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End of Summer, Back to Piano Concert (8-20-11 wrap up)

Sam Bennett — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:00:00 GMT

We had fun last Saturday night. We had a full house and even some dancing in the aisles. With any luck, last Saturday's concert will inspire some in our community to pursue music with more energy and enthusiasm. Looking out among the crowd, I saw our hall filled with musicians, teachers, parents and many children and every seat was full.

[About to start the show!]

Our first performer of the night was Larry Barker. Larry is a elementary school music teacher here in Gwinnett County. His performances were all about energy and emotion, speaking his own words through jazz. His inspiration was from greats like Oscar Peterson, Count Basie, Vince Guaraldi and Michel Petrucciani.

[Larry Barker performs on Hailun piano]

Our second performer of the night was Julie Ye. Julie has her own piano studio and teaches locally. Her performances we about expression and ideas from great classical composers. Her inspiration was from Bach, Beethoven, Greig and Mendelssohn.

[Julie Ye]

After the concert, we completed our PianoWorks & Hailun USA Free Piano Giveaway by drawing for our grand prize winner. In attendance was Lauren Wallace, VP of Hailun USA who drew the name of the lucky winner. Local piano teacher Stephanie Freemen was chosen to win a brand new Hailun professional upright piano. That's quite a prize.

[Sam Bennett of PianoWorks, Lauren Wallace (VP of Hailun USA), Julie Ye, Larry Barker]

By all measures, our concert was a great success. We look forward to more fun events in the coming months that you wil not want to miss.

Mr. Hailun Chen of Hailun Pianos Visits PianoWorks

Sam Bennett — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:35:00 GMT

Last Thursday, PianoWorks was greeted by a surprise visitor. Perhaps not a total surprise, but we had only 4 days to prepare for Mr. Hailun Chen of Hailun Pianos. We were also joined by May Wang, Hailun's Vice President of Exports, and a small cadre of business attorneys. He's preparing for an IPO in China, I'm pleased to say his visit to our showroom will have played a small role in the future growth of Hailun Pianos worldwide. Though not pictured, we were also visited by Lauren Wallace, Vice President of Hailun USA. When possible, several of our customers made a point to attend and meet the chairman and founder.

The performers for our upcoming event, End of Summer, Back to Piano Concert, also stopped by. Larry Barker and Julie Ye join Hailun Chen in front of the chosen instrument, a 7'2" Hailun model 218 semi-concert grand piano. This Free concert is Saturday, August 20 @ 6:00 pm.

I was most delighted to see customers that most recently purchased new Hailun grand pianos. We took the opportunity to request that Mr. Chen autograph their chosen pianos for these fortunate customers. David & Peggy McCleskey selected a Hailun grand piano for the Gwinnett Hospital Extended Care Center (part of Gwinnett Medical Center) to bring joy to the many patients and their long days of treatment. The McCleskey's gave this generous gift of music, including a self-playing system on the piano.

The Williams family also selected a Hailun grand piano to nurture the musical education of their son. I learned that these were the first ever requests to sign customer pianos for Hailun Chen. Looking back, this will mark a great day for those able to attend.

In our business, we often have the opportunity to meet with the people responsible for our fine pianos. It is rare, however, to host one of the world's larger manufacturers in our showroom. Hailun Pianos is not only an important manufacturer, but they are also growing. We thank everyone for attending.

End of Summer, Back to Piano Concert

Sam Bennett — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:19:00 GMT

Go ahead and mark your calendars. PianoWorks is presenting a End of Summer, Back to Piano Concert later this month. We are all accostomed to the Back-to-School season with an emphasis on preparation and enthusiasm for the coming school year. This free piano concert should energize an inspire all who attend for another year of piano playing. We would love to see new and returning students, teachers, and piano enthusiasts of all types. And there is something for everybody with both Classical and Jazz performers.

Follow this link to the Concert Program.

Spring Recital Bookings: Now Open!

Sam Bennett — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 10:10:00 GMT

It's August 1st, our annual opening day for all area piano teachers who wish to book recital time at our hall for the following year, Spring 2012. Over the years, PianoWorks performance hall has become not only popular, but important in the local community as the premier recital venue in Atlanta. Our hall, which regularly seats 120, is always outfitted with world class concert grand pianos. Performers enjoy the intimate setting, the friendly atmosphere, and the terrific acoustics. August 1st is all about booking that time slot.

