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Coach House Pianos, one of the world’s leading piano specialists, has opened a new headquarters in Swansea, UK to coincide with its 40th anniversary.

The purpose-built facility is now the UK’s most advanced centre for piano preparation, selection and education, designed to serve musicians and educators across the globe.

Coach House Pianos new Swansea showroom

From its beginnings in 1985, the family-run company has grown from its South Wales roots into an internationally recognised name, serving clients on every continent and attracting pianists and musicians from every musical genre, and the world’s leading teachers and educators. This new headquarters represents the next step in a journey defined by craftsmanship, innovation and service.

Managing Director Sam Rusling commented: “This advanced, cutting-edge facility ensures we continue to set the global standard of excellence in the piano industry, while delivering the same unmatched service and quality our clients have experienced for the past 40 years.”

At the heart of the new centre is a collection of rare and historic pianos curated by founder Nick Rusling, including instruments once owned by royalty, legendary musicians and political figures.

The site also houses a piano technician training workshop, a recital venue, a digital piano experience hub, private selection suites and a pioneering studio for self-playing piano systems.

Head of Sales Dan Rusling reflects on the milestone: “This is especially meaningful as we celebrate having sold pianos to every continent. From installing an art case grand on the 10th floor of a Nigerian apartment block to adapting a piano for Bermuda’s subtropical climate, extraordinary detail and care goes into every delivery.”

Renowned pianist and historian Gary Branch added: “It’s been incredible to witness a South Wales-born business grow into one of the world’s most prestigious piano retailers, with its stunning London showroom and this new world-class restoration facility in Swansea.”

Grand Opening and 40th Anniversary Celebration

The official Grand Opening and 40th Anniversary Celebrations will take place on Thursday 30th October 2025 at 1pm. Guests will be welcomed to:

· Compare five of the world’s finest concert grand pianos side by side, including Steinway & Sons Model D, Bösendorfer 280VC, Yamaha CFX and Kawai SKEX

· Hear a keynote address from a distinguished guest speaker

· Enjoy a short recital by Tiffany Tiantian

· Take private tours of the showrooms, workshops and historic collection

· Join a celebratory lunch with leading figures from the music world

Members of the press, music professionals, piano lovers and industry partners are invited to attend this landmark event, celebrating 40 years of Coach House Pianos’ global contribution to music.

The Grand Opening and 40th Anniversary Celebrations will take place at Coach House Pianos HQ, Imperial Court, Felin Fach, Fforest-fach, Swansea SA5 4HF

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A visit to Coach House Pianos’ London Showroom

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Saturday 1 June 2024, 10am-4.45pm, Coach House Pianos SW6 4SQ

SPECIAL OFFER FOR READERS OF THIS SITE – DISCOUNTED OBSERVER PLACES

A one-day masterclass for advanced adult amateur pianists (Grade 8+) with pianist and pedagogue Dr Michael Low, hosted by Frances Wilson (The Cross-Eyed Pianist) at the sumptuous London showroom of Coach House Pianos. There is much to be gained from observing at a masterclass, including insights into technical and interpretative issues, practicing and performance, in addition to the opportunity to hear a variety of repertoire, including music by Schubert and Debussy.

Observer tickets £10 for the full day (save £5) – click on the image to book or scan the QR code to book


Book now

The event will be friendly, supportive and inspiring, and a great opportunity to observe top class teaching in friendly setting, plus the chance to meet other pianists. There will be plenty of time for discussion, Q&As, and relaxed ‘piano chat’ too.

Coach House Pianos is located at 79-91 New Kings Rd, London SW6 4SQ (nearest stations: Fulham Broadway, Parsons Green & Imperial Wharf). Please arrive promptly. Michael and Frances will be at the front entrance of the showroom to greet you.

Frances Wilson
Dr Michael Low

Praised for his innovative approach and passionate insight into piano playing, Dr Michael Low’s teaching career in Asia and Africa has spanned almost a quarter of a century. As a student, Michael studied piano with Richard Frostick (the current director of the BBC World Voice Programme) before enrolling as a member of London’s prestigious Centre For Young Musician where he studied piano with the international pedagogue Graham Fitch. He obtained his Honours at Surrey University under the tutelage of Clive Williamson before completing his Masters of Music whilst studying with Nils Franke and Niel Immelman. An International Scholarship brought Michael to Cape Town where he completed his Doctorate under the supervision of South African greatest living composer, Hendrik Hofmeyr. Michael has also worked with numerous eminent teachers and pianists including, Nina Svetlanova, Frank Heneghan, James Gibb, Phillip Fowke, Renna Kellaway, Carolina Oltsmann, Florian Uhlig, Gordon Fergus Thompson, Francois du Toit and Helena van Heerden.

Frances Wilson is an advanced amateur pianist and writer under the pen-name The Cross-Eyed Pianist. Established in 2010, The Cross-Eyed Pianist blog has become “an important voice in the piano world” (Peter Donohoe, international concert pianist) and enjoys a wide global readership with c25,000 visitors to the site per month. The Cross-Eyed Pianist is now one of the UK’s leading blogs on classical music, with a special focus on pianists and the piano.

Frances is an advanced amateur pianist who returned to the piano after a gap of some 25 years, achieving Licentiate and Associate Diplomas (both with Distinction) in Piano Performance in her late 40s. She has studied with a number of acclaimed teachers, including Penelope Roskell and Graham Fitch, and participated in masterclasses, workshops and courses with, amongst others, Stephen Savage, Murray McLachlan and Charlotte Tomlinson.

