by Sebastiana Ierna
For over a century, Yamaha Corporation has combined tradition and innovation, creating high-quality instruments suited to the needs of every musician. Forty years ago, it developed a highly technological acoustic piano, equipped with a cutting-edge recording and playback system: the Disklavier. To learn more about this instrument, we met with 49-year-old Enrico Bonfante from Vicenza at the 2025 Cremona Musica International Exhibitions and Festival. With a degree in law and a diploma in classical guitar, he manages Yamaha’s acoustic piano sales in the Italian market, as well as marketing and artist relations.
What are the special features of the Disklavier?
It features highly sophisticated integrated equipment that records key movements and faithfully reproduces them. This technological system is installed on all models in the range to ensure maximum accuracy and precision. Not only is it a great aid in practice, allowing you to listen to yourself again and again from a distance, but it also provides an elegant source of home entertainment: those who love music and want to listen to it live can do so at home with recordings by famous pianists. The cost of this technology is approximately 10,000–15,000 euros more than that of a traditional acoustic piano.
Which events were you the protagonist of at this edition of Cremona Musica?
We offered the opportunity to play a C3 Disklavier and a Bösendorfer 280VC (Vienna Concert) on stage. The Austrian brand was acquired by Yamaha, preserving the instrument-making tradition intact. For the evening events, we used the C3X, a slightly smaller and more versatile model. During the roundtable discussion on the future of hybrid teaching, we connected with Beijing, Perth (Australia), and New York, and two Disklaviers played remotely, breaking down all borders and barriers. Speakers included Roberto Prosseda, Giuseppe Modugno, Christoph Sischka, Yon Seen Lee, Elyane Laussade, Tatsuhuiro Murata, and Wang Qiu, who was present remotely. Iranian composer Ardavan Vossoughi, born in 1986 and winner of the 2020 Disklavier Composers Contest in Cremona, premiered his Mazeklavier, which departs from traditional compositions, and an excerpt from his 10 etudes, Studyklavier, highlighting complex dynamics and new rhythmic possibilities. Finally, composer and pianist Alessio Santolini Raggi presented his album Diagram and Projection.
How do you see the future of the 88 keys with these innovations?
I’d say brilliant! Think of the opportunities it opens up for those who want to attend masterclasses or take entrance exams but can’t afford to travel. We have technology that faithfully reproduces the musician’s performance. We’re working to make it possible for all teachers to find a Disklavier at their institution, or at their preferred venues. The great Franco Battiato loved the Disklavier, and composer Paolo Buonvino uses it to integrate new elements into his live orchestra. With this instrument, it’s possible to record and reproduce every type of sonic nuance, even the most subtle, to create ever-new and compelling musical productions.
