Music China is one of the world’s top three musical instrument industry events. This year it was held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. More than a thousand exhibitors occupied over 100,000 sqm of exhibition space across 11 separate halls. And the show attracted 81,761 visitors (mostly trade) from countries around the world — despite the pandemic.
Pianos feature strongly at Asian musical instrument shows — a list of the many piano-related exhibitors attending Music China 2020 is at the end of this article.
Two particularly interesting pianos attracting a lot of attention were from Pearl River and Yamaha.
The Kayserburg Celestial Harmony Spacewalk Piano
Pearl River Piano Group (which includes Ritmüller, Kayserburg and Pearl River brands) is the largest acoustic piano manufacturer in the world. It produces over 150,000 pianos a year — 30% of the global market.
This year it revealed the Celestial Harmony Spacewalk Piano, produced under the Kayserburg marque. This is, the company claim, “…the world’s first 3D printed piano”.
Various companies do employ the 3D printing process to create component parts of their pianos. For example, Phoenix Pianos produce the action and other small parts in this way. Pearl River, however, seems to have moved on to the next stage. Its designers used a very large-format 3D printer to craft this piano’s exotic shape. A “sonically suitable” carbon fibre/polyester composite material was used as the “print” medium.
The Kayserburg Celestial Harmony Spacewalk Piano is an 8ft grand, and is finished using a range of bright cross-fading blues and purples to create an “out-of-world” experience.
The futuristic design of the piano represents an organic outcome of highly advanced CNC [Computer Numerical Control] processes in combination with 3D printing technology. We are continually pushing forward with technological developments and innovations for the next generation of keyboard instruments. What better way to demonstrate this goal than to create a piano with an appearance of space exploration in harmonic convergence?
Leng Tshua, Global Sales and Marketing Director of Pearl River Piano Group
This is a one-off instrument, but clearly demonstrates the potential of 3D printing in the production process.
Key Between People from Yamaha
Yamaha’s Key Between People concept piano/installation originally appeared at the Milano Salone 2008 exhibition. The idea is that the piano is a focus around which people can meet – it is a place where instrument, performer, and listener are all on the same level.
The original 2008 piano is on display in Yamaha’s own museum at its Japanese headquarters in Hamamatsu. The company’s Chinese subsidiary made a new version for Music China 2020 and this took pride of place in the piano section of Yamaha’s exhibition stand.
Key Between People is essentially a digital piano. The foundation of the installation is a Yamaha Modus H11. But this set-up is somewhat different from the original 2008 incarnation.
It is now white, not black, and this is important because the installation incorporates a projection system. Positioned above the piano is an HD projector connected to the piano. This radiates images onto the piano’s flat white top. The patterns are driven by what is played on the keyboard.
This is also a one-off design—although now there are actually two in existence.
Again this is a rather spectacular instrument. It is a showstopper, and one that draws people in, and gets them talking about pianos.
Other piano-related companies (listed alphabetically) exhibiting at Music China 2020 included:
- Asia Piano Japan Co. Ltd.
- Alfred Jahn Pianoteile
- AXL International Musical Instruments (China)
- Bauer Piano Co. Ltd.
- Becker Musical Instruments Corp.
- Beijing Cadenza Culture & Art Co. Ltd.
- Beijing Heitzman Piano Co. Ltd.
- Beijing Hsinghai Piano Group
- Beijing Hua Yu Chuang Le Culture Industry Co. Ltd.
- Beijing Peng Music Culture Co. Ltd.
- Beijing Ruiyin Tiandi Ltd.
- Beijing ZhengTai Sheng Xuan Musical Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Brockes (Xiamen) Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Bush and Gerts Piano Co. Ltd.
- C. Bechstein Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
- Carl Ronisch Piano Co. Ltd.
- Carod Music Group Co. Ltd.
- Chairman Instruments Trading Ltd.
- Changchun Aimi Music Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Changzhou City Bangde Stationary Co. Ltd.
- Czapka Sohn Piano Hebei Piano Co. Ltd.
- Dampp-Chaser Electronics Corporation
- DETOA Albrechtice s.r.o.
- Deutsche Hoizveredelung Schmeing Gmbh & Co. KG
- DKI
- Dongbei Piano Co. Ltd.
- ESI Audiotechnik GmbH
- Estonia Piano Factory
- Fazioli Pianoforti s.p.a
- Fiona Musical Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
- Fortepiano s.r.o.
- Fujian Yandong Piano
- Fuzhou Harmony Piano Co. Ltd.
- Gebr. Schulz
- Gibson China Musical Instruments Co. Ltd.
- Grand Gallery Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
- Guang Zhou Feurich Musical Instruments Co. Ltd.
- Guangzhou Neugerman Piano Co. Ltd.
- Guangzhou Pearl River Kayserburg Piano Co. Ltd.
- Guangzhou Qianlu Culture Creative Development Co. Ltd.
- Guizhou Aiyun Musical Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Hailun Piano Co. Ltd.
- Hangzhou Camellia Piano Co. Ltd.
- Haoyixue
- Hunan Huaihua Xinpu Music Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Huzhou Huapu Piano Products Co. Ltd.
- J.SDER Piano Co. Ltd.
- Jia Xin Qin Tong Yue Qi You Xian Gong Si
- Jiang Su Valtuena Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Jiangsu Fengling Piano Co. Ltd.
- Liaoning (Yingkou)
- Linhai Linqin Musical Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Mason and Hamlin (Xiamen) Piano Ltd.
- Mendelssohn Piano GmbH
- Musician Designer
- Nanjing Schumann Piano Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
- Niendorf Piano Company GmbH
- Nikko Musical Instruments (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.
- Ningbo Jiangbei Cola Musical Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Norman & Beard (Xiamen)
- Pearl Rivier Piano Group
- Pleyel (China) Co. Ltd.
- Qingdao Maygar Musical Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Qingdao Mole Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Roland China Ltd.
- Royal Pianos
- Seiller Samick Musical Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
- Shandong Jining Yanzhou Tuning Tools Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Apollo Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Ayuno Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Chary International Trade Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Didian Musical Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Dong Yun Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Fanhe Industrial Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Hansen Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Hu Yue Fu Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Opera House
- Shanghai Puyun Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Renyi Felt Engineering Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Ruiao Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Shenglai Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Weeber Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Wenhao Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Yilai Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Yuan Macro instrument Co. Ltd.
- Shanghai Yunvoio Piano Co. Ltd.
- Shengyuan Musical Instruments Co. Ltd.
- Shenzhen Dedo Music Ltd.
- Shenzhen Linhe Industry Co. Ltd.
- Shenzhen Odnoveo Household Products Co. Ltd.
- Steffes & Schulz GmbH
- Steinway Piano Asia Pacific Co. Ltd.
- Stichel Piano Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Suzhou Meiyin Piano Co. Ltd.
- Taizhou Taiyin Piano Co. Ltd.
- Tan Zhi Hong Piano Co. Ltd.
- Tianjin Oufuda Musical Instrument Co. Ltd.
- Wilhelm Schimmel Pianofortefabrik GmbH
- Wing Instruments (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
- Wuhan Jingyinhui Ltd.
- Wuxi Steinmeier Piano Co. Ltd.
- Xiamen Pudiwa Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd.
- Xiamen Zhuoyue Commercial & Trading Co. Ltd.
- Xunjiyueqi (Shanghai) You Xian Gong Is
- Yamaha Music & Electronics (China) Co. Ltd.
- Yantai Kingsburg Piano Co. Ltd.
- YHM
- Yida Piano (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
- Yingkou Fusen Wooden Products Co.
See also our report for Music China 2019.
