The Maydwell Piano

Cared for by our preferred maintenance partner,
Theme and Variations Piano Services

In mid-2025, the family of Helen Maydwell donated an Alex Steinbach SG-185 grand piano to the Sydney University Piano Society. Since then, the piano has been enjoyed by students, individuals and clubs from all across campus.

A brief history

The Alex Steinbach SG-185 piano was manufactured in 2000 and originally purchased by Helen Maydwell, a former piano teacher in Sydney's North Shore.
Following her passing in 2024, the piano was gifted to the Sydney University Piano Society to enable use by the wider university community. With the support of the USU, it was installed in the Common Room at the Holme Building in mid-2025.
In 2026, PianoSoc developed arrangements to allow other clubs/societies to contribute towards the maintenance of the piano, ensuring that the piano continues to be maintained for the university community whilst keeping PianoSoc fiscally sustainable for the long-term.
Theme and Variations Piano Services, a partner of PianoSoc since 2015, has agreed to support us in caring for this instrument for the university community, by providing subsidised piano care and maintenance services.

A piano for us

Use of the piano is available for all members of the University of Sydney community, but we ask that you Play By The Rules.
As of 2026, it remains the only regularly-maintained grand piano available for public use at the University of Sydney. All maintenance expenses comes out of PianoSoc's own budget – we don't get any extra funding from the USU or USYD to help maintain the piano.
If you notice any issues, please let us know!
- This piano and the associated accessories (e.g. piano stools) is a PianoSoc-owned asset and we must be notified of any damage, movement or other changes to it.
- Contractors should use the emergency contact phone number listed on the piano etiquette sign when building works impact the piano.

Play By The Rules

No food/drink near the piano, please!
Close the lid and replace all covers after use.
Ensure the dehumidifer remains plugged in.

Report issues with the Maydwell Piano

Play the Piano

Our piano is located on Level 4 of the Holme Building on Science Road at the University of Sydney. The Holme Building is located behind the Quad near the Footbridge. From the entrance on Science Road, take the stairs up one level above ground, and head past the USU Clubs Office to find the Common Room.

USU-registered clubs/societies can book the piano by booking the Holme Building Common Room through the USU booking portal (just like any other room). There is no fee/charge to use the piano, but if you use it on a regular basis for society events/rehearsals, we ask that you consider supporting the piano's maintenance with us.
- By using the piano, your club agrees to follow the etiquette signage on the piano, report any issues, and treat the instrument with care. If damage is not reported to PianoSoc and found to have been caused by another student group, we may request the USU to compensate PianoSoc from the grant funding that student group receives.
Individuals may use the piano whenever the Holme Building is open, and when the Common Room has not been booked by another club/society. Check when the Common Room is available (requires MyUSU login).

Does your club use this piano regularly?

Information for non-USU registered groups and external parties

The piano is publicly accessible outside of booked hours, but if you would like to book the Common Room where the piano is situated, please contact the USU.
Please note that the Maydwell Piano is not the property of the USU, but belongs to PianoSoc. If you are using the piano for an event, please contact our team and let us know in advance.