The newly-constructed Performing Arts Lab (PAL) at Tiffin University has acquired a fleet of 32 Yamaha instruments to equip its professional quality recording studio and student-run record label, a state-of-the-art music technology lab, practice rooms, classrooms, and performance spaces.
“All the piano manufacturers were well represented, but Yamaha was the only one that bridged the gap between quality acoustic pianos and cutting-edge music technology, and did both on the same instruments. We have a lot of digital music needs as most of our music students are working towards emerging careers in the music industry,” said Brad Rees, executive director of Arts Programs and assistant professor of Music and Arts Entrepreneurship at Tiffin University. “This is the future. This is where students’ heads are now.”
Rees worked with Solich Piano and Music Company, the authorized Yamaha dealer for most of Ohio, to acquire two Disklavier ENSPIRE Grand pianos, three U1TA TransAcoustic pianos, one U1SH Silent Piano, six AvantGrand pianos, one NU1 hybrid piano, and a full Clavinova music lab featuring 12 CLP and CVP digital pianos. Each room in the PAL is “wired for sound,” offering students and faculty the capability to record and work together with the 32 Yamaha instruments.
“We have placed one of the Disklavier pianos, two of the Silent Pianos and four of the Clavinova digital pianos in the PAL rehearsal rooms,” added Rees. “The N3 AvantGrand resides in The Marion Center, a multipurpose performance hall located just steps from our rehearsal and studio spaces. This is a real culture change for us. Prospective students see that we offer not just the same type of degree programs as bigger commercial music schools, but we also now have the technology to compete with larger universities while giving students the individualized attention that’s the hallmark of a small school.”
The second Disklavier reproducing piano is located in Tiffin University’s new recording studio, namely to be used for the student-run record label. The digital recording functions of the Yamaha Clavinova pianos in the music technology lab are also great for pre-production work. About a dozen students and three music faculty members attended a training session on the functions of the Clavinova lab presented by Lori Frazer, marketing programs specialist for the Yamaha Keyboard division, which focused on how the instruments may be used for songwriting, production and recording, as well as for intensive classroom music instruction.
“All of the pianos at Tiffin are technologically equipped with the exclusive technology that Yamaha has developed to accomplish student learning,” said Dan Rodowicz, national sales manager, Yamaha Institutional Solutions Group. “This selection of instruments is the ideal mix because it offers Tiffin University lasting technological power that will serve the needs of students, faculty and the community for decades to come.”
