New pianos roll in for start of music year

The Centre for Youth and Community Music (CYCM) at Charles Darwin University has boosted its fleet of pianos in time for the start of the teaching year, which begins today.

Two new Yamaha upright pianos in polished ebony were rolled off the back of a truck on Thursday and into the CYCM studios at Casuarina campus where they were unpacked, installed and tuned.

Lecturer in Piano and CYCM Acting Director Chen Hui said the $8000 pianos would be placed in air-conditioned rooms to minimise fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

“These are very good pianos that have a nice tone and touch. We expect they will hold their quality for many years,” Ms Chen Hui said, after a rendition of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

Ms Chen Hui said up to 60 students a week would use the new instruments at CYCM, the Territory’s premiere music centre.

“Piano classes, and many of our other programs, have been filling up fast since we started receiving online enrolments earlier this month,” she said.

CYCM will once again offer tuition in guitar, violin, cello, percussion, flute, saxophone, clarinet and voice.

Ensemble programs such as the Darwin Youth Orchestra, the Advanced Chamber Ensemble, the Baroque Ensemble and others also will continue. Two new courses for this year are Greek Instruments and Acting.

“CYCM is an amazing place that provides opportunities for students to interact with some of the Territory’s top music professionals who are committed to sharing their musical knowledge and experience,” Ms Chen Hui said.

For more information visit W: cdu.edu.au/cycm