Handcrafted concert series grand pianos

When Shigeru Kawai succeeded the founder of the company, Koichi Kawai, he had a dream to build Japan’s finest grand pianos. The dream represented not just his origins, but his destiny – an unrelenting force that would launch a lifetime of devotion in the pursuit of perfection. In the Shigeru Kawai piano, you will see not just his labour and his love – but his life.

From initial design, to the selection of the finest materials, to the handcrafted assembly by Master Piano Artisans, each Shigeru piano is a work of uncompromising craftsmanship, a symbol of unending devotion – a profound expression of pride and honour. For Shigeru Kawai, there could be no other way.

Like members of a great orchestra, each craftsman brings forth a seasoned wealth of skill and artistry that compels the whole to surpass the sum of its parts. Day by day, the craftsman strives to leave an indelible mark upon each creation – an inexpressible emblem of intense desire and duty. It is this symphony of passionate energies that has elevated the Shigeru piano to the lofty strata shared by few and respected by all.

The pursuit of piano perfection

While our time honoured methods of origin are diligently and reverently applied, Shigeru artisans embrace every modern method for perfecting the art of the piano. Our anechoic chamberenables the comprehensive analysis of pure tone. Advanced materials enhance stability and consistency of touch. Digital design tools optimise the construction and performance of every component part.

In the world of pianos, it is not enough to revel in the past. True to its own nature, the Shigeru piano is the epitome of progress and a vision of the future.

The custom tapered soundboard in a Shigeru piano is made exclusively from the finest spruce, aged by the traditional kigarashi process that uses only the forces of time and nature to allow the wood to attain a state of natural balance. It is this lengthy and painstaking process that gives Shigeru pianos their uniquely rich tonal quality.

Shiko Seion hammers, which take their name from the Japanese words for ‘ultimate voicing’, are the exclusive province of our Master Piano Artisans who oversee their formation from beginning to end. Every hammer is meticulously hand pressed without the application of heat and carefully voiced without artificial hardeners to ensure outstanding dynamic response and expression.

Traditional craft meets state-of-the-art technology

Our acclaimed Millennium III Action uses state-of-the-art ABS Carboncomponents that are exceptionally light and rigid to provide faster repetition and more power with less effort. Microscopic surface textures on selected action parts provide superb response and control.

The overall length of each keystick is extended to make playing easier and provide more even touch and response from the front to the back of the playing surface. Keysticks are also designed with a slightly taller profile for maximum rigidity to deliver greater power.

The use of hardwood maple key buttons adds stiffness to the keysticks for improved energy transfer. The redesigned key buttons on the Shigeru Concert Series instruments have been doubled in length to provide exceptional energy transfer and optimum power.

Thus, the master artisan does more than just ‘build’ it – he or she brings it to life. The nurturing of every part, every joint, every nuance vests it with an intangible quality – a soul – that lives on from generation to generation.