Marc Marshall presents (world premiere):
AmusitrA - An oasis of the arts
Music - Dance - Poetry
25.08.2023 - Open-air stage Ötigheim - 8.00 pm
• ChrisTine Urspruch (Tatort), Ralf Bauer, Poetry
• Christina Bock, Alma Naidu, Marc Marshall, Song
• Konstantin Reinfeld, Harmonica
• Bruna Andrade, Baris Enes Comak, Dance
• Anna Rubin, Dragon designer
• AmusitrA-Orchester, Management: Frank Lauber
Germany’s largest open-air stage becomes an oasis of the arts, powerful and magical. Look forward to encounters with impressive characters and creatives. For a fascinating journey, AmusitrA sets the wonderful ambience of the open-air stage Ötigheim uniquely illuminated.
Marc Marshall and his top-class guests ChrisTine Urspruch, Ralf Bauer, Christina Bock, Alma Naidu, Konstantin Reinfeld and many more and a specially assembled orchestra make this huge stage with music, poetry, dance and visual art an experience for all the senses.
AmusitrA is looking forward to people who share this dream, accompany it, carry it on and rediscover artistic diversity as an oasis in everyday life; with a palpable desire for creative courage and impressive emotions when looking, feeling and listening.
Pearl River Piano Europe supports this impressive event with a Kayserburg KA212 grand piano and a KA6X upright piano (with a height of 132 cm), both from the Artist series.
Tickets:
www.volksschauspiele.de
Tel. 07222-968790
Contact:
MW Promotion GmbH,
Email: info@mw-promotion.de
Tel. 07221-30790
With the kind support of:
Grenke – Hotel am Sophienpark – Kayserburg Pianos
Mode Wagener –SK Management – Volksbank pur – Weingut Kopp
Marc Marshall – about the person
Marc Marshall is a celebrated entertainer. With his distinctive voice and passion for music, he has made a name for himself as one of the most sought-after singers and creatives.
Born and raised in Germany, Marc Marshall developed a strong connection to music at an early age and perfected his musical skills through intensive study and stage experience. He studied jazz in Los Angeles. The baritone completed his classical vocal studies at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe.
His singing is characterised by emotional depth. His sensitive interpretations of well-known standards and his own compositions have been delighting a large following for decades.
Marc Marshall’s concerts are a special experience. With his strong stage presence and his informal way of interacting with the audience, he creates an unforgettable atmosphere.
He is an artist whose musicality, creativity and own style make him an experience. Marc Marshall has a firm place in the music world and is an entertainer not to be missed.
And besides his many performances, he is always creating new concepts.
An excerpt:
– Mr. M’s Jazz Club Baden-Baden (Jazz Festival since 2008)
– Marc Marshall’s World of Music (since 2020)
– Marc Marshall & Friends (since 2022)
– A m u s i t r A – An Oasis of the Arts (since 2023)
• Marshall & Alexander (1998-2022)
Furthermore, he has hosted more than 80 TV shows and worked with greats such as Aretha Franklin, Andrea Bocelli, Nils Landgren, Till Brönner, Chris Walden, Helge Schneider, Albrecht Mayer, Gregor Meyle, Cassandra Steen, The New York Voices, Thomas D. and many more.
The Pearl River P9 and the Kayserburg GH160C: A Comparison
By Dr. Owen Lovell
The Pearl River Piano Group is the world’s largest producer of acoustic pianos by unit volume, with more than 150,000 pianos made every year. The Chinese company, which operates the world’s largest piano factory at 3.2 million square feet, makes Kayserburg, Ritmüller, and Pearl River branded pianos for the global market.
Although Pearl River and its brands may not be as well-known to American consumers, they are a major player in today’s piano industry—in fact, the world’s best-selling piano. They hold manufacturing contracts with a number of other companies and have made significant investments in parts suppliers.
Out of the group’s three brands, Pearl River is marketed as the most affordable line of pianos (their SMP prices start as low as $6,000 for their upright models and $14,500 for their grands), the Ritmüller line fills the company’s middle tier of quality and affordability, and the Kayserburg pianos represent their higher-end.
That said, these quality breakdowns are not quite that simple; There are a few sub-lines within each brand that have varying features. We recommend reading the Piano Buyer brand profile for a more comprehensive explanation of the brand’s structure.
