Graduates from the European Technological Institute for Music Professions, Juliana Quilici and Nicolas Mathieu-Pappalardo have opened their boutique on rue de l’Assomption. Capable of tuning and tuning Stenway pianos, the duo especially wants to democratize the king instrument
Connoisseurs only notice him through the window. In gold letters on black lacquer, the name Stenway & Sons dominate the keyboard a superb piano demi-queue. But what does a instrument from the most prestigious piano manufacturer in the world in a store on rue de l’Assomption?
Last October, Juliana Quilici and Nicolas Mathieu-Pappalardo opened their boutique Passions plan.
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The duo from the European Technological Institute for Music Professions (Itemm) is organized as follows: in Juliana the technical part with trips throughout Corsica to tune and manage the maintenance of the pianos; to Nicolas the work of luthier and technician of the instrument, piano and guitar.
The young woman has been known in the island market for three years by taking care of the instruments of the Spaziu Natale-Rocchiccioli in Cargèse, the polyphonic art center of Sartène or the conservatories of Ajaccio and Bastia. Juliana finally realizes this idea of living her passion on the island with the one who is her perfect complement.
Nicolas worked several years for the Hanlet workshops in Paris, a former supplier of the Stenway brand for 150 years, as a second hand for the foreman.
Gold in his fingers which could consolidate him in an exemplary career, within a prestigious house. But the desire to change his life, to start his own business was the strongest.
“Do everything to make the piano more accessible”
Lucky for Juliana who has found the perfect match. “I quickly realized that the only activity of tuning the pianos was very limited, we had to offer something else”, she says. So in his small workshop visible from the street, Nicolas repairs, shapes and pampers the instruments entrusted to him.
Like that famous Stenway with perfect but capricious mechanics. “I always compare them to a Formula 1, develops Juliana, they are perfect, allow the best performance but require very thorough and precise maintenance. “
Here, an uneven keyboard, there hammers that must be reworked to restore all its power and expression to the king instrument.
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But Passioni piano is not only a work of excellence. It is also a strong desire to democratize an instrument wrongly considered elitist.
At the entrance to the store, a few upright study pianos are available for hire. “From 89 €, a child can have a real piano at home to work on.
A system which allows parents not to embark on too substantial an investment if the child does not hang on “, argue Juliana.
When asked where this desire to make the piano accessible was born, Juliana will draw on her personal experience. “When I started playing the piano, I could only have a digital instrument. I always told myself that if I did this job one day, I would do anything to make the piano more accessible.”
With Christian Ciaravola, historical piano technician of the Musica store and after the shutdown of the Bastia addresses, Passioni piano became the second brand on the island to offer such services in Corsica.
A colossal challenge in a very difficult context.
Three weeks after opening, the store had to close its doors because of the lockdown. A month of stoppage which did not prevent Juliana and Nicolas from continuing their technical activity. “We couldn’t have been just a music store that sells instruments, argue Juliana, today, we have to diversify. “
Under the vaults of rue de l’Assomption, classical guitars sit alongside black and white keyboards. “We also want to offer any kind of instrument to order, to prevent Corsicans from systematically going to the continent”, she hopes.
With this renewed commitment to bring music to the heart of homes.
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