Piano Technicians Guild
SCRC Regional Conference
October 15-17, 2012
Kerrville, TX
Instructors
The SCRC team has rounded up some of the best instructors in the U.S. Click the links on the left to see bios, which are below.
Christian Bolduc - Montreal, Ontario, Canada
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
Christopher Brown, RPT - Boston, MA
In 1973, Chris graduated from Williams College as a music major. His traditional five-year piano technology apprenticeship included courses and employment at Berklee College of Music and two years at North Bennet Street School. In 1982, he moved to Concord MA and for 23 years split his time between in-home piano service, concert tuning, and rebuilding work. Then in 2005, he set up a new shop specifically for the restoration and fitting of actions. Out of this move toward specialization emerged The Piano Rebuilders, a rebuilding consortium that included Chris on actions, Mike Morvan on keywork, and Jude Reveley as bellyman. Another outcome was the Grandwork™ Regulation Station: a patented suite of tools designed by Chris to take as much of grand action work out of the piano as possible and make it more predictable, more accurate, and easier to perform. Chris is a member of the Boston Chapter and his company, Concord Piano LLC provides tuning and repair services to the Boston Metro West area.
Peg Browne, RPT - Phoenix, AZ Chapter
As a member of PTG for 35 years, Peg has been involved in every aspect of the piano technical business field, as well as piano rebuilding. In addition, Peg works with Nick Gravagne in the manufacture of new soundboards. She is a graduate of the Yamaha Little Red School House, as well as the Yamaha Concert Artist Class, and routinely services the Yamaha Disklavier piano. Peg has taught at several State and National conventions with emphasis on piano prep and applied skills.
David Bonham, RPT and Barbara Bonham - Oklahoma Chapter
David Bonham trained under Robert Carbaugh in Chicago in 1969, gaining high school credit through the newly developed Diversified Occupations program. His goal was to gain a well-paying skill to help pay for college expenses. He earned his bachelor degree in psychology at Oberlin College and his masters in social work at the University of Oklahoma. In 1985, after working in the counseling field for several years, he decided to return to piano work full time. He has been an RPT since 1986 and is very active in the Oklahoma Chapter, currently serving as president.
David and his wife, Barbara, operate a piano service business in Oklahoma City specializing in tuning, repair, regulation and moving. Barbara (the pretty half of DaBar Enterprises) does the scheduling, paperwork, some action restoration, and assists in most of the moving. Local and long-distance moves have grown to represent about one-third of their income. David has developed some innovative grand moving dollies and techniques. At 280 lbs (combined weight) they surprise many customers with the ease and efficiency of their piano moving operation.
Norman Cantrell, RPT - Oklahoma, National PTG Vice President
Norman Cantrell began his career in musical instrument repair by working as an apprentice for B. L. McCrary Pipe Organ Service in Oklahoma City in the fall of 1978. After two and a half years with Mr. McCrary he left OKC and enrolled in Grayson County College in Dennison, TX to study piano tuning and repair. Upon completion of his studies at Grayson he returned to Oklahoma City and opened his own piano service business. Over the years he has specialized in the restoration of player pianos. He has been a member of the Piano Technicians Guild for several years and is currently a Registered Piano Technician and a Certified Tuning Examiner. He has been an instructor at regional and national PTG seminars. Norman is currently the Regional Vice President for the PTG South Central Region.
Walt Connell, RPT - Dallas, TX
Walt has taught at local and national conventions, has been a Certified Tuning Examiner (CTE), and currently heads Metroplex Piano's service department in Dallas.
Dave Conte, RPT - Fort Worth, TX
Dave Conte, RPT is a graduate of the University of North Texas Piano Technology Program, and teaches a Piano Technology course at Tarrant County College. Dave studied under Joesph Vitti and the late Andre Svetlichny to received his Concert & Artist Technician Certification in 1996, and currently serves as the South Central Certified Tuning Examiner Regional Administrator for the PTG.
