Gordonstoun Strikes the right chord by partnering with renowned piano maker
Thursday 31 July 2025
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The school has now taken delivery of 17 new pianos, which will be available to use by students across the Prep and Senior schools. They include three ‘Steinway Grand’ pianos, hand-picked by the Head of Music and two students, on a recent trip to the company’s iconic factory in Hamburg. Gordonstoun has also become the first independent ‘All Steinway School’ in Scotland. |
Gordonstoun has become an ‘All-Steinway’ school after partnering with the world-famous piano maker.A Parnership of Possibilities
The partnership with Steinway & Sons will also bring master classes by Steinway artists to Gordonstoun, performance opportunities at the Steinway Halls around the world and access to the finest equipment for the study of music.
As a Steinway School, Gordonstoun will be able to get the local community more involved in musical events, such as concerts and workshops. Some of the pianos being replaced have also been given to schools in the area.
The German-American company has been making the iconic pianos for more than 160 years. Each piano takes around a year to make and boasts around 12,000 individual pieces and are still handmade in their New York and Hamburg factories.
Gordonstoun has now become one of only a handful of education establishments in Scotland to be awarded the status of being an ‘All-Steinway’ school, while joining world-renowned institutions such as Yale School of Music and the China Conservatory of Music.
There are around 50 pianists across the years, who with other musicians at Gordonstoun, will benefit from having the new world-class pianos, which arrived last month (18 June). The Steinway Grand is regarded as the gold standard of musical instruments, used by over 19 out of 20 concert pianists.
Gordonstoun delivers 400 music lessons every week, led by Gordonstoun Head of Music Phoebe Csenki, who said:
“The partnership with Steinway matches our commitment to providing musical excellence and is a real badge of honour for Gordonstoun. We have now upgraded all our pianos, substantially raising the standard of provision for all our students across the Prep and Senior schools.
“The new instruments will provide the students with the best possible instruments to improve their playing, allowing them to be more responsive to the music and to express the music more confidently. This will not only benefit our pianists when playing solo, but for all musicians accompanying or being accompanied on these wonderful instruments.
“The pianos take about a year to make, and the level of detail involved gives each one their own personality. We were fortunate enough to visit the Steinway factory in Hamburg to see how the pianos are made and were offered the honour of selecting the instruments for our school, which meant playing them in the world-famous factory and choosing the right ones for our setting and students.”
The 17 pianos being replaced have been redistributed for use in the boarding houses at Gordonstoun, as well as local schools.
Gordonstoun student Luis Gibney Shand, 18, who visited the Hamburg factory, added:
“Having the opportunity to play so many Steinway and Sons pianos was an experience I will never forget. It was like a Willie Wonka experience. I felt like I had won a golden ticket.
“The level of precision and detail in the pianos is unparalleled and still somehow each piano is unique. These pianos will be here for generations, so everyone who comes into the music department over the next hundred years will be able to play these truly great pianos, long after we have stopped playing and that's exciting too. It's investing in future generations and it’s priceless.”
Gordonstoun is renowned for producing some of most talented young musicians in the country. Its Junior School has a programme that ensures every child plays a musical instrument from a young age.
Many students are currently playing with the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland, while several other children sing with the National Youth Choir. This year, three students have secured places at Music College.
Gordonstoun Head Simon Cane-Hardy said:
“Becoming a Steinway school will take our music to the next level, not just for our pianists, but all musicians.
“Gordonstoun has a great history of service. And one of the key elements of our school is that we play a role in serving the community. So, what we would love now is for musicians across Moray and our local area to come into Gordonstoun, to work with our students, our teachers and have access to these wonderful pianos.
“The whole process from the first meeting we had to the pianos arriving at Gordonstoun has been a fantastic experience for our school, particularly for our students who came out to the Steinway Hamburg Factory and selected the pianos.”
Keith Glazebrook, Manager with Steinway & Sons UK, said:
“We take great pride in announcing Gordonstoun as an ‘All Steinway School’. Through the All Steinway School programme, we will be offering students factory tours, performance opportunities and Masterclasses with the world’s leading music makers and educators, adding to an all already rich program of music making at the school.
“Through Steinway & Sons community engagement programmes, Gordonstoun will become a music hub, not only for its students, but for students across the region.”
Curious about Gordonstoun? To find out more about our musical community and the uniquely broad range of opportunities available to our students, join us on our next Virtual Taste of Gordonstoun Webinar.
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