(PianoWorks parking lot, August 1, 2011 9:00 am - FULL of piano teacher cars. For regular store hours, we open at 10:00 am)

Area teachers have learned to show up early as the most popular times (April & May weekends) go early. Spring Recitals aren't just in Spring anymore as the seasonal demand now ranges from March to June. Today, PianoWorks opened its doors at 8:30, but some teachers showed up still earlier to take their place in line. Before 10:00 am, 25 teachers had booked their chosen times. PianoWorks offers extended hours from mid-April to mid-June to accomodate nearly 100 recitals, competitions, and auditions during that time.

So book now, plan ahead and keep in mind that some piano teachers have already set their date. We want your events to be the most successful they can be.

**UPDATE** 12:00 pm - We're just a few hours in and the weekend timeslots in April & May are booked. There are still times available, but you should act now!

Bosendorfer Execs Visit PianoWorks

Sam Bennett — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:25:00 GMT

In late May, PianoWorks was pleased to welcome nine members of Bosendorfer and Yamaha's management team to visit our showroom and restoration facility here in Atlanta. Yamaha proudly acquired Bosendorfer Piano Company in 2008 and has slowly and carefully incorporated their distribution management team. Bosendorfer dealers will now have greater access to representatives, to parts supplies, and to Artist services though Yamaha's larger organization. Among the visitors were Bosendorfer's current CEO Brian Kemble, the former CEO Yoshichika Sakai, also Bob Heller, Yamaha's National Sales Director of Piano Division as well as other key members of the distribution team.

[Sam Bennett, Brian Kemble, Don Bennett, Yoshichika Sakai, Masaya Furuta around the Bosendorfer model 280 Concert Grand Piano in PianoWorks' Recital Hall]

We see a strong future for Bosendorfer in Atlanta, throughout the U.S. and around the world.

PianoWorks Piano Pick of the Month: Hailun 218 and 178B

Jennifer Gibson — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:10:00 GMT

Once a month, PianoWorks will be choosing a piano from the showroom floor or from our very own restoration shop in the basement. We will be sharing information and photos of the piano, as well as answer any questions you may have about the piano.

Hailun Pianos are known among the finest sounding, best engineered and best crafted instruments from the east. Hailun Chen lead the company in China for over 20 years and only accepts the best from his company. PianoWorks carries Hailun Pianos and we’re currently featuring the 218 and the R178B.

The Hailun 218 is a lot of piano for the price. The semi concert grand sells for the mid $20,000′s, while a comparable piano in different brand would sell for thousands more. Recently, PianoWorks sold a Hailun 198 to the Atlanta International School for its value.

This piano, designed by Stephen Paulello, who is a university professor of piano and chamber music. Paulello also completed his education as a piano technician with Bechstein and Steinway & Sons and was in charge of concert service for Bechstein in Paris, then spend time in Germany working on this piano building skills.

The 178B has an uncommon style with the Bird’s Eye Maple accents. It has a great sound and a European Design.

If you would like more information on Hailun Pianos or any other pianos, check out our website.

PianoWorks Presents: Christopher Sarzynski in Concert Video

Jennifer Gibson — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:19:00 GMT

Everyone needs a little Chopin in their day. Check out the video from Sarzynski’s concert.

Products and Brands: Schimmel Pianos

Jennifer Gibson — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:55:00 GMT

Once a month, we will be discussing the Products and Brands that PianoWorks currently carries. We will highlight the pianos we have in the showroom along with a little company information.

Quality will prevail.

This is the slogan Mr. Whilhelm Schimmel built his entire piano business. That little piano business, started in 1885 in Leipzig, Germany, is now four generations strong, and the Schimmel family is building some of the world’s finest pianos.

The second generation in the Schimmel family was Wilhelm Arno who took over management in 1927. He relocated the company to Braunschweig, where Schimmel is now located. Later, Nikolaus Wilhelm took over management and really focused on expanding the Schimmel brand. Over 20 years, Nikolaus developed the Konzert Series, which was the key to their current position in the piano market. In 2003, Hannes Schimmel-Vogel took over management and developed the Konzert Series even more with the Vogel.

The Schimmel Sons aren’t the only generations in the company. Many of the factory workers are sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters of factory workers from the early Schimmel years. These workers have been known as fine craftsmen and the “masters of good tone.” Some of these workers are the artists that create the instrumental timbre, that is formed by extensive needling, which is needed several hundred times per hammer. This requires a well-trained ear, and cannot be replaced by machine. In addition, over 10,00 metal, wood and felt elements make up a Schimmel keyboard and action. All elements of each instrument must all be meticulously synchronized with exact precision: from the fitting of the strings, the positioning of the hammer-heads and the regulation of the action to the fine art of tuning and voicing.

