How does Steinway & Sons transform a mass of wood, metal, felt and plastic into a masterpiece of artistry and musical inspiration?

Thornton Steinway Partners and longtime USC supporters Cheri and Rod Jones, Jean and Bruce Juell, and Barbara and Roger Rossier found out on a recent trip to the company’s storied 125-year-old factory in Queens, N.Y.

The Queens tour gave Thornton’s guests an inside view of the Steinway success story which propelled the quality-driven and image-conscious company into a position of dominance since its founding in 1853.

The New York visit was part of the USC Thornton All-Steinway School Initiative, a project with a goal to raise $3.5 million so a Steinway piano can be placed in every student practice room, faculty studio and performance venue.

The ultimate goal of the campaign is to create a teaching and performance environment equal to the stature of Thornton faculty, their students and guest artists.

Such an environment will allow Thornton to become an All-Steinway School comparable to such peers as the Juilliard School, The Curtis Institute of Music and the Yale School of Music.

In the words of Rod Jones, this was “a dream trip focused on music.”

The weekend kicked off with a reception at the New York residence of Ginny Mancini, a member of Thornton’s board of councilors. In addition to the Steinway factory tour, the agenda included a keynote performance by the USC Thornton Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall.

To be one of only four nationwide ensembles selected to perform was an honor that recognized Thornton’s leadership in musical excellence, according to Jones. For Barbara Rossier, “just the lengthy standing ovation that followed the performance said it all.”

The trip concluded with a private recital featuring Thornton faculty pianist John Perry in Steinway Hall.

Rod Jones summed up the emotional effect the performance had on the audience when he said that Perry embodied the role of the performer “who was one with his instrument.”

Considering that the purchase of a Steinway – which can range from mid $30,000 to nearly $100,000 – constitutes a major financial investment, particularly at teaching institutions like Thornton where the need is multiplied, the question is then why all-Steinway?

Part of the reason is that while there may be several other piano manufacturers, Steinway is unique in that it builds its instruments by hand (“to perfection,” according to its supporters) based on designs patented by its founders, including those by Henry Steinway.

This became apparent to those visiting the 400,000 square-foot Steinway factory: They were reminded every step of the way that if a flaw is detected, the part is disassembled and replaced. In the production of Steinways, quality is the only goal.

The opportunity to spend a day seeing the structure of these handcrafted instruments is not available to the general public. Steinway & Sons has agreed to open its factory for another USC group one additional time during the school’s Steinway Initiative.

“This was a fabulous trip, and I enjoyed spending quality time with our Steinway partners,” said Dean Robert Cutietta. “I look forward to another opportunity like this.”

As the instrument of choice for more than 95 percent of performing artists and soloists, as well as the finest concert stages and recording studios, Steinway pianos represent a vital component to the professional training of Thornton students. Their presence in practice rooms and performance spaces raises the standard of excellence by inspiring the students to do their best.

At a place like Thornton, these instruments take a tremendous pounding as they are put to use in nearly 500 annual concerts, recitals and master classes, as well as all rehearsals and private lessons presented at Thornton.

For the Jones, Juells and Rossiers and other members of Thornton’s Steinway Partners, support for the Steinway Initiative is a natural progression in their longstanding relationship with USC.

In 1998, Southern California educators Barbara Rossier (EdD ’71) and Roger Rossier (EdD ’72) contributed $20 million to the USC School of Education, which was eventually renamed in their honor. When the Rossiers looked to purchase a piano for their house in 1997, they turned to Thornton for help in evaluating their selection.

Barbara Rossier, a USC trustee, is an experienced teacher and psychologist who is aware “why it is important to develop interest and appreciation of music at an early age.” She now takes her grandson to the children’s programs of the Orange County Pacific Symphony, which she serves as a member of its board of directors.

Jean Juell, who graduated from USC in vocal arts, is married to investment banker Bruce Juell, an engineering alumnus. Jean Juell professionally trained her voice next to the ever-present accompaniment of her piano. Previously, the Juells were instrumental in providing partial funding to endow Thornton’s prestigious Piatigorsky Chair in Violoncello.

Rod Jones, a USC alumnus in mechanical engineering (BS ’66, MS ’68), is also a classically trained musician who has studied and practiced piano since the age of 6. He now proudly calls himself a “living room pianist.”

Jones has channeled his lifelong passion for piano back to Thornton: He frequently attends recitals by Thornton faculty pianists and has previously funded the purchase of a Steinway grand, even before the school launched its Steinway Initiative last year. That piano is now housed in the Arnold Schoenberg Institute.