Edith Cowan University (ECU) has launched a significant initiative in partnership with two of Western Australia’s most esteemed philanthropic organisations—The Wright Burt Foundation and The Feilman Foundation—to restore, conserve, and reactivate one of the world’s most valuable collections of historic pianos, housed at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
Backed by generous funding over a three-year period, the project will support a wide-ranging program that includes piano restoration, academic research, and live performance. Additionally, two new scholarships will be introduced: one for training a specialist keyboard technician and restorer, and the other for a pianist with a focus on Romantic-era instruments.
“These generous donations will enable a three-year initiative to restore and activate through performance some of WAAPA’s unique and historic pianos,” said Professor David Shirley, Executive Dean of WAAPA.
He added, “Performers will have a rare opportunity to rediscover lost soundscapes, and the restoration process itself will help preserve a rare and endangered artisanal craft.”
As part of the program, ECU will collaborate with leading European piano restorers and local master craftsman Patrick Elms, based in Albany. Elms is recognised as one of Australia’s most skilled and experienced restorers of late-Romantic German pianos. He will oversee the local restoration efforts, while ECU’s Centre for Keyboard Heritage and Research will coordinate academic and performance-based activities related to the revived instruments.
Looking ahead, the collection will be prominently featured in a new purpose-built Piano Salon at ECU’s City campus, opening in 2026. This exhibition and performance space will highlight the university’s flagship historical pianos and foster a hub for international collaboration in piano education, performance, conservation, and restoration.
“We aim to attract musicians, scholars, and piano enthusiasts from around the globe who share our vision to generate lasting economic and cultural value in Western Australia,” Professor Shirley noted.
Through this initiative, students will gain hands-on experience with historically significant instruments and receive specialized training in the restoration and conservation of antique keyboards.
The project builds on WAAPA’s legacy of curating exceptional keyboard collections. In 2016, WAAPA received the historic Stewart Symonds Keyboard Instrument Collection—regarded as one of the most important collections globally. This was followed by another major donation in 2020, when Mr. David Forward of Adelaide gifted a collection of rare pianos.
Now comprising more than 160 instruments, many of which are the last of their kind, the Historic Pianos collection provides an unparalleled insight into the evolution of keyboard instruments. This positions WAAPA at ECU as a global leader in historical piano research, education, and restoration.
The soon-to-be-opened Piano Salon will serve as a central feature of ECU’s new Perth City campus, launching in the first semester of 2026.
“We’ve received tremendous support for this extraordinary collection over the years,” concluded Professor Shirley. “As we prepare to transition into ECU City, we’re ramping up our fundraising efforts once again to ensure this rare musical heritage is preserved and celebrated for generations to come.”
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