On October 16, 2023, the Walt Disney Company celebrated its 100th birthday. And to mark the occasion Steinway & Sons created a very special grand piano featuring the famous mouse that is synonymous with the brand. The Disney piano is officially known as the Steinway X Disney: Mickey Mouse Limited Edition.
The piano was unveiled on American ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” TV show as part of a special “Disney 100 Night”. Steinway Artist Chloe Flower accompanied the couples in the studio as they danced to well-known songs from the Disney film soundtracks. The episode is available in the U.S. on Disney+ and Hulu.
We’re thrilled for Steinway and Disney to collaborate in celebration of cherished stories and characters, as well as our historic legacies that have transcended borders, generations and have delighted audiences. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect moment to remember this milestone than watch the piano come to life on “Dancing with the Stars.
Rob Polan, Vice President, Special Pianos, Steinway & Sons
Steinway will build just 25 of the Steinway X Disney: Mickey Mouse Limited Edition grand pianos.
Casework and Keyboard
The casework of the Disney piano has a high-polish white finish, with each instrument in the limited edition series featuring hand-painted artwork by acclaimed Italian designer/artist Elena Salmistraro. “The piano’s white background represents the sketch board that Mickey Mouse was originally created on years ago. While rich and colourful tones give energy to his iconic characteristics,” states Salmistraro.
Interestingly, the traditionally black notes (the accidentals) are blue on this instrument. But they are also graded, with light blue keys in the bass transforming to dark blue keys in the treble. Salmistro comments,”…the blue colour better represents the tones of the sounds and the music”.
Each of the 25 pianos is individually numbered and displayed on a special plaque inside the rim of the instrument.
These pianos come with Steinway’s SPIRIO |r player piano technology. This advanced system is capable of live performance capture and high-resolution recording and playback. 100 Disney recordings are being added to the SPIRO|r library, especially for this instrument.
Sales and Ordering
If you are wondering what the “X” means in “Steinway X Disney”, it means “by” and is often used when denoting a partnership between two companies.
Every Steinway X Disney: Mickey Mouse Limited Edition piano is made to order. And purchasers can choose between a Model B or a Model D grand piano. All pianos have gold-plated hardware, and are supplied with a smart white matching piano stool.
The price is available “on request” from Steinway and Sons’ New York office (link) – as is the delivery schedule.
With only 25 of these pianos being produced, we inquired about the possibility of one being showcased at a Disney theme park, cruise ship, or entertainment venue. Steinway told us that it’s possible, but customers have priority, and sales have been brisk, with the first several months production already sold out.
Note: No “Mickey Mouse” jokes were used in the compilation of this article.