Back in June 2022, at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) trade show, the Piano Buyer staff was given the opportunity to try two Pearl River Piano Group pianos: one was the first Pearl River P9 grand piano imported to North America, while the other was a factory-new Kayserburg GH160C. These models—both of which measured 5’3″—are the company’s second least expensive and second most expensive pianos sold at this size.
As a means of giving us a chance to try these pianos in a quieter, more secluded environment, the Pearl River Piano Group opened up their display room for an after-hours meet-and-greet. These pianos were not given any special treatment for our review—they had only just been shipped to the United States, unpacked from their crates, tuned, and put out on the trade show floor for a day’s worth of visitors hammering on the keys before we got our hands on them.
We found that although the Pearl River P9 and Kayserburg GH160C share the same 5’3” (160cm) length, the two pianos sound markedly different.
It’s easy as a piano shopper to get lost in spec sheets and marketing buzzwords that offer no real useful explanation or benefit. In this case, I can safely say the P9 had the more neutral, slightly warmer tone quality of these two models with a treble range that brightened a bit towards the 6th and 7th octaves. The default factory voicing of this piano seemed very appropriate for a small- to medium-sized room—perhaps in a home, office, or studio setting.
On the outside, the two piano rims and stringing scales looked identical, as did the polished ebony finish and case hardware. The pedals, including a true sostenuto middle pedal, looked and felt the same. The models also shared two traits that suggested a more modern style of piano design: a greater number of wound bass strings and a relatively wide tail meant to maintain a more uniform string tension across the bass/tenor “break” between bridges. The tail is also meant to maximize bass string length and optimize the bass bridge’s placement on the soundboard compared to older, more traditional piano designs.
The benefits of this feature can immediately be heard in the lowest bass notes (also known as the “monochords”). On the Pearl River P9, these notes were well-defined with a nice clarity of pitch. On other more expensive pianos of this size, however, you are typically treated to a bunch of inharmonic noise and fundamental pitches that disappear within the first octave since the antiquated designs and materials don’t work well together.
To be blunt, I preferred the low bass of these pianos over, say… most Steinway model M pianos I’ve played.
When playing across the break between the wound bass and plain-wire tenor strings on both pianos, there are some minor voicing issues—such as poorly matched strings and imperfect hammer-to-string connections—that are made more apparent by the wound bass string pairs (or “bichords”) extending as high as they do, but this less-than-optimal tonal transition is something that can typically be sorted by a dealer who has skilled technicians doing thorough pre-sale “prep” work.
Kayserburg GH160C
The Kayserburg GH160C uses Renner hammers (an esteemed German company responsible for some of the most well-crafted piano parts and supplies) and a more refined, cost/labor-intensive solid spruce soundboard design tapered similarly to other high-end pianos to optimize its response as a transducer of sound energy into the room.
While the P9 had a more neutral and intimate personality, the Kayserburg GH160C was a more lively and energetic extrovert. The tone sang well through the treble with a brighter voice; the projection was impressive yet controllable, and you could sense how the combination of the hammers and soundboard made the instrument feel very much alive. I could even feel the sound vibrations of the piano in the keys under my fingers during louder musical passages.
The Kayserburg did share the same benefits (low bass clarity) and liabilities (the bass-tenor break) as the P9, but it was quite fun to hear the tonal differences between the two. While I preferred the GH160C, another pianist and technician who was with me liked the sound of the P9 better. The repetition and response of the all-maple Pearl River action was good on both pianos, although they could benefit from additional regulation work at the dealership to better compete against the touch consistency of the smallest Kawai and Yamaha grand models to which they’ll inevitably be compared. However, I found the overall tonal qualities of the Pearl River P9 and Kayserburg 160C to be more interesting than these competitors.
As with any market segment, price comparisons are inevitable—and if we look at the numbers for these two new pianos, it’s easy to see why they are likely to succeed.
At $21,437, the 5’3” Pearl River P9’s Piano Buyer MSRP price is fairly comparable to the entry-level 5’0” GL-10 grand from Kawai and 4’11” GB1K grand from Yamaha. Although there may not seem to be a large difference between the size of these three models, a few extra inches of length can have a dramatic impact on a piano’s overall tonal performance, particularly in the low bass region as it is used in romantic, impressionistic, contemporary, and jazz works. Additionally, most people who can fit a 4’11” grand in their office, music room, or living room can fit a 5’3” grand like the P9 or GH160C in the same space.
