Piano Technicians Guild
WESTPAC - Western and Pacific Regional Conference
March 7-10, 2013
Hyatt Regency Downtown, Phoenix, AZ
Instructors
Institute Director Nick Gravagne has rounded up some of the best instructors in the industry.
Click the links to see bios.
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.
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 the factory manager at Pianos Bolduc.
Keith Bowman, RPT
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 has served as editor of the Piano Technicians Journal, received the PTG
“Member of Note” and “Hall of Fame” awards, and authored two books on piano
technology: A Piano Technician’s Guide to Field Repairs, and Under the Lid:
The Art and Craft of the Concert Piano Technician.
Jack Brand - Wurzen Felt Company
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.
Bill Brandom, RPT
Bill
Brandom is recently retired from active duty at Yamaha, serving now as a consultant,
primarily with Disklavier service. Bill has been at the forefront of DKV service
since the product was introduced in 1988.
Wally Brooks, RPT
Wally
has been a member of the Connecticut Chapter of PTG for over 50 years. He has
over 30-years experience running a complete rebuilding shop including soundboard
replacement, pinblock replacement, action replacement and case refinishing.
Wally has instructed at over 35 national conventions and countless regional
seminars and technicals. He and his wife Vivian were the recipients of the
PTG 2006 Golden Hammer Award. Together they established and owned Brooks LTD,
a quality rebuilding supplies & piano parts business from 1980-2008. Brooks
LTD has successfully moved into its second generation owned by Melanie Brooks
since 2009.
Chris Brown, RPT
Christopher
Brown, RPT has worked as a rebuilder and service technician for 32 years. In
2005, he 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, RPT
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 - Verituner
Dave
is the lead designer of the Verituner electronic tuning devices and president
of Veritune, Inc. 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. Dave is
a frequent instructor at PTG conventions and seminars, and an RPT member and
past president of the PTG Chicago Chapter.
Mike Carraher, RPT
Mike
has been a member of PTG since 1979 and an examiner for the RPT exams since
1981. He 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 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
Lead
design engineer for Wessell, Nickel & Gross and Mason & Hamlin. Involved
with piano making and design for the last 30 years.
Jim Coleman, Sr., RPT
Jim
Coleman is a second generation piano technician. He graduated from ASU with
a Bachelor degree in Music Education (1950) and Band, Orchestra, and Chorus
Music. He helped form the PTG Phoenix Chapter in 1960. He taught his first
class at the 1961 National Convention and continued to teach for many decades.
He and Dr. Sanderson developed the PTG Tuning Exam. Jim received the Member
of Note award in 1978, Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Golden Hammer Award in
1996.
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 1980s
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
Cyr RPT, started in piano technology in 1990 as an apprentice, and in 1992
attended the rebuilding program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston.
She is an instructor at the North Bennet Street School, works as a rebuilder,
and has an extensive private tuning clientele. Debbie is also the piano technician
at Brandeis University, as well as a past president and active member of the
Boston Piano Technician Guild She teaches and does technical exams
at seminars and conventions on the local, regional and national levels. (debbiecyr@me.com)
David Durben, RPT - Yamaha
Mr.
Durben is a Piano Service Specialist for Yamaha in Buena Park, CA and is in
his 14th year with the company. Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, he has
served the PTG in many positions. Beginning as President of the MinnKota, ND
chapter and during his four years saw the chapter's membership quadruple.
David was the PTG International's Central West Regional Vice President
(1994-1996), Vice President (1996-1998) and President (1998-2000).
LaRoy Edwards, RPT - Yamaha
LaRoy
Edwards is a legend in the piano technical community. Inventor, gifted teacher,
stalwart of the Yamaha Company and PTG, and Golden Hammer award winner (1987),
he needs no introduction.
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 edition. 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
Rick Florence, RPT
Rick
is a third generation piano technician, having apprenticed in his grandfather’s
(Carl Swendsen) shop in Calgary, Canada. He has since received training at
Yamaha USA (Disklavier, Little Red School House, and advanced training with
Terry Nimi, and factory training at Steinway, Schimmel and Bösendorfer.
