Be part of the picture as Kemble Pianos celebrate THEIR Centenary with A special timeline gallery Photo-Competition
Links to images below (more great images available from DJPR)
2011 sees legendary piano maker Kemble celebrating 100 years of piano production. Since its foundation in 1911 Kemble have produced over 350,000 upright and grand pianos and pioneered many innovative production techniques.
Kemble pianos are planning a range of promotions and events throughout this year to mark this 100-year milestone. Celebrations kick off with the launch of the Kemble Centenary Photo-Competition, a special opportunity for past and present customers to participate by submitting photographs from the past 100 years depicting Kemble pianos in interesting, eye-catching and entertaining settings.
Every entry will receive a free Kemble teddy bear and the very best photos will be used to create a commemorative online Timeline Gallery. Just email your photo, along with a caption to kemblepianos@gmx.yamaha.com. Closing date is September 5th 2011.
In 1911 London’s Stoke Newington was the centre of British piano manufacturing, making it the ideal location for founder Michael Kemble to build his first factory. Since that time the business has passed through three generations of the Kemble family, most recently under the directorship of Brian Kemble MBE who, in February, was appointed Managing Director of Vienna-based Bösendorfer Pianos.
During the 1940s Kemble & Co produced a range of best-selling pianos, the most popular being the MINX which was just 90cm high and featured a drop action. In the 1950s Michael Kemble’s eldest son, Robert, took over the business while Stanley Kemble assumed responsibility for running the factory.
In 1969 Kemble Pianos relocated to the embryonic new town of Milton Keynes and in the same year began a joint venture with Yamaha. In 1985 this collaboration resulted in the Kemble factory undertaking the production of a range of acoustic pianos for Yamaha to be sold in the UK market. Two years later Yamaha nominated Kemble as its European manufacturing partner.
Kemble & Co went on to become one of the UK’s most successful exporters and, in 1992, was granted The Queen’s Award for Export Achievement, the only company in the piano industry ever to receive this accolade.
In more recent times Kemble pianos have produced many award-winning pianos including the acclaimed Kemble-Conran Model, a partnership with designer brand Conran, produced in 2000 to celebrate the millennium. In 2006 the Kemble 'Conservatoire' was awarded 'Best Piano of the Year' by the UK's Music Industries Association, and in 2009 Kemble collaborated with Austrian piano manufacturer Bösendorfer to cerate the Special Edition Chopin model in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth.
In 2009 production of Kemble pianos was transferred to Yamaha’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Far East where they are designed and built to the traditional UK specifications.
Later this year Kemble will be introducing a special Limited Edition Centenary Model. Only 100 instruments will be produced and the piano will boast a grand piano-grade soundboard, upgraded hammers, ivorite keys and a range of cosmetic enhancements including mahogany key blocks and pilasters.
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ENDS
David Jones
t: 01604 842104
m: 0785 702 4202
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