The Elegant Steinway Hall and Their Prestigious Pianos Join Forces with Steps on Broadway
The world famous pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy said "Steinway is the only piano on which the pianist can do anything he wants and ever thing he dreams.
Steps on Broadway is sporting a new Steinway piano in Studio 2. Its sound reverberates through the large space to the enjoyment of the class pianists and the class participants. To honor the arrival of this grand instrument, David Howard, who teaches class Monday through Friday mornings in Studio 2 from 10:00 to 11:30, hosted a performance and question and answer session with the Steps accompanists at the elegant Steinway Hall on West 57th Street in New York City.
Steps class accompanists on this program were Mark di Minno, Josu Gallastegui, Bruce Lazarus, Nikolay Levinovsky, Peter Sloan Lewis, Vladimir Shinov and freelance class pianists Steven Mitchell and Marina Porchkhidze. Each performed a piece that was different from the music they usually play for class. Howard then asked each about their musical background and how they started playing for ballet classes.
Patricia Klausner, Director of Marketing and PR for Steps said that "the concert was part of a partnership that Steps and Steinway & Sons have formed this year. We are so grateful to Calvin Kerr and Steinway for hosting this concert in their hall and for the incredible Steinway B in Studio 2. Our musicians have been making magnificent music in our ballet classes all year."
Many renowned pianists are known as Steinway artists. The magnificent instruments grace concert halls, theatres, rehearsal studios, conservatories, dance schools, recording studios and private residences throughout the world. Pianists from classical to pop and jazz artists have made Steinway their piano of choice.
With his many CDs of class accompaniment, Howard feels that the collaboration of the pianist with the teacher makes the class a success. Very often the dancers are not familiar with the pianists who play for their class each day. He feels that each pianist should be identified by a name card on the piano to receive the recognition they deserve. Nancy Bielski teaches her class in Studio 2 Monday through Friday from 11:30 to 1:00 p.m. Nancy says "the dancers listen to the music more carefully since the acquisition of the new grand piano. It has a bigger sound." And Wilhelm Burmann teaching his Saturday morning class, 10:30 to 12:00 in Studio 2 says "having a piano of that caliber is wonderful."
For information on Steinway pianos, contact Calvin Kerr at 212/245-2651 or access them on the web at www.steinway.com. For information regarding classes at Steps, their website is www.stepsnyc.com.