Piano Technicians Guild
WESTPAC - Western and Pacific Regional Conference
March 3-6, 2011
San Francisco, CA
Instructors
Institute Director Lisa Weller has rounded up some of the best instructors
in the U.S. There are even more still being added!
Click the links below to see bios.
- Rick Baldassin
- Timothy Barnes
- Christian Bolduc
- Keith Bowman
- Steve Brady
- Jack Brand
- Chris Brown
- Melanie Brooks
- Mark Burgett
- Dave Carpenter
- Mike Carraher
- Bruce Clark
- Jim Coleman, Jr.
- Debra Cyr
- Richard Davenport
LaRoy Edwards - Dale Erwin
- Del Fandrich
- Anne Garee
- Allan Gilreath
- Nick Gravagne
- Horace Greeley
Richard
Davenport and Nick Gravagne Rick Baldassin, RPT - Renner USA
Rick received his education and piano technology training from Brigham Young University. He is the author of the book On
Pitch, which was recently re-published. Rick served as the Tuning Editor for the Journal from 1987 to 1991. His teaching has taken him to piano factories and conventions throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, Korea and Australia. Rick has served as the Concert Technician for the Utah Symphony for over 20 years, and has been the Teaching and Technical Consultant for Renner since 1989. He has been trained in the concert and artist programs of Fazioli, Steinway and Yamaha, and has been a consultant to the Falcone, Mason & Hamlin, and Pramberger Piano Companies. Rick also serves as the Technical Support Director for Fazioli in North America. He is a Member of Note, Jim Burton, and Hall of Fame award winner. Rick and his wife Cindy currently operate Baldassin Pianos, a full-line rebuilding and retail showroom located in Salt Lake City.
Timothy Barnes
Timothy Barnes began tuning pianos in high school before moving to Charlotte, NC to attend The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He began his studies as a music major before switching to Economics and graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the Belk School of Business at UNCC. Over the past 8 Years Timothy has applied the principles of business administration and successfully built Barnes Piano, LLC into a profitable and sustainable company. He currently resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife Rachel who is expecting their first child. www.pianostringcovers.com
Christian Bolduc
Christian
Bolduc is a technician specialized in soundboards and pinblocks (belly man). Christian
is a cabinet and furniture expert. He studied cabinet making at the Ecole
du Meuble de Victoriaville and spent one year at the Schimmel factory in Braunschweig,
Germany studying piano structure and design. He is a constant searcher for
new ideas and methods to make your rebuilding projects easier. Christian is
also the factory manager at Pianos André Bolduc. www.pianobolduc.com
Keith Bowman, RPT - Hailun USA
Keith has a broad background in woodworking spanning over 30 years. His interest in piano technology began in 1979 leading to an apprenticeship and eventual management position in a full service shop learning service and restoration of pianos, players, reed organs and harpsichords. In 1984 he started his company, Bowman’s Piano Service. Keith has been a PTG member since 1982 and an examiner for the RPT exams for 20 years. He originated a full product line of tuning and voicing tools, as well as shop fixtures, for Renner USA, and is a technical consultant for Hailun USA.
Steve Brady, RPT
Steve
Brady, RPT served as head piano technician at the University of
Washington from 1978 till 2003. During those 25 years he tuned and prepared
pianos for approximately 5,000 concerts and recitals, and worked with most
of the leading pianists of our time. Steve served as editor of the Piano
Technicians Journal for six years (1995 to 2001). In 1996 he received
the Piano Technicians Guild’s “Member of Note” award, and in 1999 PTG published
his book, A Piano Technician’s Guide to Field Repairs, which recently
went into a second edition. His latest book, Under the Lid: The Art and
Craft of the Concert Piano Technician, was published in 2008. Steve
currently serves as head piano technician for the Aspen Music Festival and
School. In his spare time Steve enjoys cooking, tending his wine cellar,
and dancing Argentine tango. He lives in Seattle with his wife, the concert
pianist Judith Cohen. www.stevebradypiano.com
Jack Brand
Jack
is a master felt maker in his own rite. His family owns three felt factories,
including the Wurzen Felt Co., Germany, formerly the legendary J.D Weickert
felt factory. This factory is the oldest felt making facility in the world.
