Cunningham Piano Company

Kutztown University Debuts their new Roland digital Harpsichord

2012-03-06T09:44:00.002-08:00

Part of the challenge presented to today's music programs is to give their students an authentic experience when dealing with historic music. Although period music can be played on modern instruments, students (and sometimes their professors) can see a facet of the composition they never knew existed by hearing and performing on instruments for which a piece was originally written.

Owning historic instruments is expensive, but the cost of maintaining them has made this investment prohibitive for many colleges and schools of music... until now.

Kutztown University has solved this problem gracefully with one today's finest digital instrument made with this purpose in mind - the Roland C-30. They recently debutted this new addition in a faculty/student recital that featured three types of classic harpsichord: Flemish, French, and the muted stop called the Lute.

The Roland is set up and ready for the recital

Further, the musicians demonstrated two types of Continuo Organ registrations, an early version of the Pianoforte, and the Celesta.

Dr. Ina Grapenthin performs the Fantasia in d minor by Telemann for a young captive audience

Faculty performers included:

Dr. Maria Asteriadou

Dr. Daniel Immel

Dr. Ina Grapenthin

Dr. Marie - Aline Cadieux

Dr. Trucilla Sabatino

Dr. Susanna Laowy

Dr. Grapenthin remarked, "By playing Baroque pieces by composers such as Bach and Handel on the harpsichord, or Classical Period pieces by Mozart on the Pianoforte, the audience can experience this music as it was originally written and heard."

New Home for Rodgers Classical Organs in Philadelphia

2012-02-21T08:38:00.002-08:00

We at Cunningham Piano Company are so pleased to have recently been chosen as the home for Rodgers Classical Organs for the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey area.

Rodgers has a rich history as a provider of instruments for worship and performance and has been chosen by many influential congregations in our area. Here are just a few:

Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pa.

Christ Lutheran Church, Oreland, Pa.

Saint Mary's, Dunmore, Pa.

Triumph Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pa.

Saint Agnes, West Chester, Pa.

Nativity of our Lord, Scranton, Pa.

Union Baptist Church, Trenton, N.J.

Shavertown United Methodist Church, Shavertown, Pa.

The Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, Pa.

Please take the oppotunity to take a backstage tour of the Rodgers factory and watch a magnificent five-manual organ come into being, from the day the rough lumber arrives to the day it is played leading a congregation in worship. The craftsmanship, ingenious technology, environmental stewardship, and unique benefits built into the flagship Trillium Masterpiece Series organ add up to a fascinating story.

We invite you to make an appointment to stop into our showroom and hear the Rodgers Instrument in person.

Supporting Music in schools across the region - with the New Cunningham Piano

2011-12-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to again be involved as a sponsor in the Christmas Choir Competition at B101 radio here in Philadelphia! This program gives schools with every level of choir in the Philadelphia area a chance to be heard by many thousands of listeners across our region.

Additionally, each school has the chance to win money specifically targeted to be spent on their music program, but the part of the program that is most exciting to us is that one elementary school - and one high school is randomly chosen to receive a New Cunningham professional studio piano to be used in their music program, regardless of how the school ended in the standings.

Our own Rich Galassini visited the studio for the announcement of each awarded piano:

Tiffany, B101 morning DJ, and Rich Galassini chat onair while a school finds out that they have won a new Cunningham Piano!

Hear the Elementary School winner being awarded a New Cunningham Piano

Hear the High School winner being awarded a new Cunningham Piano

George Crumb and Cunningham Piano Company

2011-12-04T13:23:00.001-08:00

George Crumb's reputation as a composer of hauntingly beautiful scores has made him one of the most frequently performed composers in today's musical world. From Los Angeles to Moscow, and from Scandinavia to South America, festivals devoted to the music of George Crumb have sprung up like wildflowers. Crumb, the winner of a 2001 Grammy Award and the 1968 Pulitzer Prize in Music, continues to compose new scores that enrich the musical lives of those who come in contact with his profoundly humanistic art. At the time of this writing, he is also a nominee for a 2011 Grammy Award.

We are very proud that Mr. Crumb has just chosen Cunningham Piano Company to restore his Steinway grand piano that he has used for decades. Since he has traveled extensively as a composer, a clinician, and a teacher, he has had the opportunity to meet many people and play many pianos. This is doubly exciting for us because George Crumb has always been known for his discernment of a tonal palette in his compositions... as well as in his piano.

George Crumb at his piano

We are honored that Mr. Crumb feels comfortable with choosing us to improve his prized possession. We are also equally honored by his choice of grand piano to play in his home while we work on his piano. After auditioning many choices, Mr. Crumb chose a new Cunningham grand piano to play on in his home for the next several months.

We asked for his thoughts on this piano and he responded, "I like the New Cunningham grand pianos quite a bit. They have a very nice tone and action.I will enjoy playing on them."

Van Cliburn Competition veteran performs at Cunningham Piano Company on Historic Restored Steinway

2011-11-25T23:36:00.000-08:00

On Sunday November 20, 2011, Cunningham Piano Company was so excited to host Ang Li in recital. Ms. Li has been ranked among the top 30 pianists in the world by The Van Cliburn Competition and has qualified to compete in this competition twice. She has attended The Curtis Institute and The Juilliard School and has performed world wide to critical acclaim. She performed works of Schubert, Liszt, and DeBussy in our recital area.

Ang Li has a variety of high profile recitals scheduled over the next few months, including her debut at Carnegie Hall on December 18, 2011.

It pleased us that she chose to include our location on her busy schedule, but thrilled us that she also chose to record her upcoming DVD here. When asked her reasons Ang Li stated, "The audience that attends the Cunningham Recital Events is always so supportive. Also, when I learned of the rare instrument that I could choose to play on - an 1875 historic Steinway concert grand fully restored by the Cunningham staff - I knew this recital would offer some tremendous possibilities. I am so glad we chose to record here."

Here is an excerpt from her recital:

Ang Li, Granados: Allegro de concierto from Robert Bullington on Vimeo.

After the recital, Rich Galassini had a chance to chat briefly with Ms. Li:

Rich Galassini chats with Ang Li from Robert Bullington on Vimeo.

For information on ordering your own copy of Ang Li in recital, or to join our email list for upcoming concert events at Cunningham Piano Company, please email us at piano@cunninghampiano.com

George Gershwin and Cunningham Piano Company

2011-10-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known. Among his best known works are the orchestral compositions Rhapsody in Blue (1924) and An American in Paris (1928), as well as the opera, Porgy and Bess (1935).

Since Porgy and Bess was based in the South, Gershwin stayed in Folly Beach, South Carolina and wrote it there. Of course, he needed a piano, so he visited the local music store, Siegling's Music House, and chose a Cunningham Piano. That piano is now on public display in a museum there.

The Cunningham Piano Gershwin wrote "Porgy and Bess" on, protected in a climate controlled display case.

The same piano, close up.

