International Stretto Piano Festival
The inaugural International Stretto* Piano Festival was held in May 2021, where all pianists perform on stretto pianos or keyboards – those with keys narrower than normal. Website: http://strettopianoconcerts.org/
It is truly a unique event and the first of its kind, involving a worldwide collaboration of pianists.
*Stretto means narrow in Italian.
Listen to this fascinating episode from The Piano Pod about the International Stretto Piano Festival and Hannah Reimann’s journey with Stretto pianos (i.e. alternatively sized keyboards). Pianist Julia Furnan also talks about her discovery of Stretto pianos!
The Fourth International Festival
The Fourth International Stretto Piano Festival was held from 25 May to 4 June 2024.
Over 50 performers were involved in live concerts in New York City, Texas, San Diego in the USA, Stuttgart and Bayreuth in Germany, Victoria Canada, Melbourne Australia, Auckland New Zealand, and Riga. Latvia. Online recitals came from North Carolina, Singapore and London.
Most concerts can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfHNhz9AEdE41hgX3IyV-Mi0CBEiNHPWb
Media stories - 2024
Artistic Director Hannah Reimann speaks with NPR Classical: https://www.npr.org/2024/05/23/nx-s1-4937937/pianist-seeks-equity-with-narrower-instruments?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR19SmaNo-G3IdR4PK-jhoEjIVjs-8yPQokPCC0hv4ChfkZ7EsXV4ASa_94_aem_ARcDnI4VxHZhGNvlFQ5bs3WfQNZpobW2le7LcuuMhdpxLYpgUn_tTSAnrd5Vgfk_uglLO2YEemE_0SLLjnK_IrZ0
Podcast with Jennet Ingle of Crushing Classical: https://crushingclassical.libsyn.com/podcast/hannah-reimann-stretto-pianos?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1uDu0C7TCviHUis2Gqf-0iqe27YPt_v7T0sFS-3BncqV0-Xsa7UuUkifs_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw
West View News, New York: https://westviewnews.org/2024/06/25/stretto-piano-events-nonprofit-takes-on-fundraising-multiple-events-in-2024-2025/westview-news/
Musical America, July 2024:
The Third International Festival
The third International Stretto Piano Festival was broadcast from 15 to 23 July, 2023.
Once again, over 40 performers were involved across five continents.
New York City was the focus with live concerts (also livestreamed) in Manhattan’s Engelman Recital Hall.
All concerts are still accessible via YouTube: https://www.strettopianoconcerts.org/2023
Media stories - 2023
Media stories for 2023 can be accessed here: https://www.strettopianoconcerts.org/media
The Second International Festival
The second International Piano Stretto festival was broadcast from 18 to 26 June 2022.
Over 40 performers were involved through live-streamed and concerts recorded from stages, universities, pianos stores, private studios and homes across five continents!
Concerts available for viewing can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfHNhz9AEdE4yts8T3X4Z8GID28KzxGEG
Media stories - 2022
West View News, New York, July 2022: https://westviewnews.org/2022/07/08/the-international-stretto-piano-festival/gcapsis/
Introductory videos - 2022 festival
The Inaugural 2021 Festival
The first International Stretto Piano Festival was hosted online by musae.me from 15 to 23 May 2021.
The six countries represented were: USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Austria and Brazil.
Concerts available for viewing can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfHNhz9AEdE5SzV98Mbh34UgBE-juaXP-
You can watch videos of two of the 2021 performers, Carol Leone and Eliana Yi, here: https://www.elianayipianostudio.com/performances, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXoZWUwC4jurCp1na-OQh6w
Media stories - 2021
Stretto Festival Media Release:https://paskpiano.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Stretto-Festival-2021-Media.pdf
West View News, New York, 3 May 2021: http://westviewnews.org/2021/05/03/international-stretto-piano-festival/
The Village Sun, New York, 15 May 2021: https://thevillagesun.com/stretto-piano-festival-is-a-big-step-for-keyboard-choice
Pearls and Irritations, Australia, 20 May 2021: https://johnmenadue.com/standard-piano-keys-are-too-wide-for-too-many-but-alternatively-sized-keyboards-are-on-the-way/
Introductory videos - 2021 festival
Introductory video from co-artistic directors, Hannah Reimann, Carol Leone and Rhonda Boyle:-
Introductory video from Ulrike Wohlwender, from the State University of Music and the Performing Arts Stuttgart (Germany):-