The hammer felts and other felts are produced combining Jack's vast expertise
with original J.D. Weickert felt formulas passed on to him in 1992 when the
family purchased the plant in Wurzen. Jack's passion is making piano felts,
especially hammer top felt. He is the piano technician's best ally and is ever
trying to improve the product.
Melanie Brooks - Brooks LTD
Melanie
is a third generation PTG member. After obtaining a BA degree in Economics
and Business and working in the corporate arena for nearly a decade, she returned
to Brooks LTD a family owned piano parts business, in 1995, focusing on marketing
and technical services. In 2009 she purchased Brooks LTD, carrying into a
second generation the successful philosophy of close collaboration with technicians
and rebuilders to create, service, and restore instruments with innovative
and specialized products.
Chris Brown, RPT
Christopher
Brown, RPT has worked as a rebuilder and service technician for 32 years. In
2005, Chris set up his shop exclusively for action work. He is a founding member
of The Piano Rebuilders, a consortium of Boston area specialists offering jigs,
fixtures, and rebuilding services to the trade. www.thepianorebuilders.com
Mark Burgett
Mark Burgett started his career in the piano business in 1981 with his brothers Gary and Kirk under the tutoring of Paul Magee in the Sacramento Chapter. In 1988 when PianoDisc was established, Mark was active in training technicians in installation, technical support and development and testing of new product. In 2007 when the company started development of the composite action parts under the name of Wessell, Nickel and Gross, Mark took an active part of educating, marketing and quality control this revolutionary product.
Dave Carpenter, RPT - Veritune, Inc.
Dave
Carpenter, RPT is the lead designer of the Verituner electronic tuning devices
and president of Veritune, Inc. Dave's background includes an engineering degree
from the University of Illinois and a career in software design. After discovering
the joy of piano technology, Dave joined the guild and pursued his Chicago
area piano service business. Combining his skills and interests, Dave embarked
on the development of a new tuning device in 1998, and since has enjoyed spending
the majority of his time supporting and improving the product line. A continual
student of piano acoustics, Dave is a frequent instructor at PTG conventions
and seminars, and an active RPT member and past president of the PTG Chicago
Chapter. www.veritune.com
Mike Carraher, RPT - Renner USA
Mike
has been a member of PTG since 1979 and an examiner for the RPT exams since
1981. He also designed the first repair jigs for the technical exam and still
participates in their construction. For over 20 years Mike has taught various
tuning and regulation classes at the local, regional and Institute levels.
He makes shop fixtures and exhibits for Renner USA, and is a technical consultant
for Hailun USA. Mike has owned and operated Carr’s Piano Service in Elizabethtown
PA for over 25 years.
Bruce Clark
Bruce
Clark grew up working in the shop at his father’s piano store in Kansas. After
college, he began his associations with several manufacturers including Falcone
and the Mason & Hamlin division of the Aeolian American
Corp. Today he is a senior Design Engineer at Mason & Hamlin and Wessell,
Nickel & Gross. Among other achievements, Bruce was the lead design engineer
on the new Mason & Hamlin AA-64, B-54 and CC-94, and also served as one
of the lead design engineers for the Wessell, Nickel & Gross Composite
Action project. www.wessellnickelandgross.com
Jim Coleman, Jr. , RPT - Coleman Tools
Jim Coleman, Jr. began learning to repair pianos during his early elementary school years. His father, a second generation piano technician, started teaching young Jim how to tune pianos at the age of 15. By the time Jim graduated from high school in 1962 he was tuning pianos for friends and his church. At the age of 19 he was the piano technician for the Baldwin piano dealer in Phoenix, Arizona. He also worked part time for his father and soon began to build his own private clientele. In July 1966 Jim moved to Indiana to become the Quality Control Engineer in the piano division of the C. G. Conn company. In 1968 he returned to Phoenix to rebuild his private business. In 1975 Jim joined the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) and soon became a Craftsman (now