On Wednesday, Nov. 23 the Longmont Museum will receive a special visitor. Master Piano Artisan Takanori Otake has flown all the way from Japan in order to expertly tune and calibrate the Museum’s 7-foot-6-inch Shigeru Kawai piano, valued at $75,000. The model is endorsed by concert pianists around the world.

Handcrafted in Japan, the piano includes an annual master tuning visit from an expert technician as part of the purchase. Mr. Otake will work carefully to adjust the piano to perform at its peak capacity for the local environment. This work includes meticulously inspecting every aspect of the piano’s action and the beauty of each note, evaluating the tone quality of each hammer, assuring perfect key depth, and adjusting for consistent note resonance and regulation. This is the first time a Shigeru master has worked on the piano since it was donated by local business leader and top benefactor to the Longmont Museum’s new 250-seat Stewart Auditorium, Lila Stewart, in 2015. Lila Stewart gifted the piano in the name of her late daughter Linda Stewart.

The piano has be used for performances with the Boulder Bach Festival, the Colorado Chamber Players, Seicento, the Longmont Symphony, the Missoula Children’s Theatre and more in the new auditorium, which was acoustically engineered by the Denver office of the internationally renowned firm Shen Milsom & Wilke. The piano will also be showcased in the Museum’s upcoming 2nd Annual Holiday Festival, held December 17, which will feature some of the best ensembles and soloists in the region performing classic music of the holiday season.

According to David Korevaar, professor of piano at the University of Colorado School of Music, this Shigeru Kawai is one of the best pianos in northern Colorado. “I had the privilege of visiting the Kawai factory in Hamamatsu, Japan and to see the research and development facility where they design and finish the Shigeru pianos,” said Korevaar. “It is a remarkable labor of love by a big company to make sure they are constantly improving the pianos and really listening to them to make them the best instruments possible.” Korevaar previously recorded two albums using this piano.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY:

• Observe Master Piano Artisan Takanori Otake regulating, voicing and carefully tuning the Museum’s Shigeru Kawai piano Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 10 am at the Longmont Museum at 400 Quail Road, Longmont, CO. RSVP to joan.harrold@longmontcolorado.gov.
• See and hear the Shigeru Kawai as it’s played by some of the region’s best musicians as part of the Museum’s 2nd Annual Holiday Festival Saturday, Dec. 17 at 3 pm and 6:30 pm.

LONGMONT MUSEUM
The Longmont Museum is a center culture in Northern Colorado where people of all ages explore history, experience art, and discover new ideas through dynamic programs, exhibitions and events. Learn more at www.longmontmuseum.org or visit us at 400 Quail Road, Longmont CO 80501.

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