"Folly Beach", a book written Dorothea Benton Frank, is set in the town, and the main character describes the Cunningham Piano in this way:

"Cunningham Piano Company, coincidentally also from Philadelphia, has been building pianos for symphonies, academies, and concert pianists since the 1890's and they were treasured by those who played them. Considering my rudimentary skill level, I was humbled to own one."

Larry Fine, author and piano technician, spends some quality time in Philly

2011-10-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Today at Cunningham Piano we had a visitor who spent time in our restoration facility, examined some of our new Cunningham Pianos, discussed our methods and techniques with our staff, and generally caught up with old friends.

Our visitor was Larry Fine, author of The Piano Book and The PianoBuyer! It was a very good time

Larry Fine (far right) discusses a very special piano restoration of an 1875 Steinway concert grand piano with Kurt Weissman (far left) and Tim Oliver (center). This piano was the very first 88 note model ever made.

Larry Fine and our factory staff have an informal question and answer session. Larry shared alot about how he began in the industry, what brought him to write, and how he prepared to write his first book.

Today, Larry Fine became an "Honorary Cunningham Piano Technician"(Notice the shirt?). He was kind enough to say that he truly admired the work he saw here in our rebuilds and in our new Cunningham Piano. We are looking forward to his review in the next issue of The PianoBuyer.

Mr. Fine had a comment about his visit. He said, "In my position I have to be careful in anything I say, because I must keep an objective eye and my job requires me to be unbiased. I will say though that I am very pleased to see how advanced your thinking is in regards to everything you do, from the detail work that I see in every restoration to the continual improvement of the New Cunningham pianos. I can see why you are successful."

Here is an "on the fly" video of us discussing the newest design elements of the New Cunningham piano:

Steinway Grand Piano returns to Waverly Heights in Gladwyne, Pa.

2011-09-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

Waverly Heights is a 63 acre campus that was formerly a Philadelphia Main Line Estate. It is located in Gladwyne, Pa. and many of its residents are active supporters of the arts in our region.

The facility boasts a wonderful recital hall and an impressive recital series that is supported through Astral Artists of Philadelphia.They only had one problem. Their piano was a 7 ft. Steinway, but it was originally built in 1917, was simply was not up to the task of supporting the world class artists that their music committee hoped to attract.

So a group which included former professors, CEO's, and a concert pianist did a tremendous amount of research on the best way to solve their problem. They auditioned new Steinway pianos, auditioned examples of restorations, and considered rebuilding their own beautiful Steinway. The last consideration, rebuilding their 1917 Steinway, seemed to make sense.

After comparing many proposals and speaking to many companies, the music committee chose Cunningham Piano Company to perform their restoration. To hear Alexendre Moutouskine perform on the instrument and hear the thoughts of the committee, please watch the video below.

Limited Edition Cunningham Grand Piano

2011-09-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

In honor of the 120th anniversary of Cunningham Piano Company, we are pleased to have completed our first "limited edition" Cunningham grand piano. This is the first of our Heritage Series, called "The Victorian".

This piano has a set of solid mahogany legs and lyre that are beautifully hand carved and a music rack that is reminiscent of some of the finest hand built American pianos of the 19th century. All of the handcarving, custom stain work, and finishing in polyester was done right here in the USA.

The Victorian, upon it's completion in our Philadelphia restoration facility.

Notice the beautiful details in the legs and lyre

A close up of the fallboard and music rack

For more information or to view or audition this beautiful instrument, please call us at (215) 438-3200.

This day in 1929

2011-08-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

On August 16, 1929, the world welcomed William John Evans into our midst. Bill Evans original and inventive interpretation of standard jazz repertoire, pastel harmonies, and trademark independent but singing melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists.

Bill Evans influenced a generation of pianists including Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Marian McPartland, Keith Jarrett, and many others. Please enjoy our favorite version of "My Foolish Heart", performed live by the Bill Evans Trio at The Village Vanguard in 1961:

Bill Evans sadly passed away in September, 1980.

Best of Philly - 2011

2011-08-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia Magazine is our region's "finger on the pulse" of what is new and influential, and also what is classically Philadelphia. Best of Philly has been a long tradition there and readers wait for this list all year. It includes all kinds of goods, services, trends, and novellties that are of the finest quality... and are also classically Philadelphia!

The publication puts a huge amount of work into many fields and has called this year's project a "pavement pounding, secret scrounging, belly busting extravaganza"!

Thank you to all of our supporters who nominated us or somehow got the editors at Philadelphia Magazine to turn to pianos this year. Pianos have only been included in "Best of Philly" twice in the last twenty years - incidentally both times we were chosen.

What they said about Cunningham Piano Company:

"People and institutions from all over the country ship their priceless Steinways to this 120 year old shop for resuscitation... So Cunningham can certainly handle Nana's old upright. Don't have a piano? They sell them, too."

Cunningham Piano Company is again chosen for testing cutting edge piano technology

2011-07-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

Cunningham Piano was the first to have a hybrid composing piano, the first to host a TransAtlantic Piano Recital on a CEUS that streamed live performance along with video from Vienna to Philadelphia, and the first in North America to have a Disklavier installed in a Bosendorfer.

Because of our experience in distance learning and technology, Cunningham was one of two dealers chosen in North America to beta test the newest Disklavier feature, called "LiveRemote". Our showroom received live streaming piano from The Newport Jazz Festival from July 7th to July 12th. Although the actual live Beta is confidential, here is video testing of the feed to give you a feel for how this may eventually look in your home:

At this point this technology is not "plus and play" feature that can be readily used by consumers, but it is very close to being just that. It is exciting to us that we have become recognized for these skills and have become a resource for a variety of manufacturers for this type of testing and feedback.

Happy birthday Gustav Mahler!

2011-07-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

In honor of July 7th, Gustav Mahler's birthday, we would like to offer a beautiful performance of one of our favorite Mahler pieces, "The Piano Quartet in a Minor".

Here is part I:

And part II:

KYW, our local newsradio program sees historic piano as good news!

2011-07-06T05:53:00.000-07:00

Steve Tawa is a veteran newsreporter at KYW, our region's #1 all-news formatted station. He stopped by yesterday unexpectedly and explained that his editor had a story at a local piano company. Steve said that being a pianist himself, he jumped at the chance to visit.

Steve Tawa

KYW had gotten wind of a rare piano that we had just finished restoring and that this was Cunningham Piano Company's 120th anniversary year. This is great news for all who enjoy piano. We are so pleased that the #1 news radio station in the Philadelphia market thought that anything related to piano, particularly one of our instruments was newsworthy!

The 1875 Steinway concert grand piano that KYW stopped by to see and play.

Here is the story:

Germantown Piano Company Celebrating 120th Anniversary

The Collaborative Pianist

2011-06-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

Recently we started a series of interactive recitals here at Cunningham Piano Company that we thought would appeal to many musicians. Scheduled to continue through this summer, the series is called The Collaborative Pianist and it focuses on the piano not as a solo instrument, but as part of an ensemble. The series is designed to give the audience a glimpse into the thoughts, ideas, methods, and inspirations of some of our area’s most interesting and versatile artists.