At $22,736, the Kayserburg GH160C has an MSRP price that is lower than the 5’3” Yamaha GC1M and 5’5” Kawai GL-30, but slightly higher than the shorter 5’2” GL-20 model. Actual negotiated street prices from the dealers will, of course, vary.
Other similarly-sized Pearl River Piano Group models that you may encounter at dealerships include the Pearl River GP160 (which includes a distinct, silver-colored plate and hardware option), Ritmüller RS160, Ritmüller GH-160R (this model would now be considered older stock), and the Kayserburg KA160, which are produced in a “factory within a factory” at the Pearl River facility and represents the company’s attempt to compete with the world’s best pianos at any price.
At the popular 5’3”/160cm size, I cannot think of another piano maker that offers this many options. If you want to upgrade from a vertical or digital piano to a reasonably-priced baby grand piano, try out one of these models. Given the extremely high market prices for popular used grand pianos at the time of this writing, a new Pearl River P9 or Kayserburg GH160C with a 10-year factory warranty could provide an interesting alternative to a 30- to 40-year-old grand piano that is past its prime.
Dr. Owen Lovell, Piano Buyer’s Piano Review Editor, is the Associate Professor of Music at Georgia College. He can be reached at owen@pianobuyer.com.
Pearl River’s Leng Tshua: ‘Everybody Can Afford to Buy a Good Piano’
by Christian Wissmuller • MMR November 2022 Upfront Q&A • November 1, 2022
China’s largest piano manufacturer since 2000 and the world’s best-selling piano, period – you might think such achievements would be enough for Pearl River Piano Group (Pearl River, Ritmüller, and Kayserburg) to be a household name. Indeed, it has long been precisely that, globally, with the notable exception of the U.S.
That’s been changing in the past couple years, however, as Pearl River has reached out to the American MI market in a number of significant ways. In fact, since the restructuring of the company’s U.S. distribution in 2020, the Kayserburg brand is now the fastest-growing in the nation.
We recently sat down with Leng Tshua, director of Global Sales and Marketing, and David Davis of MCD Advertising & Design to discuss Pearl River’s stateside expansion, upgrades in communication with the Pearl River dealer network, new model introductions, and much more.
Let’s start by talking about the 2020 restructuring of Pearl River’s U.S. Division: What was the catalyst behind the move? What are some subsequent benefits as it pertains to American MI retailers?
Most people base their impression of our company on experiences from 20 years ago. We want to correct that full force. One of the best ways is to say we would like to invite like-minded dealers to connect with us directly through the factory. That means the dealer now has full access to the updated information, product lines, and everything else that we can communicate with them. Since 2020, I’ve focused in the U.S. market because I felt I needed to restructure this. So, in not even two years’ time, we have seen really good movement, and it’s working very well for everybody, especially the dealers. The dealers now have access to 100 percent of our products.
And they didn’t previously?
Previously, they had access to about 30 percent. We decided to make the entire Kayserburg line and the new Ritmuller (RS and RSH models) plus the Pearl River Prestige Series, directly available to our retailers. Meanwhile, Pearl River had been developing so much more in Asia, in Europe, but nobody in America knew about it. Case in point: the Kayserburg. Our Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition is now the world’s largest. In 2021, the world participation of that competition was over 100,000 students.
Wow. That’s massive!
And nobody here knows about it. The funny thing is that when I first approach people here, they say, “Kayserburg? That’s an unknown name.” So, we want to correct that, to make people understand that Kayserburg is very well-known and respected internationally and represents a premium brand in the Pearl River family.
Within the larger Pearl River Piano Group umbrella, am I correct in understanding that Kayserburg is the brand that is taking hold in the most impactful way in the U.S. market thus far?
Yes. It’s now the fastest growing piano brand in the United States. This is the type of instrument that really is a home run in every aspect. This is a hand-built piano, and has a history of success worldwide. The rest of the world is selling Kayserburg as a top brand. Now that the dealers have a chance to work with us directly, they’re amazed by the advantage of direct factory cost to them, which means the dealer can make a really good profit. That’s because our factory is one of the very few that’s completely sustainable and vertically integrated, which is the most cost-effective way of manufacturing. We make most everything in-house, so we don’t have to rely on suppliers, worldwide, which adds to your cost. We even have our own lumber yard – a million square feet, separate facilities. From start to finish, we process the wood right there. Doing everything in-house, as you know, is part of being the most cost-effective. And then on top of that, we have the world’s largest volume: 150,000 units of pianos produced every year. So, the economy of scale all kicks in, and, in the end, we are able to produce a world-class product, but we can make it attractive and affordable, especially to the end user, to the family, to the pianist, to the artists, to the student. Everybody can afford to buy a good piano.
