Bösendorfer Pianos

The Townsend Center for the Performing Arts is very fortunate to have two Bösendorfer Imperial Grand Pianos. These rare instruments of amazing beauty and tone are the largest grand pianos produced. Not only are the pianos 9ft and 6in in length, but they have 97 keys, almost a full octave in range greater than all other grand pianos.


Manufactured in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, the Bösendorfer pianos are world renown for their Bösendorfer sound, that rich singing, sustaining tone for which the company is justly famous. The pianos possess an amazing quality of blending perfectly with choral and chamber ensembles. Furthermore, one of the Imperial Grand Pianos located at the Townsend Center is a 290SE model.

This extremely rare instrument is equipped with a computerized recording and playback system of such high quality, that is has been used on two occasions to make CD recordings for Phillip Entremont here at the Townsend Center. Both pianos were purchased when the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts was opened in 1988. A special donation from the Cole family made it possible for the University to purchase the instruments, especially the 290SE, and we are most grateful.