Groven Piano Project
- the un-tempered clavier -
[IMAGE Groven-pianoet]

Yamaha Pianos

The Groven Piano Project has been made possible with the generous support of the Yamaha Corporation. The world première of the Groven Piano on 19 April 2001 in Oslo, Norway used the three Yamaha Disklavier upright pianos shown above donated for the performance by Yamaha Scandinavia AS. [IMAGE SmartKey_ani.gif]The Disklavier series are acoustic pianos out-fitted with special hardware which can make the keys move and hammers strike the strings by remote-control. More about Disklaviers

The fourth keyboard in the front is a Yamaha GranTouch, which functions as a silent-control keyboard for the three custom-tuned Disklavier pianos. The advantage of the GranTouch is that it uses a real Yamaha grand piano keyboard and action mechanism. In other words, unlike a synthesizer keyboard, it has the same touch and sensitivity as a regular acoustic grand. More about GranTouch

A new Groven Piano is being created at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI and will première at the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival in May 2002. The pianos for this instrument will be similar to those used in Norway and are being provided by Shirk's Piano and Organ Company in Mishawaka, IN with support from the Yamaha Corporation of America.

Additional information about:
Groven Piano Project
Pictures and soundfiles from premiere

 
Dr. David Loberg Code
Associate Professor of Music
School of Music
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Phone: 616.373.6877
Email: code@wmich.edu