Is this specific to the Kayserburg brand specifically or also to Pearl River and Ritmüller?
t’s overall. Because, in China alone, every year there are 50 million new customers coming to our market. Well, if you have 50 million customers, would you adopt the policy of saying, “I want to be only focusing on the top one percent” or would you say, “I want to reach as many as possible – and let’s think of a way to manage the price point, the operation integrated with the economy of scale, and then we can service the community,” Of course, we chose the latter.
I would imagine keeping so much in-house has mitigated supply-chain challenges somewhat for Pearl River. To what degree are you having problems with international shipping and sourcing materials?
The only thing that is out of our hands is, of course, the international shipping. We even make our own piano hammers now, the PR 2.0s, which have been a great success. We process all the parts, including the soundboard and all that. Then we have a local chain supply of plates manufacturers within our reach and, in any case, we are their largest customer, so we always get top priority.
So when dealers are working with Pearl River, they’re going to get what they ordered within a reasonable span of time.
And we’re shipping directly, if the dealer is willing to give us some advance notice and help us plan their stock requirements. Even nowadays, we mostly look at a delivery time of between six to eight weeks.
We’re also working differently with our dealers when it comes to marketing. David Davis and MCD Advertising have been working with Pearl River for many years. They were somewhat unknown until recently, but MCD is now working directly with our retailers, which they find very exciting. We have five websites: three here in the U.S. that were recently relaunched, one in Germany, and one for Pearl River Piano Group is specifically designed for the whole world. When we post news, the dealers here can see it immediately. We are advertising in 112 countries and there’s total transparency with dealers. Then, we have Facebook, we have two YouTube channels – one in Europe, one here. Dealers like it because we’re doing everything we can to help raise awareness, and promote them through social media. This is the new way of doing business today.
What introductions or events do you have coming up in the U.S.? What are your plans for NAMM 2023, for example?
Due to COVID restrictions, our executives could not travel here from China. However, this past year we did the NAMM Show successfully, thanks to David Davis and his team. Regarding next year’s NAMM Show, I can only say, “Just wait and see.” We also want to make dealers and players aware of the Kayserburg Competitions. Last year, we got Americans involved in a very small way as a test market, but in 2023 we plan a proper major launch for the entire North America.
David and I are working together now to start the KA275 debut here in the U.S. – that’s the 9’ concert grand, which is the designated piano for the Kayserburg International Finals in Guangzhou. We just launched at Oklahoma Pianos (Metroplex Piano) in Oklahoma, Broken Arrow. And now, the piano’s on its way to Nashville. We’re going to do another dealer event there at Miller Piano Specialists. Things are progressing, very, very nicely.
Is there anything else that you’d like to share with our readers?
I just want to lightly touch on Pearl River digital products. Right now, we are talking with Piano Marvel. They’re huge and very successful in distance learning. And I just want to sort of drop a hint on that because it’s still a work in progress. Our products should actually be helpful to students, teachers, and dealers to reach out to a lot of people who are curious, but afraid, to buy acoustic pianos. So, try it on a digital piano first and see if you enjoy it, you know?
How would an interested dealer go about partnering with Pearl River? What’s the easiest conduit?
On all of our websites, including Kayserburg, Ritmüller, and pearlriverusa.com, there is a button for retailers to actually connect with us. Dealers fill in their information, and then we will contact them. We have successfully connected with many dealers through that portal. It is working very well.
A stellar Ritmüller performance in Indonesia for a worthy cause
German impresario, Professor Jongky Goei took the stage at the Goethe Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia for a charity piano concert benefiting disabled children. At the recommendation of Professor Goei, a Ritmüller GP275R1 concert grand piano model was provided by Sigma Piano House, the Indonesian distributor of Pearl River Piano, for the event.
Kayserburg Sponsors Viet Nam Youth Piano Competition & Festival 2022 In Hanoi
H BEIJING /PRNewswire-Asia/ — Over five days ending September 1st, aspiring young pianists participated in the Kayserburg Vietnam Youth Piano Competition & Festival 2022, performing on a Kayserburg Concert Grand Piano. Sponsored by Bilimoon Company and the Vietnam Institute of Education Development (VIED) to promote multilateral cooperation for the development of the country’s culture & art, the event drew contestants from all over the country.
