Mid-South Steinway Chronicle 2022-23

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THE MID-SOUTH STEINWAY

CHRONICLE INSTITUTIONAL NEWS FROM AMRO MUSIC AND STEINWAY & SONS

Northwest Mississippi Community College faculty and administration tour the Steinway factory with Cameron Underhill, Steinway’s Selection Room Manager.

SPIRIO | R HEATS UP NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS Nineteen New Pianos Elevate Northwest to All-Steinway School Status SENATOBIA, MS (September 7, 2022) - It’s summertime in Senatobia, Mississippi.

Temperatures are pushing a hundred degrees, and the subtropical humidity is nearing its annual apex. Despite the grueling heat, the construction workers building the Northwest Mississippi Community College's new Center for Performing Arts haven’t slowed their pace.

Over the past year, the building has been rising from the dust as Northwest marches steadily toward a November 2022 grand opening goal.

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ALSO FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

CROSSTOWN ARTS GREENWOOD LEFLORE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE

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In a climate-controlled storage facility not far away, two massive wooden crates crouch expectantly in shadows, their precious cargo kept safe from heat, dust, and humidity.

When the new Northwest Center for Performing Arts is ready, these crates will be opened to reveal two Steinway Spirio | r grand pianos—the pièce de résistance of Northwest’s recent campaign to attain the prestigious designation of All-Steinway School.

All-Steinway Schools are colleges, universities, and conservatories that use solely Steinway and Steinway-designed pianos for instruction, practice, and performance. With only about 230 All-Steinway Schools in the world, Northwest is now part of the elite roster of institutions that utilize the world’s finest pianos for teaching, practice, and performance.

This year, to make the dream of All-Steinway School status a reality, Northwest Mississippi Community College purchased nineteen new Steinway and Steinway-designed Boston pianos, including the two show-stopping Spirio grands.

Their ambitious campaign had its roots in the college’s decision to build a new performing arts center in Senatobia, MS, according to Jeff Horton, Northwest’s VP for Operations/Finance. “We saw a need to improve our facilities for music students and to improve our offerings to the community at the same time,” he said, adding that as soon as the ball was in motion for the new building, the conversation turned to equipment, furnishings, and instruments.

Horton, Heindl, Norris, and Bishop are joined by Gabe Statom (center), Institutional Sales Director for Steinway & Sons’ Memphis dealer, Amro Music.

“We had this beautiful new 67,000-square-foot building underway,” Horton said, “so the next question was, what do we put in it? We looked at the needs of our students, our instructors, and our visiting artists, and we knew we were committed to exceptional quality, from top to bottom. We wanted to invest on the highest level in order to uphold our mission of excellence in everything we do. And Steinway was definitely part of this conversation from the beginning.”

Northwest Mississippi's Choral Director, Reese Norris, began working with Gabe Statom, Institutional Sales Director for Steinway & Sons’ Memphis dealer, Amro Music. When Statom pointed out that Northwest Mississippi’s plans for a new piano inventory could lead the college toward the prestigious All-Steinway School designation, Norris was intrigued. He approached the administration with the idea, and Northwest Mississippi’s president, Dr. Michael Heindl, immediately saw the value inherit in attaining the designation.

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“We have world-class students, world-class faculty, and soon will have a world-class rehearsal, teaching, and concert facility,” Norris said. “It seemed logical that we have world-class pianos as well.

Buried within this grassroots realization is where the seed was ultimately born.”

From left, Northwest Mississippi Community College Vice President for Operations / Finance Jeff Horton, Piano Professor Saundra Bishop, President Michael Heindl, and Choral Director Reese Norris visit Steinway Hall in New York City.

Within a few months, through a combination of fundraising and local allocations, plans were in the works for a team of Northwest’s faculty and administration to accompany Statom to the Steinway & Sons headquarters in New York City. There, they would tour the historic factory and select the two stunning Steinway Spirio concert grands that would grace their new facility.

The trip was a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” that included a Branford Marsalis performance at Carnegie Hall, said Piano Professor Saundra Bishop, adding, “We were able to see the process of building a Steinway from beginning to end.”

“And you don’t realize what goes into these pianos until you see every stage of construction. I’ll never forget it, and it makes me more fully understand the value of the pianos our college has acquired.”

“As a conductor, composer and woodworker, I was mesmerized by the entire process,” Norris said. “These pianos are all handmade works of art, made in large part by multigenerational Steinway craftsmen.”

“For our faculty and students to be able to have this caliber of piano to practice and perform on is a very big deal for our campus community,” Dr. Heindl added. “Also, being able to partner with Steinway as an All-Steinway School is a game changer for the department and for the college as a whole. It’s equivalent to having the best equipment in any field of study. In healthcare, for example, students and faculty always want to work with the highest quality tools and equipment to give them the best opportunities to learn and train. That’s how I see these instruments—and the opportunity to have that kind of access is rare.”

