[CAUT] endangered european piano- newspaper article

[Fred Sturm]

	I think there is and will continue to be a market, admittedly small,  
for truly high quality musical pianos. It will consist of concert  
halls, institutions of higher education, and a small number of  
individuals (the rare ones who are not only accomplished musicians,  
but also have a fair amount of money). The major problem facing  
manufacturers, I believe, is that they are competing with an enormous  
used/remanufactured inventory out there for re-sale. But I am  
convinced that some manufacturers will survive. The parts  
manufacturers will survive because of us, the rebuilders purchasing  
parts. The manufacturers that survive will be those which are nimble,  
and find creative ways of marketing - like even (shudder) the Baldwin  
one-off "designer" pianos.
	But, yes, I become more and more pessimistic about the future of such  
firms as the lovely German ones. Fragile as all get out. The one truly  
bright spot is China: an enormous market that is seemingly just  
hitting its stride. 40-50 million piano students, with no used  
inventory to speak of in the country. Some percentage will become  
accomplished and demand quality. We're seeing a heck of a lot of them  
come to this country and raise the bar.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu



On Apr 30, 2008, at 12:07 PM, Richard Brekne wrote:

> It is as I have said many a time... the acoustic piano is doomed.  
> Sooner or later the public market will not be large enough to be  
> able to support the industry.... and factories will close.  The  
> public... too huge a majority will opt for cheaper and, to their  
> ears.... just as good an option be it the cheaply made asian  
> instruments or later on in our immediate future inexpensive, highly  
> versatile, portable and maintenance free electronics.  The piano  
> industry... and the acoustic industry as a whole will be reduced to  
> what is left of the Harpsichord industry today.... if that much.
>
> Its a Brave New World out there folks... few seem to be very much  
> aware of whats just around the next corner.  You think the Matrix  
> movies were all that far fetched ??? Think again, and ponder the  
> consequences.
>
> Cheers
> RicB