"Music Imitates Hockey"

VANCOUVER, BC - Just days after Vancouver Canucks came in 2nd to the Boston Bruins in this year's race for the Stanley Cup, Vancouverite Daniel Chow placed 2nd to a person from Boston in the Boston International Piano Amateurs Competition! Daniel Chow, despite not owning a piano himself, is an accomplished pianist who has just received his official designation of Chartered Accountant.

Showcase Pianos appoints Dr. Sasha Starcevich as Artist Director of new school

RICHMOND, BC - Showcase Pianos is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Sasha Starcevich as Artist Director of their new piano school in Aberdeen Centre.

Pianist Sasha Starcevich is currently enjoying a very rewarding career as an international performer and teacher. Since receiving his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Yale University in May of 2003, he has continued to thrill audiences here in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Starcevich has given recitals at New York’s Carnegie Recital Hall, Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall, Windsor Castle, and in London’s Wigmore Hall. His solo recital there in May of 2002 was met with much critical acclaim, and a review in the Musical Opinion wrote: “The repertoire was brilliantly conceived; a thoroughly enjoyable recital at every level”.

Starcevich has recorded for CBS Television in the United States and has released two CD’s under the Britstar label in the United States and the Jacques Samuel Label in London, England.

Dr. Starcevich has been affiliate professor of piano at the State University of New York, department chair of music and professor of piano at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts, and has taught students attending the pre-college division at the Juilliard School in New York. This Summer, Dr. Starcevich will join the faculty of Musicfest Perugia, in Italy.

His students have been prizewinners of local, national and international awards, and have gone on to study music at prestigious schools such as the Eastman School of Music, the Yale School of Music, the Mannes School, the Juilliard School in New York and the Peabody Conservatory. Dr. Starcevich is in frequent demand as a performer, adjudicator and presenter of Master Classes throughout North America, Russia and China.

Through Showcase Pianos, Starcevich will present of Masterclasses for students and seminars for teachers. His students have included Evgenia Rabinovich, Tristan Teo, Jovian Cheng, and Tim Zhang.

The new location, due to open mid August, will have 5 private teaching studios and one group classroom for MYC (Music for Young Children) program. It will be located on the 3rd floor of Richmond's beautiful Aberdeen Centre will be #3480-4151 Hazelbridge Way. To enroll in piano lessons with Dr. Starcevich - or any of our other wonderful teachers, please contact Julie Chang at juliec@showcasepianos.com or by calling the new school at 604-270-8861.

Showcase Pianos annouces new School, expansion in Aberdeen Centre

RICHMOND, BC - After a year and a half of experiencing success selling pianos out of a 500 sq ft store in the beautiful Aberdeen Centre, Showcase Pianos announces their expansion to a new 3,000 sq ft showroom and piano school on the third floor.

The new location, due to open late July, will have a separate room for high-end luxury pianos, as well as 5 private teaching studios and one group classroom for MYC (Music for Young Children) program.

Showcase Pianos has recently sold their 36th Fazioli since opening in October of 2007. The new address at Aberdeen Centre will be #3480-4151 Hazelbridge Way. To enroll in piano lessons, please contact Julie Chang at juliec@showcasepianos.com or by calling the new school at 604-270-8861

Daniil Trifonov wins first place at Rubinstein Competition

TEL AVIV, ISREAL - Daniil Trifonov wins the 1st place award at the 13th International Rubinstein Piano Competition on Thursday the 26th of May, 2011. Trifonov also won the Pnina Salzman award for "Best Performer of a Chopin piece" as well as the prizes for the "Best Performer of Chamber Music" and also the "Audience Favourite Award".

Trifonov now immediately prepares to go to the Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow.

Fazioli piano featured in new video by SR Auto

SR Lounge+Patio Event, Spring 2011 from SR Auto Group on Vimeo.

VANCOUVER, BC - On a beautiful sunny day in April, SR Auto Group invited some of their valued clients to their first annual Lounge + Patio event which was held at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. The lunch time featured a performance by talented 18 year-old concert pianist Evgenia Rabinovich on the beautiful satin white Fazioli F212 that was custom made for the lobby of the hotel.

Showcase Pianos hires new Piano Consultant

Vancouver, BC - Showcase Pianos is pleased to announce that we have added a new member to our team of piano consultant. Tina Hunko was born in XiAn in China, raised in Hong Kong, and is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Tina brings more than 6 years of experience selling pianos to Showcase Pianos, as well as a long history of teaching piano. Tina will work as the main piano consultant of Showcase's Richmond store, located in the beautiful Aberdeen Centre.

Reach Tina Hunko directly by emailing her or calling (604) 270-8883

It's finally here: The new Fazioli F228 was brought in because of popular demand!

VANCOUVER, BC - The wait is finally over. After having many visitors request to 'test' the Fazioli F228 (7'6") piano, we decided to bring one in. It has unbelievably beautiful power and sound - - - and Showcase Pianos owner Manuel Bernaschek invites everyone to come and try for themselves.

Bernaschek says: "It makes for an interesting comparison, as we have it beside a C. Bechstein C234 (7'8"), a pre-owned Bosendorfer 225 (7'4"), and a Steinway Concert Grand. No other store in BC has such an amazing selection that players compare side-by-side."

For those that have not yet tried a Fazioli, the poetic description of one by pianist and F228 owner Garrett Glass might whet your appetite:

"Don't you wish you could have been at Joan Sutherland's Italian debut at La Fenice theater in Venice in 1959? Imagine the purity of her tones as she brought the bel canto beauties of 'Lucia' back to Venice for the first time in over 30 years. Or, imagine it is Easter Morning, you are standing at the foot of the campanile of San Georgio Maggiore, and now the church bells ring out. The sounds strike deep into the fiber of your being; the broad, resonant peals of the bass notes are as pure as if they were summoned from hand bells, and they are all equally distinguishable, even though the richness of the sound echoes back to you from the waters of the Grand Canal. The sound is sustained beyond your imagination, just as it might be if you were privileged, like the popes are, to hear the Schola Cantorum Romana sing Palestrina or Pergolesi at its home in the Sistine Chapel. If you can imagine all this, you can imagine what it is like to play a Fazioli."

Fazioli Pianos are handcrafted in Italy and are regarded by many pianists as being the finest in the world. In British Columbia, Fazioli pianos are available exclusively at Showcase Pianos.