HAVE you ever pictured yourself enjoying a live concert from your living room without as little as leaving the house? Nope, me neither. Nine times out of ten, classical concerts take a lot of effort and have become only accessible to those who can actually attend venues.
However, with the pandemic and the rise in ‘remote-performing’, more companies are trying to find ways to make music accessible to people across the globe.
At the end of October, Steinway decided to take the lead in the field. With a one-off concert from renowned pianist Lang Lang, the piano company introduced to an audience of just about 100 industry insiders their latest development: SPIRIOCAST. Lang Lang illustrated the new possibilities of SPIRIOCAST at the iconic Elbphilharmonie. The possibilities are endless, but here is the main selling point: it allows live, remote performances from one Steinway & Sons Spirio I r piano to another in real-time—no matter where in the world this might be.
The technology behind SPIRIO | r and SPIRIOCAST is extremely elaborate and, since it was first launched, has been part of an ever-evolving process. SPIRIOCAST is a technology that allows the broadcast of high-resolution music data to SPIRIO I r
instruments across the globe.
As I walked through the Hamburg factory, one thing stood out. Despite the highly evolved technology that Steinway are promoting, the heart of the company still very much relies on craftsmanship. I would’ve expected to see 3D laser cutting and already printed models in a ‘mass-manufacturing’ frame of mind—but no. Everything is handcrafted and tuned by in-house staff that have lived in the Steinway family for decades. It’s a profession that’s been passed on through generation.
In a constantly-evolving cultural landscape, the only way forward is through adaptation. And Steinway are leading the way for inclusivity across the board.