Dixie State University’s music department hosted a piano duo Saturday to honor a new Steinway piano.
Pianists Amélie Fortin and Marie-Christine Poirier performed in the Eccles Fine Arts Center Concert Hall simultaneously using only one Steinway piano together. Jeffery Jarvis, college of the arts dean, said Zions Bank donated the Steinway concert grand piano, which retails for $160,000.
“We normally listen to the piano with one person playing and in a combination of other instruments,” Jarvis said.
“[When you] hear the piano played with two people, it’s different kinds of classical music than [what] you’re normally hearing.”
The piano duo is known for their classical concert series, “Twenty Fingers and a Piano,” which they started in 2008.
“Both of our mothers played piano so it was natural to play music for both of us,” Poirier said. “We decided to create this duo at [the Université de Montréal]. As a duet, we have been playing for 12 years.”
Fortin said, “Between you and me, I hit [Poirier] in her face during a concert once performing [“Sonata for Piano for Four-Hands”].”
Poirier said this was their last night performing for their U.S. tour before heading back to Montreal Monday.
“We were really happy to tour in the U.S. [because] it was our first time here,” Poirier said. “We were really grateful for that and were pleased to play on the Steinway piano.”
This Steinway piano is one of a few here at DSU, and Jarvis said he hopes to raise enough money to eventually add more so the campus is recognized as an All-Steinway School. Aside from owning all Steinway pianos, the university must also commit to maintaining the instruments’ performing ability, Jarvis said.
“We do this for students because there’s a noticeable difference in the quality level of a Steinway instrument and another instrument,” Jarvis said. “We want our students practicing on the very best instruments that we can manage.”