called a Registered Piano Technician) member of PTG. In 1991 Jim was elected to the office of Western Regional Vice President of PTG, he later served as Secretary/Treasurer (1994-1996 and 2006-2009) and is currently the Vice President of PTG. During the 1980’s recession, Jim took the opportunity to become the piano technician for Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Due to health issues with his daughter the family had to return to Arizona and by 1989 Jim was once again rebuilding his private clientele. In 2007 Jim moved his family to East Tennessee where he is currently the piano technician for the University of Tennessee www.utk.edu/music in Knoxville, TN. www.colemantools.com
Debra Cyr, RPT
Debbie
learned piano tuning and repairs in 1990 as an apprentice as well as through
a correspondence course and then attended the rebuilding program at the North
Bennet Street School in Boston. She is an instructor at the North Bennet
Street School, as well as a rebuilder, and has an extensive private tuning
clientele. Debbie is past president of the Boston Piano Technicians
Guild and teaches at seminars and conventions on the local, regional and national
levels. www.nbss.org
Richard Davenport, RPT
Richard Davenport, RPT, is a concert technician, formerly
a Technical Service Consultant for 24 years with Yamaha. He received advanced
training at Yamaha's concert grand factory in Japan and, more recently, at
the Fazioli factory in Italy. Since 1980, he has serviced pianos for 20th Century
Fox Studios as well as installing a new soundboard, action and pinblock in
their 1928 Steinway D. He regularly teaches PTG chapter seminars, regional
and national convention classes. Richard is a recipient of the PTG 2008 Hall
of Fame Award.
LaRoy Edwards RPT
LaRoy
Edwards is one of the founding members of PTG. He has been teaching classes
for PTG, on behalf of Yamaha, for over 40 years. In the early 1970s, he developed
the Yamaha Little Red Schoolhouse program for piano technicians. LaRoy is considered
by many technicians to be one of the best instructors in the piano industry.
Dale Erwin, RPT
Dale is a second-generation piano technician. His father, Harold, received training
from the venerable William Braid White in 1950. Belonging to a deeply musical
family prepared Dale for a career in custom piano restoration and rebuilding.
His wife Trix and son Dennis work together with Dale at the family business,
Erwin's Piano Restorations in Modesto, California.
Although he started out as a field technician for his dad's Yamaha franchise, his passion for creating his own sound and touch took him out of the field and into the shop full time. His 35-year journey has been one of incredible discovery, high enthusiasm and rich experience -- both personal and musical -- and a steep, constant learning curve, in pursuit of what he terms the "golden piano tone".
His newest ventures are building soundboard panels and pinblocks for the trade, as well as being a Ronsen sales & technical rep. His trademark soundboard design, the "variable radius" soundboard, has been displayed and heard at conventions since the early1990s, including Rochester 2006 and Anaheim 2008.
Del Fandrich, RPT
Delwin
D Fandrich, piano designer and builder, has been actively involved in the piano
industry since the early 1960s and an active member of the Piano Technicians
Guild since 1972. Fandrich worked as service manager for Oregon’s largest Steinway
dealer, a position bringing him in contact with a variety of the major touring
concert pianists. Increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of most new
pianos of the time, he began studying piano design and manufacturing techniques,
ultimately becoming Director of Piano Research and Development for the Baldwin
Piano & Organ Company. In 1989 he became America’s only independent design
and manufacturing consultant at the time. He designed and manufactured the
48” Fandrich Vertical Piano, which was labeled “revolutionary” by Larry Fine
in The
Piano Book, third ed. Utilizing his patented soundboard system, this piano
has been called one of the best vertical pianos of its size ever built. Fandrich
has written extensively on the subjects of piano design, manufacture, and acoustics
including a long-running series of articles for the Piano
Technicians Journal, “The Designer’s Notebook.” Fandrich lectures extensively
on piano technology and design topics in the U.S., Europe, Australia, and China.
