It was a beautiful evening at the grand opening of the country’s piano superstore Manila Pianos Inc. held at CW Home Depot on Chino Roces Avenue in Makati City.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, select guests were treated to captivating performances by the Manila Symphony Orchestra, renowned concert pianist Dr. Ingrid Sala Santamaria, prize-winning concert pianist and piano professor Jonathan Coo, British harpsichord player Graham Dwyer, 2010 National Music Competition for Young Artists Opera Aria prize winner Jamie Charisse Sampana and Manila Piano Inc. president and owner Willem van Suijdam, himself an accomplished concert pianist, organist and conductor.
It was one special occasion indeed as all pianos in the store were put on sale for the night. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Tuloy Foundation Inc. founded by Fr. Rocky Evangelista.
Manila Pianos Inc., which has the largest piano selection and piano rebuilding center in Southeast Asia, boasts a showroom gallery of high-quality brand-new pianos shipped from Canada and the Netherlands. The superstore’s gallery also serves as a piano restoration center.
“Older pianos were much better built and more stable than new ones and, for less money, look as good as or better than a new one,” Van Suijdam said.
The company also imports church organs and specializes in rebuilding classic pianos, high-quality tuning and has a full line of grand pianos for rentals and even has its own moving company. During the opening night, an authentic church organ imported from the Netherlands occupied a prime spot in the showroom.
Van Suijdam, together with his partners Manila Pianos Inc. head technician and Canada’s top concert tuner and technician Michael Ierullo and efficient corporate secretary Gina Ronquillo, is planning to open a school for piano technicians, hold free in-store piano concerts at least once a month, and offer the spacious store as a venue for student recitals for free. That would be piano heaven, indeed!
Bravo and congratulations, Willem!
Bigger & better
Rustan’s Supermarket Makati-Glorietta reopened recently with key executives from Rustan’s Supercenters Inc. (RSCI) leading the “bread-breaking” ceremony.
Present at the reopening were RSCI president Donnie Tantoco, Rustan’s Supermarket vice president Manuel Alberto, Rustan Group of Companies chairman emeritus Bienvenido Tantoco Sr., RSCI chairman Rico Tantoco Jr. and wife Marina and RSCI CEO Pierre Deplanck.
It has been 44 years since the first-ever Rustan’s Supermarket branch opened. Its store in Glorietta now boasts simple, well-lit and modern interiors, a more spacious store layout, and well-expanded product selections, continuing the Rustan’s legacy of quality and premium supermarket shopping.
Congratulations!