I’ve always loved music. There was always music in my house — my mother played piano, my father guitar. By the time I was old enough to play myself, I wanted nothing more than to listen deeply. At the same time, I was insatiable in my drive to tinker with things, often to the chagrin of my family members. I always had to know how something worked, even if that meant disassembling something when I had no business doing so. I think the two work quite well in tandem. Playing music is a puzzle in its own right, and working with your hands requires the dexterity and calm that practicing music will instill in you.

People often ask where somebody would go to learn piano tuning. There are a number of options — some people are self taught, others go to a school or take a correspondence course. I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful mentor during my time as a student at Ohio University who guided me through many aspects of piano servicing, from aural tuning to regulating, all the way through action repairs and even restringing. I went on to work extensively with a Yamaha dealer, which not only taught me how to work thoroughly but how to work efficiently.

I’ve had a number of other mentors over the years. Though not all piano related, there is a common thread among them. They all instilled in me the importance of a sort of calm, meditative work style. Although this is sometimes easier said than done, I apply that work ethic to everything I do, from my musical explorations to my technical work. There is nothing that brings me more joy than a job well done. After all, what would be the point of doing it poorly?