Photo by Fazioli Pianoforti Doc.
In this modern era, classical music has the power to move the spirit of many people, including Helen Gumanti. She was introduced to classical music at an early age when learning to play piano. Since then, it is has been her passion—one that Helen has shared with her husband, with who she has opened a gallery offering signature pianos to let more people to enjoy the instrument’s distinguished sound. The couple, who listen to and play a lot of classical music, realized that there were but few manufacturers in the world who could make pianos that could come close to perfection. One is the brand they found in Ottawa, Canada–Fazioli, based in Italy. “Years later, I was very lucky to meet Paolo Fazioli, the founder of Fazioli Pianoforti, to tell him how much we admired his pianos,” Helen said during a talk show her The Grand Signature Piano Gallery in April. “He gave us a warm welcome when we expressed our intentions to have his pianos in our gallery.” The event was featured Ananda Sukarlan, the renowned Indonesian classical musician and composer, and Paolo Fazioli himself.
During a presentation, Ananda shared his view on the importance of using a quality piano for performances, often pausing to give examples by playing a Fazioli piano in front of the audience. “I remember the first time I played a Fazioli. At that moment, Soehanna Hall was the only public space in Indonesia to have this brand. As I played the piano, I noticed that the piano had the finest sound—it could follow my quick fingers,” Ananda said. “I have been in love with it ever since.”
When asked about how he realized such musical perfection, Paolo said, “I share the same passion with you. I want to achieve the sound that I imagined in my head.” Paolo said that in Sacile, Italy, the piano is handmade with the finest craftsmanship for an instrument and its design. An education as an engineer helped Paolo devise such instruments, while his birth into a family of high-end furniture makers trained him to craft luxurious piano bodies. At the end of the event, Paolo signed two Fazioli pianos on the stage, including one of six limited edition F308s in Indonesia. Fazioli is exclusively available at The Grand Signature Piano.