Aiglon College recognised as the first All-Steinway Institution in Switzerland

Aiglon College has been officially recognised as the first All-Steinway Institution in Switzerland - the only institution using exclusively Steinway & Sons pianos for all aspects of the music programme. 

The school joins over 250 All-Steinway Institutions world-wide to be bestowed with this recognition. Our commitment to excellence provides our students with the highest quality pianos and fosters creativity and soft skills which will be increasingly important for the next generations.

The journey to becoming an All-Steinway Institution required Aiglon to commit to using Steinway & Sons pianos throughout the facilities, including music practice rooms, classrooms, rehearsal spaces, and performance venues. Today, the school has eight Steinway pianos integrated in the music department and boarding houses, with a total of eleven pianos by the end of the year. 

“Aiglon is honored to be recognised with the All-Steinway Institution standard of excellence” stated Nicola Sparrow, School Director. “Being recognised as an All-Steinway Institution reflects a dedication to providing our students with the highest quality pianos and elevating the overall standard of music education at the school” she continued. “We are grateful for the generous philanthropic donations from parents and alumni which has enabled the school to achieve this milestone within record time”. 

For more than 75 years Aiglon has pushed beyond the boundaries of traditional education to offer a holistic and inspirational experience. Aiglon's distinctive guiding principles embody the holistic educational ethos of our founder. The school's approach combines an outstanding academic record with extensive programmes covering expeditions, the arts, sport, and cultural and service programmes. Since joining the school four years ago, Jane Trainer, Head of Music and Tom Dobney, Head of Creative Arts Faculty, have instilled music to be a part of the fabric of the school. 

“We now have more than a hundred pianists,” stated Mr Dobney. “All Year 3 and 4 students have a weekly piano lesson. So, we wanted to provide them with the best instruments to practise on”. That’s why soon, thanks to the generosity of the Aiglon community - every piano used for instruction on campus will be a Steinway. And plans are afoot for Aiglon to acquire a Steinway Model D grand piano, which will sit in the Moghadam Campus Hub. 

The Model D is being supported by the 88 keys campaign which enables supporters - for CHF2,000 - to take part by buying a single key. “The Steinway Model D is the first choice of the vast majority of concert pianists, and we wanted our community to be able to experience playing on this piano” stated Ms Trainer. “We will have a  permanent display in the Moghadam Campus Hub concert hall, thanking everyone who has generously donated.”

And that’s just the beginning. The next campaign will focus on the purchase of a Steinway Model B with groundbreaking Spirio technology, which enables performance to be heard in real time, on any Spirio piano anywhere in the world. “If parents can not make the end of term concert, they could pop into a Steinway showroom anywhere in the world, and listen to their child playing, along with a livestream video”.

In April 2024, Ms Trainer and a group of Aiglon parents visited Hamburg, where the Steinway continues to be made by hand. They experienced a factory tour and saw firsthand the masterpiece of craftsmanship and artistry that goes into the creating of each piano. Each Steinway piano is a piece of art with its own personality. The precious result of the interplay between painstaking craftsmanship and fine tuned technology, a Steinway piano takes three years to make. Multiple types of carefully selected woods need two years to dry and evolve into a form that is right for the piano to then take shape over another year before completion.

For over 170 years, every grand and upright Steinway & Sons piano has been recognised as providing a masterpiece of craftsmanship and a consummate work of art. Generation after generation, musicians playing a Steinway have been granted artistic expression, which has the power to touch, move and transform. Handcrafted Steinway pianos can last well over 100 years, before requiring significant refurbishment. Investing in a Steinway is a truly enduring commitment ensuring that future generations of students will continue to benefit from these unique instruments. 

The Steinway exists to remove all barriers between the listener and the pure, uncompromised expression of the artist. 

“The world's finest institutions insist on the world's finest pianos. Steinway & Sons is proud to welcome Aiglon College as an All-Steinway Institution, and the first institution in Switzerland to be recognised for its standard of excellence in music ” stated Jörg Helmke, Area Manager European Markets, Steinway & Sons. 

Switzerland is home to many well established creative musicians and musical events, including the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Gstaad Menuhin Festival. “With the All-Steinway Institution recognition, Aiglon College distinguishes itself as a trailblazing school based in Switzerland, which has global impact. It empowers its students to integrate musical skills into their daily lives and to bring them joy and fulfilment through the opportunity to play instruments - in this case pianos - of the highest quality.” stated Ralf Niesel, Chief Operating office, Musik Hug. 

The piano is a powerful tool for holistic education, engaging the mind, training the body, and enriching the spirit. Mentally, playing the piano sharpens focus, enhances memory, and develops problem-solving skills as one deciphers complex musical notation. Physically, it builds fine motor coordination and strengthens hand-eye synchronisation. Spiritually, the piano allows for emotional expression and creative exploration, offering a deep connection to music and self-awareness.

Today, our children need the connection and self-expression that music gives more than ever. It enables them to embrace their own internal creativity. Having the best facilities for them to do that is so worthwhile, for whatever your level.