Dr. Raymond Soriano entered his dealer’s showroom fully intending to buy the same Japanese grand piano his sister had recently purchased… Then he saw a 5’8” Petrof.

Struck by the elegant appearance of the handcrafted European instrument, Dr. Soriano decided to sit down and play.  “I looked up at the salesman and told him, ‘This sounds like Steinway,’” recalled the retired east coast pathologist, who began playing the piano when he was eight years old.  “Of course, when the salesman told me the price of the Petrof, I was shocked again; I couldn’t believe that an instrument of this stature could be so affordable.”

At that point, Dr. Soriano became a Petrof customer.  His appreciation of Petrof’s quality has only increased since his first unexpected encounter with the piano.  “Quite frankly, the Petrof is vastly superior to the grand my sister purchased,” he said.  “I’ve played many fine pianos in my life, including Steinways, Bechsteins and Bosendorfers.  The Petrof’s tonal quality and responsiveness are equal to or better than any of them, yet it costs so much less.”

Dr. Soriano has been particularly impressed with the Petrof grand’s rich harmonic tone and its lasting sustain.  He feels that the power and dynamic range of the Petrof piano have helped bring a “new dimension” to his interpretations of his favorite Chopin pieces.

“Playing the piano has been an important part of my daily routine throughout my medical career,” said Dr. Soriano.  “As you might imagine, there is a level of stress involved in being a doctor, so playing the piano has been an important outlet for me.  It has brought me relaxation and a chance to express myself in a rewarding way.”

Now that he is retired, Dr. Soriano is continuing his musical development even more vigorously.  He has enrolled in college to study piano theory and performance.  At this point in his life, he is not going to school to earn a degree, but simply to enhance his “love and appreciation of piano music.”

Since acquiring his Petrof, Dr. Soriano has developed another intellectual interest: the history of Czech musical instrument-making.  “The area where Petrof pianos are made is known for its handcrafted instruments,” he observed.  “When you learn of this tradition, it becomes easy to understand why Petrof is a world-class piano.”

Does Dr. Soriano have any regrets about not choosing the Japanese piano his sister purchased?  “Absolutely not,” he said without hesitation.  “I was very fortunate to have accidentally discovered the Petrof before I bought the other piano.”