After two rounds, the Competition Category Grand Champion was awarded a Kayserburg KHB1 47.25″ Heritage Series Vertical Piano worth 230 million VND (approximately $12,000 USD). In the Grand Champion Festival Category, the winner was presented with a Pearl River EU118S 46.5″ Classic Studio Upright Piano valued at 130 million VND (approximately $7,000 USD).
The competition seeks to foster talents that will move forward to attend the Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition in China which attracts more than 100,000 contestants from all over the world.
Leng Tshua, director of global sales and marketing of Pearl River Piano, believes the competition is important not only for developing and honoring the talents of young Vietnamese pianists but also as an opportunity to practice stage skills and express their abilities as artists.
“The mission of VIED Education is to promote music, spread advanced culture, and develop art education in the new era by motivating and encouraging the learning of music for the younger generation,” Tshua said. “We are honored that they have chosen Kayserburg to play a part in achieving this prestigious event.”
PEARL RIVER MAKES A TRIUMPHANT RETURN
TO THE 2022 NAMM SHOW
TO THE 2022 NAMM SHOW
H BEIJING /PRNewswire-Asia/ — After being delayed from the intended January dates and missing 2021 entirely, Pearl River Piano Group experienced a successful National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show, one of the world’s biggest for the music industry trade, held in the Anaheim Convention Center.
To Leng Tshua, director of global sales and marketing of Pearl River Piano, the event felt especially uplifting as it brought together so many of the company’s dealers after such a long delay.
“We set up a private exhibition room for the show that was designed to feature whole new concepts and to premiere new Pearl River Point of Sale materials,” Leng said. “We had a full house and were also honored by visits from many industry VIP friends, including Former Executive Vice President at Yamaha Corporation USA Terry Lewis, members of the Piano Buyer group including Larry Fine, and Christian Wissmuller of MMR.”
For the June 3, 4 and 5th event, the company shipped 16 of its finest pianos from China. New products were introduced, including the Pearl River 5’3” P9 and 4’10” P8 grand pianos that feature ebony black wood keys, redesigned cabinet, and PR2.0 hammers, which drew accolades for their warm tone.
Ritmüller debuted its 6’ Superior RS183 grand piano with brass hardware, German Röslau wire, copper wound bass strings, an all-spruce soundboard, PR2.0 hammers with imported Wurzen AA grade German white outer felt, and elegant blue felt.
New Pearl River upright models made their first appearance, including the 46.5” PL1 European Series in scratch-resistant MFC satin walnut finish, the 46.5” UP118T Traditional Series in PVC satin ebony, and the 49.5” UP126T Traditional Series in polyester polished ebony.
A new hand-rubbed ebony satin finish premiered on the 52” Kayserburg KA6X upright and the 6’2” Pearl River GP188A grand piano. The new 5’3” Kayserburg GH160C grand piano made an appearance with a redesigned cabinet and straight legs with brass end caps.
During the show, Leng Tshua was asked to participate in an oral history interview for the NAMM archives. “To be included in this ongoing collection of narratives that cover innovative creations, the evolution of musical instruments, ground-breaking musicians, and the ever-changing world of music retail is an amazing honor,” Leng said. “To join a long list of industry luminaries such as Hartley Peavey, Bob Moog, B. B. King, Ray Kurzweil, and Herbie Hancock, is beyond flattering.”
Leng also made a point to give special thanks to the team who made NAMM 2022 possible for Pearl River, including Peter Giles, General Manager of Pearl Music Distribution LLC, David Davis and Shelley Conn of MCD Advertising, Sherry Carlisle Smith of Miller Piano Specialists, a longtime Pearl River dealer in Nashville, and Jeff Tasch of Grand Piano Haus in Chicago.
FROM THE TOP
LENG TSHUA - GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING
INTERVIEWED BY MICHAEL GALLANT IN MUSIC INC, APRIL 2022
HOW DO YOU START YOUR DAY?
I start my day with a fresh cup of coffee, which I grind myself. It’s an important ritual for me because I work across time zones. Pearl River’s office in Guangzhou, China, is 15–18 hours ahead of me here in Seattle, depending on the season, so I’m not able to start with my team there until 4 p.m. my time. Then I work with them until 3 a.m. and have to be up at 9 a.m. to manage the U.S. market. So, when I wake up, I know I need my support — and my support is my coffee. [Laughs.] I take the time to make a perfect cup. Just anticipating the aroma clears my mind and helps me prepare for the day.