Over the past two year Fandrich has been working with Young Chang redesigning
their entire product line and refining their manufacturing systems to improve
build quality and performance consistency. Fandrich also designs and remanufactures
pianos at his plant in Centralia, Washington. www.fandrichpiano.com
Anne Garee, RPT
Anne
Garee, Program Director for Piano Technology, has enjoyed her career as piano
technician at the Florida State University College of Music since 1983. She
joined the faculty in 2004 and directs the Master of Arts in Piano Technology
program mentoring trained piano technicians in one of the most comprehensive
colleges of music in the nation. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano
Performance and completed a three year apprenticeship program for the Certificate
in Piano Technology from the Bowling Green State University in Ohio. A Registered
Piano Technician with the Piano Technicians Guild, she is an active clinician
both in the U.S. and abroad. www.music.fsu.edu
Allan Gilreath, RPT, PTG President
As a Registered Piano Technician (RPT) member of the Piano Technicians Guild
(PTG) he constantly strives to improve and upgrade his skills as a technician
in order to better serve you as our client. Participation in continuing education
venues such as workshops and seminars as well as research, teaching other technicians
and authoring technical articles further those efforts. His Bachelor degree
in Music Business from Berry College, many years of work in the piano sales
and service industry and vast experience in servicing and restoring pianos
places him in a perfect position to focus on the piano player's needs. In addition,
Allan now serves as the Service Consultant for Bechstein America, LLC and volunteers
his time both in the community as a Cub Scout Leader and as a volunteer for
the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG).
Nick Gravagne, RPT
Nick Gravagne, RPT has been a prolific writer for the Piano
Technicians Journal,
most known for his popular and long-running “Good Vibrations” series, and has
been a frequent teacher at P.T.G. National and State conventions, and many
regional seminars. A technician since 1973, and an RPT since 1975, much of
Nick's business currently revolves around rebuilding and soundboard manufacture
for the trade, and is active in concert prep and maintenance of fine grand
pianos. Nick has also served as the Technical Service Manager for Kawai America
Pianos. His credentials and awards include a BA from William Paterson University,
an AST in Mechanical Engineering via Penn State, and the PTG Member of Note
Award.
Horace Greeley
Born
into a marginally musical family, Horace Greeley was indentured to a local
piano teacher before he was four years old. Fortunately, this worthy, a student
of Theodor Leschetizky, was so well trained and motivated that she was able
to help the young miscreant progress in spite of himself. At the age of 11,
having had brief flirtations with both the violin and the clarinet, he found
himself picking up the bassoon. Early study and orchestral experience led to
ten years of study with Frederick Moritz (principal bassoon of the Los Angeles
Philharmonic), five years study of harmony, theory and composition with a student
of Nadia Boulanger; and five years studying conducting with Frederick Zweig,
former principal conductor of the Berlin Opera (colleague of George Szell and
Bruno Walter). Maintaining an active performance career for many years, Horace
served as principal bassoon with many regional orchestras. Among others, he
has performed with Herbert Blomstedt, Zubin Mehta, Carlos Chavez, Darius Milhaud,
and Ingolf Dahl. He has also served on the faculties of U.C. Riverside, CSU
San Bernardino, and the University of Redlands.
After commenting to an established piano tuner that “any idiot” could tune a piano, Horace entered the piano tuning profession quite by accident in 1966. An unpaid apprenticeship which lasted two years was quickly followed by an abrupt entry into concert preparation and service in 1968. In September of that year, the Cerritos College Jazz Series opened with Oscar Peterson performing, and Horace in attendance as technician. A completely new aspect of piano service when Peterson said: “...ya’ done good, kid...”. Bright lights, shining faces...Ah...youth!
While concentrating on Steinway instruments, Horace has been actively providing
concert, and warranty, as well as private service for fine pianos for over
forty-four years. He has worked with over a third of the currently active Steinway
artists; and counts it his extreme good fortune to have been able to spend
significant amounts of time training with some of the top Steinway factory
and concert technicians. Among others, these have included Bill Hupfer, Fred
Drasche, Joe and Ralph Bisceglie, John Bogyos, Raymond Parada, Kenyon Brown,
Keith Hardesty, and Franz Mohr.
Zhi Wei Huang, RPT
Zhi Wei (pronounced "Zeeway") Huang was
born in China in 1954. Both his parents were engineers, and he and his
brothers grew up actually living in the factory where his parents were employed.
