<p>From time to time, little surprises present themselves in the course of our work or lives. This certainly rang true for us here at ThePiano.SG last week, when we came face to face with someone we had previously featured on this portal.</p>
<p>The Pianovers Meetups see piano teachers, students and performers alike join in on Sunday for a chance to showcase their talents in front of a small crowd and gain confidence. Going forward, Pianovers Meetups could potentially be a great platform for members of piano clubs, young and old alike, to practise their pieces ahead of a concert!</p>
<p>It is the most identifiable song in English according to the 1998 Guinness World Records, but the history of "Happy Birthday to You" is surprisingly rancorous and filled with lawsuits. You might have heard it hundreds of time, but what you might not know is the copyright status of the song remained cloudy and in contention for a very long time.</p>
<p>The phrase “There’s no place like home” has certainly rung true for our Pianovers this week, being back at the familiar URA Centre after the first indoor meeting held by the gracious Goh Zensen at his home last week. With all the friendships and bonds that have been formed and continue to be formed through the meetings, the Pianovers Meetup has become more like a gathering of kith and kin to some of us.</p>
<p>“I only want my kids to learn piano playing. Can we just leave out music theory homework and music theory lessons?” These were the words from my students’ parents when I was a part time piano teacher. Despite my firm belief on the importance of music theory training, they did not support instruction in music theory. This article therefore explains the importance of music theory lessons.</p>
<p>ThePiano.SG never fails to bring the piano community together in novel ways and to savour interesting experiences, and so it was with great excitement that the portal organises the first piano-themed yacht outing for Pianovers in Singapore - Pianovers Sailaway!</p>
<p>Every Sunday for 11 weeks in a row, the Pianovers Meetups have been held at the URA Centre, where 2 donated pianos by the Play it Forward movement currently sit. Pianovers would gather for a hearty dinner at Maxwell, and head over to the Centre for a night of music and laughter. Things were a little different coming into our 12th meetup, as Goh Zensen graciously opened up his home to host the first ever indoor Pianover Meetup!</p>
<p>Like any important body of knowledge, music needs to be organised, archived and categorised for easy reference. While subjects in an encyclopaedia are organised in alphabetical order, works of music are arranged in numerical order. However, the process of numerical ordering has undergone several changes over the years, with certain imperfections and areas of complication smoothed out.</p>
<p>Steinway & Sons is proud to introduce the Crown Jewels series of grand and upright pianos, alongside internationally renowned in-house brands, the Boston and Essex lines. The model to be launched is the Indian Apple K-132 upright piano. This unveiling ceremony was supported by AXA Insurance and was the platform for said company to introduce its Art Insurance policy. AXA Art’s collaboration with Steinway Gallery provides owners with an all risks insurance protection for their prized pianos.</p>
<p>Last Sunday’s Pianovers Meetup was one of the most exciting meetings we’ve had to date. With a sizable turnout of about 30 people, it was the largest attendance the group had ever seen. Pianovers from all walks of life gathered for an evening under the roof of The URA Centre, laughing, singing and clapping along to another unforgettable night of wonderful music.</p>
<p>A talent from Singapore has joined the exalted ranks of Steinway's elite musicians. Mervyn Lee from Singapore, just 18 years old, is now officially a Young Steinway Artist. Mervyn will now join the prestigious list of artists on the Steinway & Sons Roster and in addition, enjoy access to the worldwide resources of Steinway & Sons and its exclusive network of dealers.</p>
<p>The Pianovers Meetup never fails to bring piano enthusiasts that share a common and undeniable love for music and piano playing together under the same sky. Over the past nine weeks, many friendships have been established and the meetup has been one success after another.</p>
<p>The scenario is a familiar one. You buy a piano, fall in love with it, and start working with it, spending hours and hours in blissful symbiosis and melody-making when suddenly, horrors! You discover that a piano key is stuck and does not bounce back after you strike it. What happened? What can be done about it?</p>
<p>There was no mistaking the casual mood this evening. Even the group photo portrayed a more informal pose! We had a very interesting canine visitor, Pachu. To a picture of the adorable brown dog with its paws placed on the keyboard, Jiahui exclaimed, “Some pawsitively cute photo if you've had a ruff day!"</p>
<p>The weekly Pianovers Meetups started in July as a platform for piano lovers to meet, play and network. Every Sunday evening, without fail, a team of Pianovers (piano lovers) converges at the URA Centre, at the spot where two refurbished pianos have been left as part of the Play It Forward, Singapore’s initiative to place pianos around Singapore for the public’s enjoyment. Not only do regular faces attend every weekend, new faces visit too, if only out of curiosity. It is heartening to see the newcomers return the following weeks and become regulars themselves.</p>
<p>The weekly Pianovers Meetup reconvened on Sunday, 11 September 2016. Since its inauguration in July, the weekly Pianovers Meetup has brought together a group of passionate music lovers. Regardless of their experience in piano-playing, people connected by a common love for the piano has been coming together to jam, to learn and to bond. And a first was achieved in this Meetup: Some attendees played their very own compositions!</p>
<p>The piano - an instrument that is capable of producing melodies as soft as silk and as majestic as The Taj Mahal. It is not an inexpensive instrument, yet several pianos in the world now have price tags that would astonish the common folks. Though they may serve the same purpose, expensive pianos awe the public and showcase the grandiose lifestyle of the rich and famous.</p>
<p>On 4 September 2016, piano lovers converged on the URA Centre for the sixth instalment of the Pianovers Meetup. Pianovers Meetups are intended to bring together a community of piano lovers, young and old, experienced and novice. It is heartening to see people with a common love for piano come together every week to play, to learn, to enjoy and to exchange tips with one another.</p>
<p>ThePiano.SG is proud to present the following interview with acclaimed performer Kevin Kern after his concert here <span style="font-size: 14px;">in sunny Singapore on the 10th of September, 2016, at 8pm, at the Star Theatre. </span>Kevin <span style="font-size: 14px;">is an American pianist and composer, and is generally recognised as a representative of the new-age style of music. </span></p>
<p>As the evening turned into night, dusk became night and road traffic dwindled on this pleasant Sunday evening, the bodies became weary. The spirits, however, soared. Seeing a group of piano enthusiasts gathered around two pianos in downtown Singapore and pursuing their passion in the night was truly an interesting sight.</p>
<p>MOD files, or module files, are essentially music files that can be transferred between computers and shared with friends. Unknown to some, the humble MOD files of days past spawned a whole movement around the world that got people interested in digital music and created a demoscene subculture.</p>
<p>Play It Forward, Singapore is a community initiative that sees refurbished pianos placed in public places for the public’s enjoyment. It aims to give the public access to pianos, while also bringing people together by turning urban spaces into hubs for interaction.</p>
<p>The weekly Pianovers Meetup has established a warm and inviting atmosphere for the growth of a close-knit group of piano enthusiasts and music lovers, and continues to encourage a spirited bond within the piano community of Singapore.</p>
<p>The dress code for formal occasions like a piano recital or an orchestra performance has been somewhat fixed for years. However, as we move into modern times, should the dress code then be challenged to move along with the times?</p>