WHAT:

West Music is proud to host an in-depth workshop with Craig Knudsen! Craig will be presenting a series of workshops and concerts at West Music in Cedar Falls, Marion, Coralville, and the Des Moines Piano Gallery on September 13th – 16th.  Craig will be presenting how to get the most out of the Yamaha Clavinova series of digital pianos as well as the Yamaha Disklavier player piano system.

Craig will be hosting a free digital piano concert the day before each event. Click HERE for details!

About Craig -

Few keyboardists can claim to be a one-time featured attraction on the Universal Studios tour in
Hollywood, CA, an imaginative creator of software for high-tech musical instruments, and the
subject of a case study at Harvard Business School. But not many keyboardists have a resume
that reads like that of Craig Knudsen.

Knudsen was a featured attraction at Universal Studios where he gave as many as 34,000 people a
day a behind-the-scenes look at how soundtracks could be made using Yamaha equipment. In
addition, Knudsen was the Music Director for the gala ceremonies for the grand opening of the
Universal Studios complex in Orlando, Florida, sharing the stage with Steven Spielberg, Michael
J. Fox and Jimmy Stuart. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in March, 1992.

Currently referred to on YAMAHA USA website as “one of YAMAHA’s top innovators in the
area of music software and technology”, Knudsen is uniquely qualified to create excitement about
the remarkable new instruments available today. He has created software that, when used with
such instruments as the Disklavier reproducing piano and Clavinova digital pianos, makes
playing and enjoying a musical instrument much more accessible to the average person.

Knudsen developed the “Follow Lights” software that perfected the unique keyboard lighting
system featured on Clavinova digital pianos. This system teaches beginners how to play songs on
the piano by turning on a light over the key to be played and waiting until that note has been
played before the software creates a wonderful reward accompaniment. Knudsen also developed
several other software sensations, including the “StarLIGHTS Series” for Clavinova, “Kooky
Karaoke” Vocal Harmony software, “CueTIME” tempo control software, and “SmartKey” for
Disklavier.

For the past 23 years, Knudsen has consulted on the design of new Yamaha instruments and
lesson programs. Knudsen co-created the Clavinova Connection along with renowned
neouroimmunologist Barry Bittman and Recreational Music-Making founder Karl Bruhn. For this
program, Knudsen developed a patent using “SmartLIGHTS” technology, that uses guide lamps
to teach music from one Yamaha keyboard to another, either in the same room or in different
cities via the Internet.

Most recently, Knudsen helped Disney create two new shows for their $15 million dollar
renovation of Tomorrowland in Anaheim, CA, that features the YAMAHA Disklavier, Clavinova
Digital Piano and several other YAMAHA instruments.

For YAMAHA dealers, Knudsen is comfortable conducting traditional piano teacher seminars,
beginner user’s groups and advanced technology seminars. In addition, he can professionally
present YAMAHA instruments in TV interviews to thousands at a time and yet enjoys working
one-on-one with prospective YAMAHA customers.

Despite his busy schedule, Knudsen also finds time to serve on the board of two non-profit
organizations including the Desert Music Foundation and the new Kaye Ballard Playhouse in
Southern California. He lives in Palm Desert, California and Hayward, Wisconsin.

WHEN:

Monday, September 13th - Thursday, September 16th

WHERE:

West Music Cedar Falls - Monday, September 13th
6322 University Avenue
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
800.248.7004

West Music Marion - Tuesday, September 14th
1398 Twixt Town Road
Marion, IA 52302
800.373.9101

West Music Coralville - Wednesday, September 15th
1212 5th Street
Coralville, IA 52241
800.373.2000

West Music Piano Gallery - Thursday, September 16th
3304 100th Street
Urbandale, IA 50322
800.407.4266

EVENT INFORMATION