Here is an excerpt from the first session:

Our next session will be on Wednesday June 22nd at 7:30 pm here at the Cunningham Recital space.

Featured Artists:

Christopher Pfund, Tenor
Mr. Pfund has received critical acclaim for his performances with major orchestras on three continents, including our own Philadelphia Orchestra. We are pleased to have him as a featured performer.

Hugh Sung, Pianist
Hugh Sung is one finest collaborative pianists anywhere. His work with The Curtis Institute here in Philadelphia, as well as with colleges and artists worldwide, have made him a desirable addition to any program.

For more information, please call (215) 438-3200.

Anne Garee of FSU

2011-05-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

Florida State University is one of the largest colleges of music in the United States and they have one of the very few graduate programs for piano technology available anywhere. Anne Garee is the Director of FSU's program and she is also in demand nationally for her skills in encouraging and training piano technicians of all skill levels. She is also someone that is fun to be around.

Anne was engaged to be a featured instructor at M.A.R.C., the MidAtlantic Regional Convention for piano technicians. She told us "I am almost driving by Cunningham Piano Company. I have to make a visit." We are so glad she did.

Anne chats with Jason Andino and learns a little about Cunningham Piano Company's custom soundboard installation

Kurt shows off an action "in process"

Anne commented on her visit, "I cannot thank you enough for hosting me so well. You are not only doing fine work, but you are generous and gracious people."

Two days later, Anne and another respected colleague, Dale Erwin, needed a fine piano for each of their respective classes at the convention and, upon thier request, we were happy to provide them with a fully rebuilt Steinway grand piano.

Dale Erwin uses our piano as an example for his class on piano soundboards

Anne discusses her class with Jerry Cohen, RPT

Both Dale and Anne commented about the Steinway they used:

"I saw fantastic intentional detail in your piano overall. Very much like mine. I applaud you - you guys are knocking yourselves out!" Dale Erwin

"What a lovely restoration. You saved the day for me and Dale." Anne Garee

Cunningham Piano Company featured in Temple University's study of Philadelphia neighborhoods

2011-04-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

Temple University student film makers and journalists were recently sent across the city to find and document treasures of Philadelphia that are unique and help to make up the fabric of Philadelphia social and artistic culture. Cunningham Piano Company was proud to be chosen to be featured in this project. We were also pleased to be able to help.

Here is the result of the student film makers efforts:

James Riggio and Max Webber, both film students at Temple, were able to edit a 45 minute interview to the 4:18 video that is featured above. Bravo! We look forward to hearing more from James and Max in the future.

Just some thoughts on cognition, aging, and music

2011-03-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

More than 2300 years ago, Plato said, “Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education, and children should be taught music before anything else.”

Plato

In fact, our brains and thought processes begin their development before we are born. As a child’s brain develops, connections are being made between trillions of neurons. If the brain does not use some of these neurons, it begins to eliminate them. The richer the environment of the child, the more developed the pathways of the neurons. The most powerful period of this development for both verbal and musical abilities occurs from birth to about age nine. Studying a musical instrument, particularly the piano, can be a profound benefit to this effect.

Why is this so?

First of all, playing any musical instrument can effect the way our brain works - and practicing an instrument regularly literally trains the brain to behave in a certain way. For instance, in 1993 in a study of preschool children who were taking keyboard lessons, researchers found that the children that received keyboard training performed 46% better on spatial-temporal tests than the other children. Spatial-temporal reasoning is a key to the higher brain functions required for mathematics, physics and engineering.

As We Age:

We have heard a lot about how our thinking changes as we grow older, about how our brain easily gets “stuck in a rut” and how the decline of cognitive thought is common. But it does not have to be a normal part of aging. The way our brain works and ages can be effected by us by keeping our brains limber, or elastic.

The theory of brain elasticity has gained acceptance in the world of education. As we age, our brain elasticity becomes static. Our traditional education is over and we’re probably good enough at our jobs that we’re not learning new skills. Our brains, then, are coasting on cruise-control and looking forward to a lazy retirement.

But not so fast! With a little brain gymnastics, we can ensure a longer, more rewarding life. By keeping your brain active and challenged, by involving it in thought you can stave off brain decline. One of the best ways to do this is to involve the brain in thought processes that use different parts of the brain simultaneously. Playing piano is the perfect activity for this purpose and it also happens to be a lot of fun.

We would love to hear comments that will generate further discussion on this subject!

Paul Badura-Skoda explains what is special about Bosendorfer

2011-03-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Paul Badura-Skoda is a pianist that has enjoyed a fantastic career that has spanned over 60 years. This has been said about him:

"Paul Badura-Skoda is a legendary artist who has been heard in all the world´s greatest concert halls, and for years was the pianist who had the largest number of recordings available in the market. His musical personality is characterized by complete immersion in music, a passionate search for the essential, and a sense of artistic responsibility. It soon becomes evident to any listener that he loves music with every part of his being."

Here is a rare opportunity to hear him speak about the piano he loves:

Checking out the latest batch for Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music

2011-03-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

Stephen R. Shaver is Head Piano Technician at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. He has worked with many artists over the past 35 years there and has gained tremendous respect from his colleagues and students.

Stephen began as a staff piano technician at the school at age 23 after completing an apprenticeship in the field. By 1991 he was teaching piano technology and was responsible for the maintenance and management of about 450 acoustic pianos used by over 1700 students in the school of music.

Stephen Shaver practices his craft

We were very pleased to host a visit by Stephen to Cunningham Piano Company.

The reason for the visit was to see a number of Steinway pianos that we had rebuilt for the Jacobs School of Music and were now ready to return to the school. What we did not expect was how easily Stephen shared his knowledge and experience. In fact, the technical exchange that occured throughout the day was inspiring.

Stephen closely observes Kurt Weissman's voicing techniques

It is fair to say that everyone involved learned something about the instrument that we all love and for which we have a passion.

During a break in technical work, Dr. Clay Armstrong chats with Mr. Shaver. Stephen was generous with his time and was willing to offer consultations to any customers who had questions for him.

When asked who he has learned the most from, Stephen responded candidly, "My greatest teachers have always been artists. If I am able to listen... really listen to what they desire in a piano and 'hear through their pain' I am often able to discover something beautiful. It creates an interesting relationship."

He also gave his thoughts on the growing relationship with Cunningham Piano Company. " I am most impressed with the value that Cunningham has given us in their rebuilding services. The work they have done is consistent, the quality is tremendous, and their price is reasonable. This is a great combination and I am very happy with the product they've provided."

Cunningham Piano Company is featured in "The Renner Report"

2011-02-12T11:29:00.000-08:00

The Renner Company provides action parts to many of the finest builders of artistic pianos in the world today. They also provide custom manufactured parts for rebuilders to use in some of the world's finest historic pianos.

