Yamaha marks 125th year

Above is a model from Yamaha’s latest CX grand piano series. (Photo : Yamaha Music Korea)

Japanese multinational corp. Yamaha has announced a new line of grand pianos to mark its 125th anniversary. This year also marks the 110th since the company began to manufacture grand pianos, one of the symbols of the company that makes a wide range of musical instruments, electronics, motorcycles and power sports equipment.

Yamaha launched the CX Series this week, which inherits many qualities from the CFX concert grand pianos introduced in 2010 that have gained worldwide acclaim from performers and teachers.

The CX Series includes six models, ranging from the entry-level C1X to the top-of-the-line C7X, intended for advanced artists. This new series has been characterized as “pianos that truly sing.”

“The pianos that Yamaha is making are better than ever. And the CFX is one of the best pianos there are today in the market,” Yoheved Kaplinsky, chair of the piano division at the Juilliard School said in a previous interview with The Korea Times in June.

Yamaha has combined the strengths of the latest technologies with traditional crafting skills to manufacture the new series at its Kakegawa piano factory.

The CX models incorporate Yamaha’s expertise in sound craftsmanship, equipped with improved strings and hammers for deeper resonance.

Following the launch of the CX grand pianos, Yamaha also introduced its logo for the 125th anniversary projects designed by world-renowned graphic designer Neville Brody. The slogan for the landmark anniversary is “Passion & Performance.”

“The logo and the slogan reflect our high level of respect for the performers and our vision to serve them with the best instruments,” Yamaha Music Korea President Hitoshi Fukutome, said in a press release.

Yamaha recently introduced new apps for the iPad and iPhone that help keyboard players get the most out of their instruments, including NoteStar, a digital sheet music app for the iPad; Page Turner for the iPad with wireless page-turning ability for the Yamaha EZ-220 keyboard; and Scale Tuner for both the iPad and iPhone that allows users to change the tuning of a compatible Yamaha keyboard.

For more information on Yamaha’s 125th year, visit www.kr.yamaha.com or call (02) 3467-3300. <The Korea Times/Do Je-hae>