The Steinway was gifted to the UTSA Department of Music by James and DeAnna Bodenstedt.
APRIL 12, 2022 — A new Steinway piano is making all the difference for the UTSA Department of Music.
The UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts (COLFA) received the piano as a generous donation from James and DeAnna Bodenstedt to enhance learning and training for students.
The instrument was purchased by the Bodenstedts a few years ago and is in pristine condition. Now part of the Department of Music, it is highly valued by the department’s students as they are able to experience concert level sounds while perfecting their musical skills.
Kasandra Keeling, professor of music and coordinator of keyboard studies, is especially happy to have this Steinway piano for her students.
“Artist-level performance can only be achieved if students are working on artist-level instruments. The donation of this Steinway will have great impact not only for current students, but also for those in the coming decades,” she said.
Keeling noted that most of the department’s current teaching instruments are approaching the 50-year mark, with one approaching 90 years, which indicates both the quality and longevity of this level of instrument.
“You can also imagine the thrill for all of us to receive one that is relatively ‘newborn.’ It would have taken us years to fundraise for such a luxury,” Keeling said. “Our department is a place where this piano will be cherished and appreciated every day by students and faculty alike.”
Having a piano with the caliber of Steinway will continue encouraging students to practice and polish their skills for future performances.
“It is a privilege to play on this beautiful Steinway piano. As a student preparing for a recital, it makes a huge difference to be able to learn and bring out all the smaller details on a high-quality instrument,” said Juliana Woodlee, a senior piano performance major.
The Steinway is also beneficial for students who play other instruments that may perform with a piano, including violin, cello, clarinet, and voice performance majors, among many others.
“I’m really grateful to be a part of this program where we have amazing professors like Dr. Keeling and Dr. Hurd. I can really hone in on my piano skills and one thing that is also really beneficial is having great, classic pianos to play on,” said Jordan Green, a junior majoring in music composition.
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