Delivery Day
Planning the delivery
Arranging the arrival of seventeen new pianos to the University of Sheffield campus required a huge logistical effort between several teams across different departments. Additional regulations due to the coronavirus pandemic also had to be considered which added to the anticipation of the event, and made gaining the accreditation even more of an achievement by the teams involved.
The delivery took place on Wednesday 24th March 2021. Specially trained piano movers were tasked with the difficult task of transporting the pianos from the Steinway showroom in London, to Sheffield's Students Union.
Seventeen pianos were unloaded and arranged for members of students, department staff and faculty teams to view. There was then the opportunity to play the full fleet of pianos and have the unique opportunity to directly compare the sound and experience of each piano.
Once all pianos were onsite, this activated the All-Steinway School Status. Media teams documented the occasion, capturing reactions from our University community, to learn what this accreditation means for their learning experience whilst at Sheffield.
The pianos were then relocated to their final destinations around campus, which included Firth Hall, The Ridge and The Edge at University Accommodation services, and the Department of Music buildings: Jessop building and The Soundhouse.
The arrival of the pianos onsite allowed the University of Sheffield to achieve it's long term goal of becoming an All-Steinway School.
Within the Department of Music facilities, pianos will be placed in the ensemble teaching rooms and individual practice rooms, and will feature a range of AS and Boston grand pianos, Essex uprights and a Model K upright piano.
For those students from across the University who are not taking a music programme, there will be the opportunity to practice on an Essex upright pianos throughout the week. We hope this space provides all students with the motivation and opportunity to express their creative voice during their studies.
Bookings for the practice rooms can now be made via the Connect 2 booking system (for music students) and via Eventbrite (for non-music students).