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In addition to the two Spirio | r grands that await uncrating for the Center for Performing Arts, Northwest now has two Steinway grands in its teaching studios, one Boston in the choir rehearsal room, and one Boston in the small instrumental room. Their music classrooms are also equipped with Boston upright pianos. Northwest’s music faculty are especially looking forward to offering students the unprecedented teaching and practice opportunities afforded by Spirio | r, which can capture a pianist’s performance—note for note—and play it back exactly as it was recorded.

“Spirio is very intriguing,” Heindl said. “A student can play and record a portion of a piece and then immediately run it back to review it. Can you just imagine what this can do for students?” In fact, students can also access performances by some of the finest pianists in the world, Steinway Artists, who have all recorded works that can be played back on any Spirio. Students have access to a curated library of classical and jazz performances with which to evaluate nuances only capable through the high-resolution performance system that is Steinway Spirio. “Spirio allows students to get better and better,” Heindl said.

“Through these tools, they hone their craft and develop higher levels of expression.”

Bishop agrees:

"The Spirio is an absolute game-changer, as are all the other new pianos. For a pianist, having access to an excellent piano is like a chef having the finest ingredients and best equipment—it allows you to create your best work. Having unrestrained access to these instruments will have an enormous impact on our day-to-day. I believe that our students will be motivated to practice, their creativity will blossom, and their level of musicianship will be elevated throughout the department. It will certainly send a message to incoming students about the quality of our programs."

“The Steinway pianos represent a vital cog in the overall experience of the student musician,” Norris said. “What could they want that we cannot, now, provide? To say we are grateful to all involved would be a gross understatement.”

To see a time-lapse slide show of the new Northwest Center for Performing Arts, click here or scan the QR code.

Selecting pianos in the Steinway & Sons factory selection room.

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CROSSTOWN ARTS IN MEMPHIS, TN PURCHASES STEINWAY MODEL B

MEMPHIS, TN (May 12, 2022) - Crosstown Arts, a non-profit contemporary arts organization, is dedicated to further cultivating the creative community in Memphis and offers opportunities and resources for their use. These include a wide range of spaces for exhibitions, music performances, film and video screenings, artist talks and artist-led workshops, all open to the public.

The performance and exhibition venue located at 430 N. Cleveland in Memphis, TN, is offered to artists, performers, and arts organizers who wish to perform or exhibit their own creative work or the work of others. All Crosstown Arts’ spaces and programs are committed to inclusivity and to providing ongoing access for creative exchange to all Memphians.

Within its complex, Crosstown Arts boasts two different performance venues: The Green Room and the Crosstown Theatre. In Spring of 2022, Crosstown Arts worked alongside Amro Music's Institutional Sales Director Gabe Statom to purchase a Steinway Model B for usage in their performance venues.

STEINWAY MODEL B c l a s s i c g r a n d This magnificent 6' 11" (211 cm) grand piano is often referred to by pianists as “the perfect piano.” This wonderfully balanced and versatile instrument does extremely well in refined homes, teaching studios, and mid-sized venues and is also available as a STEINWAY SPIRIO, the world’s finest high resolution player piano.

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ABOUT THE GREEN ROOM The Green Room is a flexible, acousticallytreated space where high-quality music performances are showcased using state-of-theart audio/visual equipment. The Green Room offers guests a uniquely intimate listening experience without the typical distractions that accompany a bar or restaurant venue.

Located in the most historic section of Photo of the Green Room - provided by CrosstownArts.org Crosstown Concourse and surrounded by other amenities of Crosstown Arts, including a bar, a café, and several galleries, The Green Room is committed to providing the best possible environment for the two most important components of a musical performance – the artist’s work and the audience’s listening experience.

The Green Room’s space, stage, and audio/visual equipment can be configured in a variety of ways to create a unique, high-quality, and intimate artistic exchange for a wide range of performance genres, including big band, jazz, hip-hop, classical, and singer-songwriter.

ABOUT CROSSTOWN THEATER Crosstown Theater, a 417-seat black box theater, hosts programming as well as events organized by performing arts/music/film groups and organizations across the city. The performance space can transform completely from an open room with 5,000 square feet of flat floor to a proscenium, thrust, box, or theater-in-theround, in a matter of hours. Highly-considered acoustic treatments, state-of-the-art lighting, and a premiere sound system combine to offer an ideal and intimate space for musical performances ranging from national headliners to Memphis-based musicians.

Information and photos from this article originally appeared at crosstownarts.org.

