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The Pearl River Piano Group (广州珠江钢琴集团有限公司) was established in 1956 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. With more than 4,000 employees Pearl River is the largest piano manufacturer in the world, producing over 150,000 pianos a year with exports to more than 112 countries. In 2019 Pearl River completed the construction of a new, state-of-the-art, 3.2-million-square-foot factory where it combines traditional craftsmanship with advanced CNC digital machinery and complies with European high-level technology and process standards. To guarantee the quality and adaptability of their instruments to different weather environments worldwide the Pearl River Piano Group owns one of the world’s largest lumberyards with sixteen computer-controlled kilns.
Pearl River technicians receive three years of campus education and two years of apprenticeship in the factory. Education is given in knowledge of music, music theory, and piano construction and design. During the hands-on factory apprenticeship, Pearl River technicians refine skills in piano assembly, voicing, tuning, and regulation.
Pearl River pianos are manufactured under a wide range, including the Pearl River, Ritmüller, and Kayserburg brands in the Guangzhou factory. Each of these series has similar sizes with different scale designs, materials, and different sounds. In 2016, Schimmel Pianos joined the Pearl River Piano Group, and continues to build pianos in its Braunschweig, Germany factory.
Certifications
In 1998, Pearl River became the first piano company in China to receive International Standards Association ISO 9001 Certification (ISO 9001) for its complete line of grand and vertical pianos, including all parts and components. ISO 9001 Certification is awarded by an independent auditing organization, following a lengthy audit of quality systems, ranging from the procurement of raw materials to manufacturing systems, assembly procedures, and customer service. Pearl River also recently was awarded ISO 14001, which is similar, but relates to environmental standards. Pearl River is the first manufacturer in China to receive this award.
The Pearl River name
It took 30 years from its beginning in 1956 before the Pearl River brand of pianos entered the U.S. market. According to the company, the time was well spent, allowing it to perfect the nuances of European tone sand playability while developing manufacturing processes that result in consistent quality and superior value. Today, Pearl River is the best-selling piano brand in the world.
Other instruments
Pearl River is also one of the world's largest guitar and violin manufacturers, and is a primary supplier for the popular "First Act" brand of guitars commonly found at Target stores among others. The company also sells drums, brass, and woodwind instruments internationally. In the People's Republic of China, they produce guitars with the own brand name, "Kapok Guitar" (红棉). https://pearlriverusa.com/
Ritmuller
See also: W. Ritmüller & Sohn
In 1795 Gottlieb Wilhelm Ritmüller began one of the first piano factories in Germany, soon gaining favor with 19th-century composers, including Johannes Brahms. Pearl River acquired the Ritmüller brand and its scale designs in 1999. Stephan Mohler Stephan Mohler, former Chief of Production for C. Bechstein pianos of Berlin, and a team of piano designers were tasked to create handcrafted pianos worthy of the Ritmüller name by combining high-end European components with advanced CNC technologies and processes. Ritmüller Superior and Premium pianos are offered in vertical and grand models, and the flagship Supreme RS280 9’ 2” Concert Grand piano. A Prodigy Player Piano system may be added to any grand piano. https://ritmullerusa.com/
Kayserburg
Pear River created a factory-within-a-factory for a new line of Kayserburg of upright and grand pianos. Stephan Mohler, former Chief of Production for C. Bechstein pianos of Berlin, Germany, was given the goal of building instruments that could compete with Europe's best.
Kayserburg pianos are entirely handmade by craftsmen trained in the European guild system. The Kayserburg line has evolved to include the Excellent, Heritage, Nuovo, Artists, and Master Series. The Kayserburg Étoile Collection is a limited production line of pianos with exotic veneers. Every two years since 1983, the company has sponsored the Kayserburg International Youth Piano Competition in ten participating host countries to promote global piano education. In 2021 the competition attracted over 100,000 worldwide entrants, of which 2,000 competed for entry to the Grand Finals held in Guangzhou, China.
Contents
- 1 Certifications
- 2 The Pearl River name
- 3 Other instruments
- 4 References
- 5 External links
Certifications
In 1998, Pearl River became the first piano company in China to receive International Standards Association ISO 9001 Certification (ISO 9001) for its complete line of grand and vertical pianos, including all parts and components. ISO 9001 Certification is awarded by an independent auditing organization, following a lengthy audit of quality systems, ranging from the procurement of raw materials to manufacturing systems, assembly procedures, and customer service. Pearl River also recently was awarded ISO 14001, which is similar but relates to environmental standards. Pearl River is the first manufacturer in China to receive this award.
The Pearl River name
The Pearl River Group took its name from the extensive river system that flows through Guangzhou, the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Guangzhou (pronounced KWAN JOE) is where the company became one of the first piano manufacturers in China. Pearl River was one of the first Chinese piano companies to market pianos in the United States under its company name and has been well-accepted by piano teachers and tuners. Until 2000, Pearl River ran its own company for US distribution, after which it turned the distribution over to North American Music.
Other instruments
Pearl River is also one of the world's largest guitar and violin manufacturers. It is a primary supplier for the popular "First Act" brand of guitars commonly found at Target stores among others and produces guitars under the name, "Kapok Guitar" (红棉). Pearl River produces string instruments and recently introduced a line of hand-built violins, violas, and cellos that follow the centuries-old tradition of the famous Cremona School of construction, with the iconic Stradivari violin used as the main production template. The company also sells drums, brass, and woodwind instruments internationally.
References
- Pearl River Archived 2009-08-27 at the Wayback Machine Pearl River Pianos's USA site. Retrieved on September 29, 2007.
External links
- Pearl River Piano
- Pearl River USA
- Article about Pearl River on Forbes.com