Our Projects
Loans of DS Keyboards
Universities and music schools are invited to apply to the DS Standard Foundation to borrow a DS Keyboard for up to 12 months and have the option to purchase the DS Keyboard at any time.
The Australian National Academy of Music and the University of Colorado Boulder have DS6.0 keyboards for their Yamaha C6/C7 pianos (or equivalent models).
Baylor University has a DS6.0 keyboard for their Steinway B and Huilun HU1P upright pianos with DS6.0 and DS5.5 keyboards.
The University of Cape Town has a DS5.5 keyboard for a Yamaha C6/C7.
The University of Auckland and Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester have DS5.5 keyboards for Yamaha C3 pianos.
Shenandoah Conservatory has a DS5.5 for their Steinway B.
The University of Michigan has Hailun HU1P upright pianos with DS6.0 and DS5.5 keyboards.
A DS6.0 keyboard is also on loan to the A Loja de Pianos store in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
Our current stock of keyboard (with attached action stacks) include two DS6.0 keyboards to fit Yamaha C6 or C7 (or equivalent) models. There is also a DS5.5 keyboard available to fit a Yamaha CFX or CF111S concert grand for short term loans. To discuss these or any other loan options please be in contact with the Foundation.
The DS Standard Foundation supports these institution in developing programs of activities which make use of their DS keyboards, including demonstrations, seminars and recitals. For details of these (and other events related to narrow keys) see here.
Many institutions have purchased keyboards from the Foundation (previously Steinbuhler & Company) in the past. For a complete list of where these keyboards are located see here.
“Since the life-changing moment I started practicing and performing on an alternatively-sized piano keyboard, I experienced a whole new level of artistic and technical freedom.”
“The use of DS Standard® piano keyboards has opened up new artistic realms for my students with smaller hand-spans, including expanded repertoire, enhanced musical possibilities, greater physical ease, and even recovery from pain and injury.”
“The DS Standard® keyboards offer all musicians, regardless of hand-span, the opportunity to focus on what matters most: making music with ease, imagination and joy.”
Dr. Jessica Johnson, Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Supporting Competitions That Provide Keyboard Choice
The DS Standard Foundation will consider supporting any competition that allows contestants to compete on DS Standard® sized keyboards.
The Foundation currently supports the Dallas International Piano Competition by contributing to keyboard preparation. This competition is the first in the world to provide DS5.5® and DS6.0 Keyboards for contestants.
In March of 2015 Anna R. Arazi arrived at the Dallas International Piano Competition on a Wednesday. Anna’s hands are small and she suffers from pain in her forearms when playing conventional keyboards. She was eager to participate in this particular competition because it offers pianists the opportunity to compete using the smaller DS Standard® keyboards. She had never played on a smaller keyboard before, but immediately took to the DS6.0 size. On Thursday she advanced to the semifinals, on Friday she advanced to the finals, and on Saturday she gave the performance, shown here, where she won the 3rd place prize. The amazing fact is that by the end of the competition the pain in Anna’s arms had completely disappeared!
Anna R. Arazi – performing in the finals
Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 1
2015 Dallas International Piano Competition