In 2010 Schimmel Pianos celebrated their 125th anniversary. Schimmel pianos are well-known for being the largest company in Europe, as well as winning several awards across the country. A few weeks ago, PianoWorks had a visit from Glenn Clutter, Director of Sales and Promotions of Schimmel Pianos.

Recently, PianoWorks had a visit from Glenn Clutter, Director of Sales and Promotions for Schimmel Pianos. His favorite part about working for Schimmel is the people he works with every day.

“My favorite part about working for Schimmel is the people who purchase the pianos and the people who sell the pianos,” said Clutter. “It’s a very loyal business, and they’re proud to sell and proud to own a Schimmel.”

On their newest pianos, Schimmel stamps the brand name and factory location on every piano. Clutter says this is a something Schimmel is proud to do.

“Our pianos are really made in Germany,” said Clutter. “We’re so proud of that we display the city, country and our name on every piano.”

PianoWorks is the Authorized Schimmel Piano dealer for Georgia. For more information on our Schimmel pianos, click here or here.

PianoWorks Presents: Whisperings in Concert - Joe Bongiorno

Jennifer Gibson — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:07:00 GMT

Saturday, April 16, at 7:00 pm, PianoWorks will be hosting Whisperings Radio Artists David Nevue, Jeff Smith and Joe Bongiorno in concert.

Tickets will be $20 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets are available at PianoWorks, online or by calling the 24/7 Brown Paper Tickets Hotline at 800.838.3006.

Joe Bongiorno

I quit my classical piano training at age eleven, seeking a more glamorous life as a professional athlete. I still hear my father’s words ringing clearly in my head “someday you’ll thank me” referring to the childhood piano training I so gladly abandoned. An eighth grade football knee injury eventually proved detrimental to my childhood dream. Oh well!

High school brought new experiences, forming the band LIXX with a couple buddies with rock star ambitions. I grew my hair, sported parachute pants, bought a synthesizer with my neighborhood lawn mowing cash, & jammed to 80′s tunes on LPs. Spending Friday nights at band practice and Saturdays gigging parties & dances, memories were definitely made!

Graduating high school in ’87 brought an element of retreat from the Chicago “big city” life… venturing out west with my mother & siblings to San Juan Island, Washington. Culture shock took hold, while nature and quiet times prevailed. My composing was born, as was my beautiful daughter Taylor. I endeavored to start my own recording studio & bought all the toys. Mellow Sounds Studio opened on San Juan Island in ’93, a popular haven for the island’s many singer-songwriters and folk music artists. My buddy & talented guitarist/songwriter Tom Henry taught me how to listen and mix and the islanders now had a place to record.

My first release was “Ancient Sky” in ’94, an eclectic electronic blend of New Age piano, Native American influences (always a fav!) and even cutting edge rock instrumentals (starring Tom)… I was still wandering a bit musically, obviously! Engineering & producing other artists was relatively short lived, but a priceless experience. Realizing that a musical career would be forever limited on the island, I moved to Seattle in ’97.

At age 28, a trip back to Chicago to visit Dad lead me to meet my second cousin Joann Bongiorno, a classical piano virtuoso whom I had only heard stories about. I sat down at her Baldwin baby grand & something special happened. No, I didn’t perform magically for her (acoustic piano was a bit foreign to me at that time), but I was enamored by the power, simplicity, and enchanting sound of the instrument as a solo. From that day forward, my synthesizers began to acquire dust as I played my new Yamaha U1 upright acoustic piano. A few months later I focused in on an album project, rented a grand, crammed it into my basement and spent three weeks diligently practicing & recording. “At Peace” ~ solo piano was released in February 2001. The support for this CD was and still is surprising, if not stunning. I give great thanks to all who gave to it!

Life got busier, busier and busier. Taylor blossoming into a young lady, my career developing rapidly… life just seemed to get a bit more complicated each day. Retreats to the piano were much harder to come by. Compositions came together, but sometimes over periods of months. My ability to visualize and memorize carried me through these times, musically. I managed to abstain from reading or writing music with my sole intent being to improvise and create.

In 2002 I bought a baby grand, a Mahogany Kawai KG-2D. My 17 years in the restaurant business had brought me a handsome salary with a great company. The more I played & composed, I longed more & more for a new CD to hand to my family, friends, & handful of fans. My good friend and fellow pianist Joe Yamada put his home and glorious Kawai RX-7 concert grand at my disposal and I dove in head first. My second release “Destined“~ solo piano was released in April ‘04. It continues to receive heavy airplay at www.solopianoradio.com with “Just for You”, “Chasing the Wind” & “To Be Held” all hitting #1 on the listener charts! The success of this CD brought new & wonderful opportunities, including numerous concert performances for Solo Piano Radio as well as putting me in “high demand” status as a Seattle wedding pianist.