WITH SUCH AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED YOUR WORK?
Pre-pandemic, I was always flying back and forth around the world. It was crazy. I have to say that I’m enjoying getting to stay in Seattle and work from my home office. It’s been a pleasant surprise that this did not impede business. In fact, we’ve been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years, despite travel restrictions everywhere.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE PEARL RIVER TO READERS WHO AREN’T FAMILIAR WITH THE COMPANY?
We’re not the oldest name in the piano industry, and we started from humble beginnings in Guangzhou, China. But, we realized early on that to do something well, you have to hone your skills, practice your craft and learn from the masters. For the last three decades, Pearl River has had American and European master piano technicians as our teachers and partners. Many of them have come to our factory and stayed with us long-term. Our departments heads all learned their crafts from these wonderful experts. Fast forward to today, we have our Pearl River brand and two others — Ritmüller is a German company started in 1795 that we acquired 22 years ago, and our boutique Kayserburg pianos are just being reintroduced to the market. These are all instruments in the authentic European and American tradition that people can truly afford to buy. I don’t just believe that everyone should be able to afford a piano — everyone should be able to afford a good-quality piano.
"TO DO SOMETHING WELL, YOU HAVE TO HONE YOUR SKILLS, PRACTICE YOUR CRAFT AND LEARN FROM THE MASTERS."
ARE YOUR END-USERS MOSTLY STUDENTS OR SCHOOLS OR PROFESSIONALS?
All of the above. We have a variety of models, specs and sizes to fit every nook and cranny of the market. Whether you’re a school, concert hall, teaching studio or simply a hobbyist who loves pianos, we have something for everyone. That said, I want to be clear that the three brands under the Pearl River group are different, and we don’t make what are sometimes called “stencil pianos.”Some companies manufacture one single model and stick different names on it. They say they have 10 different products under 10 different companies, but it’s actually all the same. We don’t use that approach. Our brands are separate entities with their own qualities and personalities to suit the diversity of the music community.
PEARL RIVER’S WEBSITE SAYS IT’S THE “WORLD’S BEST-SELLING PIANO.” HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
It’s not bragging in any sense — it’s a statistical fact. The sheer number of pianos we sell is huge. On average for the last 20 years, we’ve sold 150,000 pianos per year. Domestically in China, Pearl River has 45% of the market share. Outside of China, we have about 30% of the global market share. Our newest factory regularly ships 500–1,000 pianos per day. The first time I saw it in action, I remember thinking how amazing an operation it was. I’d been to other piano companies’ factories and could not believe at first that Pearl River’s facility was actually making pianos, since it was so large and high-tech. I practically lived there at first just learning how the whole operation worked.
GIVEN ALL OF THE COMPLEXITIES OF PIANO MANUFACTURING, HOW CAN PEARL RIVER MANUFACTURE SUCH A HIGH VOLUME?
A lot of it has to do with our factory facilities. We completed them in 2019. They’re not just larger in size — we also invested millions of dollars in high-tech CNC machines that use robotics to perform precision replication. Using advanced factory automation can cut down on the amount of time it takes to make high-quality piano components.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PIANO LOVERS WHO INSIST THAT GREAT PIANOS REQUIRE HAND-CRAFTING?
I agree that it takes knowledge, experience and craftsmanship to build a great piano. But it’s also important to remember that there are many ways to build excellent instruments. Our No. 1 priority is combining traditional craftsmanship and high quality with modern-day factory management. We want to find ways to cut down on waste, not to rush production and compromise quality. In the end, our system helps us make certain processes highly efficient, which reduces the total time required for certain parts of manufacturing. That enables us to reach a critical economy of scale and offer the end-user a great instrument at a much more affordable price platform. Pearl River has never been about cheap production and inferior pianos — it’s about high quality and efficiency.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PIANO LOVERS WHO INSIST THAT GREAT PIANOS REQUIRE HAND-CRAFTING?
I agree that it takes knowledge, experience and craftsmanship to build a great piano. But it’s also important to remember that there are many ways to build excellent instruments. Our No. 1 priority is combining traditional craftsmanship and high quality with modern-day factory management. We want to find ways to cut down on waste, not to rush production and compromise quality. In the end, our system helps us make certain processes highly efficient, which reduces the total time required for certain parts of manufacturing. That enables us to reach a critical economy of scale and offer the end-user a great instrument at a much more affordable price platform. Pearl River has never been about cheap production and inferior pianos — it’s about high quality and efficiency.