From a very young age he learned how to finely craft things of metal and
wood with machinery and hand tools. He is an accomplished violinist,
but conceived a passion to be a piano tuner. He emigrated to
the United States in 1981 and started learning piano tuning and repair
in 1984 in San Francisco. He's been a PTG San Francisco
chapter member since 1992. Mr. Huang has taken advanced technical
training at the Steinway factory
in New York, at Yamaha's Little Red Schoolhouse and at the Baldwin factory
in Trumann, AR. For some years he served as a consultant for Baldwin
Piano Company in China and would travel several times a year to their
Dongbei and Zhongshan factories to advise on quality control and
train factory workers. He is currently the chief technician for
the San Francisco Unified School District, where he has the responsibility
for maintaining and rebuilding 550 pianos. He does high level concert
tuning & technical work and has served as technician for touring concert
pianist Vladimir Viardo. Zhiwei is a creative thinker and has devised methods
of tuning and voicing that don't always follow accepted norms, but achieve remarkable
results. He has taught these in classes for PTG chapters in San Francisco,
Sacramento and Santa Clara, as well as many groups of piano technicians in China.
He is generous with his time and knowledge, and is always eager to share with
and learn from other technicians.
Scott Jones, RPT
Scott
Jones began his career as a piano technician in 1984, after receiving a BM
degree in music composition from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
From 1989 to 2001, he was employed by Steinway & Sons, New York, where
he held positions as concert technician, technical instructor and product development
researcher. From 2001 to present, he developed the PitchLock string coupler
and TouchRail systems, both being demonstrated nationwide. Scott has authored
3 U.S. patents, most recently for the TouchRail. www.pitchlock.com
Carl Lieberman, RPT
Carl
has been a piano technician in Los Angeles since 1972, passed his RPT exams
in 1979 and has 38 years tuning experience. He studied aural tuning with David
Safir and learned repair, regulation and voicing skills in David's shop at
Pianos Wholesale. Carl tuned aurally only until 1981 and has been integrating
both aural and electronic tuning since taking an ear opening class from Steve
Fairchild. He studied math and computers eons ago at
UC Berkeley and is a member of the Reyburn CyberTuner Development Team. He
has worked for 3 local Yamaha dealers and has tuned for countless concerts
and recording sessions. www.reyburn.com
Don Mannino, RPT - Kawai
Don
Mannino, RPT, began an apprenticeship with a piano rebuilder while
completing his studies at San Diego State University as a piano performance
major in 1979. After working as an independent piano technician in the San
Diego area, he held the position of National Service Manager for Young Chang
Pianos, then was Manager of Technical Support for Kawai Pianos in the US
and Canada, and now serves as the Director of Technical Training for Kawai
and Shigeru Kawai Pianos. Don and his wife Patty are the editors of the
Southern California Combined PTG newsletter. In addition to teaching at
regional technician seminars, PTG Annual conventions, and at PTG chapter
meetings, he also has designed technicians tools and has had articles on
a variety of technical topics published in the Piano Technicians Journal,
including Action Center service, a series on grand action regulation, and
the use of plastics in piano actions. In 2010 he was certified in Japan
as a Kawai "Master Piano Artisan" (or MPA), the highest level of
technician for the Kawai company. Don resides in Cypress, CA with his wife
Patty. Their daughter Sarah is studying Aerospace Engineering at UCSD. www.shigerukawai.com
Robert Marinelli, RPT
Robert
Marinelli, founder and president of Pianotek Supply Company, has been a Registered
Piano Technician since 1976. He studied piano at Wayne State University with
Boris Maximovich before beginning his technical career. One of the most unique
opportunities in his early technical training was working in a furniture repair
shop for Henry Ford’s personal cabinetmaker. His work as a concert technician
over the years has included the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the C & A
department of the Hammell Music Steinway dealership. Bob owned and operated
a piano rebuilding and refinishing shop in Detroit, as well as running his
own piano tuning business. At Pianotek, Bob is involved with new product development
and with the manufacturing of replacement keyboards and action restoration.