We are proud to have been featured in their e-news "The Renner Report" that is sent to every piano technician and rebuilder that uses their product. Renner said, "Cunningham Piano Company of Philadelphia...began piano restoration work in 1945, and is one of the largest and most successful piano rebuilding factories in the world. Staying fully informed and involved in all aspects of the piano industry is one of the secrets to their success."

To read the article, click the banner below:

The Ipad player system!

2010-12-15T05:37:00.000-08:00

Simple to use, seamless technologies converge to offer unparalleled ease and endless enjoyment. Bringing third party technologies together has already yielded some spectacular results and this
piano is no exception. We would love to hear your comments!

Cunningham Piano helps to translate a teacher's ambitions into reality!

2010-11-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

Waldron Mercy Academy enjoys a rich history in our region. Founded in 1923, this private school has provided tremendous academics to generations of children. They are also committed to innovation, excellence, and developing well rounded students and their music program attests to this.

Mr. Michael Borton leads "The Treblemakers"

Michael Borton is one of the Philadelphia area's most innovative music teachers and is a member of the Waldron Mercy music faculty. An active performer, he enjoys bringing the thrill of mastering challenging music and performing to tomorrow's musicians. He also does so using every possible tool available to him... including cutting edge piano technology.

Cunningham Piano Company has become known throughout the region for their ability to blend technologies for an exciting final product and they were the natural choice for Michael to help turn his ambitions into reality.

NBC News was interested in what Michael was doing, so they stopped by to learn more.

Click here to see the video:

Its officially a legacy!

2010-10-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

For the past four years, The Fox Network, and now PHL17, has asked their viewers and webmembers to vote on the Best of The Philly Region in dozens of categories. This list of winners has become known in our region as:

In 2010, and since the inception of this award four years ago,

has been chosen as our region's finest

Musical Instrument Location!

Please stop by the link above, look at the featured photos and videos, and if you've had some experience with Cunningham Piano Company, feel free to add to the comments and recommendations!

Westminster Choir College chooses only the finest!

2010-09-17T19:19:00.000-07:00

Westminster Choir College has earned a world class reputation for the development of professional organists, singers, and pianists. Their faculty and staff demand the finest for their students, but their main performance concert grand piano presented a problem.

The school's piano technician, David Forman, explained,"Originally built in the 1970's, this 9 ft. Steinway had been used as a rehearsal/performance/accompaniment instrument for almost 40 years at Westminster... and it showed!" He added, "This piano was presenting us with challenges. There were action issues, stability issues, and the tone had diminished over the years. Clearly something had to be done.

After discussing the many options with the faculty and administration, we decided to send the piano to Cunningham Piano. I have always liked their work and I trust their staff."

David Forman checks out the Steinway concert grand in one of the Cunningham Concertization Rooms before delivery.

On Thursday September 16th, the piano arrived, freshly rebuilt, refinished, and fine tuned. Time was set aside for the faculty and students to audition the piano and give their opinions.

Dean Robert Annis remarked, "I am not a pianist, but the sound is beautiful and so are the looks. I have heard nothing but positive comments from our faculty today."

Cunningham Piano's head mover, Michael Williams, sets the piano upon it's dolly as part of the final installation.

Professor Phyllis Lehrer felt that the tone, touch, and look of the piano were excellent. She added, "This piano is warm, yet bright. There is a great "bloom" to the tone."

A student commented, "The piano has a lovely tone. Every piece gleams and it looks so beautiful I cannot believe that this is the same piano."

Rich Galassini, Co-Owner of Cunningham Piano Company, chats with Dean Robert Annis as the music faculty and students arrive.

Left to Right: Prof. Stefan Young, Cunningham Piano's Milo Morris, Prof. Phyllis Lehrer, Matthew Kiple, piano student, Cunningham Piano's Rich Galassini, David Forman, piano technician, and Dean Robert Annis.

In Memoriam: Angelo Andino b. 3/1/47 d. 8/15/10

2010-08-27T06:26:00.000-07:00

Angelo Andino is a name known to just about any piano technician or rebuilder familiar with the Steinway culture of New York City. Frankly, he is known to many piano technicians, musicians, and rebuilders well outside of his area of business.

Angelo worked at the Steinway factory in Astoria for a little over 20 years. While he was there his responsibilities included duplicating soundboards and pinblocks for historic Steinway pianos. Recognized by the company, he was chosen to be on the team that rebuilt Steinway #100000, which the company gave to the White House as The Presidential Concert Grand in 1903.

Angelo Andino stands fourth from the right among Steinway officials and the rest of the rebuilding team.

President Jimmy Carter owns a personal piano but was very pleased with the work performed on Steinway Grand #100000. This piano now resides in The Smithsonian Institute and is considered a National Treasure.

But this is not where Angelo's story ends. Angelo went on to work with many of the Northeast United States most recognized rebuilding firms as a soundboard specialist, a manager, or a partner. During this period Angelo also did work for Cunningham Piano Company.

What made Angelo Andino notable was his willingness to share what he knew, particularly as he matured. There are piano technicians across the Northeast region and in the Steinway factory today that owe a portion of their knowledge to Angelo Andino.

Angelo's son, Jason, worked in the same capacity as Angelo at the Steinway factory in Astoria for 13 years himself. Jason shared his father's reaction when he told him that he was leaving Steinway to join Cunningham Piano Company:

"My father thought it was a very good idea to join Cunningham Piano Company. He said he had done work for them over the years, knew some of the people there, and knew that they were passionate about great pianos. It was also a family atmosphere, which was very attractive to me.

He also encouraged me to gain more experience with the rest of the world's finest pianos and that has been a great part of my work in Philadelphia. At Cunningham I have worked on Bosendorfer, Bechstein, Chickering, Knabe, Mason & Hamlin, and others. These are tremendous instruments and I am enjoying the knowledge I've gained and the variety of pianos that I am now working with."

Angelo Andino never stopped learning... and never stopped teaching. Pictured above is Angelo working with his son, Jason, who is a well respected craftsman in the industry in his own right.

Angelo Andino is survived by his two children, Jason and Allison, his five grandchildren, and a grateful industry. God bless you, Angelo. You are missed.

Bösendorfer Party 2010!

2010-08-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

On August 18th we were pleased to host Simon Oss, Worldwide Director for Bösendorfer. Simon has been aware of Cunningham Piano Company by reputation and was aware of our work, but this was his first visit to Philadelphia in person.

To celebrate, we invited some of Philadelphia's finest musicians to share Viennese food, drink, music, and culture... and to meet Simon Oss, of course. It was a huge success! Over 100 Philadelphia area musicians, including people from the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, Astral Artists, Curtis Institute, the Mendelssohn Club, Drexel University, Lincoln University, Haverford College, and more stopped by over the course of the afternoon. Here are a few highlights:

During the afternoon there was a number of impromptu performances by a number of incredible young people. Max Song, a winner in this year's Young Classical Musician's Idol contest graced us with some of Saint Saens' most beautiful music.