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K-12 SPOTLIGHT GREENWOOD LEFLORE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT INSTALLS NEW BOSTON PIANOS GREENWOOD, MS (August 5, 2022) - The Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District recently purchased two Boston 47" Model UP-120S Studio Pianos, both in ebony polish for the music departments at Amanda Elzy Junior High and Amanda Elzy High School.

Responsiveness. Precision. Intuitive grace. A superior musical instrument can be recognized by the degree to which it allows the player to express vision without interference - with nothing coming between the fingers on the keyboard and the music in the air.

Such is the experience of playing a Boston. Designed

by STEINWAY & SONS, employing the unique patents and expertise that have made the STEINWAY heritage synonymous with musical excellence, the BOSTON line of grand and upright pianos captures the STEINWAY DNA and represents a singular achievement in instrument building: a superior playing experience at a price level never before thought possible.

Neamiah Payton, Band Director - Amanda Elzy High School

BOSTON UP-120S PE f e a t u r e s

Catasha Holt-Brown, Principal - Amanda Elzy Jr. High

Octagrip® Pinblock Vertically-Laminated Treble Bridge with Quartersawn Maple Cap Tapered Solid Spruce Soundboard Large Staggered Backposts All Wooden Action Parts Optimized Key Levers Double Wheel Casters

Polished Brass Hardware Classic Coved Top Muffler Pedal School-Style Case with Large Music Rest Locking Fallboard and Top Ebony Polish and Walnut Satin Finishes

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HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSTALLS A NEW KEYBOARD LAB

RAYMOND, MS (January 3, 2022) - State-of-the-art technology and spacious facilities at Hinds Community College give their music students an environment that makes learning and practicing a real pleasure. At Reeves Hall on the Raymond, MS campus, each practice room has a tuned piano; each studio has a tuned baby or full grand piano. The Student Computer Lab contains the latest software for composition, theory and recording and editing.

In addition to the computer lab, Reeves Hall houses the ProTools studio and piano lab.

Since making some recent improvements with the help of Amro Music's Insitutional Sales Director Gabe Statom, the piano lab is now considered to be one of the finest in the state.

Their impressive array of equipment includes one Roland HP-702, twelve Roland RP-102s, and one Roland GLC-1 Lab Conferencing System.

ROLAND HP-702

Teacher Instrument

EXPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE WITH THE PHA-4 STANDARD KEYBOARD From beginners to seasoned performers, the HP702’s PHA-4 Standard keyboard brings out your best playing. And with fast-key repetition and high-resolution sensing, this responsive keyboard was designed to satisfy the most demanding pianists —so you won’t need to upgrade as their technique improves.

The keys even replicate the look and feel of real ebony and ivory, and their textured, moisture-absorbing properties mean your fingers won’t slide off.

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AUTHENTIC SOUND AND TOUCH SUPPORTS YOUR PLAYING AS YOU GET MORE SERIOUS

Offering piano sound and touch derived from Roland’s premium ROLAND RP-102 digital pianos, the RP102 will continue to inspire as your playing grows and evolves. Roland's SuperNATURAL technology delivers the rich, expressive tone you’d expect from an acoustic grand piano, while dynamic built-in speakers fill the room with immersive sound. The PHA-4 Standard keyboard inherits the progressive hammer action and Ivory Feel texture of keyboards found in their high-end pianos, and includes advanced sensing technology to take Student Instruments full advantage of SuperNATURAL Piano’s enormous tonal range. This highly responsive keyboard follows every nuance of your developing touch, encouraging deeper levels of expression as your technique improves. The piano’s three pedals are made of metal for an authentic feel, and also support half-pedal control.

The Roland GLC-1 represents the next generation in ROLAND GLC-1 music-conferencing systems.

This all-in-one LAB CONFERENCING SYSTEM communication solution is perfect for group piano teaching, music ensemble instruction, and even sophisticated language lab teaching. Because the GLC-1 doesn’t rely on external computer hardware or software, it’s both intuitive and easy-to-use. The system comes equipped with a number of advanced features, including: Comprehensive stand-alone conferencing system; represents the next generation in music conferencing Eight-station stereo lab system expandable up to 48-stations with GLC-EXPKIT expansion kits Easy set up using supplied connectors, cables, and headsets Rack mountable hub controlled via the conference controller External audio output for monitoring and recording GLC-1 includes nine GLC-SB interface boxes Broadcast an external audio source (e.g. CD player, computer, Music Tutor, etc.) using CD input or AUX input; record lectures and performances on an external audio recorder (e.g. CD, hard disk, computer, etc.) using MON output Audio input for external source playback Optional SB-45 Conferencing Headsets with Microphone for two-way communication (sold separately) 9

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FUNDRAISING SPOTLIGHT NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE KICKS OFF 88 KEYS CAMPAIGN BOONEVILLE, MS (August 26, 2022) - Northeast Mississippi Community College recently launched a fundraising campaign to purchase a new Steinway & Sons Spirio | r piano infused with state-of-the-art technology. The 88 Keys campaign, named for the number of keys on a standard piano, was launched by the Northeast Development Foundation in July. It has raised more than $12,000 thus far with an end goal to raise $180,000 to cover the full cost of the piano.

