USI earns All-Steinway School Distinction

After a long journey tracing back to 2015, the University of Southern Indiana has earned an All-Steinway School distinction. The University now has 10 Steinway & Sons pianos, housed in the Wenger Practice Rooms on the lower level of the Arts Center; the Hamilton Music Studio and Topper Practice Room, both located in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center; the USI Performance Center; and the second floor reading room in David L. Rice Library.

With the opening of the USI Performance Center in 2015, which included a Steinway & Sons grand piano, the USI Foundation petitioned Dr. Linda L. M. Bennett, USI’s third President, to approve the initiative of becoming an All-Steinway School, “a school that demonstrates a full commitment to excellence by providing its students and faculties with the best instruments possible for the study of music.”

Because the University needed an infrastructure for piano practice for its students, private gifts from generous donors to the USI Foundation were used to purchase six pianos for the Wenger Practice Rooms, and covered the cost of the renovation of the lower level of the USI Arts Center where the Wenger Practice Rooms are located.

In April 2019, the six Steinway pianos were delivered and placed in the Wenger Practice Rooms and USI was well on its way to becoming an All-Steinway School.

Although Dr. Ronald S. Rochon, USI President, approved the initiative soon after his appointment in 2018, he wanted to know more about Steinway & Sons and its prestigious distinction.

The USI Foundation already had committed to underwriting a trip to New York City for the USI Chamber Choir, which was scheduled to perform in Carnegie Hall in May 2019. As part of that trip, Rochon and Mrs. Rochon; Dr. James Beeby, former Dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Andrea Gentry, Director of University Development; Daniel Craig, Associate Professor of Music; Thomas Drury, Instructor in Music; and Robert Klingbeil, USI’s Steinway representative, toured the New York Steinway & Sons factory in Queens, New York. The entire group was convinced of the importance of having this type of quality for USI students and faculty.

As the process of becoming an All-Steinway School moved forward, three additional Steinway pianos were ordered to replace older pianos on campus. Of the three new Steinways, two were placed in the Liberal Arts Center’s Hamilton Music Studio for choir practice, one in Craig’s vocal lessons studio and the third in the David L. Rice Library second floor reading room to accompany performances in that space.

By summer 2023, USI and the Dr. Philip H. Hagemann Department of Performing Arts, Music and Theater were in a position for the USI Foundation to formally seek the All-Steinway School Distinction. “USI has a long tradition of musical excellence, and this designation is a good step forward as we look to the future of our programming,” said Dr. Del Doughty, Dean of USI’s College of Liberal Arts.

Steinway & Sons will present the official All-Steinway School plaque to the University in spring 2024. New York officials from Steinway & Sons will join the leadership team of its piano gallery in Nashville, Tennessee and representatives from USI, for the occasion.

“I’m very encouraged by this development and am grateful for the generosity of the people of this community who helped to make this happen,” said Craig. “I’m thankful to the USI Foundation and to the donors who want to see music thrive at USI.”