Farid Barron (left), who has been the pianist for Wynton Marsalis and currently plays with Sun Ra's Arkestra and is on faculty at Drexel University spends a little time with Ray Chandler, Director of Bösendorfer, USA.

Simon Oss spoke to the attendees and graciously thanked them for all of their support. He also praised the food and our wine choice.

Vince Grantano, piano industry veteran who began as sales manager at Cunningham over 40 years ago visits with Doris Cohen-Reber, whose family owned Cunningham Piano Company for two generations.

Young Daniel Baker did not expect to perform for us at all, but with his father at the keyboard he felt comfortable enough to sing for us beautifully! Daniel did a great job and although his father Ted is a Philadelphia area attorney, we know he secretly dreams of being a pianist.

10 year old Josh Camen is a chess champion, an advanced math scholar, and he played Beethoven for us. He was overheard commenting, "I love this piano!"

Janelle McCoy (center), Executive Director of The Mendelssohn Club and Ellie Elkington, a member of their board join Rich Galassini, Co-Owner of Cunningham Piano Company.

Jeff Bradshaw, who has toured with Sting, arranged his brass parts, and is about to leave on a tour with Tyler Perry made a quick stop to join us. He won the award for "best entrance"!

Cunningham Piano "Day at the Beach" 2010

2010-07-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

There are few things that are better than doing work you are passionate about with people who share your passion. We are all in this unique situation here at Cunningham Piano Company.

One thing we've all come to enjoy is getting to know each other a little better outside of work, which is exactly what happened this past Sunday afternoon. The Chelsea Hotel of Atlantic City hearkens back to before casinos and urban sprawl to the days when Atlantic City was the playground of America. The Chelsea is a customer of ours and it was the perfect place to meet each other's families, enjoy the ocean, and enjoy each other.

A view of The Chelsea from Atlantic Avenue

Maurice, Uncle Dick, Tommy, Peter, and Salvatore enjoy some food and fellowship poolside.

Co-Owner Tim Oliver and his wife Liz enjoy some time with Rose Cohen-Karr, whose family owned Cunningham Piano Company for two generations.

Jason Andino keeps cool while keeping a watchful eye on the kids.

Here is the restaurant/poolside bar area we took over. One of the nicest parts was the time we spent together beforehand at the beach and the time following that groups met for a late dinner.

Big Mike is not only the World's Finest piano mover, he also happens to be pretty popular with the kids... and the ladies! That is no surprise to any of us, Big Mike.

Cunningham Piano and Technology on KYW News Radio

2010-07-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

Cunningham Piano Company has long been considered the area experts when it comes to technical aspects of the piano, learning, education, and the latest technology.

Because of this, KYW Newsradio naturally chose us to learn more. They recently visited and interviewed our own Tim Oliver to get his view on the newest technologies, how children learn piano, and how parents can get started.

Tim Oliver and the Cunningham Composer

Tim demonstrated how easy it is to learn to play piano - and with The Cunningham Composer stars like Norah Jones can teach you play in your own home!

To hear the broadcast, click here

Our own Maurice Dinkins holds true to his vision

2010-07-09T06:33:00.000-07:00

We have had the pleasure of having Maurice Dinkins as a staff technician here at Cunningham Piano Company for years now. He has tuned for artists like Yuja Wang, Patti LaBelle, and Alicia Keyes, so he is no stranger to meeting celebrities.... but becoming one - that is new to him.

Philadelphia local news stopped in and interviewed him recently. Here is the interview:

More and More international piano shipping!!

2010-06-05T14:16:00.001-07:00

This is bewildering to us, but we are certainly getting the hang of repackaging grand pianos for shipment overseas. This week we had to crate 11... thats right! 11 beautiful older Steinway grand pianos for shipment to a dealer overseas who wished to buy a number of these instruments in one fell swoop.

A rebuilt Steinway is partially packed for overseas shipment

It even took us by surprise when we were recently asked to crate and prepare several pianos for other dealers for overseas shipment as well.

This is unusual and at the same time kind of cool. This industry is indeed a tiny one and word gets around too fast sometimes.

Nothing else new to report right now. This was just unusual enough that we had to mention it.

New Technology in Action

2010-05-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

In 1938, Dr. Jefferson of DUPONT, and Prof. Winacker of HOESCHT, as young bench chemists, simultaneously invented a polymer in their research labs, one in the U.S., the other in Germany. That polymer, or plastic resin, is polytetraflourothylene (PTFE) - commonly known throughout the world as TEFLON, a registered trade name of Dupont. (Hoescht has been marketing its product after the war under the tradename HOSTAFLON.)

Although DUPONT was very successful in marketing the material and its uses, HOESCHT remained a valid competitor. They became majority shareholder of a Teflon processor on Long Island, Tri-Point Industries (TPI), who was mass producing Teflon rods and tubing at a very reasonable cost.

Mr. Hardy Von Auenmueller, then in his early 30's, was given the opportunity to move to the USA and manage this company for HOECHST. An account that he had the pleasure of managing was Steinway of Astoria. TPI engineered a teflon bushing and produced the product to Steinway's specifications on their own machinery for use in their piano actions. These bushings, used in Steinway actions, were expected to eleviate many action problems and TPI was the supplier of record throughout the 1960's and early 1970's. During Hardy's tenure there, TPI supplied Steinway with zillions of these bushings.

The tiny teflon bushings that were manufactured by TPI while Hardy Von Auenmueller managed the company.

Unfortunately, the use of teflon in the Steinway action was not terribly successful.

Mr. Von Auenmueller shared his experiences with us recently when he toured our facility. He fully understood the problems that Steinway had with the bushings and explained, "The problem was not with the composite technology at all. As an inert material that was self lubricating,the teflon bushing did everything it promised. It was an ideal solution, but the application was not carefully completed. The engineers involved failed to take into account the fact that the wooden construction around the bushing changed seasonally, even daily."

During his tour, he stopped to closely examine the new Mason & Hamlin that used the nylon fiber/composite action by Wessel, Nickel, and Gross.

Hardy Von Auenmueller recently posed with Cunningham Piano Company's Milo Morris during a tour of our facilities

Mr. Von Auenmueller commented, "I have been in the field of plastics engineering for over 50 years and the carbon fiber application as Wessel, Nickel, and Gross is using it is just fantastic. Between the intelligent use of the carbon fiber materials and the hard bushings they have come up with a tremendous combination that should perform quite consistently. If I were in their position, this is exactly the direction I would go."

Delaware County Community College (D.C.C.C.) partners with Cunningham Piano Company to bring world class music to the community

2010-04-20T05:34:00.000-07:00

Richard Belcastro is a new faculty member of DCCC and has achieved a tremendous amount in a short time.

He says, "I have been welcomed into an institution that is focused on giving the arts in our region a significant boost." The number and variety of course offerings is steadily increasing, but the most visible change on campus came in the shape of an ambitious new Concert Series.

