With narrow piano keys, the proof is in the performance once anyone heard the music, there was no argument, which helped me withstand decades of disagreement.
Hannah Reimann · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Hannah
Hannah Reimann is the Founder and CEO of Stretto Piano Events, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing innovation, accessibility, and artistic excellence in the world of piano performance. She is also the Creator and Artistic Director of the International Stretto Piano Festival, an international platform that brings together accomplished musicians, piano manufacturers, venues, and audiences through innovative concerts, educational programming, and cultural events. The mission-driven marketing platform is the first to offer a choice of piano key size, catering, especially to professional and amateur pianists of all ages who want to play narrow keys with their small hands.
Her companies now offer “stretto” narrow, key pianos, and other instruments for purchase at The Piano Strettosphere: narrowkeypiano.com
This is a dream fulfilled finally since the mid-1990s when she had her personal Steinway grand piano rebuilt to have narrow keys.
With more than three decades of professional experience, Reimann has established herself as a versatile and accomplished pianist, singer-songwriter, composer, music educator, producer, actor, and creative entrepreneur. Her career reflects a lifelong commitment to the performing arts and to creating meaningful opportunities for artists and audiences alike. As a pianist and vocalist, Reimann has developed an extensive performance career encompassing classical, popular, jazz, Broadway, and original music. She has performed internationally and has collaborated with distinguished musicians, including violist Paul Coletti, with whom she has explored the music of Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla as well as original compositions. Her critically acclaimed show of the music of Joni Mitchell, Both Sides Now, has been pleasing audiences who love Joni for over 13 years.
Her work as an educator is equally significant, with decades of experience teaching piano and voice to students of diverse ages and skill levels. She is passionate about helping musicians develop their technical abilities, artistic confidence, and individual creative voices, while also coaching professional singers and performers. Through her concert production and artist relations work, she continues to create opportunities that bring exceptional musicians and innovative musical experiences to the public. Beyond her accomplishments in music, Reimann is an accomplished filmmaker, actor, director, and writer. She serves as the Director and Writer of My Father's House Movie, a deeply personal creative project that explores family, memory, caregiving, music, end-of-life and transformation through the story of her father. Her multidisciplinary artistic career also includes acting for film and stage, composing and arranging music, and producing performances.
Through the International Stretto Piano Festival and Stretto Piano Events, she has further expanded her vision for a more inclusive musical community by championing narrow-key “stretto” pianos and creating platforms where musicians can explore new possibilities in performance. Her ability to unite entrepreneurship, education, performance, filmmaking, and advocacy has established Reimann as a distinctive and influential voice in the contemporary arts community.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Hannah
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to sound ideas and values based on decades of experience, creativity, excellent mentors and teachers, long-term persistence, strong collaboration, and a commitment to building meaningful relationships with artists, manufacturers and industry partners. My hands-on experience as a performer, educator, and producer has given me a well-rounded perspective that allows me to understand the industry from multiple angles. I believe that staying dedicated, continuously learning, and working collaboratively with others have been essential to my professional growth and lasting success. Good ideas are very important, however courage to take action and to honor colleagues are key to fruitful, win-win work.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I have been lucky to receive many kind words of advice, and among the most memorable were when I first became a singer-songwriter. A famous singer to whom I happened to be teaching piano told me, “ If you want to get on stage and sing a song, you’re going to have to sing at 100 times first.” even if that exact number is not always what’s needed, that advice has helped me and my students become strong and independent.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the music industry is to be yourself, find yourself, learn from others, but define your own personal style, be
patient, stay focused, and remain committed to your core creative goals, whether that is songwriting, performing, producing, or another area of your passion. Many musicians must balance multiple roles and responsibilities, so learning to manage those demands while staying true to your artistic vision is essential. However, it is also really important to be practical, and to have a roof over your head, good food to eat, and to learn to be independent. I also encourage women to advocate for themselves and for solutions that remove barriers to participation, create greater opportunities, and help build a more inclusive and supportive industry.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Entering the world of piano manufacturing and selling, making myself available to improve the situation in terms of equity, size equality, and new products is especially challenging at this particular time in history. A lot of people don’t even know the difference between a piano that’s made of wood and metal, and an electronic instrument. The level of knowledge about musical instruments has changed a lot since I was a child. Creating two startups at this stage in my life, sometimes feels awkward because many founders are young, originated in the digital age, and grew up with digital devices in their hands from the time they had single-digit ages. However, I welcome these challenges because I have much to offer in terms of bridging the gaps in our multi-age digital society, and can tell stories from a time that people simply don’t know anymore experientially and that will never come back.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that I dedicate myself to are kindness, honesty, thoroughness, originality whenever possible, to think of my fellow man and woman sympathetically, to support those less fortunate than me, to remember that the children are the future, to honor our seniors for their wisdom, to be compassionate, even when it isn’t comfortable, to behave with dignity in the face of misunderstandings.
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