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SK-EX
20 pairs of hands.
One piano.
SK-EX
The Shigeru Kawai SK-EX Concert Grand Piano is the pinnacle of the Shigeru Kawai range. Fewer than 20 are handcrafted each year, making the SK-EX as remarkable in its rarity as its sound. Tremendous tone, incredible range and stunning response are hallmarks of the SK-EX – a concert grand piano without rival.
The greatest of Shigeru Kawai Pianos is worthy of any concert hall and is as stunning on the eyes as it is on the ears. The Concert Grand’s unmatched tone, touch and consistency are the results of the exquisite materials and skill used in its construction.
Length: 278cm (9ft 1in)
Dream
OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, IN A HUMBLE WORKSHOP IN JAPAN, KOICHI KAWAI EMBARKED UPON A JOURNEY – A SPIRITUAL QUEST TO DESIGN AND BUILD A PIANO THAT WOULD ONE DAY BE CALLED “THE FINEST”. A GENERATION LATER, THIS DREAM BURNED INTENSELY IN THE HEART OF SHIGERU KAWAI.
To Shigeru, 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.
Kigarashi Premium Aged Soundboards
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
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.
HONOUR
HONOUR IS SACRED TO EVERY CULTURE, AND CERTAINLY TO THE JAPANESE. IT IS A NOBLE COVENANT THAT BINDS AN INDIVIDUAL’S “WORDS AND DEEDS” INEXTRICABLY WITH THE VALUE AND SUBSTANCE OF HIS NAME. THERE IS NO GREATER DEMONSTRATION OF HONOUR, NO GREATER COMMITMENT, THAN TO PLACE ONE’S NAME UPON THE WORK OF ONE’S HANDS.
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.
Millennium III Action
Our acclaimed Millennium III Action uses state-of-the-art ABS Carbon components 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.
Konsei Katagi Rim
The exclusive Konsei Katagi rim uses a blend of distinctive hardwoods to achieve an ideal balance of tone. For the inner rim, small-pored hardwoods that provide superior brightness and projection are interlaminated with dense, large-pored hardwoods offering warmth and fullness. This synergy of structurally divergent hardwoods produces a powerful, well-rounded richness of tone that is the hallmark of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX.
PASSION
THE PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE DWELLS DEEPLY WITHIN THE HEART OF EVERY SHIGERU CRAFTSMAN.
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.
Extended Length Keysticks
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.
Concert-Length Key Buttons
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.
INSPIRATION
THE LOVE OF MUSIC-MAKING RUNS DEEP IN THOSE WHO PURSUE THE ESTEEMED RANK OF MASTER PIANO ARTISAN.
For many, it is a visceral sense of calling, born from their own passionate journey in the art form, that inspires this unique quest for mastery. The road is long and arduous. One must prove himself worthy in the world’s most prestigious concert halls and international piano competitions – and few are chosen.
But, for those who attain it, the role of Master Piano Artisan provides the rare privilege of crafting the tools of endless possibility. Imbued with the artisan’s own musical sensibilities, each Shigeru piano is a distinctive work of unbounded potential – ready to discover its true and lasting voice at the touch of the artist’s hands.
My love of pianos lifts my spirits when I create them. To me, creating sounds is an expression of myself. This has led to my love of pianos, and to my heartfelt desire that the pianos I work on will perform successfully.
– Tatsuya Murakami (MPA)
Stretcher Over-Lap Integrated Design
Stretcher Over-Lap Integrated Design (SOLID) creates an exceptionally rigid foundation to support string tension. With SOLID construction, the pinblock is hand-fitted to the plate. The pinblock and over-lapping stretcher bar are then integrated into a single structure and solidly anchored to the rim. The resulting framework possesses outstanding strength and rigidity to ensure stable tuning and powerful tone.
Temaki Bass Strings
In the Japanese language, the word temaki literally means “hand wound”. In the unhurried temaki process, the artisan patiently directs the winding of each individual bass string by hand for absolute precision and tension to ensure rich character and superb depth of tone.
SERENITY
TIME HAS LITTLE RELEVANCE IN THE CREATION OF A SHIGERU PIANO. THERE IS NO RUSH TO COMPLETION. NO PRESSURE TO PERFORM, NO DEMANDING DEADLINES.
Each artisan understands that the ultimate priority is perfection. This explains why every element of the crafting process is three to five times longer, and why the Shigeru workshop is a place of unruffled focus and serenity. If there is an underlying secret behind the resonant song of the Shigeru grand piano, it is this tranquil place of origin where heart, mind and spirit are given the time to breathe and the freedom to soar.
Concert Agraffes
Identical to those used on our renowned EX Concert Grand Piano, Shigeru Kawai Concert Agraffes are individually machined from billet brass rods to assure maximum precision and strength. The result is clear, powerful and impressive tone.
All Spruce Beams
Spruce is known for its outstanding ability to conduct and conserve sound energy. However, it is generally considered too precious for use as a structural material. For the Shigeru pianos, all of the underside beams are made entirely of the highest quality spruce.
INTUITION
THE ABILITY TO SELECT THE RIGHT WOOD, THE KIND THAT CAN SPEAK FLUENTLY IN EVERY DIALECT OF EMOTION FROM FIERY FERVOUR TO GENTLE WHISPERS OF TONE, IS AN ART IN ITSELF.
Whether it is select spruce for the soundboard, premium mahogany for the hammers, or choice maple for the bridge, the material chosen for every distinct part of a world-class piano must be perfect for the task. Shigeru craftsmen have spent decades refining this uncommon ability to discern between the satisfactory and the sublime. It is this venerable wisdom, this intuition, that one can hear and feel in every note of a Shigeru piano.
Boxwood Bridge Caps
Boxwood is an extremely hard wood that is particularly effective in transferring higher tonal frequencies through the bridge to the soundboard. Boxwood bridge caps help to ensure treble projection that complements the more powerful bass sound of larger pianos.
Dual Pivot Dampers
Meticulous attention to the needs of professional performers is evident in every feature of the Shigeru piano. One example, originally developed for our Shigeru Kawai SK-EX Concert Piano, is the unique dual-pivot damper design that allows smoother half-pedal control for delicate tonal expression.
ADVANCEMENT
TRUE ARTISTRY CAN NEVER STOP STRIVING. BY ITS OWN NATURE, IT MUST CONTINUALLY ADVANCE AND EVOLVE. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ITS PATH TO GREATNESS.
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 chamber enables 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.
SK-EX
Specifications
| Weight | 504 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 278 × 158 × 102 cm |
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