"We have brought in nationally recognized artists, many of whom have never performed in this area before. The support of the school and the community could not have been better." Belcastro added, "We were met with a significant challenge though. It was very important that our instruments live up to the standards we have set for ourselves as presenters and music educators."

After exhaustive research, DCCC chose to partner with Cunningham Piano Company to help solve the problem.

Richard commented, "The scope of the help that Cunningham could provide to us was the key to our choice. They reconditioned a neglected Bosendorfer semi concert grand piano, making our venue the finest in the region. Additionally, they upgraded and repaired our instruments where ever possible, making it possible to do more within my budget constraints. Finally, we chose a number of New Cunningham pianos for our teaching and practice studios and they've exceeded expectations in performance."

Belcastro went on to say, "Great strides have been made in this program in a short time and that pleases me. We are expanding and serving more of the community, which is our goal. Without the help of Cunningham Piano Company though, we would not be in this position now."

For more information on the programming at D.C.C.C., click the banner:

IGNAT SOLZHENITSYN: Pianist, Conductor

2010-02-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

Facebook IGNAT SOLZHENITSYN: Pianist, Conductor

Friday, February 12, 2010 7:30 pm

The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia is in residency in four concerts at the Lansdale Center for the Performing Arts during the Center's inaugural season 2009-2010. This solo piano concert presented by COP's Music Director Mr.Solzhenitsyn will feature music by Franz Schubert.

As the Music Director of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Ignat Solzhenitsyn enjoys an active career around the world as both conductor and pianist. He delivers lyrical and poignant interpretations, which have brought him critical acclaim throughout the world.

Maestro Solzhenitsyn will perform on a Bösendorfer Model 225 (7'4') semi-concert grand provided by Cunningham Piano Company.

The B101 Christmas Idol winners choose their piano!

2010-02-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

Nicole Snodgrass is the Director of The Cherokee High School Traveling Girls Choir from Cherokee High School in Marlton, NJ. She recently stopped into Cunningham Piano Company to choose the instrument they won as the First Place B101 Christmas Idol winner of 2009.

As an added surprise, she brought her entire choir with her and treated us to an impromptu performance!

The Cherokee High School Traveling Girls Choir at B101

To hear their performance here at Cunningham Piano Company, click the following link:

(Frankly, it made us wish we had had an audience for them)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsX5Fdb3Xbk

We look forward to next year's competition and to hearing this choir in particular, again an again! Congratulations to Nicole Snodgrass, Cherokee High School, and all of the members Traveling Choir!

Voices For Haiti

2010-01-23T17:33:00.000-08:00

We usually do not post about in-store events but this one is special and needs help to be the success that we are hoping for.

This Saturday, January 30th, at 8 pm Cunningham Piano Company is opening its doors to the Delaware Valley Opera Company and hosting an evening of wonderful music and song in support of the people of Haiti. This concert of operatic favorites comes with no admission, but we ask for any donation that you can give. All proceeds go directly to The American Red Cross and will be earmarked for Haiti Relief.

Please call us at 215 438-3200 for more information.

NBC 19 Hope For Haiti

We thank NBC 10 for its efforts in raising donations for Haiti and for asking us to donate the grand piano used during the fundraiser. Please click above to see some video footage of the evening. We feel honored to have the chance to be involved in some small way.

Cunningham Piano Company joins with B101 radio to support local school choirs

2009-12-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

Here at Cunningham Piano Company, we are very aware that any music program is presented with many challenges. Not the least of which is funding the instruments that every school needs to run a program like this.

This holiday season, Cunningham Piano Company was pleased to help create, execute, and support a wonderful contest that gave lots of publicity to these programs - while helping the winner with a much needed brand new Cunningham Piano!

Without the help of B101 Radio in Philadelphia, this contest could not have happened. They announced the contest over the air, hosted the entire contest on their website, and even allowed the general public to vote for their favorites. With their help in publicity and web support we were able to reach enough people to get 108 entries from schools all over the Delaware Valley.

To hear all of the finalists, click here:

The winner of Christmas Idol was the Cherokee High School Girls Traveling Choir. They appeared in the studios of B101 to receive their winning trophy.

The winners pose receive their trophy at B101 studios in Philadelphia

Nicole Snodgrass, director of The Cherokee High School Girls Traveling Choir is congratulated by Cunningham Piano Company's Milo Morris

This was a wonderful way to do well by doing good. Frankly, we cannot wait for next year!

A rare performance on rare instruments

2009-12-02T07:29:00.000-08:00

David Amado is the Music Director of The Delaware Symphony Orchestra and is also a wonderful pianist. He met his wife Meredith Amado, violinist, while they were both students at The Jiulliard School, but before working on this program of chamber music, they had never performed publicly together.

The program, which included works of Grieg, Brahms, and Part, demanded an intimate communication between the two and the Amados did not disappoint. The instruments that the duos used were some of the world's finest as well.

Meredith used a violin that was manufactured by Nicolo Amati in 1662 in Cremona. It was impressive to hear an instrument that could have performed the music of each of these composers many years ago in its past.

David was equally careful in his choice of a Bosendorfer 9'2" concert grand, model 280.

Mr. Amado commented, "The Bosendorfer has so many possibilities. It is so expressive in every dynamic range and this piano is liberating to the pianist. The range of colors is astonishing and the piano speaks beautifully from the most gentle pianissimo to the boldest fortissimo. I never have to worry when I use a Bosendorfer."

2nd Generation Steinway Artisan joins Cunningham Piano Company

2009-11-29T10:19:00.000-08:00

We are proud to announce that Jason Andino, a second generation artisan at the New York Steinway factory has joined our staff. Many of the new pianos AND rebuilt pianos that have been offered by Steinway over the past 13 years have been worked on by Jason.

Mr. Andino learned the art and science of soundboard building, duplication, and modification from his father Angelo who held his position at Steinway for many years before Jason did.

When asked about his thoughts on his change, Jason simply said, "I have always known of Cunningham and had respect for their team before I got here. I must say that everything I have heard is true. It is a pleasure to work with such a knowledgable team."

Bruce Clarke, head of engineering for WNG is hosted by Cunningham Piano Company

2009-11-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

This past summer we dedicated a post of our blog to a spectacular idea that has recently proven to some very "hard to please" professionals to be a huge asset to rebuilders, technicians, and manufacturers alike.

Wessel, Nickel, and Gross post

Recently we had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Bruce Clark, head engineer for WNG and Mason & Hamlin, here at Cunningham Piano Company.

Bruce Clark has a rich history in the piano industry. His experience ranges from piano design to rebuilding and design refinement and he had the priveledge of working in Santi Falcone's shop as Santi began the Falcone piano project in the 1980's.

Bruce spent the day in our restoration facility and we had a great technical exchange. Advice from experts is always welcome and as Bruce so graciously stated, "I am still learning every day. I love spending time with passionate craftspeople because I always walk away with a new perspective and new ideas."

