Interview with Eleanor Sokoloff, Part 2

Wed, 04/22/2015 - 6:44pm
Written by HughSung

In this episode, Mrs. Sokoloff talks about the miracle of how she started teaching at Curtis in 1936 (while still a student herself) and her first students who would go on to become classical music legends like Shmuel Ashkenasi, Aaron Rosand, members of the Guarneri Quartet, Jaime Laredo, Benita Valente, and many members of the Philadelphia Orchestra; her first private students who went on to pass the rigorous auditions at Curtis and perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra; her secrets on how she remains healthy, active and productive at age 100; and shares her thoughts on how women’s careers in music have changed over her lifetime (she is passionate about women’s rights in all aspects of life).

The Grotrian Piano at NAMM

Mon, 03/30/2015 - 7:17am
Written by HughSung

We've all heard of Steinway and Yamaha pianos, but have you ever heard of a Grotrian? It so happens that this piano was favored by Clara Schumann and highly regarded by the likes of Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms! The Grotrian-Steinweg, or "Grotrian" for short, is well known in German and European circles, but still something of a "secret gem" in America. In this video, we interview Grotrian-Steinweg director Burkhardt Stein to discover what unique qualities this gorgeous piano brings to the discerning pianist.

European Gems Part 2

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 5:23pm
Written by HughSung

Several folks asked to hear the same piece on both the 7ft. Estonia and the 7ft. Schimmel, rather than play different pieces on each, so that's what I do in this follow-up episode. Let me know in the forums if this helps you better compare the distinct characteristics of each piano. I'd love to hear which one you like better!

European Gems

Fri, 01/09/2015 - 8:56am
Written by HughSung

European pianos feature distinct characteristics of tone and color. In this episode, we look at two magnificent 7 foot grand pianos: a Schimmel and an Estonia. They're so distinct, we decided to play two different pieces to highlight their unique qualities. Which piano do you like better?