Pianotech

post-NAMM show Steingraeber presentation

  • 1.  post-NAMM show Steingraeber presentation

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-04-2019 20:08

    Greetings,

    Just after the NAMM show finished here is Southern California, Alban and Fanny Steingraeber, Alex Kerstan (their head-of-production) and Russel Kasman (West Coast purveyor of Steingraeber pianos) brought two pianos to the Colburn School. Colburn will be trying them out for the next several weeks. The four individuals were all so gracious and generous, and the two pianos, a seven-footer and a nine-foot concert grand, were each nothing short of amazing.

    Technicians in attendance included many from throughout Southern California (the day was a combined SoCal chapter event, deftly orchestrated by L. A. Chapter President Kayoko Forest, RPT), piano people form out-of-town who were still lingering in town after the NAMM show, and Colburn piano students.

    Klavier Bauer Meister Alex Kerstan does not fancy himself a teacher, and yet he did an excellent job of conveying the motivations and processes behind many of their manufacturing techniques. He was more open-handed with the information presented than most manufacturer's representatives, giving us a valuable glimpse into their unique approach everything from hammer making (starting with where the wool comes from, and on through the manufacturing process) to reading and refining soundboard panels with sand, from their playing-in protocol to features uniquely available on their pianos.

    This is a piano company with 170 years of tradition, yet they are one of the most cutting-edge innovators around (Phoenix bridge system, carbon fiber sound boards, magnetic repetition for uprights, light-weight and highly sound reflective aluminum lids). And their pianos are truly something to behold. The two they brought to NAMM were each among the finest I have ever heard for their respective sizes.

    Hannah Beckett, RPT, will be covering this event in greater detail in her upcoming article about the NAMM show, but a week after their presentation at Colburn, I am still inspired by the experience, and wanted to share my enthusiasm for all that Steingaeber has to offer. If you get a chance to attend a class taught by Alex Kerstan, I highly recommend taking it!

    Alan



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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
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