We also invited the SouthEastern Pa. Piano Technicians Guild to join us for the evening and learn more about the potential of these incredible new parts. The response from those who attended was overwhelmingly positive. Thank you Bruce for the time and talent and thank you S.E.Pa. PTG guild for joining us for the evening.

All in all it was an exciting successful day!

Bruce discussed the WNG technology, design concepts, and applications with members of the PTG and Cunningham Staff.

The best part of a technical meeting like this one is the socializing that follows!

Thank you again Bruce. You are welcome back anytime!

The Philadelphia School District chooses Cunningham Piano Company

2009-10-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

In these trying times, many music and arts programs have been cut back, or worse, stopped all together. In Philadelphia, this is still a challenge. But it is one that the staff, faculty, and administration of Philadelphia School District are well armed to meet.

Virginia Lam, Content Specialist for Music Education, says,"We are committed through the Superintendent's Imagine 2014 strategic plan to fully embrace the Arts within our schools, within our planning, and within our curriculum. We have just gone through the single largest hiring of new teachers for the Arts in Philadelphia in decades."

The Philadelphia School District has also invested in instruments. After an exhaustive search and comparison of the many instruments available, the District has chosen Mason & Hamlin semi-concert grand pianos (Model BB) as the main concert instrument for some of their high schools.

In reference to this decision, Philadelphia School District piano technician Howard Stickley commented, "I have regarded the Mason & Hamlin as the premiere American instrument for many years. I am happy that the Philadelphia school district agrees and I look forward to servicing these pianos for many years."

From left: Howard Stickly, District Piano Technician

Kirk and Gary Burgett, Co-owners of Mason & Hamlin

Victor Benvenuto, District Piano Technician

Seated: Virginia Lam, Content Specialist for Music Education

One of our more unusual piano deliveries!

2009-10-05T06:07:00.000-07:00

For the Mid-Atlantic region, and occasionally for the entire East Coast, Cunningham Piano Company handles all of our own deliveries with a full time crew that is fantastic. However, because we have clients from all over the world, we occasionally get involved in deliveries like this one.

Mr. Anders Skeini purchased a beautiful Bosendorfer model 225 here and decided to have it delivered to his new home in a high rise condominium in Milan, Italy. Unfortunately, Mr. Skeini needed to have the piano lifted by crane into his home, which required the city to shut down the street (a main thoroughfare in the city). This meant that the final delivery crew needed to install the instrument at 4 am local time!

Here are a few scary pictures:

The delivery crew nears "ground zero"

The most dangerous part - the piano hovers in midair!

Almost there!

Finally - resting on the balcony.

From here on in it is smooth sailing!

We are happy to report that both piano and owner survived this delivery!

The history of the modern piano in 22 instruments

2009-09-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

Ratko Delorko is a Hamburg born pianist, conductor, composer, and educator. He has performed in Berlin, Vienna, and throughout Europe and, in addition to an active tour schedule, lectures at The University of Frankfurt.

Dr. Delorko has always had a keen interest in the exploration of his art. He sought out wonderful music by lesser known composers and, as a result, has made many first recordings of previously unknown compositions. This interest has also extended to the instruments themselves.

Delorko has made "period instrument" recordings of Beethoven concerti and has explored the makes and makers that have enjoyed the admiration of composers and artists over the past 300 years. His interest has matured into a program\recital that is called The Piano History.

This presentation uses 22 different instruments on one stage and traces the changes that the piano has gone through by featuring period pieces on each instrument. We felt that this presentation is particularly important for American pianists to experience, at least through video.

Here in the United States, pianists do not have the same opportunity to experience the color and variety that the composers we practice and perform regularly took for granted. There is a wonderful variety that performers in Europe experience regularly that a stunning number of American pianists have never even played! In one concert hall they may play a Bosendorfer, in another a Bechstein, or Grotrian, or Bluthner, or Hamburg Steinway.

The following two videos are each about 10 minutes and take excerpts from each performance in the program. The time you spend viewing these videos may offer a perspective you have never had into a piece you have played for years.

The Piano History, Part 1

The Piano History, Part 2

Although we have tremendous respect for Dr. Delorko and this project, we do have two pieces of criticism:

1) The only American piano included in this history was a Steinway built in the 1870's. Surely America contributed more than that to piano history.

2) Although this presentation traces the history of the piano, it ignores the difference in touch and tone that exists between someof the finest pianos built in the world today! This is a subject that would be wonderful to explore in the future, Dr. Delorko.

We welcome and encourage your comments on this particular post. We truly feel that this subject is of tremendous value to pianists and it deserves a dialogue.

Cunningham Piano Company is in the news!

2009-08-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

On a recent rainy afternoon, we went about a normal part of our work day at Cunningham Piano Company.

We delivered some beautiful pianos to families who were patiently awaiting their arrival, continued carefully rebuilding beautiful instruments in our factory, serviced lots of pianos in homes, schools, and churches, and gave a tour of our restoration facility to a group of friends and exposed them to all that goes into properly restoring an artistic grand piano.

There was one difference today, though.

ABC News had heard about how unique the tour of our facility was and joined the group with a camera. Come and follow along:

6ABC follows a tour of our restoration facility

A little more about The Cunningham Composer

2009-08-11T04:42:00.000-07:00

The Cunningham Composer is already gaining a following amongst musicians and teachers in the area. Anyone who has been exposed to this instrument has walked away quite impressed.

With a "Video Out" already installed on the instrument, any work being recorded to a grand staff or existing music being digitally "marked" during a masterclass can be easily displayed to a larger audience. With a wireless internet connection, any editing or notes on music that a teacher gives during a lesson can be quickly sent to a printer, emailed directly to the student, or distributed to all attending a workshop or masterclass!

There is also a plan in place for regular software and hardware upgrades, giving the Cunningham Composer a long and productive useful life.

Here is another look:

The Cunningham Composer!

2009-08-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

We have been working on a fantastic application for any music school, teacher, professional performer, or avid amateur. We will give more information over the next few weeks, but for now, enjoy this first look at:

"The Cunningham Composer"

Happy Birthday Bosendorfer!

2009-07-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

On July 25, 1828, Ignaz Boesendorfer first registered his business as a piano builder in Vienna. The city was already known as a center for arts and culture and musicians were already flocking to the city, much the way Broadway hopefuls flock to New York City and movie actors to LA today.

The Boesendorfer piano was quickly accepted and praised by the musicians and critics of the time. It remains an important part of Austrian culture and and a creative inspiration to musicians all over the world. Thank you, Ignaz.

Ignaz Boesendorfer

A new weapon in the arsenal...

2009-07-17T04:52:00.000-07:00

When artistically rebuilding a piano, the way the action responds when the restoration is complete depends largely on action geometry. In other words, how all of the action parts were designed to interact with each other to provide the desired contact of hammer with string and an immediate recovery for quick repetition. Can the musician "feel" this response as they were meant to by the manufacturer?

