By Collette Hayes, The City Journals
Steinway & Sons has chosen a new authorized dealer in Utah, ending a partnership of more than 150 years with Daynes Music Co.
Steinway Piano Gallery Utah opened in May at 4644 S. Holladay Blvd. in Holladay. It is the only authorized Steinway dealer in Utah.
“We are pleased to welcome Steinway Piano Gallery Utah to our family of authorized dealerships,” Gavin English, president of the Americas for Steinway & Sons, said in a statement. “Isaac Jackson and his team bring a deep commitment to music, education and community, and this new gallery will give pianists throughout the Salt Lake Valley an inspiring place to experience the full Steinway-designed family of instruments.”
“I grew up in Holladay, so it’s hard to think of a world-class location when Video Vern’s used to be right here on this spot,” Jackson said. “This is an amazing opportunity to bring something I care about to Holladay. We searched all over Salt Lake, but Holladay stood out as the perfect place for Steinway. There was nowhere else that felt right. I’m thrilled to be here and really thankful to the city of Holladay. Everyone has been so welcoming. I’m proud to be part of this amazing village, and we’re excited to help it grow and thrive."
The selection of Holladay as the new location for the Steinway & Sons Piano Gallery ensures that future generations of Utah musicians will have a dedicated space to cultivate their musical identities locally. Holladay is recognized as a city that values both tradition and innovation. Steinway instruments are crafted by hand using time-honored techniques, while also incorporating advanced technologies such as the Spirio — a perfect fit for Holladay City.
A public grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on May 8, attended by community members, Holladay Business Board members and Holladay City officials and staff.
“This gallery is more than just a retail space. It’s a valuable resource for our music teachers, a partner for our schools, and a place where every dedicated student and artist in the Intermountain West can feel at home,” Mayor Paul Fotheringham said. “It adds another vibrant outlet for music and reaffirms Holladay’s reputation as a destination for art and business alike. Henry E. Steinway’s founding credo, ‘To build the best piano possible,’ has guided the company since 1853. This uncompromising standard is why Steinway & Sons remains the benchmark in craftsmanship, preferred by over 90 percent of concert pianists. Here in Holladay, our goal is to build the best community possible. Having this gallery here does exactly that.”
According to the Steinway & Sons Piano Gallery team, the new showroom features the full range of Steinway-designed instruments, including Steinway & Sons, Boston and Essex pianos. The Spirio Lounge, the centerpiece of the gallery, highlights the Steinway & Sons Spirio piano, known as the world’s finest high-resolution player piano. This instrument allows listeners to experience recorded performances with exceptional dynamic accuracy. Artisans integrate Spirio technology into the manufacturing process while preserving both the piano’s musical quality and visual appeal.
One afternoon in May, local pianist and nonagenarian Louise Chatterton visited the new Steinway & Sons Piano Gallery in Holladay to record on the Spirio. Chatterton, who studied under the highly respected pianist and music educator Mabel Borg Jenkins, has filled living rooms, churches, orchestras, and grand concert halls with her music. Even while serving as a psychologist for many years, she found her greatest joy in teaching piano to students in Holladay — primarily in the exclusive residential neighborhood fondly and informally known as “The Corn Patch.”
Chatterton selected “Clair de Lune” for recording on the Steinway Spirio for its impressionist style, which demands a wide dynamic range, subtle voicing and a rich tonal color, giving the listener the impression of hearing both enhanced bass and sparkling treble in a single strike — all defining characteristics of high-end Steinway & Sons instruments. The piece showcases a Steinway’s ability to “sing.”
“As I listened to a short clip of Rachmaninoff’s ‘Variation’ on the Spirio, the vibrant tones of the Steinway thrilled me,” Chatterton said. “Playing ‘Clair de Lune’ on the instrument proved equally satisfying, with the ease of bringing out subtle nuances in the music. The privilege of listening to my own performance from the audience’s perspective made for a truly pleasant afternoon.”
