| Type | Limited liability company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder(s) | Paolo Fazioli |
| Headquarters | Sacile, Italy |
| Key people | Paolo Fazioli |
| Products | Grand pianos |
| Website | fazioli.com |
Fazioli Pianoforti (Italian pronunciation: [faˈtsjɔːli]) is a piano manufacturing company based in Sacile, Italy.
Fazioli currently produces 110 pianos a year from its single factory, and has annual revenues of €6 million.[1]
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In 1944, Paolo Fazioli, the youngest of six sons, was born. His father ran a successful furniture factory in Rome. Paolo demonstrated a high level of musical talent, as well as a strong interest in pianos. Later, while continuing his piano studies, he attended the University of Rome as an engineering student, a requirement for managing the family business. During his studies, Paolo visited laboratories working on pianos and restoration, while studying the available literature on the subject.
In 1969, Paolo earned his university diploma as an engineer at the University of Rome.
In 1971, Paolo earned his degree as a Pianist at the Conservatory C. Rossini in Pesaro under the instruction of Maestro and head professor Sergio Cafaro; later of the Conservatory Santa Cecillia in Rome. He also received a Master Degree in Music Composition at the Rome Music Academy where he was guided by the composer Boris Porena.
In the meantime, the elder brothers had broadened the family business and introduced new technology for wood processing. Two new factories in Sacile had been bought for the production of wooden office furniture, as well as a further factory in Turin for the production of metal furniture. In Sacile, exotic and unique wood species were used, including Teak, Rosewood and Mahogany. The furniture is exported throughout the world under the brand of MIM (Mobili Italiani Moderni). Paolo Fazioli enters the company upon graduation, starting in Rome, afterwards moving to Turin and gaining a deep knowledge of scientific wood processing as well as production. Now confident in his planning and production skills, he starts his project of building grand pianos, beginning with a detailed study of contemporary grand piano production; analyzing the instruments consistency and performance while querying researchers and critics. His father and eldest brother Vigilio, an expert in wood technology, are hugely supportive. From his elder brothers he obtains the necessary support for research, development and production. With the finest technology and analysis available Paolo Fazioli defines the parameters of the piano that he wants to build. He is convinced, that by using a range of design changes, developed from the most modern acoustical research and material development, he will be able to build an outstanding instrument.
In 1978 Paolo Fazioli, an engineer and pianist, brought together a team of specialist technicians, including mathematicians, acoustic physicists, wood technologists, piano makers and pianists to "define the process for the construction of a conceptually new piano". Fazioli Pianoforti s.r.l. was formally established in January 1981.[2][3] In the same year, the traditional piano technician’s specialist skills combined with the research, experience and know-how of the engineer can be put into practice. A production facility, the “Fabbrica di Pianoforti Fazioli” is built within the Sacile furniture factory, about 60 km north of Venice. The choice of the factory fulfills a number of organizational and production needs: materials are close at hand, as well as research and analytic laboratories, and most importantly, specialized craftsman. Tragically, Paolo’s father Romano who passionately supported his son’s initiative and smoothed the way for his future success, passes away before the factory begins production.
1979: With the assistance of the Professor Righini, renowned for his knowledge of environmental and musical acoustics and Professor Giordano, famous for his knowledge of wood, as well as Virgilio Fazioli and Lino Tiveron, the planning of the Model F183 begins. Soon afterward, the Models F156 and F278 are also planned.
1980: In June, the initial prototype of Model F183 is produced. In November, the prototypes of Models F156 and F278 are finished.
1981: In January, Fazioli s.r.l. is established, and the prototypes of Models 183, 156, and 278 are shown to the Press and the industry. At the press conference, the noted musicologist Professor Piero Rattalino participates together with Professors Giordano and Righini. In February, the same pianos are first shown at the Frankfurt Musik Messe. In the latter half of the year, the prototype of Model F228 is begun, thereby completing the initial production series. The philosophy of Fazioli Pianoforti s.r.l., remains the same to this day:
• To produce grand and concert grand pianos exclusively, aiming for the highest quality with no concern for large production
• Not to imitate any other existing pianos, rather to create an original sound
• To hand-craft each piano individually using time honored traditional methods combined with the latest technological advances
• To strive constantly to improve the piano by using cutting edge technology.