Rick is the Senior Piano Technician at Arizona State University. In his 19
years as ASU, Rick has prepared pianos for over 4700 concerts, collaborating
with students, faculty, and some of the great musicians of our time. Rick joined
PTG in 1986 and his service includes local offices, Director of the Utah State
Seminar (1991), Director of the Arizona State Seminar (1994-2001), Assistant
Institute Director (2003-2005) and Institute Director (Rochester, 2006).
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.
Nick Gravagne, RPT
Nick
Gravagne has been a prolific writer for the Piano Technicians Journal, as well
as a frequent teacher at P.T.G. National and State Conventions, and many regional
seminars and technicals nationwide. 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, and the PTG Member of
Note Award. Nick most recently received the Hall of Fame Award at the Annual
Convention in Seattle.
Scott Jones, RPT - Touchrail
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 seminar instructor and product
development technician. From 2001 to present, he developed the PitchLock string
coupler and TouchRail systems. Scott has authored 6 U.S. patents in the field
of Piano Technology, most recently receiving a patent for the TouchRail concept.
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
David Love, RPT
David
Love has lived and worked in the San Francisco area for nearly 35 years. His
business focusses on all aspects of piano rebuilding and servicing including
action and soundboard design and installation and concert work. His contributions
on various topics have been published in the PTJ and he is a frequent contributor
to the Pianotech Listserve. In 2011 he was invited by the AIARP (Associazione
Italiana Accordatori Riparatori Pianoforti) to their national convention in
Cavalese, Italy to lecture on piano rebuilding and restoration, theory and
practice.
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.
Bob Marinelli, RPT - Pianotek
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. He owned and operated
a piano rebuilding and refinishing shop in Detroit while running his own piano
tuning business. At Pianotek, Bob is involved with new product development,
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.
Tremaine Parsons, RPT
Tremaine
Parsons, RPT, was introduced to Piano Technology in 1969 when his piano technician
(after a fourth call back) taught him to re-glue upright jack posts using two
kitchen knives and a piece of coat hanger to clear the mortise. Seeking higher
standards, Tremaine attended North Bennet St. School of Piano Technology for
one year graduating in 1974. While building a successful tuning, repair, and
rebuilding business in the suburbs of Boston MA, Tremaine became interested
in computers during the mid-80’s and released his first version of Pscale (piano
scaling program) three months after seeing a demonstration of the Atari scaling
program at a chapter meeting held at Inventronics in 1989.
In 1992, Tremaine relocated to California and, while building a new tuning
clientele during this decade, established Sierra Software Services, ported
Pscale to the Windows platform, developed the Ptools Client Management program,
and was recruited to create numerous web sites for small businesses in his
area.
In 2001, Tremaine established an Internet Service Provider company offering
low cost Internet access and Web Hosting Services. To date, Tremaine has and
continued his avocations in Piano and Computer Technologies.
Randy Potter, RPT - Randy Potter School of Piano Technology - Portland, OR
Randy
is the founder and director of the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology
which has become the largest producer of training materials for piano technicians
in the world. Randy has written three books, and he is the editor of The Piano
Action Handbook, third edition, published by the Piano Technicians Guild. He
has produced numerous technical articles and over a dozen technical training
video tapes. Randy 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. Randy is the 2009 recipient of the Piano Technicians Guild Hall of
Fame award in recognition of service to PTG and the industry.
Dale Probst, RPT
Dale
Probst has been restoring, repairing, servicing and tuning pianos in the Texoma
area for over thirty years. A musician since the age of eight, Dale played
in groups in Austin, Houston, and Wichita Falls, TX. A native of Wichita Falls
and graduate of Midwestern State University, he feels fortunate to have a vocation
that combines his love of music, woodworking, metalworking, and electronics.
