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Chopin Acolyte, I hope we don't take this discussion personally, but allow me to be frank, you are not making much sense.

A game producer doesn't want his game to be reviewed by someone is not the same as not allowing him to PLAY the game. A car manufacturer doesn't want its car to be reviewed by someone is not the same as not allowing him to DRIVE the car. How can you not see the false equivalency here while it's so obvious?

You are for democracy and freedom of speech. Good, I believe we all are. So James has the right to email Mr. Stuart to make the request. By the same token Mr. Stuart has the right to not wanting his piano to be reviewed by James. Note the keyword "not wanting". I can't imagine anyone believes if an owner of this piano in the US allows James to review Mr. Stuart would fly all the way from the other end of the globe to stop James from doing so? Why would you make it sound like that? Shall we agree that all Mr. Stuart did was to express his "not wanting" James to review, though we all agree the way of his expression was wrong and unacceptable.

We live in a free world. James can make the request, Mr. Stuart can refuse (purely based on his dislike of James' review style, rather than based on racial discrimination or any other irrelevant reason). You make it sound like Mr. Stuart does NOT have the right to refuse, I believe that contradicts with the principle of free speech.

Of course, by driving/playing/watching I meant also reviewing, as you already have that experience and can freely share your thoughts on.

If James decided to buy one of his pianos I guess then he should decline to sell it to him. If merely sharing amateur thoughts on an instrument with youtube community is so dangerous to piano makers, the only way to prevent this from happening is not to sell anything. After all, this very forum is based on that; how many people here are, according to the local creme de la creme of professional piano reviewers, capable of seriously reviewing an instrument? Probably not every single person who ever buys one. Yet, anytime someone makes a purchase, they eventually share their thoughts, therefore we have hundreds, if not thousands, of such Jameses here. I call for an appropriate action! Piano makers absolutely need to stop selling pianos to common rabble, if they want to survive. Only certified professionals should be allowed to buy, plus, they need to swear under oath not to let anyone near their instrument (so an accidental amateur review wouldn't happen on youtube).

In 2010, when I heard of Stuart & Sons pianos for the first time, I went into their website and posted a request for a brochure and asking where I could play on one. That was it. Nothing about myself, nor my 'achievements', nor my playing standard. (I have a performance diploma.) Certainly no mention about whether I was actually looking to buy a piano. (I wasn't).

Within two weeks, I received a big stiff envelope (sent by airmail) with glossy brochures and leaflets and CD from S & S, plus info about where I could get to play one of their pianos in a showroom near where I live. Thus I had my first experience of playing one of their unique pianos.

A few years before that, I'd spent nearly two months travelling around Australia, starting my journey in Sydney. Unfortunately, I didn't know of Stuart & Sons then, otherwise I'd have visited their factory. I got to know many Aussies on my travels, and what many of them have in common is a dislike, even contempt of anyone who is too big for their boots (or 'britches' in US-speak), and they can often be quite direct in the way they speak - or write. They aren't inclined to beat about the bush like British people would, nor do they do the softly, softy approach. (Crocodile Dundee is actually more true to life than many non-Aussies realize ).

I suspect that the teenage reviewer in the OP sounds far too cocky for his own good in his email (especially in telling him about his YT reviews of all the best pianos the world has to offer ) to Wayne Stuart, who replied in typically forthright Aussie-speak.........

Oh my, I think I’m gonna write an email to Mr. Stuart including a link to this thread. My communication with him was always smooth and pleasant, even my English was not good enough as James’... LOL

Precisely - that was my first thought. As I posted above, I'd be very surprised if the Stuart & Sons reply didn't include something like:

"The information transmitted is intended only for the person ... addressed and may contain confidential ... retransmission, dissemination or other use of ... other than the intended recipient is prohibited".

Having been involved in official correspondence for more years than I care to remember, we were taught that it is an implication that correspondence between a Government Department (where I worked) and a Business - is "in confidence" - and if I wanted to share the quote or information with another person or Department, I needed to clear it with that Business.

Well if there were to be any kind of legal action (and I really, really doubt there would be) I'm guessing the youtube kid would stand a fair chance at crowdfunding it. Wayne Stuart...not so much

I agree. How do you define an "expert"? I think it depends on who you are speaking to.