PEARL RIVER RECENTLY STARTED SELLING VIOLINS AND OTHER STRINGED INSTRUMENTS, AS WELL AS PIANOS.
This is not actually a new venture, but it’s one we’ve reinvented. For quite a while, Pearl River sold entry-level instruments that were primarily price-driven, but then we stopped about 10 years ago when the company became publicly listed. We relaunched our string instrument production last year but are doing it differently this time. Our approach is the opposite of before — high-end, small batches, top quality. Our workshop is full of technicians trained in the Italian Cremona tradition of crafting instruments. It’s become a special project that we’re very excited about. Just like our pianos, because of our way of managing finances, we’re able to produce very good quality, handmade instruments that are still relatively affordable.
IT SOUNDS LIKE PEARL RIVER’S MANUFACTURING OPERATION IS PRETTY MASSIVE.
t is. We have 1,000 employees working at our lumber processing plant, where we source the wood for our soundboards, frames and other components. Then the production facility that we just opened three years ago has another 3,000 employees and a 3.2 million-square-foot campus, which makes it the largest facility of its kind in the world. That campus also houses our research-and-development divisions, as well as shipping, storage, sales and other administration.
YOU’VE MENTIONED THAT YOU’RE AN ACTIVE PIANIST.
That’s me! I love the piano and believe that serious pianists need to practice all the time. Without Dr. Caio Pagano, Regents Professor in the School of Music at Arizona State University, I would not be who I am today. I studied with him when I was a student at Arizona State University, and he taught me everything I know as a pianist. He is a wonderful concert performer and educator and really knows how to help his students grow both physically and mentally. My hat is off to Dr. Pagano. I owe everything to him. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
IF NOT MUSIC, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?
I don’t think I can do anything without music! I started playing the piano when I was two years old after seeing my aunt play. My father was my first piano teacher, and I have a degree in piano performance. I can’t imagine doing anything else.
DAVID SYME FINISHES TRIUMPHANT NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Pearl River Piano Group Brand Ambassador and Ritmüller Classical Artist in Residence at Ireland’s University College Cork, David Syme recently wrapped up his Special Performance North American Tour at Fort Bend Music Center in Stafford, Texas, thrilling the audience with an eclectic blend of compositions.
Syme, the Ritmüller Classical Artist in Residence at Ireland’s University College Cork, mixed his evening’s entertainment with everything from Chopin and Bach to Queen and Billy Joel.
Previous tour stops included Metroplex Piano in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Miller Piano Specialists in Franklin, Tennessee, which have been featured online to widespread accolades.
Performing on Kayserburg, Pearl River, and Ritmüller pianos, he shared personal anecdotes and entertaining stories of life on the concert stage along with lively discussions with the attendees.
David Syme has dazzled audiences worldwide, performing at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, and at major venues in 17 European countries, as well as Canada and Mexico. In addition, he has recorded two dozen CDs with top orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic, Czech National Symphony, and the Mexico City Symphony.
Inauguration Concert at
University College Cork
University College Cork
Photo credit John Godfrey
On October 15, 2021, renowned concert pianist David Syme delivered the inaugural concert at the Aula Maxima at UCC on the new Ritmüller RS280 piano as the newly appointed UCC/Ritmüller Classical Artist in Residence. He performed a diverse repertoire of Classical, Baroque and Irish Traditional music that both celebrated his internationally renowned talent and showcased the youthful and scintillating voice of the brand-new instrument. The RS280 exhibited a clarity and a sort of youthful ebullience that allowed David Syme space to explore the music’s subtle complexities with grace and flow. The concert received extensive publicity and, along with David’s renown in Ireland, brought in a large and highly appreciative audience. It was a superb start to a fruitful and exciting partnership between UCC, David Syme and Ritmüller.
About University College Cork (UCC), Ireland
University College Cork, or UCC, is in Cork, Ireland, a city in the midst of some of the most beautiful areas of the country. ork has an extraordinarily busy music scene that embraces everything from Irish Traditional Music to Jazz, Classical music to Pop, World music to one of the busiest Sound Art and Free Improvisation scenes outside of Berlin. UCC’s Music Dept embraces all types of music and all ways of studying it. It is renowned as the World’s leading department for Irish Traditional Music and is also highly respected for its diversity and achievements in multiple fields including World Music and Ethnomusicology; practice-based and academic studies in jazz, pop and Hip Hop; Experimental and improvised music; composition in many genres; the practice and scholarly study of multimedia work; music education and community music; Western art music; Music cognition and more.