1982: In February, all four models are shown at the Frankfurt Musik Messe. In March, a production area of 600 square meters is set up, with an initial production of 2-3 pianos per month.
1983: Cooperation with the Zanussi-Center in Pordenone begins. Here, scientific research is carried out with the goal of further improving tonal quality.
1984: Initial success – well-known pianists such as Aldo Ciccolini, Alfred Brendel, Martha Argerich, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Lazar Bermann, Nikita Magaloff, Michel Beroff, Annie Fischer, Louis Lortie and others begin to play Fazioli pianos. A number of important concert halls purchase instruments, and the export into the most important European countries and the USA begins.
The demand for an instrument having greater power and richness of overtones to be used in large concert halls inspires the conception for the F308 model, the longest piano available on the market.
1985: Two new models are developed – the F212 and the F308.
1986: The prototypes of the two new models are finished.
1987: The Model F212 is introduced at the Frankfurt Messe. The prototype of the first F308 receives its first public performance in April at the Teatro Comunale di Monfalcone, when pianist François Joel Thiollier performs both Tchaikovsky concertos.
Later in the same year, Lazar Berman uses the F308 for his performance at Carnegie Hall, where he plays Liszt's 2nd Concerto. Murray Perahia also chooses the F308 for his concert at the Goldoni Theatre in Venice. Towards year-end, Alfred Brendel chooses the Fazioli for his Italian concerts.
1988: The piano factory is doubled in size with the most modern facilities available, so that 7-8 pianos per month can now be produced.
1990: The cooperation with the Zanussi R&D Center results in a re-optimization of the entire product line.
1992: The improved pianos are shown at the Frankfurt Musik Messe.
1994: Fazioli Pianoforti has its first exhibition at the NAMM show in Anaheim, California, thereby consolidating its position in the North American market. In the same year, the company displays at the Shanghai Musikmesse, beginning its continuing success in China. A concert grand is installed in the Sydney Town Hall in Australia. The Fazioli Piano is chosen for use at the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition in Salt Lake City.
1995: The F308 receives its introduction at the NAMM show, followed by concerts in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. In June, the F308 is presented in Beijing, followed by the purchase of Fazioli instruments by the Beijing Conservatory. More pianists become fans of the Fazioli, including Elisabeth Leonskaya.
1996: A Fazioli is chosen for concerts in the Wiener Musikvereinshalle by Ingeborg Baldaszti., Markus Schirmer, Jasminka Stancul and Elisabeth Leonskaya. The unique Brunei concert grand is produced with inlays of precious stones, mother of pearl and exotic woods. In addition to standard black instruments, a number of unique art case instruments are and continue to be made for discriminating customers.
1997: At the Umbria Jazz Festival, one of the world’s most renowned jazz festivals, Models F278 and F308 were first used and remain the exclusive instruments at this festival today, as well as the winter companion festival in Orvieto. A number of greatest jazz artists have learned to love Fazioli pianos: Herbie Hancock, Matthew Shipp, Martial Solal, Brad Mehldau, Chucho Valdez and Michel Camilo.
1998: An area of about 14,000 m2 is purchased next to the current factory for the construction of a new factory capable of producing 150 instruments per year. Plans include a laboratory for acoustic research and a concert hall, in which new instruments can be played and tested.
2000: The Colburn School for Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California is home to two Faziolis [and more when the Conservatory opens its new campus in 2008]. Faziolis permanently reside in Mayman Hall, Zipper Hall and select Colburn Conservatory practice rooms.
2001: The new factory is opened.
2005: The Fazioli Concert Hall is opened, and is immediately applauded for its acoustics. Located adjacent to the factory, pianos can easily be wheeled in for testing in a concert environment.
Fazioli currently offers six models of grand pianos, the largest being the Fazioli F308, which at 3.08 m (10 ft 2 in) in length is the longest piano available on the general market.[3][4] The Fazioli is noted for its inclusion of a fourth pedal on the F308. This pedal brings the hammers closer to the strings, decreasing the volume while maintaining a normal tone, functioning just like the soft pedal on an upright piano.[5]