Cunningham KEYS

Knowledge • Education • Your Studio

Since 1891, Cunningham Piano has supported Philadelphia's piano community. With Cunningham KEYS, we honor independent teachers by offering recognition, resources, and opportunities that help your studio grow while celebrating your role in enriching lives and inspiring a lifelong love of music.

Our history has been shaped by musicians and educators at every level — from Curtis Institute faculty to composers like George Gershwin, Vincent Persichetti and George Crumb, who placed their trust in Cunningham pianos. Today, that same tradition of trust continues with you, the independent teacher, whose work ensures that music remains a vibrant force in the lives of your students and community.

Member Benefits

Connection and Community

Independent piano teachers give so much to their students, often working in isolation without the recognition or support they deserve. Cunningham KEYS invites you to be part of a community where your work is valued, your voice is heard, and your role as an educator is celebrated.

Through KEYS, teachers gain more than benefits — they gain colleagues. Our events, workshops, and gatherings provide opportunities to:

Network with fellow educators and build lasting professional relationships.
Exchange ideas and best practices for teaching, practicing, and motivating students.
Share unique pedagogical insights that strengthen the entire teaching community.
Participate in collaborative learning with guest artists, clinicians, and local experts.

By connecting teachers to one another, KEYS fosters both personal validation and professional growth, ensuring that no teacher feels alone in their work.

Grow Your Studio

Inclusion in our Student Referral Portal, connecting you with families actively searching for piano teachers in your area.
Opportunities to be featured and recognized through Cunningham's website and social media channels, seen by more than 50,000 piano enthusiasts every month.

Support & Rewards

Complimentary wellness checks for your teaching piano.
Complimentary tickets to high-profile concerts in the Philadelphia region
Preferred pricing on concert-quality pianos for events outside your studio.
Piano care maintenance workshops offered by expert Registered Piano Technicians
Continuing education opportunities in partnership with Yamaha USA
Earn referral remunerations when your students purchase instruments through Cunningham.
Exclusive KEYS member savings on pianos and accessories for your studio.

An Invitation to Join KEYS

We invite you to become part of Cunningham KEYS — a community that honors teachers, connects colleagues, and nurtures the next generation of music lovers. Since 1891, Cunningham Piano has stood with educators, and we'd be proud to stand with you. {formbuilder:MTI3Nzc0}

First Fridays: Where Teachers and Students Shine

Each month, Cunningham Piano opens its doors for First Friday performances, masterclasses, and clinics featuring Yamaha and Bösendorfer artists alongside local musicians and educators.

Cunningham KEYS members enjoy VIP treatment, including:

Reserved seating for you and your guests
Exclusive artist meet & greet access
Complimentary hospitality
Opportunities to nominate advanced students for performance and masterclass participation
Priority registration for masterclasses and workshops
Recognition as a valued KEYS member

Cunningham Hall at Cunningham Piano: a recital hall with a black grand piano on a raised wood stage, backed by a gold-lit slatted wood wall, with rows of seating facing it.

New for KEYS Members

Cunningham Hall: A Stage for Your Students

A student who has only ever played in a living room plays differently the first time they walk onto a real stage. Cunningham Hall was built for that moment: a raised stage, a resonant space, warm lighting, and seating for 120. Bring your recital, your masterclass, your adjudications, your end-of-year celebration — and let your students be inspired hearing themselves in a space designed to bring out their very best.

Cunningham Hall rents for $500 per event. For KEYS members, that fee is waived.

Host free

REFER THREE FAMILIES — OR ONE WHO BUYS — AND THE HALL IS YOURS

Refer three families who come in to see us during the calendar year, or one family who purchases a piano from us, and your $500 rental fee is waived for that year. Book your date, invite your students and their families, and play.

Referrals go through our student referral form. Each one counts toward the three once that family visits a showroom or schedules a consultation, and one referred family that buys a piano covers the year on its own. Counted January through December, resetting each January. A purchase is one way to qualify, never a requirement, for them or for you.

Earn 3%

And 3% if a student finds their piano with us

If a family you referred purchases an instrument from Cunningham within a year of the referral, you receive 3% of the purchase price — our standard KEYS commission rate, separate from the waived rental and in addition to it.

Your students are under no obligation to buy anything. Three visits earn the waiver just as surely as a purchase does.

We want your students to have the best possible experience learning to play, and part of that is an instrument that inspires the journey they are on with you. We are here to help you and your families understand which pianos suit how a student plays and what they can spend — and which will reward them for a lifetime of music.

Refer a student

To check available dates for Cunningham Hall, talk to your Cunningham representative.

KEYS Membership Pathway

Join KEYS

Enjoy Your Benefits

Gain immediate access to referrals, workshops, recital space, discounts, and recognition.

Partner for Growth

Introduce families to Cunningham and earn rewards when your students purchase instruments.

Stay Connected

Attend at least one KEYS event or workshop per year and enjoy being part of a vibrant teaching community.