He is an active clinician at international and regional conferences, as well
as at schools in the U.S. and abroad. www.pianoteksupply.com
Michael A. Morvan, Blackstone Valley Piano
Mike
Morvan has applied machinist skills to the art of key covering and fabrication,
and he employs nearly forgotten techniques and procedures once standard in
key manufacturing. With his machinist background, state-of-the-art milling
machines, and original Pratt & Read keyboard tooling (acquired from Frank
Stopa), he provides repair and restoration techniques that incorporate traditional
key manufacturing procedures. His company Blackstone Valley Piano (www.pianoandorgankeys.com)
continues to offer high quality keyboard and keyframe restoration and fabrication
for organ and piano technicians nationwide. Mike has made a leap into the future
and added a CNC router. This modern equipment has greatly improved the quality
of Mike’s keyboard restoration and fabrication services. It has also enabled
Blackstone Valley Piano to provide other much needed services and products
to the trade: fabrication of custom buttons, mortise inserts, soundboard cauls,
rib shaping cauls, action parts, jigs and fixtures, as well as case parts that
supply houses and other manufacturers can’t provide.
Vince Mrykalo, RPT
Vince
Mrykalo, RPT, began learning to tune and repair pianos in April of 1972 and
started tuning for a Baldwin dealer in Howell, NJ in January of 1973. In 1976
he joined the PTG as an Apprentice, and became a Craftsman in 1978, receiving
his 25 year pin in 2003. In 2006 at the Rochester, NY Convention, he received
the Crowl-Travis Member of Note Award. Vince has trained at the Baldwin Factory
in Conway AR in 1983 under Jack Krefting, Willard Sims, and Ben McKlveen. He
attended the Yamaha Disklavier school in 1993 working under Brian DeTar and
Laroy Edwards, completed all five Theodore Steinway & Sons factory training
session between 1992 and 2002 under Scott Jones, and later Eric Schandall,
and went through the Shigeru Kawai training in 2004 under Don Mannino and Terri
Otake. He has taught at various PTG Conventions since 1990 and has been a University
technician since 1990. He is now the piano technician at the University of
Utah, a position he has held since June 2002, and operates his own rebuilding
shop and piano service. www.mrykalopiano.com
Ray Negron - Ronsen Piano Hammer Co.
Ray
is a second generation piano hammer maker, following in the footsteps of his
father, Marty Negron, who was co-founder of Ronsen Piano Hammer Co. as well
as former manager at Pfriemer Piano Hammer Co. Ray started working summers
at Ronsen in 1961, and has been working full time since 1971, becoming company
president in 1983. Ray is always looking to learn more about piano hammers,
and enjoys talking with piano technicians regarding hammers, but will always
find time for a conversation about baseball. www.ronsen-hammer.com
Ruth Phillips, RPT
Ruth
Phillips had spent 18 years as a piano technician prior to delving into finish
repairs and restoration when, in 1995, Allied Piano was asked to take on the
Konig polyester and lacquer repair products line. With experience in customer
relations as well as the practical aspects of piano cabinet maintenance, she
can guide you in this increasingly important part of piano service. Her goal
is helping others succeed in their dealings with their clients. www.alliedpiano.com
Randy Potter, RPT
Randy
Potter has been tuning and servicing pianos for 34 years. He is the founder
and director of the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology, which is the largest
school training piano technicians in the world, with students and graduates
in over 70 countries. He is a frequent instructor at local, state, regional
and national PTG conventions, and has taught at seminars in the U.S., Canada,
Europe, Asia and Cuba. www.pianotuning.com
Paul Rea
Paul
says that with 35 plus years in the music industry “There is nothing I can’t
do to a piano, and if there is… I know someone who can.” He also traveled the
country servicing player pianos and standard pianos. Paul is a certified Piano
Disc and QRS player system installer/technician, and quite proficient at touch
up and repair of polyester and conventional finishes. Paul has “sat in every
seat in the house” from bookkeeping, salesman, store manager, technician, factory,
as well as owning a retail store with his parents. Paul also owned a successful
tuning, rebuilding, refinishing and piano moving company for many years. The
past few years Paul has been with a major Southern California piano dealership
as a service manager and technician before accepting the National Technical
