Note by Note: the Making of Steinway L1037 (2007) January 2, 2008

The nebulous link between artist and artisan is delicately explored in filmmaker Ben Niles' paean to that quintessential instrument of culture - the Steinway Concert Grand Piano. Filmed at the Steinway Factory in Queens, NY, the film documents the yearlong birthing process of piano L1037 from a 20-foot plank to a full size concert grand. Niles' focus is on Steinway's stubborn adherence to a dying tradition of artisanship. Jazz legends Hank Jones, Kenny Barron, and Marcus Roberts, along with Classical Maestros Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Helene Grimaud, perform as well as discuss the relationship between an artist and his instrument. Ben Niles appears in conjunction with the screening of his film 'Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037).