Pictured | William Ransom
A Steinway is a Steinway, and there is nothing like it in the world.” – Arthur Rubinstein
That unmistakable resonance – the one that has moved audiences to tears and standing ovations for generations – has found its mountain home.
This summer, the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival marks a transformative milestone: the acquisition of a magnificent new Steinway grand piano for Lewis Hall in the Village Green, made possible by an extraordinary act of anonymous generosity.
On Tuesday, June 17, at 5:00 P.M., the community will gather for a free dedication concert celebrating this remarkable gift.
Festival Artistic Director William Ransom’s hands will be the first to officially awaken the Steinway’s voice, offering a program that travels from Chopin’s stormy Ballade No. 1 to Debussy’s shimmering L’Isle Joyeuse before culminating in Gershwin’s quintessentially American Rhapsody in Blue. A reception follows, inviting all to toast this pivotal moment in the Plateau’s cultural evolution.
As the Festival enters its 44th season, Ransom is an ideal choice to inaugurate this instrument. An accomplished pianist who has performed with major orchestras across the globe, he brings technical precision and artistic sensitivity to this special occasion. His program has been selected to demonstrate the full range of the Steinway’s capabilities.
Steinway pianos are legendary for good reason.
Since 1853, Steinway & Sons has set the world’s benchmark for craftsmanship, with each instrument taking nearly a year to build and passing through the hands of over 200 master craftspeople. Every curve of wood, every hammered string, is a small act of devotion to sound – a tradition that continues to define the Steinway mystique today.
It’s no wonder that great pianists like Vladimir Horowitz insisted on touring with their personal Steinway, refusing to perform unless their favored instrument, Steinway CD 503, was onstage with them.
For attendees at the Festival’s Cashiers home in Lewis Hall, the difference will be immediately apparent. Every note will resonate with enhanced richness and clarity, every performance elevated by the Steinway’s unparalleled tonal range and responsiveness.
The June 17 dedication concert is free and open to the community.
For more information about the entire 2025 season, visit h-cmusicfestival.org.
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