In 1997, Steinway & Sons named composer and pianist Gary Jess to its worldwide artist roster. Since 1853, Steinway & Sons has been maker of the world’s most sought after pianos, and its Concert and Artist Department has served the most talented and revered pianist throughout the globe since the late 1860’s, making available instruments for performance and recording, television, and radio.

Included on the Steinway Artist roster have been such immortals as Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Vladimir Horowitz, Ignace Paderewski, Cole Porter, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. Today’s Steinway Artists include the leading stars in the musical firmament, among them Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, Van Cliburn, Billy Joel, Herbie Hancock, Evgency Kissin, Peter Nero, Maurizio Pollini, Billy Taylor, and Roger Williams.

Acceptance into the worldwide Steinway Artist roster indicates not only high musical performance achievement, but it reflects the artist’s dedication to and confidence in the Steinway piano. Steinway Artists all own Steinway pianos and unlike virtually any commercial endorsement, they are not paid to play the Steinway.

The members of the Steinway Artist family are each as unique as the Instruments the Company makes. Whether their music is classical, jazz, popular, religious, or new age, the common thread among the over 1000 artists who grace the roster is their belief in the Steinway piano as a piano that will allow them to express themselves as no other Instrument can. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.