In May, 2006 I bought my dream piano, my very own Kawai RX-7 concert grand, fulfilling my dream of recording and producing my music from home. A whole new set of music channeled through my fingertips and evolved into my third CD release, “Somewhere Within” – solo piano in August ’07. It quickly became an iTunes Top 100 New Age album & was nominated for Best Solo Piano CD of 2007 by Whisperings Solo Piano Radio & received a “Reviewer’s Pick” from Kathy Parsons of Mainly Piano. It too continues to receive radio airplay world-wide.

Later that year I made my “personal” studio available to all, opening Piano Haven Recording Studio in suburban Seattle. An opportunity to share my good fortune with other composers… and record they have! David Nevue, Louis Landon, Christine Brown, Greg Maroney & Steven Cravis, just to name a few…

On June 25th 2010, I “retired” from my 25 years in the restaurant biz to focus completely on my music. Some say I’m crazy, some say I’m their hero. All I can tell you is that I feel great & the music is flowing like never before.

“A Candlelight Christmas” is my most recent endeavor & was awarded Christmas & Holiday album of the Year (2010) at SoloPiano.com… what an honor! This was a much more difficult project than I expected. Taking tunes that “aren’t mine” & “making them mine” is something I’m not used to doing. It took alot more time and effort than I had planned, but I am extremely proud of it : )

Currently, I’m working on another original CD release for Spring of 2011. I am currently hosting regular Whisperings concerts at my Piano Haven Studio & broadcasting them on the internet right here at my site. I am also performing in-home concerts around the country. Is your home available? details on that right HERE.

PianoWorks Presents: Whisperings in Concert - Jeff Smith

Jennifer Gibson — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:04:00 GMT

Saturday, April 16, at 7:00 pm, PianoWorks will be hosting Whisperings Radio Artists David Nevue, Jeff Smith and Joe Bongiorno in concert.

Tickets will be $20 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets are available at PianoWorks, online or by calling the 24/7 Brown Paper Tickets Hotline at 800.838.3006.

Jeff Smith

The album “A Place Called Home” marks the musical return of one of today’s most gifted pianists and composers.

Heralded as a prodigy, Jeff Smith began composing and playing the piano at age two and performing publically at age eight. Jeff has performed on radio and television and throughout the U.S. and Europe. Highlights of his performing career include an orchestral debut in Philadelphia at age 12, performing the Grieg Piano Concerto, and a European tour at age 16 as featured soloist in the Beethoven Chorale Fantasia. His many performances include those at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music in New York City, and the Beethovenhaus in Bonn, Germany. Jeff holds a Masters degree and Doctoral studies from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland where he studied with pianists Walter Hautzig and Ann Schein. Jeff also studied with Leon Fleisher as a student in Fleisher’s weekly masterclass. His early teachers included Paul Hofreiter (a student of Vincent Persichetti and Roger Sessions at the Julliard School) and David Sokoloff (a student of Leo Ornstein and Joseph Hoffman at the Curtis Institute of Music).

In recent years Jeff’s performance style has focused primarily on original Classical/New Age and Contemporary piano music. Active as a composer as well as recitalist, Jeff has composed works for television, radio, and film. Works include instrumental music written and recorded for the Madacy Music Group which has been included on over 25 CDs, including compact discs for Thomas Kinkade and others. Eleven of Jeff’s songs were awarded the honor of being included in Madacy’s “Top 20 – Best of Relaxation” album and numerous pieces have been in the EZ- Tracks.com top 10 Nature Songs for well over 5 years. Jeff has also composed music for the television shows “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light” as part of the Grammy Award winning “Radio Theater Group”.

Jeff’s most recent album, “A Place Called Home” represents a return to his greatest musical love: composing at the piano. Inspired by David Nevue and the “Whisperings” collective of pianists, Jeff set out to compose his first ever solo piano album. Jeff writes: “My desire was to allow God to create through me a collection of pieces that would capture the longing of every heart for a place of peace and rest”. ”A Place Called Home” has been nominated for the 2010 Whisperings “Album of the Year”.

Selections from the album can be heard on the Whisperings broadcast at www.solopianoradio.com . The Whisperings collective includes today’s best pianist/composers and has attracted well over one million monthly listeners worldwide.