Service Managers position at the Pearl River Piano Group. In 2007 Paul accepted
the position at Petrof USA bringing his technical knowledge and experience
to Petrof USA as their National Service Manager. www.petrofpianosusa.com
Mike Reiter, RPT
Michael
D. Reiter, RPT is a long time resident of the Pacific Northwest,
receiving his BM from Pacific Lutheran University. His formal training in
music was completed there and he continues to participate actively in the
musical life of the Tacoma area. His main performance areas are church music
and the harpsichord. He is a full time technician (RPT, 1975) specializing in
action maintenance and fine tuning and is currently the piano technician
for Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Puget Sound. He also
lives with a mixture of 11 pianos and harpsichords in his home. Mike specializes
in work relating to historic pianos and harpsichords. www.precisionpianoworks.com
Paul Revenko-Jones, RPT
Paul grew up in the Washington, DC area, went to undergraduate school at Grinnell College in Iowa (BA, philosophy 1968), and did his graduate work at the University of Chicago (MA, English 1969). He was a dedicated brass player and played semi-professionally in the Midwest while gaining an interest in piano technology. After his return from the Peace Corps in 1971, he opened the first Music of the Spheres Pianoworks shop in Washington, DC. After joining the Piano Technicians Guild in 1987, he achieved RPT designation in 1989, and from 1987 served the PTG Chicago Chapter as editor of the newsletter, Secretary, Vice-president, and President. He tuned for the Lyric Opera briefly in the 1990's, and now, with his wife Oksana, operates a full piano restoration shop on Chicago's near west side as well as servicing a substantial private tuning clientele. Paul has been a regular teacher at regional and national PTG seminars and institutes since the mid-1990s. He has also been an editor of the Piano Technicians Journal from 2001-2005. In June, 2005, Paul received the Piano Technician's Guild Jack Greenfield Award "in recognition of outstanding research and writing of the best technical article for the Piano Technicians Journal." His interests include writing, the martial arts (ranked black belt and an instructor in aikido), and sailing their 28' sailboat Pianoforte on Lake Michigan.
Nate Reyburn, RPT - Reyburn CyberTuner
Nate
trained in piano technology both with Dean (his dad) and is a graduate of the
prestigious North Bennet Street School two year Piano Technology course in
Boston Massachusetts, and passed his RPT exams in 2008. Nate's passions are
not only for piano tech but for making tools for the trade, including the Reyburn
CyberHammer, the industry's finest impact tuning hammer. Nate and his wife
Bethann live in Cedar Springs Michigan where he tunes, repairs and rebuilds
pianos. He now teaches basic CyberTuner and impact hammer use. Nate and Bethann
enjoy paintball, hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor sports. www.reyburn.com
Issac Sadigursky, RPT
Issac Sadigursky, RPT, has been in the piano tuning business since 1974. After immigrating from the USSR with solid professional musical training, he worked for Bill Finnegan's Piano Brokers as an apprentice, prepping pianos and sweeping floors in the shop. Issac attended the UCLA Extension course in Piano Technology under Leon Levitch, studied piano tuning privately with Darwin Kristall, RPT and studied under Dennis Nicholson, RPT, at the American Institute of Piano Technology. Issac's clientele grew to over 7,000 including 4 school districts, many churches, synagogues, country clubs restaurants, music and piano teachers and private clientele. Issac does a large variety of repairs in his well-equipped shop and often works with apprentices, raising a new breed of PTG members. Issac has taught at local chapters, regional and national conventions, covering a wide variety of topics on tuning and repairs. Issac still likes to perform and plays accordion and clarinet with different folk and casual groups on weekends. www.isaacspianoservice.com
Michael Spreeman, RPT
