The BIG RED has come to the Royal Albert Hall!
The BIG RED hand built Yamaha S6 Grand Piano in the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room is the only one of its kind in Britain.
The BIG RED, originally played by Sir Elton John, has been kindly loaned from Markson Pianos, exclusive partners of the Royal Albert Hall.
Individually assembled in the Yamaha concert grand workshop, Yamaha´s S6A grand piano was born in 2005 and has appeared on the X Factor, at the 02 Arena to promote Elton John’s Red Grand Tour and hired for the Showman’s show at Newbury.
‘We are thrilled to be engaged in a music making venture at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, with the provision of a striking Red Grand piano’.
Simon Markson, Managing Director of Markson Pianos
The striking instrument has been described as 6’ 11” of pure joy to play and hear and is now situated in the Hall’s recently renovated Elgar Room, an impressive performance space and restaurant that is already steeped in history, having seen actors such as Dame Judi Dench and Sir Laurence Olivier perform.
Re-opened in October 2009, the Elgar Room is one of London’s premier new entertainment spaces, currently being used for the Hall’s Classical Coffee Morning series and Late Night Jazz series. The BIG RED is a fantastic feature for the Elgar Room and has also been used for glamorous post-show parties; most recently it was played at the Kristina after show party by Benny Andersson from ABBA!
‘I am delighted that this wonderful piano will be enjoyed at the Hall and welcome the partnership with Markson Pianos, who have a sterling reputation for quality and excellence’.
Lucy Noble, Head of Programming at the Royal Albert Hall
The arrival of the BIG RED affirms the distinct style and versatility of the Elgar Room and will be a special feature of the Hall’s Late Night Jazz series, which encompasses a range of talented artists; this has already included performances by Alex Stewart, the Alex Hutton Trio, Gill Manly, Parry Ray and Gustavo Marques.
Markson Pianos is a large retail store in London, a prominent dealer for piano sales and hire, with a reputation for quality and excellence. They have 100 years of experience in the piano industry and have supplied to homes throughout the United Kingdom and the world. Simon Markson, and Julian Markson, the grandsons of Lewis Markson, are the Managing Director and Chairman of the company.
For more information about Markson Pianos, please visit www.marksonpianos.com, telephone 0800 074 8980 or email info@marksonpianos.com