Yamaha CFX Piano Takes Centre-Stage as Sydney Opera House Turns 40

Sydney Opera House celebrates two major milestones in October with the long anticipated 40th birthday celebrations, as well as the arrival of a brand new Yamaha CFX concert grand piano. The piano will be performed to the public for the first time during the celebrations.
 
Terry Harper, the Opera House’s Piano Technician, was recently flown to Yamaha’s factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, to select the piano from three specially prepared models. Mr Harper has been the sole technician at the Opera House for 30 years, following in the footsteps of his father, Ron Harper, who was the technician from the opening of the iconic institution in 1973.
 
Terry Harper was originally trained by Yamaha at the Sydney Conservatorium, so having the chance to go to Yamaha’s factory on behalf of the Opera House was an exciting time for him. He explains “I studied with Yoji Suzuki in 1975, and my father visited the Japan factory in 1982, so I have had a long connection with Yamaha. The piano designer performed each piano in a purpose-built selection hall. The Yamaha staff were wonderful and it allowed me to select the best possible piano for the Sydney Opera House’s needs.”

The CFX builds on the concept of Yamaha’s CF series of pianos and is the culmination of 19 years of development by Yamaha engineers, technicians and artisans. The latest technology, as well as extensive testing by top concert pianists in live concert situations confirmed the optimal specifications for the CFX.
 
The Opera House celebrates its birthday with a special concert. Forty years after Beethoven’s electrifying ‘Ode to Joy’ from the 9th Choral Symphony officially opened the Opera House building, on the 27th of October, the Sydney Symphony will recreate this concert in the Opera House’s forecourt for an audience of several thousand.