He attributes most of his success to his mentor, Jimmy Gold, RPT. He also received
training at PTG and MITA seminars, the Baldwin Piano factory and is a graduate
of the Yamaha "Little Red Schoolhouse".
Dale's piano service business classes are very popular and have been 'standing room only'. He has served the Piano Technicians Guild at the local, state, regional and national levels, as well as instructing at chapter, state, regional and national seminars. Dale lives in Wichita Falls, TX with his wonderful partner, Elizabeth Ward, RPT.
Paul Rea - Petrof
Paul
says that with 39 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 tech, as well as owning a retail store with his parents. Paul also
owned a successful tuning, rebuilding, refinishing and piano moving company
for 25 plus 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. Shortly
after NAMM in 2007 Paul accepted the position at Petrof USA bringing his technical
knowledge and experience to Petrof USA as their National Service Manager. Paul’s
latest adventure is heading up Petrof USA LLC as the National Operations Manager. www.petrofpianosusa.com
Michael D. 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-1990's. 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 through North Bennet
Street School's advanced 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 near
Grand Rapids, Michigan where he maintains his piano service and premium tools
business. www.reyburn.com
Paul Sanderson, President of Inventronics, Inc.
Paul
has been involved with the production of the Sanderson Accu-Tuner since its
beginning in 1982. As Al Sanderson retired from Inventronics, Paul transitioned
to be responsible for the Accu-Tuner from development to production and distribution.
Paul oversees all phases to assure that the SAT continues to be the finest
electronic tuning aid in the industry. When Al passed away in November 2008,
the continuation of Inventronics and the Accu-Tuner was already mapped out.
Paul, his wife Wendy and three children have seen quite a change since starting
production with Al in the family basement in 1982. Paul, Brian Day and Donna
Goulet work together to keep their customers happy.
Eric Schandall, RPT
Eric
Schandall graduated from the North Bennet Street School in 1967. He worked
privately in Boston and California, starting work as a University Technician
in 1975 in Victoria, British Columbia. From 2001 to 2008 he worked as the Administrator
of Technical Training and Education at Steinway & Sons in New York City,
teaching the curriculum of the CF Theodore Steinway Technical Academy. In 2008
he moved to Oslo Norway to be with his family, working at the Norwegian Opera
and Ballet as Concert Technician, and freelance for the Steinway Dealership
in Norway. www.ericschandall.com
Kathy Smith, RPT
David
Vanderlip and Kathy Smith are a husband-and-wife team with a varied business
in Southern California. They have both been in the piano tech business for
over 30 years. They work with schools, concert halls and private clients, and
have a small rebuilding shop at their home in Anaheim. They are both active
with the local exam board, giving tuning and technical exams to six chapters.
They have both been teaching, together and separately, at local chapter meetings
and regional and national conventions, for 20 years.
Michael Spreeman, RPT, Klavierbauer
Michael
is the creator of Ravenscroft Pianos and founder of Spreeman Piano Innovations,
LLC. Experience includes: 35 years as a concert technician, rebuilder, service
technician, and instructor. He has also worked as a technical consultant for
Renner, Fazioli, Yamaha, Steinway, and Baldwin. Education includes: apprenticeship
with Jim Coleman Sr., 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. Michael teaches nationally
and internationally at PTG and BDK conferences. www.RavenscroftPianos.com
Bruce Stevens, RPT
Bruce
Stevens connection to the piano began at age 7 when he started piano lessons.
By the end of High School, he was an accomplished classical pianist. After
two years of college studying electronics, he started his career as a piano
technician in 1978. His business today includes in-home service and complete
restoration of fine pianos.
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.
David Vanderlip, RPT
David
Vanderlip and Kathy Smith are a husband-and-wife team with a varied business
in Southern California. They have both been in the piano tech business for
over 30 years. They work with schools, concert halls and private clients, and
have a small rebuilding shop at their home in Anaheim. They are both active
with the local exam board, giving tuning and technical exams to six chapters.
They have both been teaching, together and separately, at local chapter meetings
and regional and national conventions, for 20 years.