John Godfrey, Senior Lecturer Music Department UCC
with David Syme in the Aula Maxima
Published in Pianist, Magazine Issue Nr.1, 2021
The first grand piano from the 3D printer
Recently, Pearl River Piano Group looked to the future with its first grand piano using 3D printer technology With a wink in the direction of space travel, this wing is entirely inspired by Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk – a showcase of imagination. PIANIST talked with Leng Tshua, Global Sales and Marketing Director of Pearl River Piano Group.
The grand piano was unveiled at Music China, Asia’s largest music trade show. The four-day event in Shanghai attracted more than 11,000 visitors from 81 countries. Kayserburg’s “Celestial Harmony Spacewalk” stole the show among the 2,252 exhibitors from 31 countries. Founded in 1956, the Pearl River Piano Group is now the world’s largest piano manufacturer, producing more than 150,000 instruments a year and holding a good 30 percent market share worldwide. Pearl River Piano Group produces three brands: Pearl River, Ritmüller and Kayserburg.
The process of 3D printing is revolutionary because it enables designs that would be difficult to construct using traditional production methods. Although the cast iron frame and wooden structure of the piano are retained, the body was printed from carbon fiber polyester. This “Celestial Harmony Spacewalk” is based on the Kayserburg GH188A and the results of advanced CNC processes combined with 3D printer technology.
When did you have the idea to work with 3D printer technology? We have been looking at the potential of 3D manufacturing for several years now.
In your press release, you refer to developments in the automotive industry that are taking place in 3D technology from aircraft manufacturers. Is it typical of true innovation to look outside your own industry?
We need to look beyond the piano industry if we are to make the transition into the new millennium, as our end users are significantly different from those of 60 years ago. The new generation of consumers is growing up with smartphones, and we must also integrate this technological platform into our future products.
In the past, things like self-driving cars would have been considered completely impossible. Today there is. Will the same be true for a 3D-printed wing? How far do you think this development will go? Just look how fast smartphones have evolved and how we always have to carry them with us wherever we go! We are always looking for new technologies that could promote and improve our manufacturing process.
Could we say that this is the ultimate step in piano design, a result of earlier developments in the field of carbon mechanics, for example? Or is it just the next step, and we don’t know where creativity and ingenuity will take us in the future?
Given the infinite potential in 3D printing technology, our first step is to test the possibilities of manufacturing acoustic instruments with such a high-tech platform. And should this become reality in the near future, it could revolutionize the industry in a positive sense.
As you know, the design and manufacture of the rim is something that distinguishes great piano makers from others. One only has to consider the great differences between Bösendorfer and Steinway, which lead directly to a different concept of sound. How do you see the printed Rim in this context?
I agree that the rim as well as other parts of the piano ‘are the vital organs of the construction and must not be interfered with. We are very selective in such a process, and our ultimate goal is to make a great sounding acoustic piano.
How is the sound received?
The piano we exhibited at Music China 2020 was played by professional musicians and other industry experts, and the feedback was very positive. I consider this approach to be successful.
Does 3D printer technology make production easier? Do you need less time and manpower?
3D printer technology definitely makes production “easier” and it is possible in less time. But there is still a need for real people who work together in the best harmony with the machines!
Does this method of production also influence the “feeling” and appreciation that customers have for the unique characteristics of a musical instrument? So to what many see as his “soul”? We are aware that we are manufacturers of acoustic pianos. Our intention in everything is “form follows functions” to keep the soul alive!
Do you think 3D printing technology will be an integral part of Pearl River’s piano production in the future?
Since we have just taken the first step into a futuristic concept, we are exploring the market potential that arises as a result of Music China 2020. I think that in a few years we may be able to announce realistic plans on how to offer such 3D-printed pianos in selected areas.
Can this also be applied to pianinos?
Yes, this can definitely happen! You also use plexiglass, what else is new about this design? We are currently investigating other materials that are suitable for the piano in terms of their acoustic possibilities.
How many pianos should be made?
We do not yet have a forecast, but we are prepared to accept special orders from potential interested parties.
Will we soon see a piano from the 3D printer in Europe?
Definitely! If the interest in Europe is strong enough and we are invited, I could imagine a European tour of the 3D-printed piano in the foreseeable future.
ERIC SCHOONES
www.pianist-magazin.de