THE ARCHIVES

FALL 2009

Welcome former clients of Ali Tucker!  Ali and I used to work together at a piano shop in downtown Seattle.  Now she's moved out of the area, and I am delighted to be the piano technician she has recommended . Please take a look around my website and then give me a call or e-mail to set up a visit.  I am looking forward to meeting you and your piano(s). And, bon voyage Ali!

EARLY FALL 2009

If there's anybody out there that's considering buying a Steinway grand piano used in a famous venue (Tanglewood, Carnegie Hall, etc.), eighteen instruments in several sizes will be available from September 17-20 at the Sherman & Clay in downtown Seattle.   If you're looking for something less expensive, you could still take a look at these instruments before narrowing your focus to a Boston, Essex, Henry F. Miller, or other new or used, grand or upright piano.  For questions or to schedule an appointment, please call Manager Ben Klinger: 206.622.7580, ask him about free parking, and tell him Ginny sent you.  

LATE SUMMER 2009

By the time most of you read this (from August 4th), I will be back in Seattle after my third summer at the Interlochen Arts Camp.

This year  we four piano technicians got to take a "field trip" to the Piano Technician Guild national conference which was conveniently in Michigan this year (convenient for us at Interlochen, that is).  Having just qualified as a Registered Piano Technician this year, I was given free registration to the conference, a one-time only great deal.  It was the usual exchange of knowledge, and money too, as the exhibit floor was  full of items that we wanted to take home.  I left enthusiastic to share the new things I'd learned with my clients, old and new.  Please call 425-765-351(or 206-406-5576) or e-mail me to arrange a tuning or other piano service.

Here's a shot of the Interlochen Piano Technicians at  our favorite local ice cream shop.   We could eat, talk shop, and watch the cows who contributed to the making of the delicious ice cream.  A great summer!

SUMMER 2009

Through August 3, I am tuning pianos for the Interlochen Arts Camp again (here's my public radio interview about the experience).  While I am gone, I will still be accessible by  voicemail and e-mail.   For those who need piano service before my return, I am pleased to recommend Robert Samuelson, Registered Piano Technician.  Call him at 206-325-1752, or contact him by e-mail.

Also, I am pleased to report that I have completed the testing process to become a Registered Piano Technician  through the Piano Technicians Guild, a long time goal.  RPTs have passed a battery of tests including a written test, a tuning test, and a technical test which includes repairs and regulation.  However, this does not mean my education efforts are over.  I am an active participant in the local chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild, and I will be attending the national convention in July.  There's always something new to learn!

SPRING 2009

Once again, I have been invited to return to Michigan to tune pianos during the summer at Interlochen Arts Camp (see more info in the Archives).  I will be gone from June 15 to August 2nd. If your piano needs tuning now or in the near future, please book right away to make sure I can fit you in before I leave. 

I enjoy Interlochen for many reasons, but one of the top reasons is being able to work closely with three other piano technicians, the natural result of having several hundred pianos in one very small area!

FALL AND WINTER 2008-9

Late in 2008 I had the opportunity to tour the Steinway & Sons factory just outside of New York City.  Although the buildings date back over a hundred years, the techniques used to build pianos now are a blend of old and new.  Among the highlights was  the transformation of several lengths of wood, glued and bent around a piano-shaped form to create the rim of a Steinway grand piano, in just a few minutes.  Each person had a very specific part to play; it was choreographed almost like a dance.  I was the only piano technician on the tour and I was glad to be able to answer questions about pianos and their care to the other tour participants.

LATE SUMMER 2008  NEWS

I had a wonderful time tuning among the talented young people at the Interlochen Arts Camp, and am now back home in Seattle.  There's no place like home!

SUMMER 2008  NEWS

Starting in mid-June, I will be tuning pianos for the Interlochen Arts Camp again (here's my public radio interview about my last experience there).  While I am gone, I will still be accessible by  voicemail and e-mail.   For those who need piano service before my return on August 11th, I am pleased to recommend Robert Samuelson, Registered Piano Technician.  Call him at 206-325-1752, or contact him by e-mail.

WINTER 2007-8 NEWS

I have extended my work area to Vashon Island.  The Neighborhood Discount applies to Vashon too, in a slightly modified way; no surcharge for the ferry ticket when I have two (or more) appointments on Vashon on the same day.   Call a neighbor with a piano, and then call or e-mail me to arrange the visit.

FALL 2007 NEWS

I was recently interviewed on the Working Girl blog.  And then, someone from England with a blog about pianos picked up on what I said about perfect pitch and piano tuners.  It was particularly interesting as he seems to be one of those rare people with synesthesia (kind of like an extra sense- connecting numbers and things with colors, in his case it applies to musical pitches).

SUMMER 2007 NEWS

I attended the Piano Technician Guild 50th Anniversary Conference and Technical Institute, along with over 700 other piano technicians.  Classes spanned five days, and topics ranged from new technical skills and tools, to the intricacies of tuning by ear and with electronic devices.   Highlights of the event included a performance of a replica of the first piano ever made, and the appearance of the world's oldest piano technician, 104 years old!   Besides classes, there were also concerts and an exhibit hall which was staffed by piano makers from Steinway of the United States and Germany,, to Pearl River of China as well as tools, books, and just about anything a piano technician would want to consider acquiring.  It was a great time for professional growth and networking.

SPRING 2007 NEWS

I have recently begun tuning pianos at the Sherman & Clay store in downtown Seattle.  Sherman & Clay is the largest Steinway dealer in the world.  You can find everything from apartment-sized small uprights to magnificent concert grand pianos on display.   I am delighted to be associated with Sherman & Clay, with a reputation of quality earned over its 130 years in the piano business.

FALL 2006

I spent summer of 2006 at Interlochen Center for the Arts. 

While in Michigan I was featured in a radio interview on American Public Media's Weekend America.  It's about nine minutes long; click on the radio graphic at left to listen.

Photo courtesy of Interlochen Center for the Arts