The lobby of a popular luxury hotel in South Mumbai resonates to the sound of melodious piano music, post 7.00 pm every evening. A Steinway boudoir grand piano stands in the middle of the lobby adding a classy look to the place.
The pianist plays popular tunes which instantly lights up the ambience of the hotel, while guests at the hotel sit back in the lobby a few minutes longer to enjoy the music. Afterall, the piano is a classy music instrument known for its soothing and relaxing sound.
The hype associated with the piano is such that dealers in the piano retail business say that there has been a huge growth in the piano market in India over the last decade. “Over the last ten years there has been 300 to 400 percent growth in the piano market. The market share for pianos is high and there is expected to be a healthy growth for the next ten years,” says Anthony Gomes, Partner at B.X Furtados and Sons, which operates music instrument retail stores across India.
Gomes attributes the huge growth in the piano market to globalisation and consumerism which have made more people aware of western classical music and the advantages of music education (piano music education in particular). According to Gomes, traditionally the acoustic piano was in demand only by a few communities. He says “this has changed now. It is a good thing that more people are showing interest in the piano.” He informs that “there is a good demand for pianos in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkatta, Pune and places in Kerala, mainly Kochi.”
According to Gomes the digital piano demand is high because “a digital piano will cost around 70,000 to 80,000 whereas a good acoustic piano will cost a minimum of two lakhs.” Space constraints and portability are other factors which influence the decision of buying a digital piano. “People are usually influenced by the price, but there are some people who are genuinely interested in an acoustic piano because they are impressed with the beauty of the instrument,” says Gomes. Secondly, “the teacher plays a major role in influencing the decision of buying a piano. Some teachers insist that the student should own an acoustic piano,” says Gomes.
An expert in piano tuning and rebuilding, Ajay Mistry, Proprietor at A. Mistry and Co Pianos, based in Mazgaon, says that ”15 to 20 years back there was a demand for acoustic pianos but the supply was less. Today there are more dealers in the business and there is a wide variety to choose from. There are more pianos available and people are going to want more acoustic pianos in the years to come.”
Some of the popular piano brands available in India today include acoustic piano brands such as Steinway, Boston , Essex, Yamaha, B Steiner, Ritmuller, Pearl River, to name a few. The digital piano brands include Yamaha, Korg Pianos, Casio among others. The price variations depend on the quality and the model of the instrument. An upright piano starts at a price of approximately 1.7 lakhs upwards while a grand piano costs a minimum of 6.5 lakhs upwards. Digital pianos can cost 45,000 to five lakhs.
Mistry opines that “an acoustic piano still enjoys an advantage over the digital piano. Firstly, if you learn the keyboard or digital piano it is difficult to switch to the acoustic piano, but if you learn the acoustic you can switch easily to a digital piano or a keyboard.”
Secondly, “the keyboard of a digital piano offers no sound variation because it is not mechanical. Especially, if you want to make a transition from soft to loud sound, that is possible only on an acoustic piano,” says Mistry. Last but not the least, “a digital piano or a keyboard is a dead investment. A few months later you would have new technology. Whereas an acoustic piano is a long term investment. For years, all spare parts will be available for the oldest piano to the latest piano” informs Mistry. He says that “acoustic pianos do have high maintenance cost but if you consider an investment of three to four lakhs for an acoustic piano, it is a high figure in the music instrument category, so the maintainance is bound to be high.”
The major buyers could be anyone. Gomes says that “when students get more advanced in learning the instrument, technical details become important. Hence those who learn the instrument and intend to continue playing it, buy the acoustic piano as a serious long term investment. People who are not sure or fully committed to owning an acoustic piano will opt for a digital one.”
Sales professionals at Bhargavas Musik Private Ltd, a Mumbai based music instrument dealer, inform that home pianists top the client list. Other clients include international schools and luxury hotels. Professional pianist, Schubert Vaz from Borivilli who plays the acoustic piano at a luxury hotel in the city says “the trend of piano music in luxury hotels is catching on just like in the west. Instead of piped music, live music is prefered at luxury hotels. The piano is a good choice because no accompanists are required.” Some of the luxury hotels in Mumbai which have acoustic pianos include Palladium Hotel, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, and Trident to name a few.
Professional pianist and piano teacher Blossom Mendonca from Cuffe Parade informs that the number of students learning the piano has increased over the years. She says there are two reasons for this huge interest in the piano. “Economically the city has moved forward and the import of pianos in the last 12 to 14 years has increased,” Thus, both affordability to learn and own a piano as well as availability of more pianos have contributed to the interest in learning the instrument, according to Mendonca.
While the popularity of digital pianos has increased at a high rate, there is also a growing demand for acoustic pianos. Whether it is for learning purpose, or at the lobby of a hotel, at a concert hall or in a home, the piano which has a three hundred year old legacy is here to stay and gain more popularity with time.
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