Once in a lifetime opportunity arises for young pianists

Written by Travis Conant

Young Windsor musicians were given a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform on a special piano at the Capitol Theatre on Nov. 13.

Windsor Symphony Orchestra partnered with the Steinway & Sons company to give 19 young Windsor pianists, ages 6-20, the opportunity to play on a high class piano. The Spirio piano is a unique instrument and combines the best of a Steinway grand and a player piano all in one instrument.

Windsor Symphony Orchestra director, Robert Franz, said the event marks almost one year since they purchased their Steinway piano, which created the relationship they currently have with Steinway.

“When we began talking to them about what we wanted to do for this season one of the things I had wished to do was to be able to perform Mozart’s double piano contardo,” said Franz.

Franz said they have two pianos, an older instrument and the Steinway. There is a concert that will include the performance of the Mozart double piano piece.

The dress rehearsal is another chance for people to hear what the instrument sounds like as the performers practice before the concert.  

Alex Thomson is the regional manager for Steinway Piano Gallery and said they are pleased to be partnering with the Windsor Symphony for the double piano contraro event.

“We thought, if we are bringing one piano down why not bring multiple pianos down and create an opportunity,  not only to reach out to the community and help, there but also to help the symphony with possible availability of piano sales,” said Thomson.

Thomson said the purpose of the event on Tuesday was to give local teachers and their students the opportunity to be able to come in and experience high end instruments and to perform in front of their peers.

Sophia Yunwei Lu and Jim Zhining Hu are music students at the University of Windsor. They were also two of the 19 local pianists who were given the opportunity to perform.

“It was very special for me because it was my first time to perform in public,” said Lu. “I found the piano was really good quality.”

Hu said he has never played on a piano as high quality as the one he played on Tuesday.

“The touch was quite good but I just don’t like the sound, it sounded too mellow,” said Hu. “I prefer to put those pieces on a brighter piano.”

Lu played a piece by Bach titled Sinfonia No.4 BWV 790 and Hu played a piece by Rameau titled Les Trois Mains.

Hu said he is not going to be a pianist as a full time career.

“I want to compose more than perform, so maybe I will be a composer in the future,” said Hu. “I’m learning some theory and composing some pieces.”

Lu said she thinks she will play the piano her whole life.

“I think in the future, I may become a music teacher,” said Lu. “I think maybe I will teach piano or music theory or I’ll become a music performer.”

To get tickets for the dress rehearsal visit the Windsor Symphony Orchestra website or go to Capitol Theatre on Saturday morning before 11 a.m. to pick up a ticket.