Valley Christian Schools Transform Piano Studies with Steinway Spirio | r

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 11, 2019) – Steinway & Sons is pleased to announce that All-Steinway Valley Christian Schools’ Conservatory of the Arts in San Jose is the first music institution on the west coast to invest in the world’s finest high-resolution player piano.

The Bay Area K-12 program took ownership of a Spirio | r Model D concert grand from Steinway Piano Gallery San Francisco. “As our leadership team learned of Spirio’s capabilities and potential to provide students with distinct learning opportunities not offered elsewhere, they were excited to move forward with this acquisition,” says Conservatory Director Troy Gunter. “For our aspiring artists to record and hear exactly what they play on a Spirio | r is remarkable, as traditional audio recordings simply cannot recreate the precise sound and nuance of a performance.”

Students at Valley Christian can listen as they have never listened before. “They have a chance to authentically hear what the audience hears, whether they stand ten feet away from the piano or at the back row of the concert hall,” Gunter observes. “It’s a different kind of experience.”

Furthermore, students and faculty can access the nine-foot Spirio | r to record accompaniment for vocalists, string and wind players when a pianist is not available.

In the not-so-distant future, Gunter envisions Spirio | r becoming the platinum alternative to personal auditions for festivals, universities and music conservatories. Auditions submitted in the new format can be played back on Spirio | r’s at other institutions without fear of sound degradation and other inconsistencies.

“The financial and practical implications are tremendous,” he asserts. “Being on the west coast, I have had students miss weeks of school as they travel to audition at major conservatories across the country. While incurring considerable expenses, they lose hours of in-class seat time which cannot be recouped. I think that Spirio | r will ultimately transform what in 2019 is an antiquated audition process.”

The timing could not have been better for Valley Christian, an All-Steinway School since 2006. “Their need for a new concert grand piano was apparent and the emerging technology of Spirio | r was a big plus for them,” says Seromi Park, institutional sales manager at SPG San Francisco.

“We have a long and cherished history with Valley Christian and are thrilled they will set a new standard with Spirio | r in the Bay Area and beyond,” adds Tim Stephenson, Steinway’s retail director of institutional sales.

“Being the first school on the west coast to have a Spirio | r is a differentiator for us,” says Gunter. “As an early adopter, I believe we will be playing a significant role in shaping the future of piano studies as we know them. I also expect Spirio | r will be pivotal in reshaping our studio recording practices.”

In November, Valley Christian will host Steinway Artist Jon Nakamatsu and through the magic of Spirio | r, celebrate additional performances by young Steinway Artists, Soloists and Steinway Immortals.

About Steinway & Sons

Since 1853, Steinway pianos have set an uncompromising standard for sound, touch, beauty and investment value. Because of a dedication to continuous improvement, today’s Steinway remains the choice of 9 out of 10 concert pianists, with more than 200 colleges, universities and music conservatories around the world recognized as All-Steinway Schools. For more information about Steinway and Spirio | r, visit www.steinway.com

About Valley Christian Schools

The VCS Conservatory of the Arts provides students with the opportunity to further refine their artistic talents with individualized, advanced training in a professional and inspiring environment. Their mission is to discover and develop the extraordinary God-given talent of young artists, proclaiming the arts as an expression of God’s love among the varied cultures of the world. For more information, visit www.vcs.net

Press Contact:

Anthony Gilroy
Steinway & Sons
agilroy@steinway.com
(718) 204-3116