The problem with grand pianos is that they’re too blummin’ big, well only if you want to have one your own home, or school.
Of course, that’s not the only issue. Being so large and filled with a cast-iron frame and huge amounts of wood, they are very heavy.
These are some of the concerns that have been questioned by a new company called Future Piano, who is looking to revolutionise the grand piano as we know it.
Formed by renowned contemporary pianist, Sarah Nicolls, the challenge has been to address the issue of size, weight and accessibility, both physically and culturally.
Her work as a pianist has seen her create what has become the first prototype of the Standing Grand. A piano that sees the main body flipped vertically to allow for far easier access to the strings.
The next challenge is to take the idea and with the use of lighter materials, namely carbon fibre, create a piano that takes up the same footprint of an upright but weighs less. In fact, the hope is that just two people will be able to carry the Standing Grand up a flight of stairs.
The project is now subject of a Kickstarter campaign with a target of £40,000 and pledges range from £10 all the way up to £8,000. If you want to get involved, then head over to the Kickstarter page and more info can be found on the Future Piano website.
