On Monday truckloads of new Steinway pianos arrived at the John M. Long School of Music on the campus of Troy University, making Troy’s Steinway collection is the largest in the state of Alabama.

Dr. Jean Laliberte, Troy University associate vice chancellor for development, said the delivery of 28 Steinway pianos culminated a three-year initiative for Troy University to become an All-Steinway School.

“Out of many thousands of schools of music in the world, Troy University will be only the 162nd All-Steinway School in the world,” Laliberte said.

Since 1853, Steinway & Sons Pianos have set the world standard for the finest quality, longest lasting pianos made. The company makes Steinway pianos for the top-level market; Boston pianos for the mid-level market and Essex pianos for the entry level market.

“Troy University took its goal of being an All-Steinway School one step further and purchased all Steinway brand pianos,” Laliberte said. “Troy University will be only the 17th school in the world to have all Steinway brand pianos. That will put the mark of excellence on Troy University in the world of pianos. In offering the best of the best, Troy University will be at the top in the recruitment of faculty, staff and students.”

Including the Steinway piano already in use on the university campus, the purchase of the 28 new Steinway pianos brought the total of Steinways at the university to 29.

Every performance venue, rehearsal hall, teaching studio and practice room will have a Steinway piano.

The grand pianos will be used in the performance venues and the uprights will be used in the practice rooms and faculty offices where lessons are given to students.

The total cost of the new Steinway pianos is slightly more than $1.6 million. The piano with the highest price tag is a concert grand piano, which cost about $275,000.

“The thing to remember about the purchase of Steinway pianos is that a regular piano, a Baldwin for example, is guaranteed for six hours of playing time a day for 25 years,” Laliberte said. “A Steinway piano is guaranteed for 12 hours of playing time a day for 50 years. A Steinway at Julliard School of Music is more than 100 years old and is still being played. An investment in Steinway pianos is an investment in excellence.”

Laliberte said, also of great importance, are the opportunities that the public will have to be exposed to the remarkable instruments.

“The public will be invited to around 200 performances at Troy University each year where they will enjoy the beautiful music played on the Steinway pianos,” she said.

Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor of Troy University; Dr. Larry Blocher, Dr. Jean Laliberte, Dr. Don Jeffrey, Maj. Gen. Walter Givhan, Dr. Earl Ingram, Dr. Jim Bookout and Dr. Hui-Ting Yang have been the driving force behind the efforts to make this very significant accomplishment a reality.