A passionate advocate of amateur pianism, Fran co-founded the London Piano Meetup Group in 2013, which, 10 years, remains hugely popular with adult pianists of all abilities.

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MOZART & MORE….

Saturday 1 June 2024, 10am-4.45pm

PERFORMER PLACES NOW SOLD OUT – PLENTY OF OBSERVER PLACES!

A one-day masterclass for advanced adult amateur pianists (Grade 8+) with pianist and pedagogue Dr Michael Low, hosted by Frances Wilson (The Cross-Eyed Pianist) at the sumptuous London showroom of Coach House Pianos

Observer tickets £15 for a full day

Book now

The event will be friendly, supportive and inspiring, and a great opportunity to enjoy top class teaching in friendly setting, plus the chance to meet other pianists. There will be plenty of time for discussion, Q&As, and relaxed ‘piano chat’.

Praised for his innovative approach and passionate insight into piano playing, Dr Michael Low’s teaching career in Asia and Africa has spanned almost a quarter of a century. As a student, Michael studied piano with Richard Frostick (the current director of the BBC World Voice Programme) before enrolling as a member of London’s prestigious Centre For Young Musician where he studied piano with the international pedagogue Graham Fitch. He obtained his Honours at Surrey University under the tutelage of Clive Williamson before completing his Masters of Music whilst studying with Nils Franke and Niel Immelman. An International Scholarship brought Michael to Cape Town where he completed his Doctorate under the supervision of South African greatest living composer, Hendrik Hofmeyr. Michael has also worked with numerous eminent teachers and pianists including, Nina Svetlanova, Frank Heneghan, James Gibb, Phillip Fowke, Renna Kellaway, Carolina Oltsmann, Florian Uhlig, Gordon Fergus Thompson, Francois du Toit and Helena van Heerden.

Frances Wilson is an advanced amateur pianist and writer under the pen-name The Cross-Eyed Pianist. Established in 2010, The Cross-Eyed Pianist blog has become “an important voice in the piano world” (Peter Donohoe, international concert pianist) and enjoys a wide global readership with c25,000 visitors to the site per month. The Cross-Eyed Pianist is now one of the UK’s leading blogs on classical music, with a special focus on pianists and the piano.

Frances is an advanced amateur pianist who returned to the piano after a gap of some 25 years, achieving Licentiate and Associate Diplomas (both with Distinction) in Piano Performance in her late 40s. She has studied with a number of acclaimed teachers, including Penelope Roskell and Graham Fitch, and participated in masterclasses, workshops and courses with, amongst others, Stephen Savage, Murray McLachlan and Charlotte Tomlinson.

A passionate advocate of amateur pianism, Fran co-founded the London Piano Meetup Group in 2013, which, 10 years, remains hugely popular with adult pianists of all abilities.

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Coach House Pianos (CHP), a well-established family-run piano business based near Swansea in Wales, opened its glamorous London showroom on the New Kings Road the day before the UK went into the second Covid lockdown in November 2020. Not the most auspicious start to its new London retail venture, one might think, yet the lockdown proved beneficial to CHP: with so many people confined to their homes, many turned to music, and the piano in particular, to pass the time.

It’s a mark of CHP’s success and business savvy that they now have a London outlet – and one that is not hugger-mugger to the other major piano retailers. The showroom is in the Talisman Building, a striking white Art Deco building just a few minutes walk from Fulham Broadway and Parsons Green tube stations. The spacious, elegantly-decorated ground floor space is heaven for pianists and piano lovers, with a splendid range of some of the finest marques and instruments, and helpful, friendly staff.

I got to know CHP through my friend and (occasional) duo partner, Lee. Like me, a keen advanced amateur pianist, I visited CHP’s Welsh showroom just over 5 years ago to help Lee choose a new grand piano. We were in London a week ago to select another piano for him, an upgrade since he now has the space for a larger instrument. He had set his heart on a Shigeru Kawai, but on arrival at CHP’s London showroom, we were invited to play any, and indeed all (if we so desired!) of the pianos on display there.

CHP keeps Steinway, Bosendorfer, Sauter and Yamaha brands at its London showroom. Although most of the pianos on display are grands, of various sizes and prices, there are also uprights and even digital instruments, so the piano hunter has plenty of choice, and ample opportunity to compare instruments too.

Buying a piano, and especially a grand piano, is a significant undertaking – and not just in terms of financial outlay. Even though modern pianos are made to standard specifications, there are inevitably – because these are instruments made of natural products like wood – differences within a particular maker and model. Lee and I really understood this when we went to the Yamaha selection centre in Milton Keynes in 2018 to try 6 C3X grands – each one was different, in terms of both tone and touch). So the opportunity to try different pianos, and a range of repertoire, is very important.

In addition to the freedom to play so many fine instruments, CHP’s staff are friendly and knowedgeable – and there is absolutely no hard sell. They appreciate that buying a piano is a significant purchase for many people and they are keen for their customers to find absolutely the right piano.

Although it felt as if we had been let loose in a piano sweet shop, there was serious business too and it was important for Lee to make the right decision with regard to his new piano. So we played solos to one another, and our “party piece”, Schubert’s D940 Fantasie, and listened to one another playing various instruments from different parts of the showroom. We compared notes (no pun intended) over lunch and then Lee went back inside the showroom, a decision made.

Klimt Tree of Life art case Bosendorfer

In all my encounters with CHP, I have been impressed by the level of customer service and knowledge of the staff. Add to this, a beautiful London showroom (which has space for recitals and other events), and now pianophiles and piano hunters need not travel so far to seek the perfect instrument.

Coach House Pianos

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