sip in the City and the Spirio’s impact are any indication, Ole Miss is well on its way to livinguptoitsflagshipstatusinthearts.
Provost Noel Wilkin, Music professor Adrienne Park, Music department chair Nancy Maria Balach and Dean Lee Cohen
Faculty, Students, and administrators from Ole Miss at the Steinway factory
ITAWAMBA COMMUNITY COLLEGE: “BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME”
FULTON, MS – When Itawamba
Community College acquired its first Steinway — a Model M for the piano teachingstudio—theimpactwasimmediate.
Faculty member Anna Morgan saw her studio grow from a single piano major last year to three this fall, the highest number she hashadatonetimesincearrivingatICC.
“Just having students audition on a beautiful instrument instead of apologizing for an aging piano has been transformative,” Morgan said. “These students are looking at what’s here now, not five years down the road. Being able to sit down at one of the nicest pianos they’ve ever played on is an incredibledraw.”
Anna notes that ICC’s 28 total music majors now see firsthand the college’s commitment to quality. “The message is clear: our students are valued, and their needs are goingtobemet,”shesaid.
The initiative was fueled by collaboration across campus. Dean Chris Stevenson credits persistence and teamwork: “It was Anna’s determination, Dr. Michelle Clouse’s support, and President Dr. Jay Allen’s commitment to experiential learning that madethispossible.
For us, it was a statement that even here in a rural northeast Mississippi community, we can have the same world-class resources as majorinstitutions.”
Stevenson, who does not come from a music background, added that the process was a learning experience in itself. “Listening to colleagues, attending the New York conference, and understanding how other institutions raised support gave me the tools to justify the purchase. It showed me that, with the right champion, a project like this cansucceedanywhere.”
Representatives from ICC and Ole Miss attended the Keys to Finding Funds Seminar in NYC
For Morgan, that champion was Stevenson: I had been waving my piano inventory report for years with little traction. It wasn’t until Dean Stevenson became involved that the project took off. You have to find the person whocancarrythevisionforward.”
Looking ahead, both faculty and administration are eager to expand. “If money fell out of the sky,” Anna said, “our goal would be All-Steinway School distinction. That would instantly set us apart from surrounding colleges and demonstrate, in the clearest way, how deeply our institutionvaluesthearts.”
In just six months, the Model M has already proven the adage true: build it, and they will come. With momentum on their side, ICC is charting a course toward an even brighter musicalfuture.
STEINWAY MODEL M FEATURES:
Single-Piece Continuous Bent Rim
Hexagrip® Pinblock
Tapered Solid Spruce Soundboard
Overstrung Scale with Duplex Scaling
Swedish Steel Treble Strings
Copper-Wound Bass Strings
Solid Spruce Key Levers with Ebony Sharps
Premium Wool Hammers & Dampers
Cast-Iron Plate (Bronzed & Lacquered)
Three Solid Spruce Braces
Quarter-Sawn Spruce & Birch Keybed
Medium Grand Size: 5’7” Length
Full Sostenuto Pedal
ICC piano instructor, Anna Morgan, with the new Steinway Model M acquired by the college in 2025