Just because you play the piano, sell pianos, work on pianos, write a book about pianos, moderate a piano forum. or even own a piano forum doesn't make you an "expert" on everything related to the piano. I am not going to ask my Shigeru MPA or a piano salesman how to play a section of a Chopin Ballade. I'm not going to seek the advice of Evgeny Kissin on how regulate or voice a piano. I'm not going to ask the piano mover how to get a good deal on a quality piano. These people may have expertise specific to what they are knowledgeable or have experience in but it does not make them experts on all things piano. I see it on these forums all the time. Who is who to judge?

I think in this particular case, Mr Stuart is foolish to think a young man with a youtube channel is beneath his piano brand for a review. If anything, young men like this are the kinds of people this art needs to keep it alive. I'm in my middle years, I would hope more young men and women his age get more involved in the art of piano as he is doing.

I remember reading a story of young aspiring female pianist whose application was refused to play a concert at a Christmas recital in a nursing home -who had to make a living outside of the piano selling tupperware on E-bay because no one took her seriously. Someone who nearly quit the piano. That was until she found her audience on Youtube armed only with a digital camera and a piano. Her name was Valentina Lisitsa. None of us now, I hope, would now think of her anything less than an expert on performing on the piano. Now as a Bosendorfer artist her bio reads, "Valentina Lisitsa gained worldwide fame through her popular performances on social media. She is a pioneer of digital innovation in classical music. Long before established institutions turned to digital channels, she achieved a faithful following worldwide and became a YouTube phenomenon—one of the first classical musicians to do so, entirely without the support of a record label. Meanwhile, her YouTube channel counts more than 370,000 subscribers."

She certainly didn't follow the recognized road by which one becomes a so-called, "expert". Everyone has a voice and a story to tell. No one needs to be a dick about. At some point in his life I'm sure someone who Mr. Stuart would now consider beneath him, gave him a chance that made him the success he is today. It's too bad he forgot about that.

Valentina Lisitsa is amazing! Imagine someone declining her application to play at a nursing home recital. This piece alone has nearly 10 million views.

https://youtu.be/4QB7ugJnHgs

No one said they declined because they didn't think she was good enough.

Any comparison between Lisitsa and James makes little sense to me. She was an accomplished pianist long before she became popular but James is far from an expert on pianos. While I enjoy his enthusiasm, I feel he thinks he knows a lot more about pianos than he actually does.

If anyone is interested, I was curious about the source of the nursing home & ebay story as I'd not heard that before. I found: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/arts/music/valentina-lisitsa-jump-starts-her-career-online.html

I agree entirely.

The thing is you're kind of saying Stuart should get a pass on being rude because he's...Australian? I suspect there are some Aussie members here who might take exception to this. When you describe his response as forthright, it's not just forthright, it's rude, patronising and wholly unnecessary.

Well said. The piano community needs to get it's head out of the sand. And this forum is a perfect microcosm.

One man's rudeness is another man's forthrightness.

One kid's 'enthusiasm' is another's cockiness and boastfulness and bullsh*tting, deserving of being put back into his place.

Depending on where you're from, among other things. (Maybe also your age.)

Travel to other continents, and expand your knowledge of other cultures......

You've already received different responses from some others here already. Why do you think your impression of their 'spat' is the only correct and possible one?

This entire thread is unnecessary. As another person alluded to, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Further, I don't think Mr. Stuart's customers are likely to see James as an "influencer." In any case, why amplify the matter here? Of course, it is a forum, and I don't really object--I simply don't understand the point. Recreational outrage?

I've travelled to many continents and experienced many cultures. That is why I do not engage in lazy cultural and moral relativism. I do not regard my own opinion as infallible, yet I do have strong opinions. Those things are not mutually exclusive as you seem to think. I think you lack context and a certain respect for decency. Go figure.

Life can be dull. Why not?

So, to go back to my rhetorical question - you think your opinion is the only possible and correct one?

And you're now attacking me too?

Did you actually read what I said? I have liked many of your posts in the past but I think you need to read what I actually posted and alter your reply.