30 October 2023 — Steinway Gallery Melbourne hosted a grand evening to celebrate the 170th anniversary of Steinway & Sons. It was the final of the three events hosted by Steinway Galleries Australia throughout its stores in the country. With over 100 guests in attendance, the gallery was filled to capacity, all in support of such a milestone for Steinway.
Watch the video below to enjoy the highlights of the event:
A WARM WELCOME FROM THE CEO
Steinway Galleries Australia CEO Mark O’Connor warmly welcomed the guests, setting the tone for what would be an unforgettable night. He touched upon Steinway’s history, from the first Steinway piano to the consistent innovations that led to the Spirio high-resolution player piano. Most notably, he expressed gratitude for the growth of Steinway Galleries Australia and the support it has received throughout the years, which has led to numerous achievements.
170TH ANNIVERSARY PERFORMANCES
The first half of the Melbourne Gallery’s 170th Anniversary celebration performances featured music from the Romantic era, with the works of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Elgar, and Liszt. Musicians Tiffany Pai, Dany Chamoun, Maggie Wang and Tiffany Jiang rendered nuanced interpretations, with the pianists drawing out the magnificent tones and capabilities of the Steinway piano onstage: the Steinway Model D-274 concert grand piano.
Program: First Half
Tiffany Pai
Chopin: Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2
Dany Chamoun
Rachmaninoff: Prelude Op. 32 No. 5, Prelude Op. 32 No. 12, Prelude Op. 23 No. 7
Maggie Wang
Elgar: Cello Concerto, 1st movement
with pianist Emerson Hsu
Tiffany Jiang
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsoy No. 12
After the first half of the performances, Mark took a moment to discuss the extraordinary Steinway Model D-274 concert grand piano onstage. After all, 5 out of 6 finalists chose this very instrument in the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition for their final performances. This insight deepened the audience’s appreciation for the instrument and highlighted why Steinway is the preferred choice for the world’s leading pianists.
After a brief intermission, the spotlight turned to the Steinway Spirio high-resolution player piano. Mark showcased a special performance by Lang Lang through the Spirio. It left the audience in awe as they experienced the virtuoso’s touch and nuances as if he were physically performing at the Melbourne Gallery stage.
Program: Second Half
The evening’s second half featured more remarkable performances from artists like Vittorio Ouyang, Amy Ge, Yiyun Gu, Matthew Rigby, and Emerson Hsu. Each performance exemplified the artist’s skill. The Steinway Spirio also joined in, accompanying singer Vittorio Ouyang as he performed Musica Proibita and Virtues of the Silent Orchid. What the Spirio performed was exactly as recorded by pianist Shuan Hern Lee.
Vittorio Ouyang
Musica Proibita
with the Steinway Spirio, as recorded by Shuan Hern Lee
Virtues of the Silent Orchid
with pianist Lexie Wang
Amy Ge
Rachmaninoff: Elegie Op. 3 No. 1
Yiyun Gu (Piano) & Matthew Rigby (Violin)
Selection from Suite Homeland Dreams (1978) by A Tang:
Sheng Dance
Remembrance
Song of Wagondriver
Emerson Hsu
Liszt: Paraphrase de concert sur Rigoletto, S. 434
CLOSING REMARKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In his closing remarks, CEO Mark O’Connor expressed his gratitude to all who made the evening possible: the artists, the Steinway Galleries Australia team and, most importantly, the guests who joined in the celebration of Steinway & Sons’ 170th Anniversary Celebration at the Steinway Gallery Melbourne.