Mike Ello, RPT - Houston, TX
Mike Ello, RPT was introduced as a young boy to the piano service profession in the mid 1960’s at his late father’s player piano rebuilding and refinishing shop in downtown Lubbock, Texas. Mike has been servicing pianos since 1981. He was a member of the Dallas PTG (Piano Technicians Guild) for seven years and is currently active in the Houston PTG Chapter. Mike has been an instructor at both regional and national PTG conventions. He also serves as a Certified Tuning Examiner in the South Central region. His family owned business is based in Richmond, TX, servicing the greater Houston area with tuning, regulating, voicing, rebuilding, and refinishing services. Mike is also known for his skill in polyester and lacquer finish touch up. His son, Joshua Ello, has joined the family business and is also a registered technician. You can visit Mike′s website at http://www.ellopianoservice.com
Jim Geiger, RPT - Heart of Texas Chapter
Jim Geiger was born on Christmas Day in l935. Graduating from Cincinnati Conservatory in l956 with a certificate in piano technology, he has done just about everything in piano work and taught many classes. He has taught piano technology at Houston Community College and Morehead State University. He has attended 39 conventions.
Nick Gravagne, RPT - Phoenix, AZ Chapter
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.
Claude Harding, RPT - Houston, TX Chapter
Claude Harding earned bachelor of music and master of music degrees from Baylor University. He started studying piano technology in 1975, when he joined the Houston Chapter, PTG. He passed the exams to become a Craftsman/RPT member in1977, and began working full-time as a piano technician in 1979, when he started Harding Piano Service. Harding Piano Service provides tuning and repair, regulation and voicing, shop work and rebuilding to piano owners on the east side of greater Houston and beyond. During this time Claude has also almost continuously served various churches as a part-time/bi-vocational music minister.
Claude has instructed at the chapter and regional levels. He is a recipient of the TSA/SCRC Jimmy Gold Award, the PTG Member of Note Award, and served as the PTG Institute Director for Nashville 2004.
Scott Jones, RPT - PitchLock, Inc - Central Pennsylvania
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.
Doug Knabe, Associate - Dallas, TX
Doug joined the PTG in 2001 and has been a constant contributor to both the Dallas Chapter and Regional PTG Chapters, primarily in electronic communications. He has a masters degree in Electrical Engineering with many years experience in the computer and communications industries. Doug tuned his first piano in 1981. He has developed and taught a number of piano related courses at the chapter and regional levels, including “World Wide Web for Piano Technicians”, “Temperamental Temperament”, “An Introduction to Tunelab” and “Calibrating Your Tuning Fork or ETD”. He builds and maintains this website for the seminar each year.
Carl Lieberman, RPT - South Bay, CA
Carl has been a piano technician in Los Angeles since 1972, passed his RPT professional exams in 1979 and has 40 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, RPT. He studied math and computers eons ago, receiving his Bachelor's Degree from UC Berkeley. Since its initial release he has been a member of the RCT Development Team, optimizing and expanding the software's capabilities. Carl currently works for a recording facility, villagestudios.com and a performing arts center, thebroadstage.com.
Bernard Mollberg, Associate - Mollberg Piano Restoration. - Blanco County, TX
Bernard Mollberg began piano work in 1976. Mollberg Piano Restoration http://www.mollbergpiano.com is located on a mesa in rural Blanco County, and specializes in the full restoration of grand pianos. Bernard has been an Associate (non-tuning) member of the Austin, TX Chapter since the mid-‘80’s. He has been fascinated with the problem of how can one learn to produce high quality work, be well paid for one’s efforts, build a specialized business that most folks don’t need, by word of mouth referrals. One of his long term goals is to have an unlisted business telephone number.
Ray Negron, Ronsen Piano Hammer Co. - Hudson-Adirondack, NY
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.
Trevor Nelson, RPT, Renaissance Piano Service - Boulder, CO
Trevor Nelson RPT, is a 25-year PTG member originally from Vancouver, BC, now residing in Boulder, CO. He has studied several times at the Bosendorfer Factory in Vienna, worked as a university technician for 12 years, served as a Sessional Faculty Member in Piano Technology to the Banff Center for the Arts, and is the concert tech for the Boulder Chamber Orchestra. His business is diverse, involving typical home service, full restoration, refinishing, custom touchweight work and scale design, as well as rentals, sales of restored Steinways, etc. He has served PTG in his chapter as President, as Institute Director for the Central West Regional Convention, and nationally as the Central West RVP, and travels regularly to teach at chapter meetings and seminars, in addition to the occasional article for the Journal. Trevor is an avid pianist, singer and choral conductor, and enjoys a wide variety of interests, from hiking the outdoors and organic gardening to design, architecture, photography, swing dance, website design and writing.
