Chetham's School of Music

Please note: this event is cancelled.

Premiere of an instrument: Sarah Nicolls presents her Future Piano

Explorer of the piano’s sonic possibilities, pioneering performer and Chethams’ alumni Sarah Nicolls presents her Standing Grand, a brand new, totally re-designed vertical grand piano.  Sarah will play her own solo piano music and create soundscapes: expect to hear beautiful minimalist melodies and rich, original textures.  

Sarah’s motivation to develop a new piano came from being a performer of contemporary classical music, being asked by composers to reach into the piano, to pluck a string, or knock or strum. Sarah loved these sounds but found leaning into a grand piano uncomfortable for her and invisible to audiences. Sarah also wanted to ask – ‘could pianos be easier?’  Could they be lighter, take up less space but still sound as good? 

This concert is the culmination of six years of collaboration between Sarah, leading Bristol-based aerospace engineers Tim Evans and Chris Vaissiere, and David Klavins, probably the most innovative piano builder in the world.  The event will include Sarah introducing the Future Piano technical background and development story and there will be time to to ask questions about this stunning new piano. 

www.futurepiano.co.uk 

Sarah Nicolls is a current award-holder in Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation programme.