James Steeber Named Director of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc.
BUENA PARK, Calif. Yamaha Corporation of America announces the appointment of James Steeber as director of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. (YASI) in New York City. In his role, Steeber will be responsible for the company's relationships with the country's foremost classical pianists and performing arts organizations. Appointed acting director of the facility in 2007, Steeber replaces Stan Zielinski, who recently transferred to Yamaha Artist Services Europe (YASE) in Paris, France.
"Success in this position requires a very unique set of skills, experience in the performing arts and product knowledge," says Terry Lewis, Executive Vice President, Yamaha Corporation of America. "As acting director, James distinguished himself in all these areas, earning the respect and regard of our artists, clients and dealers."
Located at 689 Fifth Avenue, the 7,700 square foot, state-of-the art Yamaha Artist Services piano salon houses the country's largest concentration of Yamaha CFIIIS nine-foot concert grand pianos, the choice of prominent artists and concert stages around the world.
Beyond its outstanding collection of instruments, the facility offers unparalleled rehearsal, performance and recording facilities to emerging and established artists. YASI also welcomes artists, dealers and prospective concert grand piano customers throughout the year.
"Becoming director of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. is a once in a lifetime privilege to oversee a program which has done and continues to do great work in the field of music and artists," said Steeber. "YASI is a program like no other in the world, and I look forward to the many challenges and opportunities to come."
A native of Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, Steeber had his first piano lesson at the age of five. He moved to Ohio in 1970, where his piano education was supplemented by Hebrew and Talmudic studies. After graduating from Ohio University as an English major/Music minor, he quickly established a career as a pianist for modern dance, leaning on his extensive ability as an improviser. In 1985, Steeber moved to New York City, forging relationships throughout the performing arts world as a composer and accompanist, including eight years at The Juilliard School and ten years at the Martha Graham School, as well as long associations with Merce Cunningham, José Limón, Alvin Ailey, and a host of other organizations. In 1994, he debuted a dance score entitled Rachel for solo piano at the Danny Kaye Playhouse for, among others, Bertram Ross, a Graham leading man of twenty-five years. A recording of the work is in the permanent collection of the New York Public Library.
In the mid '90s, Steeber joined Yamaha Corporation of America as Yamaha Artist Services Coordinator. There, he became increasingly involved in producing concerts and recording artists, marketing high-end pianos, maintaining and voicing concert instruments, managing an expansive concert reserve inventory and helping to manage the relationships enjoyed by the facility with leading musicians and performing arts organizations.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail yasi@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/yasi.
 James Steeber |
Located at 689 Fifth Avenue, the 7,700 square foot, state-of-the art Yamaha Artist Services piano salon houses the country's largest concentration of Yamaha CFIIIS nine-foot concert grand pianos, the choice of prominent artists and concert stages around the world.
Beyond its outstanding collection of instruments, the facility offers unparalleled rehearsal, performance and recording facilities to emerging and established artists. YASI also welcomes artists, dealers and prospective concert grand piano customers throughout the year.
"Becoming director of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. is a once in a lifetime privilege to oversee a program which has done and continues to do great work in the field of music and artists," said Steeber. "YASI is a program like no other in the world, and I look forward to the many challenges and opportunities to come."
A native of Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, Steeber had his first piano lesson at the age of five. He moved to Ohio in 1970, where his piano education was supplemented by Hebrew and Talmudic studies. After graduating from Ohio University as an English major/Music minor, he quickly established a career as a pianist for modern dance, leaning on his extensive ability as an improviser. In 1985, Steeber moved to New York City, forging relationships throughout the performing arts world as a composer and accompanist, including eight years at The Juilliard School and ten years at the Martha Graham School, as well as long associations with Merce Cunningham, José Limón, Alvin Ailey, and a host of other organizations. In 1994, he debuted a dance score entitled Rachel for solo piano at the Danny Kaye Playhouse for, among others, Bertram Ross, a Graham leading man of twenty-five years. A recording of the work is in the permanent collection of the New York Public Library.
In the mid '90s, Steeber joined Yamaha Corporation of America as Yamaha Artist Services Coordinator. There, he became increasingly involved in producing concerts and recording artists, marketing high-end pianos, maintaining and voicing concert instruments, managing an expansive concert reserve inventory and helping to manage the relationships enjoyed by the facility with leading musicians and performing arts organizations.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail yasi@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/yasi.