Dale Probst, RPT - Oklahoma
Dale Probst has been restoring, repairing, servicing and tuning pianos in the Texoma area for over twenty five 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.
Tom Seay, RPT - Austin, TX
I am a Registered Piano Technician and a member of the Austin Chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild. I have been tuning and servicing pianos since 1976 and have worked in the Austin area since 1981. I am a former staff piano technician at the School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin, having retired from that position in January of 2007 after 15 years of service. At the School of Music, I was responsible for the tuning, maintenance and rebuilding of approximately 95 grand and vertical pianos, many of them Steinways.
I hold both Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degrees from East Texas State University, now Texas A&M University at Commerce, and was a member of the Music Faculty of Texarkana College in Texarkana, Texas.
I have attended factory seminars sponsored by Steinway and Yamaha, where I received advanced training in piano service. I have also attended numerous state and national seminars and conferences sponsored by the Piano Technicians Guild, Inc.
Since my retirement from The University of Texas at Austin, I am working as a full-time independent piano technician in the Austin area, specializing in the rebuilding and reconditioning of grand piano actions and damper systems, in addition to the tuning and maintenance of all types of pianos.
Darren Speir, RPT - Dallas, TX
Darren Speir grew up in the piano business. He is an RPT in the Piano Technicians Guild. Darren had a full time job working on pianos since he was 15 and at age 20 started his own piano service business. Darren Speir is currently owner of Metroplex Piano, Inc. and holds several roles including Chief Executive Officer, President and Director.
Leon Speir, RPT - Dallas, TX
Leon has been professionally tuning and servicing all types of pianos since High School days in central Oklahoma. Shortly after graduating from high school, he moved to Dallas and has operated a tuning and rebuilding business at the same location since 1965. He has served in various leadership capacities in the Piano Technicians Guild at the national, regional and local levels. Leon is proud of his degrees from SOHK University, and will share his expertise in his Vertical Repairs class. He is looking forward to seeing you all at the Y.O. Resort in the Texas Hill Country!
Michael Tocquigny, RPT - Sanger, TX (Dallas Chapter)
Michael Tocquigny has been a self-employed piano technician since 1977 (about half-time in the Ft. Smith, AR area and half in north Texas) - all this after a one year experience as a public school math teacher. Training began with a course in piano technology at Grayson Co. College, continuing with Yamaha's Little Red School House, Steinway's technical school and, of course, many trips to PTG conventions. In recent years he's been privileged to teach at several national conventions. His work has included contract tunings for schools and colleges, but his preference is for shop work/rebuilding, especially pinblocks and restringing. In his spare time, he enjoys barbershop singing.
Steve Walthall, RPT - Austin, TX
Steve has a bachelor degree in music education from Southern Arkansas University (1981) and is a graduate of Grayson County College in piano technology (1982). He now works half-time as a piano technician for the University of Texas in Austin and has a large private piano service business.
Elizabeth Ward, RPT - Oklahoma
Elizabeth Ward, RPT continues to service pianos in North Texas, Southern Oklahoma and Louisiana. She is a Registered Piano Technician with the Piano Technicians Guild, has Steinway, Yamaha and Bosendorfer factory training and grew up in Kelly Ward's piano shop. With over thirty years experience, her specialties are tuning, repair, regulating and voicing. She is a Certified Installer of Piano Life Saver systems by Dampp-Chaser Corporation. Currently Empress of Ward and Probst, Inc. and anything to do with yarn.
Jack Wyatt, RPT - Dallas, TX
Jack began his career as a full time technician in May of 1946. Working in his brother’s rebuilding shop he was tutored by several expert rebuilders and tuners of this time. This was an opportunity that few technicians ever have and Jack took full advantage of it. He began his own business in 1952 and added a rebuilding shop in 1956. He installs new pin blocks, soundboards, bridges, actions and back actions. He has developed many techniques designed to achieve maximum potential of each piano he services. This includes voicing and using the mechanics of the action to even the volume across the entire keyboard. He has serviced thousands upon thousands of pianos from all over the world. His business was built on the principle of delivering more than his customer expected. Jack teaches piano technology thoughout the country and is recognized as an expert on vintage, antique, and unique pianos. For the past 46 years he has been compiling information for a book on the evolution of pianos that he hopes to complete and publish soon. Jack serves on the PTG Foundation Board and was instrumental in creating the PTGF Piano Museum at the home office in Kansas City.