Music students often use their cell phones to record performances and reflect on their technique, even though this usually means reduced sound quality. Now, thanks to a state-of-the-art instrument, students are ushering in a new era for East Tennessee State University’s Department of Music.

The Steinway Spirio is a high-resolution player piano, crafted in the traditional style of Steinway & Sons grand pianos and equipped with advanced technology.

As a result of a generous donation from the Powell family, the Department of Music received the opportunity to purchase the instrument. Like other grand pianos, the Spirio is an acoustic instrument with strings, keys and a lid. But inside, a whole new complexity of cables and sensors pick up on a pianist’s touch, their pedaling technique and the velocity approached at the key.

The Powell family has been a loyal, longtime benefactor to the ETSU Department of Music.

Assistant Professor Éva Polgár said the Spirio adds prestige and attraction to the music program. As a nationally recognized musician, Polgár is responsible for 12 pianists in the program including minors, majors and dual enrollment students.

Through a Bluetooth connection with an iPad app, musicians can record their performances and listen to the playback. The piano plays back the recording through its keys, providing an authentic sound experience, which assists them in identifying mistakes and improving their technique.

“Visually, it’s extremely stimulating to see what we do and how,” Polgár said. “All of these students are benefiting from tools like this that add the benefits of technology to support our learning.”

Polgár said nothing replaces the true experience of hearing a performer play live in a concert hall, but the piano will expand opportunities. With the help of the Spirio, artists and concerts from around the world are welcomed into her studio.

“Suppose we want our students to work with a European artist, but we can’t afford to fly them to ETSU,” she said. “If they have access to a Spirio at their location, we can conduct the masterclass as if the artist were standing in our hall.”

Through the iPad, music recordings can be shared not only with instructors but also with performers nationally.

“Let’s say I’m travelling to Hungary but I want them to have access to certain prerecorded material. With this technology, they can just come, log in and access it while I am gone,” Polgár said.

The Spirio can also streamline rehearsals for students with busy schedules. Pianists can record their accompaniment parts using the app, enabling other instrumental and voice students to rehearse with these recordings, which are then played through the piano. Polgár refers to this as “an extended rehearsal tool.”

Additionally, the app includes files from other artists who have recorded music with the same piano model.

“With this library, we can hear their interpretation instead of buying a CD,” she said. “We get the best acoustic and visual experience.”

As the first and only institution in East Tennessee to house a Spirio, Polgár is hopeful that this is just the beginning of opportunities for the Department of Music.

“For a school like us, this is a very powerful learning tool,” she said. “It helps our students polish their craft, get into great institutions and be competitive in the field.”

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