In late 2025, at the inaugural public concert inside the University of Southern Maine’s striking new Crewe Center for the Arts, a sold-out crowd witnessed a milestone moment: Steinway & Sons formally recognized USM as the 250th All-Steinway Institution in the world and the first higher-education institution in Maine to earn the distinction.

With that announcement, USM joined an elite international group of more than 250 conservatories, universities, and performing arts centers whose students learn, practice, and perform exclusively on the finest pianos in the world. For a regional public university, this was a remarkable achievement.

But the story of how USM reached this point is even more compelling than the milestone itself. It is a case study in visionary leadership, strategic financing, and the power of an ethos the university now calls “accessible excellence.”

A New Leader, a New Building, and an Unexpected Email

When Dr. Kyle Nielsen arrived in summer 2024 as Director of the Dr. Alfred and D. Suzi Osher School of Music, his agenda was full: opening a new arts building, settling into a leadership role, and preparing for his first semester on campus. Becoming an All-Steinway Institution was not on his list.

Then, in September 2024, an email landed in his inbox from USM President Jacqueline Edmondson: “I am wondering if there are discussions about us becoming a Steinway School?” the president inquired.

At first, Nielsen laughed. “If we have $3 million I don’t know about, we can discuss!” he replied, half joking. The school’s existing fleet was aging, uneven, and in no condition to match the acoustical promise of the soon-to-open Crewe Center.

But the president was serious. “Go get a quote,” she responded. And the die was cast. 

Back in 2018, long before Nielsen’s arrival, Patrick Elisha-Sanmiguel, Vice President of M. Steinert & Sons, had conducted a full piano inventory for USM. “While the School of Music received several donations of good pianos over the years, the overall condition of the fleet was dire,” he recalled. “For every quality piano in the building, just as many or more were barely playable. A few pianos were stored sideways, damaged by water or neglect. Faculty wanted improvement, but the project never gained institutional momentum.”

“A president reaching out proactively about All-Steinway? That’s rare.”
 

When Nielsen Googled “Steinway institutional sales” and left a message, Elisha-Sanmiguel called back within ten minutes. “This never happens,” he told Nielsen. “A president reaching out proactively about All-Steinway? That’s rare.”

President Edmondson’s interest wasn’t symbolic or superficial. It was personal. As a first-generation college student, she only wanted to play the piano. Her grandmother drove her from the family farm to Penn State to audition to be a piano performance major, and that encounter changed the trajectory of her life.

“She understands what access to excellence can do,” Nielsen said. “In our students, she sees the young musician she once was.”

This story would later anchor donor conversations, galvanize faculty, and shape the identity of the new Crewe Center.

In early January 2025, Elisha presented his assessment to the president, the Chief Business Officer, and the University of Southern Maine Foundation. He brought not only numbers but a compelling argument:

1. USM’s current pianos were inappropriate for a flagship arts facility.
2. The new building was an ideal platform for an All-Steinway designation.
3. Buying the fleet up front, rather than fundraising first, could serve as a powerful catalyst for donors.

Within weeks, the proposal received unanimous approval from both the University of Maine System’s Finance, Facilities, and Technology Committee and the Board of Trustees. The message was clear: this would be the capstone of a historic investment in the arts at USM.

The “Buy First, Fundraise Later” Strategy

What happened next is what makes the University of Southern Maine a model for other institutions. Most universities try to raise donations before purchasing a Steinway fleet. USM did the opposite.

They purchased the pianos first—26 instruments in total, including 18 Steinway grands and eight Boston uprights designed by Steinway—and then launched a fundraising effort.

“This changed everything,” Elisha-Sanmiguel explained. “Donors weren’t being asked to imagine what could be. They could walk into the Crewe Center and see the transformation. They could touch it, hear it, play it. That immediacy inspires giving.”

The strategy worked:

• USM raised almost $2 million of the $2.7 million within a few months.
• A major angel donor offered a $250,000 matching gift, later increased to $500,000.
• Donors “adopted” and named instruments throughout the facility.
• Many who said “no” early in the process eventually said “yes” after experiencing the impact firsthand.

From the start, Nielsen and Edmondson framed the project around access and equity, not prestige. “Why not buy cheaper pianos?” community members asked. Nielsen’s answer was simple: Students deserve to understand what excellence feels like.

“It’s about establishing a standard,” Nielsen said. “Not pandering. Not providing the bare minimum. Giving them something that elevates their work and imagination.” And this standard applies across disciplines. “We’re not telling certain majors they must practice on subpar pianos,” he continued. “Everyone gets equal access to excellence.”
 

“Everyone gets equal access to excellence.”
 

In New York, Nielsen, Elisha-Sanmiguel, and USM faculty member Anastasia Antonacos hand-selected three Model D concert grands (including two Spirio | r).

Over the following months, the same team selected seven Model Bs (including a Spirio | r) and eight Model O grands at M. Steinert & Sons in Waltham, MA.

At the grand opening in October 2025, audiences in the Crewe Center’s exquisite 200-seat performance hall heard two of the newly selected Steinways for the first time. Under the sculpted acoustic reflectors, the hall came alive.

The event also showcased Steinway Spirio technology, which captured and reproduced a performance recorded in Germany by USM faculty member and Fulbright scholar Tina Davis. Through Spirio, students will have access to a growing library of more than 5,000 performances and the ability to broadcast and learn across continents.

Ultimately, USM’s All-Steinway transformation is a testament to belief…in students, in the arts, and in the idea that excellence should never be reserved for the few.

“We are telling students,” Nielsen said, ‘You deserve this investment.’”