This is not a simple interaction as you can see by looking over this action model.

See an animated virtual grand piano action in motion

After spending a little time with the virtual action, it becomes easy to understand how important the relationship between the different action parts are to the performance of any piano. This is why a new innovation available to piano rebuilders is so exciting to us.

Wessel, Nickel, and Gross is an action builder who has come out with a series of action parts, including repetitions, shanks, and flanges, that are entirely made of composite materials.

These new parts combine a base resin of Nylon and a long fiber to create a composite that is both strong and rigid. Nylon has been in wide use for 50 years. The fiber is durable to the extreme.
Material scientists expect, in the benign environment of a piano, a minimum life expectancy of 100 years. Indeed, it could last much longer.

The use of composite materials has allowed WNG to design a repetition with features impossible to execute in wood. WNG's heel locating system, integrated button, stop and optional rest cushion would not have been possible if the parts had been made from wood.

A great deal of effort has been put into lightening the repetition. A testament to this fact is its unusual shape, designed entirely for the purpose of reducing mass or shifting mass towards the center of rotation. By reducing the moment of inertia, WNG has reduced the dynamic touch resistance felt by the pianist.

Complete Wessel, Nickel, and Gross action after installation

The design of these parts also allows a rebuilder to "customize" the dimensions of any repetition to fit unusual action designs. Pianos with these designs have previously been prohibitively expensive to duplicate amd have been passed over for restoration due to this expense. The huge benefit is that some of these wonderful pianos may now be rebuilt without the huge extra expense.

It is important to observe that this design could not have been executed in wood.

Special visit!

2009-07-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

Today we had the pleasure of hosting the owner of one of the world's most popular piano related websites and a friend of Cunningham Piano Company, Mr. Frank Baxter.

Frank has been in the piano industry for years., but has never had the experience of touring the facilities here at Cunningham Piano Company. He has also had a career in I.T. as well and his website, http://www.pianoworld.com/, was a wonderful blend of his passions.

He now has over 40,000 members and gets literally millions of hits each year. It was great to see Frank and meet his new lady friend Kathy. In the picture above, Frank tries out his hand at piano refinishing. He has done so much in the piano industry, but this was his first time with a finishing gun in his hand. Frankly, he is a natural.

We took a tour of the entire rebuilding facility, including the floor where the new Cunningham Pianos are uncrated, regulated, tuned, and prepped. Here we see Frank taking a break from his difficult finishing work.

Tim Oliver, Co-Owner of Cunningham Piano Company couldn't wait to model his new PianoWorld T-shirt as he gets to know Kathy better.

Time to test some concert grand pianos! The first instrument auditioned by Frank is the Boesendorfer 9'2" model 280.

The Cunningham 9 ft. grand is next. This has been quite a popular instrument in performance around the Philadelphia area over the past few months.

Next on the comparison list is the Mason & Hamlin CC - a 9'4" grand piano.

Finally, we test a big beautiful Steinway grand piano.

I am sure that Frank has his personal preferences. I encourage him to add his thoughts and impressions to our blog when he has a spare moment.

On to our second floor and our recital area. Although there are dozens of beautiful grand pianos to choose from in this area, Frank settles down and enjoys a Boesendorfer 225 7'4" semi-concert grand piano. Not a bad choice, Frank.

We thought that there was a striking resemblance between Patrick J. Cunningham, the founder of our organization and Frank Baxter, the founder of PianoWorld. Is this just a coincidence??

Nice group photo - left to right:

Milo, Frank, Kathy, Tim, Pete, and Rich.

It is always good to see others in this industry and get their feedback on what you are doing right... and what you can improve. If given the chance, Frank Baxter is a man with lots of knowledge that is very willing to share it.

We look forward to seeing Frank and Kathy here at Cunningham Piano Company again and again - to audition some great instruments - and to spend some time with friends.

Hugh Sung - pianist and teacher, but video producer??

2009-07-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

Hugh Sung is a refreshingly different type of classical artist. He is first and foremost a performer, and he is in high demand as a recitalist. Hugh is also a professor at Curtis Institute here in Philadelphia and is a natural clinician and teacher.

However, it is his unquenchable thirst for finding new ways to develop interest in piano performance, classical music, and art in general that makes Hugh so interesting. Never afraid of incorporating new technologies into his teaching and performance, he is an innovator that rarely hesitates to try something new.

So... when it happened to come up in conversation that we wanted to make a video of the latest player piano technology by PianoDisc, he volunteered to produce the project and this video is entirely his work.

We believe that this is Hugh's first experience as a video producer... and we are certain that it will not be his last.

Ang Li appears on network TV before competing in the Cliburn... playing a Cunningham Piano!

2009-06-29T05:32:00.000-07:00

Ang Li, a student at Curtis Institute and a competitor in the 2009 Van Cliburn competition recently got to know us quite well. Since she had no piano in the Philadelphia area and we have so many beautiful instruments from so many of the world's finest manufacturers, we were happy to let her use our instruments to practice.

It was a pleasure to have someone of her caliber "live with us" for a month or so before she left for the competition. We were impressed with her musicianship, but equally impressed with her soft-spoken, yet bubbly personality. She was fun to have around!

Anyway, being here at Cunningham can sometimes get you to meet a television producer and when that happens, here is the result:

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/video.

Haochen Zhang wins The Van Cliburn

2009-06-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

Haochen Zhang was the youngest competitor in this year's Van Cliburn Competition. He is also a Philadelphia student attending Curtis Institute and studying with the legendary Gary Graffman and the 2009 winner of the competition.

His last recital in preparation for the competition was at Keneseth Israel, an Elkins Park synagogue well known for their arts programming. The piano this young virtuoso used and had rented for the occasion was a Bosendorfer concert grand piano from Cunningham Piano Company!

We look forward to hearing him play on our pianos again and again!

Congratulations Haochen!

(Incidentally, Ray Chen, the violinist also played in this same recital. Ray just won the Queen Elizabeth competition!)

Philadelphia Orchestra International Strings Camp

2009-06-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

The International Strings Camp at Bryn Mawr College has been a summer destination for serious young string players from all over the nation and the world for years now. Here in a supportive environment, these young people are able to be be coached, taught, and mentored by members of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Just last summer they added a piano program which has taken off! Of course, this created a need for some really fine instruments to be used for practice and instruction. Cunningham Piano Company was the natural choice to fill this need and we were excited to do so. It has been a true blessing to be involved with such anoutstanding program and to meet a number of such tremendously talented young musicians. We look forward to continuing this relationship for many years!

Please browse their website and learn more:

www.stringscamp.com

Brand New Blog!!

2009-06-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

This is the new home of the Cunningham Piano Company blog. We hope this is an easy way to learn what is new in the piano industry, what is new in Philly, and what is happening at Cunningham Piano Company.

If you have questions that you would like to have answered here, email us at piano@cunninghampiano.com with "blog" in the subject and we will be happy to answer your question or begin a dialogue right here.