The Steinway grand piano is the gold standard of musical Promotional Image for 88 Keys Campaign instruments, NEMCC said, and the Spirio | r model has added features that will allow students to record and hear themselves play, along with allowing faculty to record accompaniments for other singers and instrumentalists. That capability will allow students multiple opportunities to rehearse before recitals, whereas normally they would only be allowed one or two run-throughs because of the sheer number of music majors at Northeast, according to Dr. Ray Harris, head of the Division of Fine Arts at NEMCC. NEMCC is currently home to a couple of Steinway & Sons pianos, which are housed in the Hines Hall music building, but none are like the Spirio | r model. But as Harris puts it, "The rest of our pianos are just pianos. This has all of that additional technology," he said.

"It's a piano plus." With the Spirio | r, students can listen and play along with thousands of musical pieces performed by legendary pianists which are stored in a cloud library via an iPad attached to the piano. Students can also view live performances through the piano and video projection system as they are streamed.

If someone is playing a Steinway Spirio in a recital in Seattle, Northeast's piano can mirror exactly what that musician is playing in real time, Harris added.

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The plan is to store the Spirio in Hines Hall, in a room that will allow daily access for students, and where it can easily be moved to the auditorium stage. Patrick Eaton, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Foundation and Alumni Association, said that college leaders visited Oxford High School to check out a Steinway Spirio | r in use there before launching the fundraiser. They decided having one of their own would be a game changer for their music students.

"We're always trying to be the best we possibly can be on campus here at Northeast Mississippi Community College," Eaton said. NEMCC was designated an Apple Distinguished School in 2020. After universally implementing iPads for students, the college set itself apart in the realm of technology. Eaton said he'd like to see Northeast become an All-Steinway School, which is a title reserved for schools that "demonstrate a full commitment to excellence by providing their students and faculties with the best instruments possible for the study of music," according to Steinway's website.

"For years to come, as students come through Northeast, I'd like for them to be able to be exposed to the very best, whether that comes to technology or to musical instruments," Eaton explained.

The campaign offers a variety of giving levels, including: 52- Key Pianist @ $1,000 20- Key Prodigies @ $2,500 16- Key Maestros @ $5,000 Supporters can pledge any of these giving opportunities over a two-year period. Individuals interested in contributing to the campaign can visit nemcc.edu/88keys for more information.

Courtesy: The original article was written by Blake Alsup of the Daily Journal on Aug 26, 2022. Available at www.djournal.com.

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RESOURCES FOR

M U S I C educators Schools demonstrate a commitment to excellence and an unparalleled educational experience by providing their students with the rich, unrivaled sound, incomparable tone, and pristine touch of STEINWAY & SONS pianos. These pianos inspire students to realize their artistic talents, and best prepare them to compete at the highest level in the professional world.

GABE STATOM Institutional Sales Director 901.834.8300 gabestatom@amromusic.com

Whether you are interested in one piano or a hundred, Amro Music has a program to assist you. As an Institutional Sales Specialist, Gabe serves the needs of all institutions, ensuring that they are able to provide their students, faculty, visiting artists, congregations, and customers with pianos designed by STEINWAY & SONS, enabling us to meet all requirements within all budgets. Amro Music is devoted to partnering with you and your institution to help you acquire and maintain the best instruments the world has to offer.

K-12

HIGHER EDUCATION

Amro Music and STEINWAY & SONS are devoted to partnering with you and your educational institution to help you acquire and maintain the best instruments. Our institutional sales specialist, Gabe Statom, can offer customized resources that have a proven success record for managing piano inventories in colleges, universities and conservatories of all sizes. These include:

Whether your school is a private day school or boarding institution or part of a public school district, we have a program to assist you. Amro Music and STEINWAY & SONS are devoted to partnering with you and your school to help you acquire, manage, and maintain the best instruments the world has to offer. Our Educational Services Specialist has developed unique and customized resources for managing your piano inventory:

Inventory Analysis and Planning Tools Fundraising Programs for Donor Cultivation The All-Steinway School program Leasing-to-Own Options Technical Service Guidelines Factory Seminars for Technicians Selection Room Access at the Steinway Factory

Inventory Analysis Fundraising Programs Lease-To-Own Program Technical Service Guidelines Technician Seminars Steinway Scholarship Program Selection Room Access Steinway Factory Tours

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