Michael Spreeman is the creator of Ravenscroft Pianos and founder of Spreeman Piano Innovations, LLC. He became a Registered Piano Technician in 1976 and is a Bundt Deutscher Klavierbauer member (German Federation of Piano Manufacturers). Michael has functioned as a concert technician, service technician, and high-end rebuilder of performance pianos for 32 years. Mr. Spreeman’s education includes an apprenticeship with James Coleman Sr. in Tempe, AZ, specialized Fazioli concert technician training in Sacile, Italy, concert technician and Disklavier training with Yamaha Corporation of America, and music studies at Arizona State University. Career highlights for Michael Spreeman include: Principle Technician at Arizona State University, House Concert Technician for Gammage Auditorium, National Technical Consultant for Yamaha Corporation of America, Senior Steinway Technical Representative for Sherman Clay in San Francisco, Phoenix area Steinway Technical Representative, and Phoenix area Baldwin Technical Representative. www.spreemanpianoinnovations.com
Israel Stein, RPT
Israel Stein, RPT, has directed the PTG’s Technical Exam program from 2004 until 2009 and in this capacity also developed and taught the Technical Exam Hands-on Exam Prep classes at the PTG's Annual Institute during those years. Israel has administered over 100 technical examinations since he set up the technical testing program for PTG's Boston Chapter in 1989, and this experience continuously provides unique and valuable perspectives for teaching action regulation. A graduate of the North Bennet Street School Piano Technology program (Boston), Israel has been employed at San Francisco State University as Piano Technician for the past 6 years – besides operating his own piano service and rebuilding business. Previously his career in piano service included employment with the Boston area Steinway dealership - where his responsibilities included working as primary Boston Area Steinway concert technician - and a stint regulating and voicing brand new grands at the Mason & Hamlin factory in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
Yoshi Suzuki
1983
Joined Yamaha
1984 – 1990 Concert piano factory
1990 – 1994 Piano Service Department
in Japan
1994 – 2000 Service manager of Yamaha Europe in Hamburg
2001 – 2008
Service manager in Japan
2008 – Senior technical manager of Yamaha Artist Services
Inc. New York
Starr Taylor, RPT
Starr
Taylor has been tuning and rebuilding pianos since 1985. He studied aural
piano tuning with Andrew Snowden from 1985-1987 and was doing terrible tunings
for the first couple of years. A journeyman machinist, he brings a high tolerance
viewpoint to working with wood. An advocate of Stanwood action protocols and Ronsen
Piano hammers, he strives for a smooth warm tone when installing soundboards. A
guild member since 1988, he is past-president of the local PTG Chapter #337.
Carl Teel - Renner USA
Carl
has been repairing and restoring pianos for over 30 years. He has been a member
of PTG since 1976, and since 1979 has served continuously as Treasurer of the
Salt Lake City Chapter. Carl was instrumental in running the Utah Intermountain
Seminar for a number of years. He is a popular instructor at local, regional
and national conventions, and is a consultant to piano technicians throughout
Utah.
Kent Webb - Manager, Technical Service and Support, Steinway & Sons
Kent
is the Manager of Technical Service and Support for Steinway & Sons. In
this position, Kent oversees and conducts the Steinway Training Academy. He
also works closely with All-Steinway Schools and Institutions to develop and
maintain service strategies and resources. In addition, Kent coordinates service
literature and publications, works closely with Festival Events, and participates
extensively in educational events. Kent Webb has been involved in the piano
industry for over 30 years as a concert technician and rebuilder. In addition
to his position at Steinway & Sons, Kent served as a contributing writer
and consultant for both editions of The Encyclopedia of Keyboard Instruments (Garland
Press, NY, NY) supplying articles on rebuilding, regulation, tuning, and piano
design. He also served as technical columnist for the Soundboard,
a publication for music educators in the United States with a circulation of
over 50,000. Prior to his position with Steinway, Kent was the National Service
Manager for Baldwin Piano Company for 10 years. Kent also was on the Board
of Advisors for the School of Piano Technology at Western Iowa Tech and the
Board of Industry Advisors for the University of Western Ontario for their
School of Piano Technology. Kent has taught at over 400 local, regional, national,
and international events. www.steinway.com
Rick Wheeler
Rick
Wheeler, founder of Roseland Piano Company, has been a piano technician for
over 40 years. His background includes decades of hands-on piano rebuilding
and restoration work, plus many years of manufacturing experience in quality
control, production management, and new product development. Roseland Piano
specializes in the manufacture of replacement piano keysets for the industry. www.roselandpiano.com