Sixty-eight Steinway pianos onstage, as seen from the balcony of the Bill Heard Auditorium of the Columbus RiverCenter For The Performing Arts. (Dave Bender)
A single multi-million dollar donation to Columbus State University in southwest Georgia has allowed Columbus's Schwob School of Music to purchase no less than 68 new Steinway pianos for their students.
(L-R) Fred Cohen, director of the Schwob School of Music, Maxine Schiffman, Rex Whiddon, director of major gifts and university stewardship and former director of the music program at The Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, onstage with the Steinway pianos. (Dave Bender)
Donor Maxine Schiffman joined CSU officials and Steinway representatives at a ceremony Tuesday, held onstage at Legacy Hall in the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts. 44 upright pianos and 24 grand pianos, valued at more than $2.5 million were on hand, and will be purchased as a result of the gift.
"Steinway pianos are the standard, according to Fred Cohen, director of the Schwob School of Music.
"Offering all our students Steinways – and nothing but Steinways – to practice with and to perform upon throughout their years at Schwob prepares them best for their musical careers.
"Experience with and exploration of the well-maintained Steinways in the RiverCenter will set the level for professional expectations in piano sound throughout the lives of Schwob faculty, students and in the Columbus community," Cohen said in a statement released by CSU.In 2007, CSU named Maxine Schiffman an honorary alumnus, according to the statement.
Stage spotlights gleam off the polished wood of several of the Steinway grand pianos onstage. (Dave Bender)
The University of Georgia, Kennesaw State University and Spelman College previously became all Steinway schools.
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