DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2003
Danny Saliba, the exclusive Steinway & Sons dealer in North Texas, will celebrate the piano-maker's 150th year by presenting a new Model B concert grand piano to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. On the eve of Steinway's 150th anniversary DSO Music Director Andrew Litton will accept this, the second concert piano the local dealer has donated to the symphony, at a March 4 reception at Steinway Hall - Dallas.
Executives from Steinway & Sons will commemorate the firm's sesquicentennial with the ringing of the opening bell the next morning at the New York Stock Exchange. Henry Engelhard Steinway and his sons founded the company March 5, 1853, in New York City.
"Our city has a world-class symphony, and we want to ensure that the talents of Steinway Artist Andrew Litton and the other wonderful musicians at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra have world-class instruments to play great music. For 150 years Steinway has crafted the piano by which all others are judged and that is used by 99 percent of all concert pianists," Saliba said.
Joining Litton will be another local Steinway Artist, Gustavo Romero, who will perform during the event at Steinway Hall, one of only about 70 U.S. dealerships. Christopher Hackett of WRR-FM Classical 101.1 is master of ceremonies for the invitation-only reception.
Steinway Hall gave its first concert grand - a Model D valued at more than $83,000 - to the Dallas Symphony in 2000, and the orchestra and visiting artists have used that piano extensively in rehearsals and performances. The smaller Model B - retailing for more than $61,000 - will help the DSO provide more rehearsal opportunity and programming options.
Considered the gold standard of pianos, Steinway & Sons has produced only 563,000 of the instruments since the company's founding 150 years ago. Craftspeople can take up to a year to make a Steinway piano, and the Dallas Symphony is getting one of the newest pianos made, number 561,225.
Steinway & Sons is commemorating its anniversary with a yearlong series of national and local events to celebrate its rich history of high quality and musical distinction. One element of the celebration is a nationwide search for the oldest Steinway grand and upright pianos. The owner of the oldest Steinway may have it restored or replaced with a new Steinway piano comparable to his or her own.
Steinway Hall is conducting its own search for the oldest Steinway piano in North Texas and is treating its owner to a trip to New York City in June to attend a Carnegie Hall concert commemorating Steinway & Sons' anniversary. If the oldest Steinway in existence is in North Texas, then Steinway Hall will award the trip to the next most venerable piano in this region.
Steinway owners have until May 1 to visit Steinway Hall showrooms in Dallas and Hurst to register their pianos in the search. In addition, anyone may visit Steinway Hall through April 15 to enter the "Musical Experience of a Lifetime" sweepstakes for a chance to win an all-expense-paid trip for two to the Carnegie Hall concerts, June 5-7. No purchase is necessary. Information is available by calling 214-526-1853 or 817-589-0100.
About Steinway Hall
Steinway Hall Dallas is the exclusive Steinway & Sons dealer in North Texas and is a multiple-year winner of the prestigious "Partners in Performance" award from Steinway & Sons. Steinway Hall ranks among the top five Steinway dealers in the country and is owned by Danny Saliba, a Steinway veteran whose background includes working in the piano-maker's factory and on the road with concert artists.
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